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United States National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health

Resources for International Librarians, Health Professionals and Researchers in Developing Countries

This Web page provides training, document delivery and other useful resources for the health and information professionals in developing countries.

NLM Training and Courses | Document Delivery – Getting Journal Articles | Library Development | Internet and Library/Resource Center Development Manuals | NLM Sites of Interest | Training | Links to Associations and to Medical Libraries | Fogarty International Center Grants Directory | Tours of NLM |

NLM Training and Courses

Document Delivery – Getting Journal Articles

Pay Services

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is the world's largest medical library. NLM is the library of last resort for materials that are not available from local or regional libraries. Individuals who need access to medical literature should make a request through a local library or register with a Loansome Doc® library that agrees to provide articles to them: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/loansome_doc.html

Users outside the United States are welcome to use Loansome Doc. There are many libraries throughout the world and in the US and Canada willing to serve international users. For more information, see the FAQ on Finding a Library and How to Register for Loansome Doc.

Free Services

Additionally, there are services developed especially for researchers in developing regions of the world. These include:

See also:
Free Biomedical Literature Resources
Biomedical Literature Resources for Libraries Outside the U.S.

Local Services:

Additional assistance in identifying and locating useful information can be obtained from your own local medical libraries.

Library Development

During your visit to the U.S., we strongly encourage you to visit academic medical libraries. NLM does not serve faculty or students in an academic setting; we provide services to other libraries and institutions, not individual people.

In the Baltimore area (about 40 miles from Washington):

In the Washington D.C. area:

Internet and Library/Resource Development Manuals

NLM Sites of Interest

Databases:

Other:

Training

Information about becoming a medical librarian is often available from professional library associations. In the United States, the Medical Library Association (MLA) is a good resource, providing career descriptions: http://www.mlanet.org/career/career_explore.html. It links to library (graduate) schools in the United States and Canada that offer health science information courses and programs: http://www.mlanet.org/education/libschools/index.html. In general, an undergraduate degree is required for admission to these library programs.

Start with local library associations for finding out more about training opportunities and options. There are many programs available throughout the world; some even offer distance learning options in which courses are provided online. For example, the University of South Africa's Department of Information Science: http://www.unisa.ac.za/Default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=2000 is one of the first institutions to offer library and information science training through distance education. Local library associations can provide information about specific professional requirements and which programs fulfill these requirements.

It is advisable to start with government and organizations in your country for information about financial aid. Some countries provide financial aid for their citizens to study in the U.S. or other countries. There may be specific aid available for library education from organizations located in your country. Foreign embassies often have cultural and educational attachés who can provide information about financial aid or who can provide access to directories of educational grants and fellowships.

Training opportunities for librarians who have completed their master's degree are also available. See NLM Library Associate program described above. Again, professional library associations can be a good resource. For example, the Medical Library Association provides the Cunningham Memorial International Fellowship: http://ics.mlanet.org/fellowship.htm for a health sciences librarian from a country outside the U.S. or Canada. Travel grants to attend professional conferences may be available from other library associations as well.

Links to Associations and to Medical Libraries

Fogarty International Center Grants Directory

Since 1988, the Fogarty International Center, part of the National Institutes of Health, has published the Directory of International Grants and Fellowships in the Health Sciences . This current volume (NIH Publication 06-3027, February 2006), a comprehensive compilation of international funding opportunities in biomedical and behavioral research prepared by Ms. Hannah Leslie, should serve the individual or institution who seeks financial support. Available now are versions in PDF and RSS Feed; work proceeds on the version in HTML.
To request the Directory on CD, recommend new entries or correct information in the current Directory, please contact the Office of Communications at ficinfo@nih.gov

Tours of NLM

The NLM Visitors Center, located in the lobby of the Lister Hill Center (NIH Building 38A), is open weekdays except Federal holidays, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. It offers an excellent orientation to the National Library of Medicine through its tours, printed information and interactive computer displays: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/about/vcenter.html

If you have questions about NLM's tour operation, please call Melanie Modlin in the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, 301-496-7771 or mm354i@nih.gov

Last reviewed: 08 April 2008
Last updated: 08 April 2008
First published: 05 April 2005
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