Housed in the headquarters building of the ASA, the WLM also serves as an active, specialized medical library. The goals of the Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology are to collect and preserve literature and equipment pertaining to anesthesiology and to make available to the anesthesiology community, others in the medical profession and the public the most comprehensive educational, scientific an
d archival resources in anesthesiology. The Wood Library-Museum is governed by a Board of Trustees of nine anesthesiologists who collectively envision the Wood Library-Museum’s growth with a completely integrated collection of books, audiovisual materials, rare books, current literature and artifacts. Committees, appointed yearly, serve the Wood Library-Museum as expert consultants. The Wood Library Museum provides contemporary and historical reference services by mail and e-mail, by telephone, fax or in person. Online searches of the MEDLINE database and photocopies are available upon request. Resources from the Wood Library-Museum are provided as a service to ASA members and on a fee basis for non-members. Ask a Librarian
The Wood Library-Museum maintains a list of speakers who have published or lectured on the history of anesthesia or related subjects. Referral of such speakers may be arranged for any recognized group or organization requesting a speaker appropriate for a local, regional or national meeting. The library staff and members of the Board of Trustees will help Resident Education Program Directors to select books on the history of anesthesia for resident libraries or to assist in developing an appropriate curriculum for resident lecture series. The Wood Library-Museum maintains a collection of photographs, slides and electronic images related to the history of anesthesia. The collection documents events and illustrates equipment. The Wood Library-Museum has artifacts and memorabilia appropriate for displays or special exhibits. These may be loaned upon special arrangement with the library staff and the Museum Curator. The Wood Library-Museum functions like a university press, publishing scholarly works on the development of anesthesiology. In addition, titles chosen from the WLM Rare Book Collection are reprinted as limited facsimile editions to provide greater access to anesthesia history. The Wood Library-Museum has excellent facilities for study and research and encourages visitors to use its resources.
