/ Arizona Health Sciences Library
Vision
To be the most client-centered, innovative, and effective health sciences library in the United States
Mission
The Arizona Health Sciences Library of the University of Arizona seeks to improve health by providing quality information to advance education, research, and patient care in Arizona and the Southwest.
Core Competencies
AHSL is an important partner in the AHSC/UA education, research & clinical communities. AHSL
- Identifies, collects, organizes and provides access to print and electronic educational, research and clinical materials, which are relevant, timely and cost effective.
- Provides instruction to faculty, students, researchers & clinicians in the navigation and use of resources.
- Collaborates with faculty to develop innovative curricula and to foster information literacy.
- Shares expertise in information management and works in partnership with faculty, students, researchers & clinicians to advance learning and facilitate research projects.
Networks/Consortia/Memberships
The Arizona Health Sciences Library is a member of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine founded by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and serves as the designated resource library for Arizona through the Pacific Southwest Regional Medical Library Service (PSRMLS).
The Arizona Health Sciences Library is a founding member of the Arizona Health Information Network (AZHIN). In addition to AHSL, the AZHIN consortium is made up of the University of Arizona, the major teaching hospitals in Arizona, and a growing number of other Arizona health-related organizations.
The Arizona Health Sciences Library is a member of the Arizona University Libraries Council (AULC), consisting of Arizona Health Sciences Library (AHSL), Arizona State University (ASU), Arizona State University East, Arizona State University West, Northern Arizona University (NAU), and the University of Arizona (UA). AULC promotes the consortial purchase of digital content, resource sharing, and cooperative projects to further the educational and research missions of the universities.
AHSL, along with the other University libraries, maintain a membership to BioMed Central, the open access publisher, which enables all UA faculty and researchers to publish in BioMed Central journals at no cost.
Major Grants/Projects
Arizona Turning Point Project: One of twenty-one projects across the country funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The national initiative aims to transform and strengthen the public health system in the United States by making it more community-based and collaborative. The Arizona Health Sciences Library is working with several partners, including the Arizona State Library, the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman Arizona College of Public Health, to increase direct access to Arizona public health information. Together they created AZHealthInfo, a website that provides access to a vast amount of state and local resources for health practitioners, librarians and the general public. AZHealthInfo is an ongoing project that will continue to grow as additional content for the website is identified.
Hispanic Center of Excellence: AHSL is involved in the development and delivery of informatics services to the Hispanic Center of Excellence (HCOE) of the College of Medicine and to library clientele involved in scholarship, clinical care, or research into Hispanic, border, cross-cultural, bilingual, and culturally sensitive health issues.
Print & Audiovisual Resources as of June 30, 2003
The physical AHS Library is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The print collection consists of:
Total Cataloged Print Volumes229,395
Monographs96,682
Journals132,713
Volumes Processed3,576
Volumes withdrawn701
Journal and Serial Print Subscriptions
currently received1,751
Audiovisual & Computer Resources:
Total4,180
Micro Fiche/Film/Card1,711
Computer Software/CD-ROM93
AV (Audiocassette, VHS, videodisk, etc.)2,376
Digital Resources as of May 1, 2004
AHSL offers a comprehensive web portal ( that connects University of Arizona affiliates to a wealth of digital resources in the health sciences.
Total Digital Resources6,170
E-Journals4,000
E-Texts600
Databases352
Internet Resources1,218
Major Databases: OVID Medline & HealthStar, MDConsult, Web of Science, and POPLINE, Academic Search Premier, InfoTrac.
Major e-Journal Publishers: American Public Health Association, Blackwell Science, Elsevier Science, John Wiley & Sons, Kluwer, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins and Sage.
Major e-Book Publishers: National Academies Press,netLibrary, U.S. Health & Human Services.
Web Links: selected and organized Internet resources in specialty areas from authoritative and reliable sources.
Major AHSL Services
Computer labs (IS & LRC): Enables students & faculty to utilize curriculum-based learning resources and to create presentations, papers, etc using productivity software applications.
Copy/Scanning Services: Full-service center provides copying and scanning services at low prices & supports self-service copying and printing options for library users.
Electronic & Print Reserves/Coursepacks: Provides copyright-compliant class readings via the web, in print and in Coursepacks sold directly to students.
Ethernet/Wireless Network Support: Provides fast wireless Internet access to users either with their own laptop or with library owned laptops that can be checked out.
Information Consultations: Upon request faculty and researchers receive individual instruction in their own offices geared to their specific information needs to advance their instruction, research and clinical practice.
Interlibrary Loan/ Document Delivery: Web-based system (ILLiad) for books and article copies from external libraries or ordering copies of journal articles from the AHSL print collection. Ten ILL requests per semester are filled free with $6 charged per item thereafter. Document delivery charges are $6 per item with 24- 48-hour service. Delivery options include: mail, fax or email delivery.
Laptop Support: Helps users set up their laptops for use within the library and make them secure from viruses. Provides instruction on use.
PDA Support: Technical support & instruction enable users to better integrate the devices into their education, instruction, clinical practice and research.
Public Health Web Links: Internet resources in the area of public health have been selected, evaluated and organized for easy access.
Reference Services (Ask a Health Librarian): Enables faculty and researchers to contact information professionals in-person, by phone, via email & chat up to 65 hours per week, and to get specific answers to their questions quickly. This comprehensive service is designed to provide answers to questions in the health sciences.
Remote Access: Enables UA affiliates, including distance instructors & students, to access the digital collection from off-campus.
Research Assistance: Enables faculty and researchers to receive in-depth assistance in structuring or conducting searches to support their research needs.
Web Development: Develop sophisticated web applications & portals to expand library’s services to users.