Republican Scientific-Medical Library, The Republic of Armenia : progress and programs

• Published in: Bulletin of the Medical Library Association Vol. 89; no. 1; pp. 45 - 50
• Main Authors: BRAUDE, Robert M, SHIRINYAN, Anna, ZARGARYAN, Tigran
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL Medical Library Association 2001
• Subjects: Armenia; Computer User Training; Documentary networks and libraries networks; Documentation institutions; Exact sciences and technology; History; Information and communication sciences; Information science. Documentation; Integrated Advanced Information Management Systems - organization & administration; Librarians; Libraries, Hospital - organization & administration; Libraries, Medical - organization & administration; Libraries. Virtual and electronic libraries. Media centers. Documentation centers; Library Collection Development; Medical libraries; National Health Programs - organization & administration; National libraries; Organizational Objectives; Program Development; Republican Scientific Medical Library; Research and special libraries; Sciences and techniques of general use; Software; Armenia; Eastern Europe; Europe; Objective; Project; Medical science; Library network; User training; Biomedical information; Information network; Special library; Evolution; Information access; Resource sharing; Information policy
• ISSN: 0025-7338

In 1990, the Republican Scientific-Medical Library (RSML) of the Ministry of Health of Armenia in collaboration with the Fund for Armenian Relief created a vision of a national library network supported by information technology. This vision incorporated four goals: (1) to develop a national resource collection of biomedical literature accessible to all health professionals, (2) to develop a national network for access to bibliographic information, (3) to develop a systematic mechanism for sharing resources, and (4) to develop a national network of health sciences libraries. During the last decade, the RSML has achieved significant progress toward all four goals and has realized its vision of becoming a fully functional national library. The RSML now provides access to the literature of the health sciences including access to the Armenian medical literature, provides education and training to health professionals and health sciences librarians, and manages a national network of libraries of the major health care institutions in Armenia. The RSML is now able to provide rapid access to the biomedical literature and train health professionals and health sciences librarians in Armenia in information system use. This paper describes the evolution of the RSML and how it was accomplished.