Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Hospital Reading Room?

A: The Hospital Reading Room (HRR) is a branch of the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library and is located on the first floor of the GWU Hospital in Room 1722 near the auditorium. It is available to students, staff and faculty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The HRR houses a core collection of texts, reference books and the last three years of over 26 major medical journals. The HRR also has four computer terminals with basic application software and connections to the Internet. Printing is available from these computers. The library is responsible for maintaining the collection while the hospital maintains the computer network and the room itself. The Hospital Reading Room is staffed each weekday from 2 – 4 P.M. by a reference librarian to assist in using the collection and the various databases.

Q: How can I get reference assistance if I'm off campus and can't come to the library?

A: There are two ways to receive reference assistance if you are off campus. First, you can always use the telephone to speak with a reference librarian. The reference desk is staffed from 8:30 AM until 8:00 PM Monday through Thursday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM on Friday, and from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Saturdays. Anytime the desk is open, the staff will be happy to assist you by answering questions, assist you in locating materials, instruct you in the use of the various databases, or address other issues you may have. The phone number is 202-994-2850. The second way to receive assistance is by e-mail. The library e-mail account is checked several times each working day and forwarded to the proper individuals to best assist the requestor. Usually you will receive a response within several hours (depending on the nature of the request). Messages received over the weekend will be answered early the next working morning. The e-mail address is library@gwumc.edu.