7 - Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research

The Tamilnadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University Virtual
Library
Krishnamoorthy G. and Jayamani N.C.
Abstract
The TamilNadu Dr. M. G. R. Medical University (TANMMU) is the largest Medical
University in India. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
has accredited this University’s library as a Regional Medical Library (RML) for South
India. The University has established a digital library known as – MEDICAL
INFORMATICS CENTRE since 1992. TANMMU has proposed to establish a virtual
library for wider access within its campus and also to all the medical colleges affiliated
to TANMMU. This paper presents the proposal draft for setting up one such virtual
library. It has the support from the State, Central and its own source of funds. It is at the
planning stage and envisaged to be implemented by 2005.
1. Background
The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University Act, 1987 (Act No.37 of 1987) received
the assent of the President of India on 24th September 1987. This affiliating University
started functioning from July 1988 and is governed by the said Act. It is one of the
premiers Medical Universities of India and it is the second largest Health Sciences
University in India. The chief mission of this university is to achieve and maintain
uniformly high standards of needs-responsive medical education in the State of
TamilNadu and to develop research facilities and to provide for research and for the
advancement and dissemination of knowledge in the field of medical sciences. The motto
"HEALTH FOR ALL" reflects all the objectives of this Medical University. To
accomplish its prime objective of this University to promote research in the core and allied
areas of Medicine and Health Care & Delivery System, The TamilNadu Dr. M.G.R.
Medical, as a first has set up Central Medical Library in mid-90s.
The Director General of Health Services, Government of India, New Delhi has given
accreditation to this University Library as a Regional Medical Library for the Southern
Region. The Regional Medical Library has established Medical Informatics Centre, a
digital library in 1992. This Centre plays an important role in supporting the mission of
the University by enabling it to advance, transmit and sustain knowledge and
understanding by providing and promoting access to recorded knowledge.
To this end, it is imperative that this Centre needs to be improvised to extend its services
to a wider access. Hence, it was decided to plan for a Virtual Library. Virtual Library is a
library in which the holdings are found in electronic stacks. It is a library that exists,
without any regard to a physical space or location. It is a technological way to bring
together the resources of various libraries and information services both internal and
external, all in one place, so users can find what they need quickly and easily.
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The Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University Library,Guindy,Chennai.
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