By LJ Staff

Queens Borough Public Library (QBPL), NY, has become the first public library ever to be named a resource library in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NLM). QBPL will offer special programming and gain access to additional resources usually available to university medical school libraries. As a resource library, QBPL will benefit from a five-year, $7.3 million contract for community outreach programs and partnerships with medical providers. Alfredo Piedra, QBPL's medical librarian, said that additional programming will begin later this year, mostly at QBPL's central library, where a consumer health center was launched earlier this year. QBPL already has access to the NLM DOCLINE interlibrary loan system and formal partnerships with Queens Health Network, American Cancer Society, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, as well as relationships with many healthcare providers and community-based agencies.