United States National Library of Medicine

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is the world's largest medical library, operated by the United States government and located in Bethesda, Maryland, as part of the National Institutes of Health. It houses over seven million items, including rare historical works, and serves as a critical resource for medical research and education. The NLM traces its origins to 1836, when it began as the Library of the Surgeon General's Office, later evolving into the Armed Forces Medical Library before being renamed in 1957. It moved to its current location in Bethesda in 1962.

The library is currently led by Dr. Stephen Sherry and offers a wide range of resources, including publications like *Index Medicus*, which has been replaced by the modern online database PubMed. The NLM also operates the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), which develops public databases such as GenBank, MEDLINE, and ChemIDplus, providing tools for molecular biology research and genomic data analysis.

The library's toxicology division has developed resources like TOXNET, TOXMAP, and Tox Town to address environmental health concerns. Additionally, the NLM provides guidance on radiation exposure through its Radiation Emergency Management System (REMS). The library supports global health through exhibitions and research initiatives, such as "Against the Odds: Making a Difference in Global Health." The NLM also funds extramural research in medical information science and hosts historical collections, including rare books and manuscripts.