The National Library of Medicine

The National Library of Medicine, located in Bethesda, MD, is the largest repository of medical literature in the world. Its vast holdings now comprise 2.3 million volumes and 3.6 million additional items, including manuscripts; photographs, prints, and other pictorial material; and extensive collections of microfilmed and audiovisual records. Today, this world-famous library faces a range of challenges related to the storage of the formidable volume of new material from around the world, the preservation of older documents, and the demand for technology-driven dissemination of information.