Online Medical Reference System (OMRS)

Does the Library Own ......

Using the online catalog to find a publication

The best way to find out if the library owns a particular publication is to use the online catalog. The online catalog is a powerful system that allows you to search by title, keyword, medical subject heading or call number. A catalog search can also be limited by material type (book, journal, audiovisual, etc.), publisher, year of publication or library (Dykes, Farha or Clendening). Course materials kept on reserve can also be found on the catalog. 

Connect to the online catalog.

Where to look for items that the library owns, but are not on the shelf

The catalog will tell you if an item is checked out and when it is due. If an item is shown as being available, but is not on the shelf, there are several places to look. The first place to check are the bins in the photocopy room on the ground floor of the library. Items are picked up by library staff from bins, tables, and study carrels throughout the day at regular intervals. These items are taken to the circulation area for processing. Then they are placed on book carts either by call number (for books) or alphabetically by title (for journals) and the book carts are placed in the sorting area near the lounge area of the library (in the southwest corner) until the items can be reshelved. Therefore, you might find an item by either asking at the circulation counter or looking on the book carts in the sorting area. Another possibility is that the item is currently being used by another patron in the library.

What to do if the library does not own an item

You may request journal articles or books through Document Delivery. They can obtain materials the library does not own from another library. You may also want to check the catalogs of other libraries.

Browsing the Shelves by Subject Area (How are the books arranged?)

Materials in Dykes Library are arranged according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classification schedules. Below is a brief list of subjects with their classifications and a condensed version of the NLM classification schedules.

Brief Subject List

Classification Schedules