Rudolph Matas Library of the Health Sciences has more than 165,000 print volumes in the basic sciences, clinical medicine, and public health. The Matas Library also licenses electronic databases, journals, and books along with the other Tulane Libraries for the entire Tulane Community.
Print journals are arranged alphabetically by title on three levels of the Matas Library. Most of the journal collection was in print until 2005 when online access was purchased for journals following Hurricane Katrina. The circulating print collection is available for patron use. Please use the Library Search for journal titles, especially for those that have no electronic access and/or when the article you are seeking was published prior to 2005.
Books and monograph titles are located on the Mezzanine Level of the Matas Library. Books and monographs are arranged using NLM Classification.
A small collection of print dictionaries, directories, and statistical compilations are shelved near the Matas Library Information Desk. These materials are available for in-library use only. Ask the Matas Librarians if you are interested in electronic versions of these types of materials. Many reference resources may be available in an online version or there may be another related resource available.
Selected textbooks and other course-related materials are kept on reserve behind the Information Desk. Ask for assistance retrieving the materials you need. During the day these items are available for two-hour checkout and are to be used within the Matas Library only. Most items may be checked-out overnight beginning two hours prior to closing and must be returned one hour after the Matas Library opens the next day.
Course Reserves
- Course Reserve books are generally placed in this area when a group of students will be using the items for a specific semester or period within a semester. These books may be required textbooks or books with required readings assigned during the semester.
- Faculty members and teaching assistants or library staff may request a book be added to this collection to make it more readily available to a group of users during a limited time period.
- Matas Course Reserves can be found using Library Search (click the Course Reserves button near the top of the page)
- Click here to access the Course Reserve Material Request online form.
General Reserves
- Heavily-used or major specialty references that are used throughout the year for medical students, faculty and staff are kept behind the Information Desk on General Reserve. Examples of books on General Reserve are the pathology, physiology and anatomy texts used by all the medical students.
- Many of the General Reserve texts are also available online in resources such as AccessMedicine and ClinicalKey.
- Older editions of these books may be borrowed for longer periods from the Matas Library book stacks.
The Matas Library makes thorough and authoritative content selections by exploring for and analyzing new resources as well as through departmental, faculty, and library liaisons. It is a goal to keep and establish a clear channel of communication between the academic and research components of the health sciences and the librarians who provide the information and technology resources. Input from faculty, staff and students is encouraged and appreciated. Electronic format is preferred for journals. Books are purchased in print or electronic format dependent on user preference, availability and cost. The scope of the collection of the Matas Library is shaped by the library's mission and the needs of its users. The Matas Library collects current scholarly information which supports the research, clinical, administrative and educational needs of the Tulane Health Sciences Campus. The collection covers the practice of medicine and related biomedical, public health and related disciplines, research literature, methodological literature, and in-depth, authoritative analyses of areas influencing biomedicine and health care. The collection is predominantly English. The subject emphases of the collection reflect past and present research interests at Tulane. Basic collections are also maintained in related disciplines and cross-disciplinary areas. Through cooperative networks, the Matas Library ensures access to literature not currently owned or licensed by Tulane University..
The Matas Library retains some older materials of medical and historical importance, even when they are no longer of use in clinical practice. However, the Tulane collection does not currently encompass current scholarship in medical history.