Saab Medical Library (SML) strives to serve AUB Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Nursing, in addition to the entire AUB users.
In 1925, the Medical Library occupied the ground floor of Van Dyck building then the Medical School Building. Before that date in 1867, medical books and periodicals were housed at the University Library in College Hall.
In 1975, the Library moved to its present premises, the Saab Medical Library Building, dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. Nicholas Saab after a generous gift from his parents. Dr. Saab graduated from the AUB Medical School in 1959. The building consists of three floors with four tier stacks. At present the Library occupies the first floor of the building, while the third and most of the second floor are occupied by the Medical Dean's office.
Saab Medical Library is ranked as a medium to a large size medical library and it uses the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classification schedule and the NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH).
SML entered the age of globalization by rendering its services in an effective and quick way to live up to its motto. It is constantly developing its image as a "virtual library", while at the same time retaining its values as a traditional library leading to a "hybrid library".
SML strongly emphasizes on teaching its users "Information Literacy Skills" through both live-classes and Web-based Research Guides.
National Focal Point
Due to its large and rich collection and its excellent services to various hospitals, medical schools, physicians and researchers through out Lebanon and the Middle East, SML was designated in 1978 by the World Health Organization as the National Focal Point Library for Lebanon in the absence of a Lebanese National Medical Library.
Collections
The collection consists of over 100,000 bound books and periodicals, a collection of around 1,000 books of historical value, like Avicenna's Book of Canon (1593).
Also the library subscribes to 200 printed journal titles, about 5,500 online journals and to a large number of the most important medical databases, emphasizing on those that support evidence-based practice.