Education

The Richard M. Johnston Health Sciences Library provides access in both print and electronic format to current information to support the educational and clinical needs of students and healthcare professionals at West Penn Hospital. 

The Library has 18 public computers that can be used to access electronic journals and books and the Internet.  There are 2 photocopier/printer machines, one on each floor of the Library, with free printing.

Quiet study space is provided at the back of the Library with tables and desks for group or individual study.  For more information:

• Library Hours and Staffing
• Collection Information
• Technology
• Patient and Family Education Center
• FAQs About the WPH Health Sciences Library

Library Hours and Staffing

The Library is available for use by all staff and customers of The Western Pennsylvania Hospital. 

Hours:  The library is open Mondays to Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hospital staff may arrange to access the library outside open hours by contacting the librarian to receive a code to enter on the keypad outside the Library. 

Staffing:  The Library is staffed from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.

     For hours when the library is staffed, contact Heidi O. Patterson, MLIS, Medical Librarian.

Contact Information: 

     E-mail: WPH Medical Library or AGH Library

     Phone:  412.578.4708 (WPH) or 412.359.3125 (AGH)

     Fax:  412.578.7317 (WPH) or 412.359.4420 (AGH)

Collection Information

Development of the Richard M. Johnston Health Sciences Library collection is ongoing. 

Library users can gain full-text access online to a number of journals; the list is updated frequently.   Several daily newspapers are also available in the library.

The collection currently includes materials in the following disciplines:

• Medicine
• Nursing
• Respiratory Therapy

Technology

The Library contains 18 personal computers (PCs) with access to:

• Internet
• Ovid/Medline
• StatRef!
• UpToDate
• VisualDx
• Harrison's
• E-Journals
• Microsoft Office

The Library offers individual and group training for computer use.

In addition, the Library offers:

• TV/VCR with headphones
• Audiocassette with headphones

Patient and Family Education Center

The Western Pennsylvania Hospital offers a Patient and Family Education Center within the Richard M. Johnston Health Sciences Library.

The Center serves as a learning resource for patients and their families, offering computer access to the latest educational materials.

Visit the Patient and Family Education Center Web site for more information.

FAQs About the Library

What is in the Health Sciences Library collection?

Nursing Student Reserve Collection
The Nursing Student Reserve Collection is a set of textbooks, articles, assignments, and videos set aside for WPH School of Nursing and Clarion School of Nursing students. This collection resides on the lower level of the library on the far left wall near the photocopier. Items are arranged according to course name and number. Items in this collection do not circulate outside of the library but may be photocopied.

General Collection
The general text (monograph) collection consists of everything remaining on the shelving stacks after the Nursing Student Reserve Collection. The texts are shelved according to subject areas categorized by the National of Library of Medicine classification system. NLM call numbers (like those found in a regular library) are located on the spine of each text and dictate where the text is shelved. For a listing of subject areas under which texts are grouped, please refer to the National Library of Medicine’s Classification Chart located near the Stacks.

Journals –Periodicals
Journals (periodicals or serials) are located in the back roomon the lower level of the library. Journals are shelved alphabetically according to the title. Individual issues within a title are shelved chronologically. The majority of the journal collection begins at 1993 and continues to the present.

About half of the journals are “active”subscriptions, meaning they are currently being received by the library. About half ofthe collection is “dormant,”meaning the subscription has ceased and is no longer being received by the library.

How do I access the Internet from the Library computers?

If you wish to print from a Library computer, you must first login. Printing from the computers is free.

If you do not wish to print from a Library computer, you may cancel the login prompts and proceed directly to the desktop icons. To use the Internet, click on the Internet Explorer icon. The opening page should be the Richard M. Johnston Health Sciences Library Home Page.

From the library's homepage, you have many options:

• On the right side of the screen there are Quick Links to the most popular Library resources.  You will find electronic journals, electronic texts, and other electronic resources.
• You may search databases such as PubMed by clicking the links to these databases. If you want to do a basic Internet search, try using Google, at  http://www.google.com.

How do I check out a Library book?

To check out a library book:

• First, be sure the book 'circulates' (is not a Reference book or on the Reserve list).
• Locate circulation index card in pocket, usually inside book cover, sometimes in the back.
• Sign your name and phone number on the index card.
• Give the card to the librarian. If librarian is not present, leave signed card in box outside of the office door, lower level of the Library next to the elevator.

You may keep the book for 2 weeks and renew it as necessary.

If the book does not circulate, it must stay in the Library.  Feel free to photocopy the pages that you need.

If you think the book is just missing its circulation card, see the librarian. If she is not available, and the book does not have a “For Reference”sticker on it, please write down the title and call number of the book and leave it in the box outside the librarian’s door.

How can I view a video in the Library?

West Penn Hospital School of Nursing videos are arranged by course number on the shelving units next to the Reserve texts, in the aisle near the photocopier on the lower level of the Library.

Select the video that you wish to view.  Take it to the Patient and Family Education Center on the upper level of the Library.  There you will find two videocassette players. One is attached to the wall and is ideal for group viewing. The other is located in the study carrel furthest from the entrance to the room. This has headphones attached and is recommended for use if you are alone and would prefer privacy. Also, if others are using the room for other purposes, you may want to consider using the headphones to keep noise at a minimum.

When you have finished viewing the video, please rewind it and place it back on the shelf in the section where it belongs.

Videos are on Reserve for the entire student body and may not leave the library unless you have written permission from the instructor. 

Please be considerate of you fellow classmates and remember that they are required to view the videos in the time allotted also.

Can someone help me with a literature search?

The Librarian can help you search the databases and electronic resources available using the Library computers.

If you have a project due date, please notify the Librarian at least 2 weeks in advance in order to plan a search strategy and to allow time for articles to arrive through interlibrary loan service, should the library not hold what you need.

If you know the key words or have a general idea of the topic you are researching, you may e-mail the librarian or talk with the librarian, who will search the medical literature and provide you with a bibliography from which you may select relevant articles.