Dolph Briscoe, Jr. Library
UT Health Science Center Library - Downtown
Mario E. Ramirez, M.D. Library, Harlingen
Circuit Librarian Health Information Network (CLHIN)
Jesse H. Jones Comprehensive Research Library
Laredo Campus Extension Library

Facts and Figures Fiscal Year 2006-2007

The mission of the UTHSCSA Library is to advance the teaching, research, patient care, and service programs of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the health care programs of South Texas by providing library services and access to biomedical information fundamental to maintaining health and treating and preventing disease. This is accomplished through four library divisions: Collection Resources, Public Services, South Texas Regional Information Services, and Knowledge Management. Each division is headed by a Director or Associate Director who reports to the Executive Director of Libraries. The Library Committee (http://www.uthscsa.edu/comm/library.html), an advisory group, has 20 members representing faculty and students from throughout the Health Science Center.

The collection of the UTHSCSA Library includes more than 221,000 book and journal volumes and 5,000 current print and electronic journal subscriptions, as well as a comprehensive collection of computer software and media programs. Electronic journals account for over 96% of the total number of serials subscriptions. The reference collection includes general and specialized dictionaries, directories, encyclopedias, handbooks, bibliographies, and guides to the literature of the health sciences, including dentistry, nursing, allied health sciences, medicine, public health and the biomedical sciences. A number of references are available for online use.

The Collection Resources Division acquires the major English-language publications pertaining to the health sciences as they are published. In general, new books are ordered weekly and added to the collection within approximately two weeks of receipt. New books are displayed on the New Book Shelf in the library for one week before being placed in the general circulating collection. Journals are reviewed annually and some new titles added as appropriate.

Collection Resources maintains the library's catalog of books, journals, media, and audiovisual programs. The catalog is based on the Innovative Interfaces, Inc. integrated library system. Collection Resources staff handle licensing of electronic products for use by the campus community and manage the library’s participation in a number of library consortia including the University of Texas System Digital Library, TexShare, and the South Central Academic Medical Library (SCAMeL) consortium.

The Public Services Division of the UTHSCSA Library staffs the Circulation and Information Desks in the Briscoe Library and offers a comprehensive instructional program, including orientation classes for new faculty and students. Free classes are available on searching the library catalog, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, and the Internet, and using database management software. Instruction is also offered in the use of citation software, RSS feeds and podcasting. Librarians are available to conduct specialized database searches and to work with faculty to integrate principles of effective literature searching into Health Science Center curricula.

Outreach is a particular strength of the UTHSCSA Library. In 2007, a new division, South Texas Regional Information Services, was formed. This division includes the Circuit Librarian Health Information Network (CLHIN), as well as library services provided at the UT Health Science Center Library - Downtown, the Mario E. Ramirez, M.D. Library at the RAHC, the Laredo Campus Extension, and at the Jesse H. Jones Comprehensive Research Library at Texas Research Park. The CLHIN program provides information services to member hospitals and clinics throughout South Texas, including MEDLINE and other database searches, document delivery and consultation on information management. Interlibrary Loan, operating as part of the South Texas Regional Information Services division, obtains materials not available in the library’s collection from other libraries and also loans and provides copies of materials in the collection to other libraries.

The Division of Knowledge Management administers the UTHSCSA Library Website (http://www.library.uthscsa.edu), and maintains and supports the information technology infrastructure of the library. The Website provides access to the library’s online catalog of book, journal, audiovisual and reserve collections, as well as to nearly 5,000 full-text journals and electronic versions of textbooks and reference sources. Online resources available through the Library Website include Ovid Online, Pubmed, MDConsult, DynaMed and UpToDate. Through cooperative agreements with the University of Texas System Digital Library, the Texas State Library’s Texshare Program, South Central Academic Medical Libraries (SCAMeL), and local consortia, access is available to additional databases and full-text resources, including CINAHL (nursing and allied health care), PsycINFO, ERIC, Elsevier’s ScienceDirect, Health Reference Center, Stat!Ref, Access Medicine and many others. Most of the Library’s electronic resources are available through the library’s off-campus login service. The Division of Knowledge Management also administers UTHSCSA’s digital and special collections, including the Knowledge Cooperative and the P.I. Nixon Medical Historical Library.

The UTHSCSA Library employs 49 full-time-equivalent staff members, including 19 librarians. Most librarians are active in professional organizations including the Medical Library Association, the South Central Chapter/MLA, the American Library Association, and the Texas Library Association.

The Briscoe Library is a four-story facility with 93,000 gross square feet. Study seating is available for more than 800, with special use seating available for 120. The public entrance is on the third floor, which is the main level. The third floor houses the non-circulating Reference Collection and the Reserve Collection of books, articles, journals, audiovisuals, and other materials assigned for classes. Electronic Reserve materials are also accessible to students through the library’s Web site. A small leisure collection is also on this floor, as are the Circulation Desk, the Information (Reference) Desk, and staff offices. Public access computers are located on the third floor, as are flatbed scanners, slide scanners and computers equipped with image editing software.

The fourth floor houses the Library’s print journal collection, the Interlibrary Loan Office, the Department of Pharmacology's Drug Information Service, and the Collaboratory, a highly configurable space designed for group projects and videoconferencing. It includes a laptop equipped with collaboration software, a projector, a Smartboard, a printing white board and seating for 20 people. Librarians are available to provide instruction in the use of collaboration software.

The fifth floor houses the general (circulating) collection of books and audiovisuals arranged by National Library of Medicine and Library of Congress classification. The P.I. Nixon Medical Historical Library on this floor has rare and historical texts dating from the 15th to 20th century, photographs, manuscripts, records of local health-related organizations, and the UTHSCSA Archives. The Nixon Library is open Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The John P. Howe III, M.D. Conference Room is also located on the fifth floor.

The second floor houses a computer classroom, a regular classroom outfitted with an instructor's workstation and projector, and group study rooms. Additional public access computers, including both Macintosh and Windows-based computers, are located on this floor. All computers are equipped with instructional programs and productivity software, database access, and the Internet. Audiovisual equipment is also housed on the second floor. VCRs, televisions, slide projectors, audiotape players, and x-ray view boxes are available to all library users. Audiovisual materials, such as VHS tapes, are interfiled with the regular collection and located primarily on the Library's fifth floor.

The Library had an operating budget during the 2007 fiscal year of $4.5 million.