The Library has two Open Access Areas (SWD): a book collection on the 1st floor and a journal collection on the 2nd floor.
The Open Access Area for books contains medical and related literature published since 2000. Most of the books can be borrowed for off-site use, while a small proportion is available as short-term loans for 1 month, regardless of the user’s status (green strip on the book). Some items in the collection are for on-site use only (red strip on the book).
The Quiet Study Zone is a designated area within the Open Access Area for books. Its collection consists mainly of monographs, textbooks and course materials covering medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and health sciences, as well as related fields such as biology, chemistry, environmental sciences and others. All books located in the Quiet Study Zone are for on-site use only.
Books in these areas are arranged according to the National Library of Medicine Classification (NLM) and the Library of Congress Classification (LCC).
Each item in the Open Access Area and Quiet Study Zone has an individual open-access call number label consisting of a classification symbol, a book call number and selected bibliographic details. This system allows the collections to be arranged in a clear and logical way, with books on similar subjects grouped together under the same initial classification symbol.
The NLM classification system groups information on the etiology and pathogenesis, diagnosis, pharmacology, treatment, rehabilitation, and other aspects of a specific disease or organ under the corresponding disease or organ.
Examples:
WG – Cardiovascular System
WG 141.5.T6 – Tomography
WG 166 – Therapeutics
WG 210 – Heart diseases
WG 310 – Myocardial infarction
Classification categories based on the U.S. National Library of Medicine (expanded version available here).
W – General Medicine. Health Professions
WA – Public Health
WB – Practice of Medicine
WC Communicable Diseases
WD Disorders of Systemic, Metabolic or Environmental Origin
WE Musculoskeletal System
WF Respiratory System
WG Cardiovascular System
WH Hemic and Lymphatic Systems
WI Digestive System
WJ Urogenital System
WK Endocrine System
WL Nervous System
QS Human Anatomy
QT Physiology
QU Biochemistry. Cell Biology and Genetics
QV Pharmacology
QW Microbiology. Immunology
QX Parasitology. Disease Vectors
QY Clinical Laboratory Pathology
QZ Pathology
WM Psychiatry
WN Radiology. Diagnostic Imaging
WO Surgery
WP Gynecology
WQ Obstetrics
WR Dermatology
WS Pediatrics
WT Geriatrics
WU Dentistry. Oral Surgery
WV Otolaryngology
WW Ophthalmology
WX Hospitals and Other Health Facilities
WY Nursing
WZ History of Medicine. Medical Miscellany
For the convenience of users, books in the Open Access Area are arranged in three sections:
The collection in the Quiet Study Zone is divided into three sections:
Books in the Quiet Study Zone are marked with coloured strips. Each combination of strips indicates a specific classification.
The Open Access Area for journals contains journal volumes from 2015 onwards, including the most recent issues. Journals are arranged alphabetically by title. The latest issue of each journal can be found on a specially designed display shelf. In the online catalogue, these items have the location “Open Access Area – Periodicals”.
Journal volumes held in the Library’s storeroom must be requested online. Instructions are available here.
All requested journal volumes from 1946 onwards can be collected on the 2nd floor at the desk. Journals published up to and including 1945 are available in the Special Collections Reading Room. Requests are held for 7 working days.
Please note:
When using the Open Access Areas and Study Rooms, please follow these basic rules:
The Special Collections Reading Room (3rd floor) provides access for on-site use only to rare books, old prints, iconographic materials, ephemera, manuscripts, exhibits and alternative materials (e.g. medals), as well as doctoral theses, journals and books published before 1945.