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Conference announcement: "A Healthy Heritage: Collecting for the Future of Medical History"



Forwarding an announcement from MEDLIB-L (the Medical Libraries 
Discussion List) re: a conference whose theme pertains to recent 
discussion on STHC-L, S-SCI-MED-TECH, and STAMA.

Apologies for any repetition, to those folks subscribed to more than 
one of these lists.

Cheers,

Russell Johnson



--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1998 09:18:04 +0100
From: Bruce Madge <Bruce.Madge@MAIL.BL.UK>
Sender: Medical Libraries Discussion List 
<MEDLIB-L@LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU>
     
     -------------------------------------
     A HEALTHY HERITAGE
     
     COLLECTING FOR THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL HISTORY
     
     As the twentieth century draws to a close the record of medical 
     activity in its myriad forms is expanding as never before.  Our 
     libraries and archives have large collections of many centuries' 
     worth of health-related items: is there a danger that the volume 
     of material produced by the medical information explosion will 
     overwhelm them, or that valuable documentation will slip through 
     their nets?
     
     In recent decades conventional printed literature has mushroomed 
     and electronic methods of publication and communication have 
     become vital.  Our growing population, which lives longer, is 
     ensuring that more and more records are being created by doctors 
     and hospitals.  The popular fascination with medical matters 
     means that medicine is frequently represented in all kinds of 
     media, including television, radio and cinema.
     
     · How can this material be stored efficiently and economically 
     for future historians to use, to deepen understanding and inform 
     debate, just as we now quarry our own past?
     · How do we decide what should survive, and who is going to keep  
       it all?
     · How do we ensure the survival of the fragile and transitory     
       media we now rely on?
     · How can we increase collaboration and awareness between         
       collecting centres?
     
     These issues will be considered at a symposium to be held at the 
     Wellcome Trust on 25-26 February 1999.
     
     Speakers will include representatives from major libraries and 
     archives, different sectors of the medical profession, historians 
     and others.  A mixture of presentations and workshops will 
     encourage opportunities for participation and input.  Attendance 
     will be open to anyone interested and a full prospectus will be 
     available soon.
     
     To receive further details, please contact:
     
     Sue Chapman, The Wellcome Institute, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 
     2BE
     Phone 0171 611 8494 : Fax  0171 611 8703
     email: s.chapman@wellcome.ac.uk
     
     
==========================================
Bruce Madge
Head of the Health Care Information Service
The British Library
25 Southampton Buildings
London WC2A 1AW

Tel: +44 171 412 7933
Fax: +44 171 412 7947
email: bruce.madge@bl.uk

"The Library is unlimited and cyclical" 
        - Jorge Luis Borges "The Library of Babel"
==========================================
     
--- End Forwarded Message ---

___________________________________________________

Russell A. Johnson        rjohnson@library.ucla.edu

Archivist              (310) 825-3191  or  206-2753
Neuroscience History Archives
Brain Research Institute, UCLA
Box 951761     Los Angeles CA  90095-1761

Special Collections Cataloger        (310) 825-6940
Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, UCLA
Box 951798     Los Angeles CA  90095-1798