Medicine and literature: A section in a medical university library

Abstract

Objectives: In 2007, the Alberto Malliani Medical Library of the Università degli Studi in Milan decided to order some novels for its students. The library purchased 24 titles written by famous authors and planned to add others in the future. The proposal for this action was made by a professor, with whom the library had previously co-operated in organising meetings for students. This article summarises the results of this experiment over 4years, from its conception, to determine whether any positive outcome has resulted, including how library users welcomed this addition to the library and evaluation of its economic sustainability. Results: Data from July 2007 to December 2010 are presented in terms of the initial purchases, costs, and volume of lending for this section of the library; in addition, readers' preferences are examined. Conclusions: A university medical library can act as a stimulus to its students' new or renewed interest in literature, assuming that the novels, biographies, and short stories can contribute positively to the training of medical students. Therefore, setting up a special section can be useful, even though the costs of this section must be limited. A questionnaire could be the method of gathering information about users' assessment. © 2011 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2011 Health Libraries Group.