National Library of Medicine

library, Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Also known as: Army Medical Library, Surgeon General’s Library(Show More)

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Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is the foremost source of medical information in the United States. It is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dedicated to biomedical research. The NLM was founded in 1956 and is located in Bethesda, Maryland. Its collections focus on the history of medicine. The NIH itself supports and conducts research into the causes, cures, and prevention of diseases, and it also trains health researchers and disseminates medical information.12

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National Institutes of Health
…institutes, the NIH maintains the National Library of Medicine, which is the foremost source of medical information in the United States. The NIH also maintains several general research centres and the Division of Computer Research and Technology, which uses computer technologies to support health research programs nationwide.
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…institutes, the NIH maintains the National Library of Medicine, which is the foremost source of medical information in the United States. The NIH also maintains several general research centres and the Division of Computer Research and Technology, which uses computer technologies to support health research programs nationwide.
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John Shaw Billings
…General’s Library and ultimately the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical reference centre. His attempt to construct a logical classification system for the library resulted in his founding of the Index Medicus (1879), a monthly guide to current medical literature, and publication of the first edition of the…
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…General’s Library and ultimately the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical reference centre. His attempt to construct a logical classification system for the library resulted in his founding of the Index Medicus (1879), a monthly guide to current medical literature, and publication of the first edition of the…
Read More