Peking
University Health Sciences Library
was first established in 1922, and its
new building was opened in 1989, occupying
10,200 square meters with over 1,000
seats available.
The library holds a vast collection of 377,000
volumes, mostly on biology and medical sciences.Among the myriad of
materials, there are manyancient rare books. We keep the hand-written
copy of 'The holy Benevolent Prescriptions', which is the only copy
remained in the mainland. The diverse range of local and international
journals and periodicals includes a gamut of 4000 kinds, of which 1257
are currently published. Apart from its collection in text, the library
also has in store various audiovisuals including cassettes, videotapes,
microfilms and CD-ROMs. The recently introduced online database and
multimedia database further facilitate the users in information navigation
and knowledge production. Networked to the library resources in all
the hospitals affiliated to the Peking University, the health sciences
library forms a vital component of the Medical Information Keeping System.
In 1985, the Ministry of Education
set up China's Sole Foreign Medical Teaching Material Center in our
library. As the only nationally acknowledged organization in China,
the center aims at importing outstanding foreign medical textbooks and
reference books, thus lending tremendous support to the development
in the textbook studies in China. In 1991,our library was appointed
by the Ministry of Education to become the Central Library of Literature
Resources Sharing Network in Northern China. In 1993, the Medical information
Administration Committee Of the Ministry of Health named us the authorized
searching station for new research index . Furthermore, it also hosts
the National Medical Document and Information Center, which is under
the Management of the Center of Academic Library Information System
(CALIS), founded by the Ministry of Education in 1998. Being a crucial
part of the public service program of "project 211", the center
is scaling new heights in resource sharing and digital library development.
Apart from the normal browsing
and loaning services, the library also offers information reference,
index search for new research projects, achievement appraisal, SDI,
Inter-library loaning, audiovisual services, multimedia disc reading,
document delivery as well as various photocopying and printing services.
Hence, the library is not only is a rich well of information, but also
effectively functions as an education center.
The library will strive on to enhance
the breadth and depth of the information resources, and continue to
define, develop and strengthen their service culture.