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United States National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health

Fact Sheet
Reference and Web Services


The Reference and Web Services Section of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) helps meet the biomedical information needs of US health professionals, scientists, and the general public. Our staff assist users in finding and utilizing health-related information that is acquired, organized, and disseminated as part of the NLM Goals and Objectives.


Our Services

Please consult local and regional information sources before requesting assistance from NLM. The NLM supplements services provided by other libraries and health information resources.

Our Reference and Web Services staff:


For more information about NLM resources and services go to: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/research.html


In our buildings on the Bethesda, Maryland campus of the National Institutes of Health, we help users of the Library's Main Reading Room


The Main Reading Room has:

Main Reading Room Hours (Eastern Time)

Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Note: Our hours change for holidays.

For books published prior to 1914, journals published prior to 1871, and images illustrating the social and historical aspects of medicine, go to the History of Medicine Division site.


Customer Service Policy

If you call the library, 1-888-FINDNLM (1-888-346-3656) or 301-594-5983, we assist you during the hours of:

Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.



If you send a letter or fax to us, we respond within seven working days

Reference and Web Services Section
National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20894
Fax: 301-402-1384

If you e-mail us, we send a response within four working days

If you visit the Library, we provide help with our collections and services in our Reading Rooms during the hours listed above.

Reference and Web Services Section
National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20894
Phone: 1-888-FINDNLM (1-888-346-3656) or 301-594-5983
Fax: 301-402-1384
Email: custserv@nlm.nih.gov



A complete list of NLM Fact Sheets is available at:
(alphabetical list) http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/factsheets.html
(subject list): http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/factsubj.html

Or write to:

FACT SHEETS
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20894

Phone: (301) 496-6308
Fax: (301) 496-4450
email: publicinfo@nlm.nih.gov

Last reviewed: 17 April 2008
Last updated: 12 May 2008
First published: 01 January 1997
Metadata| Permanence level: Permanent: Stable Content
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