United States National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health

FAQ: Resources for International Librarians, Health Professionals and Researchers in Developing Countries

Question: Where can I find training, document delivery and other useful resources for
health and information professionals in developing countries?

Answer: You can find resources for health and information professionals in developing countries at:

NLM Training and Courses

PubMed Training and Courses


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Environmental Health and Toxicology Training and Tutorials


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Document Delivery – Getting Journal Articles

Paying for document access or copies

The National Library of Medicine® (NLM) is the world's largest medical library. It is the library of last resort for materials that are not available from local or regional libraries. If you need access to medical literature must make a request through a local library or register with a Loansome Doc® library that agrees to provide articles to you: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/loansome_doc.html

Users outside the United States (US) can use Loansome Doc. There are many libraries in the US and Canada and throughout the world serve international users. For more information, see Finding a Library, at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/ldfind.html and How to Register for Loansome Doc, at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/ldregister.html

Free Full Text or Open Access Documents

Local Services

You can get help in finding useful information from your local medical libraries.

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Internet and Library/Resource Development Manuals

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NLM Databases & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Links to databases and information about the databases is at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/databases/

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Other International Resources:

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Library Career Training

Information about becoming a medical librarian is available from professional library associations, such as the Medical Library Association (MLA): http://www.mlanet.org/career/career_explore.html . MLA links to graduate schools in the US and Canada that offer health science information courses and programs: http://www.mlanet.org/education/libschools/index.html . An undergraduate degree is required for admission to these library programs.

Start with your local library associations to learn more about training opportunities. Some programs offer distance learning, in which courses are provided online. Local library associations can provide information about professional requirements and which programs fulfill these requirements. A list of library associations is available at http://www.sla.org/content/resources/inforesour/reftool/librassn.cfm .

Contact your national government and organizations in your country for information about financial aid. There may be aid available for library education from organizations located in your country. Some countries provide financial aid for their citizens to study in the US or other countries. You can find information at http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/intl.jsp, http://www.educationusa.state.gov/home/financial-assistance/external, and http://www.nafsa.org/students.sec/financial_aid_for_undergraduate . Foreign embassies often have cultural and educational attachés who can provide information about financial aid.

Training opportunities for librarians who have completed their master's degree are also available. The NLM offers the NLM Associate Fellows Program (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/about/training/associate/index.html). The National Library of Medicine Associate Fellowship Program is a one-year postgraduate training fellowship at the NLM in Bethesda, Maryland, with an optional second year program. The program is designed to prepare librarians for future leadership roles in health sciences libraries and in health services research.

The Medical Library Association awards the Cunningham Memorial International Fellowship (http://ics.mlanet.org/fellowship.htm) for a health sciences librarian from a country outside the US or Canada.

Travel grants to attend professional conferences may be available from other library associations.

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Links to Associations and to Medical Libraries

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Fogarty International Center Grants Directory

The Fogarty International Center (http://www.fic.nih.gov/), part of the National Institutes of Health, has published the Directory of International Grants and Fellowships in the Health Sciences (http://www.fic.nih.gov/funding/directory_fellowships.htm) since 1988. This is a directory of international funding opportunities in biomedical and behavioral research.

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Tours of NLM

The NLM Visitors Center, located in the lobby of the Lister Hill Center (NIH Building 38A), is open weekdays except Federal holidays, 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. It offers an orientation to the National Library of Medicine through its tours, printed information and interactive computer displays: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/about/vcenter.html

If you have questions about a tour of the NLM, please call Shana Potash in the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, 301-594-7526, or e-mail potashs@mail.nlm.nih.gov

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http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/international.html

Last reviewed: 14 October 2009
Last updated: 14 October 2009
First published: 05 April 2005
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