Timeline extended for launch of Wilson Library facilities work.

Collection Number: 40247

Collection Title: Health Sciences Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records, 1930s-2014

This collection has access restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.


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Size 24 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 13,000 items)
Abstract The Health Sciences Library (HSL) was established as a unit of the Division of Health Affairs at the University of North Carolina in 1952. However, it was not named Health Sciences Library until 1968. It served as the central library for the University hospital and the division's five schools (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health) and their associated programs. Myrl Ebert (1913-2001) served as director of the HSL from its founding until her retirement from the University in 1975. She led the effort to develop the new library building, and she was also involved in the creation of MEDLARS, the biomedical bibliographic retrieval system that later became the online database MEDLINE. Records consist of correspondence and other files related to the development and operation of the Health Science Library, including annual reports, budget and grant materials, committee materials, minutes of HSL department heads and council meetings, departmental reports, salary information, newsletters, and a 1973 self-study. Also included are files relating to the development of the new library building in 1970 and later renovations, to the development of MEDLARS, and to the UNC Literature Exchange (UNCLE). Early files are those of Myrl Ebert, director of the library, 1952-1975.
Creator University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Health Sciences Library.
Curatorial Unit University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. University Archives.
Language English
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Restrictions to Access
This collection contains additional materials that are not available for immediate or same day access. Please contact Research and Instructional Service staff at wilsonlibrary@unc.edu to discuss options for consulting these materials.
Restrictions to Use
No usage restrictions.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], in the Health Sciences Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records #40247, University Archives, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Acquisitions Information
Received from the Health Sciences Library in July 2002 (RT 20020731.1), December 2009 (RT 20091209.2), March 2011 (RT 20110309.1), February 2017 (RT 20170130.1), June 2017 (RT 20170619.1), June 2019 (RT 20190712.2), and January 2020 (RT 20200128.1).
Sensitive Materials Statement
Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.
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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Processing Information

Processed by: Lori Neumeier, February 2012; Carson Fish, February 2017; Carson Fish, June 2017; Jennifer Coggins, September 2019; Dawne Howard Lucas, January 2020

Encoded by: Lori Neumeier, February 2012

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Subject Headings

The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Historical Information

The Health Sciences Library (HSL) was established as a unit of the Division of Health Affairs at the University of North Carolina in 1952. However, it was not named Health Sciences Library until 1968. It served as the central library for the University hospital and the division's five schools (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health) and their associated programs, consolidating the holdings of several smaller libraries that had existed prior to 1952. Originally located in MacNider Hall and later in the Clinic Wing of North Carolina Memorial Hospital, the library moved in 1970 to a new building constructed in MacNider Hall's courtyard to accommodate a growing student enrollment and added programs. Myrl Ebert (1913-2001) served as director of the HSL from its founding until her retirement from the University in 1975. She led the effort to develop the new library building, and she was also involved in the creation of MEDLARS, the biomedical bibliographic retrieval system that later became the online database MEDLINE.

Dorothy Long, Head of Readers' Services, served briefly as acting director of the Health Sciences Library following Ebert's retirement. Sam W. Hitt became director in 1976 and served until 1986; he was succeeded by Carol Jenkins. Jim Curtis served as interim director from 2013 until 2015 following Jenkins's retirement. Christie Degener served as interim director from 2015 until Nandita Mani became the permanent director in 2016.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Scope and Content

Records consist of correspondence and other files related to the development and operation of the Health Science Library, including annual reports, budget and grant materials, committee materials, minutes of HSL department heads and council meetings, departmental reports, salary information, newsletters, and a 1973 self-study. Also included are files relating to the development of the new library building in 1970 and later renovations, to the development of MEDLARS, and to the UNC Literature Exchange (UNCLE). Early files are those of Myrl Ebert, director of the library, 1952-1975.

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Contents list

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Health Sciences Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records, 1951-2001.

3600 items.

Note that, for the most part, original file titles have been retained.

Box 1

Annual Report, 1991-2000

Annual Report Statistics, 1983-1990

Change Budget Request, 1981-2001

Box 2

Committee Materials: Division of Health Affairs Library Committee, 1951-1975

See also Correspondence: Alexander, Sydenham, below.

Committee Minutes: Acquisitions/Serials and Collection Development, 1979-1982

Committee Minutes: Acquisition Services, 1984-1989

Committee Minutes: Online Search Services, 1991-1993

Committee Minutes: Education Programs, 1991-1994

Committee Minutes: Circulation Services, 1990-1993

Committee Minutes: Learning Resources, 1988-1993

Committee Minutes: Cataloging, 1988-1990

Committee Correspondence: Resources Management, 1994

Committee Correspondence: Online Search Services, 1995-1996

Committee Correspondence: Education Services, 1986-1990

Committee Correspondence: Curriculum Support, 1988-1995

Council Minutes, 1984-1992

Department Heads Minutes, 1982-1986

Department Heads Minutes, 1987-1992

Box 3

Correspondence: Alexander, Sydenham, 1963-1965

Alexander was Assistant Administrator of the Division of Health Affairs and chair of its Library Committee. See also Committee Materials: Division of Health Affairs Library Committee, above.

Correspondence: Ebert, Myrl, 1953-1975

Director of the Health Sciences Library, 1952-1975.

Correspondence: Long, Dorothy, 1970-1977

Long was the library's Head of Readers' Services and acting director following Mryl Ebert's retirement.

Exempt from the State Personnel Act Salary Increase, 1989-2000

Health Sciences Library Resources Grant, 1967-1972

Health Sciences Library Development

Health Sciences Library Building

Portrait: Dr. Margaret L. Moore

North Carolina-Virginia Cooperative Group

Regional Medical Libraries IV, 1968-1975

Contains material regarding the development of MEDLARS.

Report: Health Affairs Learning Resources Committee, 1986-1990

Report: Circulation System, 1975

Report: Serials Control Automation Project, 1983

Self-Study, 1972-1973

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Addition of February 2017: Annual Reports, Committee Files, and UNCLE Records, 1985-2014

4800 items.

Acquisitions information: Addition of February 2017 (RT 20170130.1)

Records include Health Sciences Annual Reports, records of HSL committees, and records of the UNC Literature Exchange (UNCLE).

Box 4

Health Sciences Library Annual Reports, 1976-1986, 1988-2016

Box 5

Library Management Council minutes, 1992-2014

Box 6

Library Management Council minutes, 1992-2014

Box 7

Health Sciences Library Advisory Committee, 1985-2014

Health Sciences Library correspondence, 1983-1994

UNCLE advisory board, 1997-1998

UNCLE Steering Committee, 1995-1999

Box 8

UNCLE Steering Committee, 1999-2000

UNCLE Steering Committee, letters and flyers

UNCLE history

UNCLE slides and instructional materials

UNCLE Steering Committee email, 1995

UNCLE sample form

Dental alumni and UNCLE

Pharmacy School alumni and UNCLE

UNCLE resources subgroup

URL contest

UNCLE contest

UNCLE meeting notes, 1996-1999

UNCLE planning team, 2000

UNCLE funding task force, July 2001

UNCLE usability

UNCLE upgrade

Silver platter ERL

Web page: UNCLE

Authorization: UNCLE

UNCLE access

Team presentation

UNCLE funding, business plan

UNCLE budget, 1992-1997

"Information Connection"

UNCLE budget, 1996 and 97

UNCLE budget, 1997 and 98

UNCLE budget 1998 and 99

UNCLE budget 1999 and 2000

UNCLE and OVID, 2000-2001

UNCLE budget 2000 and 01

UNCLE budget 2001 and 02

UNCLE budget 2002 and 03

Box 9

UNCLE OPSP Steering 1994-1997

UNCLE policies, reports, press releases 1992-1995

UNCLE memos and publicity 1990 and 91

UNCLE strategic plan, 2000

UNCLE planning team

UNCLE operations

UNCLE budget memos, 1995-1997

New UNCLE, 1996

UNCLE alumni

UNCLE future planning

UNCLE user council

UNCLE funding

Plans and proposals and TOXNET

UNCLE use memos

UNCLE help statistics and summary reports, 1992-2000

UNCLE Help Desk statistics, 1995-1996

UNCLE user resources

UNCLE use statistics, 1992-1996

UNCLE and MEDLINE baseline survey report, 1992

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Addition of June 2017: Newsletters, Meeting Minutes, and Reports, 1973-2006

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Addition of September 2019: Health Sciences Library Records, 1971-2004

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Addition of January 2020: Health Sciences Library Records, 1930s-2000s

Acquisitions Information: RT 20200128.1. Materials were transferred from the Health Sciences Library during the Health Sciences Library Special Collections move to the Wilson Special Collections Library, February-March 2019.

Contains administrative records, including correspondence, reports, newsclippings, and press releases documenting the history of the Health Sciences Library, 1930s-2000s. Many of the files pertain to renovations that took place at the library in the 1980s. Older correspondence files pertain to collection development for the Medical Library prior to the creation of the Division of Health Affairs. The retirement scrapbook primarily contains congratulatory letters sent to Ebert upon her retirement as director of the Health Sciences Library in 1975.

Box 12-15

Box 12

Box 13

Box 14

Box 15

Administrative and Facilities Planning Records

Box 16

Newsclippings and Press Releases

Oversize Volume SV-40247/1

Myrl Ebert Retirement Scrapbook, 1975

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