The role of the British Library for medical and health information. Standing Conference of National and University Libraries (SCONUL).

Abstract

This paper examines the role of the British Library in the provision of medical and health information in the U.K. Medicine--in both the public and private sector--is big business. The British Library is already heavily involved in the provision of information to the medical community but there is little planning for the most cost-effective allocation of resources for medical information across the nation. There is no focus for research and development in medical information policy and medical librarians do not readily identify with the British Library. This paper suggests that the British Library could help to develop a focus for medical information policy in the way the National Library of Medicine does for the USA.