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NLM Reading Rooms and Services:
Main Reading Room

The National Library of Medicine Main Reading Room includes an extensive reference collection of over 4,500 key materials selected by Reference librarians. The most recent five years of major medical journals are available for self-service. Current audiovisual materials, abstracts and indexes are also available in the Reading Room.

In addition to the Main Reading Room reference collection, you can request items from the closed stacks via LocatorPlus:

  • books (1914-present)
  • journals and serials (1871-present)
  • audiovisual materials

A Reference librarian in the Main Reading Room can assist you with:

  • LocatorPlus, the National Library of Medicine online catalog
  • MedlinePlus, links to online health information
  • PubMed, the NLM bibliographic database for journal articles
  • commercial electronic databases subscribed to by the NLM
  • information on print resources available in the NLM collection

Before visiting NLM at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, read the NIH Security Procedures.

NLM Main Reading Room
Main Reading Room

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Last reviewed: 20 March 2007
Last updated: 20 March 2007
First published: 30 January 2001
Metadata| Permanence level: Permanence Not Guaranteed