A Survey of Medical College Libraries in Andhra Pradesh, India

Medical education occupies a crucial position as it involves a close and deep study of life itself and its vital process. It is no more a study of human illness and cure but a comprehensive body of knowledge dealing with health, and hence the productivity and well-being of the citizens. There is a growing awareness of the role of health development as a vital component of socio-economic development. In this direction, library is the fountain of knowledge that never runs dry. Libraries are the centres of learning and service oriented institutions. The medical science library is one of the several major resources that ensure the smooth flow of information to help improve the quality of health education, research and patient care. Most of the library surveys were conducted on public and academic libraries. Only a few studies have been conducted on medical college libraries. Hence, the present investigation has been undertaken to survey medical college libraries in A.P., India. With the views expressed by the respondents in survey, viable way to improve the existing library services and for creating new vistas in the proper development of the library in the optimal way are suggested.