HISTORY OF THE MEDICAL LIBRARY
The Medical Library of the College of Medicine, now known as E. Latunde Odeku Medical Library, was established in 1966. It is primarily a Research library and a part of the University of Ibadan Library System. The main objective of the Medical Library is to serve the information needs of staff and students of the College of Medicine. It is housed in a separate purpose-planned two-storey building, as part of the College of Medicine Complex, and has been planned to last without further modification for twenty years. It occupies an area of 25,000 square feet, can seat 300 readers and have a stack capacity of 120,000 books and journals. The present stock comprising clinical journals and monographs is about 49,000 volumes. The pre-clinical subjects are taught on the main University campus, and the related materials, e.g. Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, are housed in Kenneth Dike Library - the main University Library. The ground floor consists of the main reading rooms, part of which accommodates the stack area. Adjoining the reading area is a separate room for the display of current journals. The floors of the reading and serials rooms are covered with heuga carpets tiles, which, apart from being soundproof and durable, are easy to maintain and replace. In addition, very generous office space has been provided for acquisitions, cataloguing, serials, reference and other library functions. The basement consists of another reading area now converted into an Electronic Learning Laboratory with over thirty computer systems with wireless connection. The e-learning laboratory has the capacity to accommodate 50 computers and is meant to be used by students of the College of Medicine. It also consists of the staff common room, seminar room and soundproof carrels. The former audio-visual booths have been converted into a Computer Laboratory for Internet browsing and for training purposes. The Latunde Odeku Medical Library, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, is the most well-established Medical Library among the West African Libraries. Indeed, the E.Latunde Odeku Library has been designated the National Medical Library for Nigeria. Thus, it provides resources for other Libraries in the health industry. It plays host to scholars from other Medical Schools in Nigeria and the Anglophone countries of West Africa. It subscribed presently to about 250 periodicals and has about 30,000 volumes of books and monographs. The World Bank facility to the Nigerian University system provided 200 periodicals and 20,000 books between 1993-1994. The total journal collection is about 30,000 volumes. There are four qualified librarians, three professionals, and other support staff who have been trained in Medical Librarianship. Current awareness service is offered in the Library, i.e. the Journal-Bulletin: the Current Info, a quarterly publication that provides information Services on Communicable Diseases, Maternal and Child Health. The Reference and Information Services, among other things, entail interlibrary loans and computerized literature searches (MEDLINE, PUBMED, HELIN, COCHRANE Databases), to mention a few. Other services available include Internet browsing, Scanning Documents, Writing to Disk using CD Writer, Fax, and other reference services. In addition, a Photocopying service is available. The Medical Library, through the Health Internetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI), has access to 6,000 electronic journals from more than 200 biomedical publishers across the globe. Though the Medical Library is provided primarily for the members of the College of Medicine and the medical students, it is also open to top all the medical, paramedical, and students of University College Hospital (UCH) various schools, and for reference purposes to doctors working within Ibadan and environs as well as students, researchers and other health care professional from other institutions across the country. In December 1983, it was designated as the National Focal Point (NFP) Library for Health Science Libraries in Nigeria by the Federal Ministry of Health under the auspices of the African Regional Office of the World Health Organization. As the NFP, the Medical Library is charged with the responsibilities of organizing a network of Health Science Libraries within the country and acting as a Central Node in developing a National Health Literature Services and Information Network sponsored by the WHO, whose objective is to provide access to health literature to all categories of health personnel in the country.
Opening and Closing Hours, including vacation periods.
Monday - Friday - 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Saturdays - 8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
E-mail Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://www.odeku.com.ui.edu.ng