About institutional membership


26 March 2007 What is the institutional membership scheme?
The BMA library, one of the largest medical libraries in Britain, exists to provide information and library services to the Association's 133,000 members. The institutional membership scheme is a way of additionally opening up our collections and services to the users of medical and health libraries worldwide.

The main benefits of membership are free access to our information and reference services and quick and cheap loans and photocopies posted or emailed within 36 hours or emailed / faxed immediately.

Who can join?
Any library or information service requiring up-to-date medical information. Current members include postgraduate medical centre libraries, medical charities, pharmaceutical companies, research organisations and university libraries.

How much does it cost to join?
Our annual subscription rates are:

Public sector (e.g. health service and academic libraries) - £70.00 + VAT
Film and video services only - £70.00 + VAT
Single-issue charity - £50 + VAT
Private sector (e.g. pharmaceutical companies) - £670.00 + VAT

The subscription runs from April to March although organisations can join at any time during the year. Private sector members may try out our services for a three month trial period without paying a subscription. To qualify for free membership, charities must be small and be able to provide proof that they are unable to support their own information service.

How do I join?
Telephone, email or write in with your details. We will then send you an information pack and application and agreement forms which need to be completed, signed and returned.

Tel: 020 7383 6136
email: bma-library@bma.org.uk

BMA Library
BMA House
Tavistock Square
London WC1H 9JP

What services do you offer?
The following services are available to Institutional Members. For further information please click on the links to take you to the relevant page of our website.

Photocopy service
We stock over 3,000 periodicals. Photocopy requests are normally despatched within 36 hours of receipt. Most articles are sent out by email (PDF) or 1st class post (or air mail) but we also fax or email articles on a same day basis or within half an hour if requested. More information here

Loans
No charge is made for lending videos, although members are required to pay return postage. Members may borrow ten books at one time for three months. There is a charge. Up to six videos may be borrowed for a two week loan period. More information here

Inter-library loans
Material not stocked by the BMA Library can usually be obtained from other libraries for a standard charge and an express service is available for urgent requests. More information here

Reference services
A full range of bibliographic and information services is provided free of charge. More information here

MEDLINE Plus
Access to our OVID MEDLINE service. You are able to use all the searching facilities that MEDLINE Plus has to offer including online ordering of documents from our stock. More information here

How much do these services cost?
We charge only for book loans, and photocopies and inter-library loans at cost. More information here

The collections
We provide standard textbooks covering the best of current clinical practice and the social, ethical and political aspects of health. We also have specialist collections in the areas of medical informatics and clinical effectiveness.The BMA Library holds the best collections of medical films and videos in the UK, including selected broadcast television programmes with a health theme. More information here

Catalogues
A printed periodical catalogue and title lists of current videos suitable for health professionals and patients are available free of charge. Full details of the all the collections can found on the library catalogue accessible directly via the web. More information here

Visiting the BMA library
Institutional Member librarians may visit the BMA Library at any time. Staff working for the institution are also welcome to use the Library in person but facilities are only available to doctoral and post-doctoral students. They must bring a letter of introduction from the librarian. Facilities include use of the reference collections, networked MEDLINE, multimedia, video and film previewing and self-service photocopying. More information here

  • How to find us

    How to find the library - interactive guide to the reading room, and tube, rail and hotels nearby.

  • Who may use the BMA library

    A guide to who may use the BMA Library, covering terms of access for non-member doctors, medical students, librarians and members of the public. Members are welcome to use all services and facilities. PLAB students may not use the library unless they are BMA members.

  • Opening Hours of the BMA Library

    This page details the normal opening hours of the BMA Library. It also contains a listing of the opening times for the Library over the Christmas and New Year Period for 2008/2009.

© British Medical Association 2008

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