Reynolds-Finley Library Remote Access Guide: For Classes & Researchers

We are very fortunate this day in age - just as we are working to digitize and digitally exhibit the unique materials at UAB, so are other special collections around the world. This is great for researchers of historical topics. Contact us if you need assistance locating primary resources made digitally available by UAB or other institutions. Let us know your topic of inquiry so we can advise on a collection that offers relevant materials. Below are some Digital Collections links you may find useful:

• For a list of digital collections available through Alabama institutions, Alabama Mosaic is an excellent resource.
• National Library of Medicine Digital Collections
• Medical Heritage Library: An open-access, collaborative project involving the digitization of history of the health sciences materials within 30 medical libraries in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
• Library of Congress Digital Collections

For researchers and students interested in pursuing topics related to the history of medicine: If the time period is after 1950, search the literature using PubMed and link to full-text content when available. However, if your topic is prior to that time, you will have better luck searching the National Library of Medicine's IndexCat. Keep in mind that IndexCat is an index and does not provide linking to full-text, but it will allow you to identify books, pamphlets, and articles within journals regarding your topic. Digital versions of many of the journals are accessible by then searching the journal title in the library's catalog. Books and pamphlets may be available digitally through the online versions links within our catalog, through one of the digital collections mentioned above, or elsewhere online. Contact us if you need assistance in locating these.

Contact us to schedule an instruction session using the Reynolds-Finley Library, or to ask questions regarding class engagement opportunities. We can also offer instruction through Zoom, or develop PowerPoints, videos or Research Guides for you to share with students. Below are a few examples of the kinds of instruction we provide, but we are always willing to discuss other possibilities as well.

• Discuss topics related to the history of medicine, science, the health sciences, and disease, as well as the history of the book and all aspects of book production
• Create displays for your class to interact and engage with original historical materials
• Collaborate on and facilitate assignments utilizing historical materials
• Help students understand the difference between primary and secondary sources through demonstrated examples
• Explain the traditional process of researching in a special collection
• Demonstrate book preservation and conservation techniques
• Discuss the profession of special collections librarianship