The Bio-Medical Library's primary clientele consists of students, staff, and faculty at the University of Minnesota. However, the Library's mission includes facilitating timely access to information needed by library clients on campus, throughout Minnesota, and nationwide. The Bio-Medical Library is open to the public and provides various services and resources to individuals not affiliated with the University of Minnesota.
Reference Assistance
Basic reference assistance is available to individuals not affiliated with the University of Minnesota. Reference assistance is provided in-person at the Reference Desk on the 2nd level of the library, by phone (612-626-3260), or by e-mail (medref@umn.edu). Requests for more in-depth reference assistance will be referred to the Biomedical Information Service, a fee-based service which provides research services, classes, and consultations.
Individuals not affiliated with the University are welcome to use the Bio-Medical Library's collections on-site. Those who wish to borrow material from the collection will need a valid borrowing card for the U of M Libraries. There are several ways to obtain borrowing privileges, including joining the Friends of the Library, joining the Minnesota Alumni Association (which enables you to join the Friends of the Library at a reduced rate), and using the Biomedical Information Service to have books checked out for you. An overview of borrowing privileges can be found on our Unaffiliated Borrowing Options page.
Please note that individuals not affiliated with the University may be subject to more restricted borrowing privileges than University students, staff, and faculty.
Individuals unaffiliated with the University may access many online databases and digital resources on site within the Bio-Medical Library. Please note that some resources may be restricted to on-site access by University students, staff, and faculty only due to licensing agreements. Unaffiliated individuals may access MNCAT, the University Libraries' online catalog, free of charge from within the libraries or remotely. Remote access to online databases and digital resources is generally restricted to University of Minnesota students, staff, and faculty due to licensing agreements; however, membership in the Minnesota Alumni Association does allow members access to two online databases. The University Libraries also provides information about selected free indexes that are available to anyone regardless of affiliation with the University.
Individuals not affiliated with the University of Minnesota may make printouts from databases, software programs, or the Internet for $.15 per page plus tax. Unaffiliated clients may also use the Bio-Medical Library's photocopying services to access collections available in the library. Copies may be made self-service or by library staff (please consult the price chart to determine applicable charges). Unaffiliated clients may use the Biomedical Information Service to request document delivery services.
Through the Biomedical Information Service, individuals unaffiliated with the University can participate in classes offered at the Bio-Medical Library or arrange for a customized class or consultation onsite at their company or organization. More information is available on the Biomedical Information Service's classes page.
Individuals not affiliated with the University may take advantage of the document delivery services provided by the Biomedical Information Service. A variety of turnaround times and delivery methods are available to meet your information needs. Please consult the Biomedical Information Service's document delivery page for more information on fees, terms and conditions, turnaround times, and delivery methods.
Last Updated: August 22, 2008, 4:05 pm
