About the Learning Resource Center
The library resources of the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia are specific to the one (1) degree offered by the institution. The MTSA library contains 40 anesthesia related journals, with most having a 10 year collection of past issues. Of the estimated 500 volumes, approximately 450 have a specific focus in anesthesia.
MTSA employs a full-time librarian, whose title is Learning Resource Center and Information Systems Support Director. MTSA’s library is open for student use 40 hours per week. These hours correspond with the hours of operation of the institution (Monday - Thursday, 8am - 6pm ). The Information Technology Resources are evaluated annually by junior (first year) and senior (second year) students, as well as by faculty members.
The Library currently maintains a computer laboratory, which consists of 10 desktop computers with internet access. Since MTSA typically has only one (1) class on campus at a time, the student to computer ratio in MTSA’s computer lab is approximately seven (7) students to one (1) desktop computer. Additionally, MTSA requires that each on-campus student owns a personal laptop computer, and the MTSA campus is equipped with wireless internet service.
Medline is available, through its free public interface, PubMed, which is a citation-only database. Through a collaborative agreement with Vanderbilt University Medical Center Library, students have VUNET IDs and have walk-in access to all of Vanderbilt University Libraries, including the Eskind Biomedical Library’s online and print resources. In addition to having access to anesthesia related journals, the Eskind Biomedical Library contains journals dealing with other areas of nursing and medical education.
The MTSA Librarian is available during regular MTSA business hours to assist students with online searches. The MTSA Library maintains consortia lending agreements through the Tennessee Health Science Library Association (THESLA). The MTSA Library also maintains consortia lending agreements through the National Library of Medicine’s Freeshare service. The MTSA Librarian is available to find articles for students or faculty members through this interlibrary loan process. Intra-library Cooperative agreements exist with area health care facilities as well.
During the students’ senior (second) year, and particularly when they are affiliating at out-of-state clinical locations, MTSA has an agreement that the student can use the medical library of the affiliate. These sites include a) Nationwide (Columbus) Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; b) Kosair Children’s Hospital, Louisville, KY; c) Crockett Hospital, Lawrenceburg, TN; d) Grant Medical Center, Columbus, OH; e) Southern Tennessee Medical Center, Winchester, TN.
While in the Nashville area, MTSA students have access to medical libraries at St. Thomas Hospital and Baptist Hospital , Eskind Biomedical Library at Vanderbilt University Medical Center , in addition to Gateway Medical Center in Clarksville , TN.
If you have any questions regarding the Learning Resource Center or technology at MTSA, you may contact Amy Gideon, the Learning Resource Center and Information Systems Support Director at amy@mtsa.edu or 615-732-7670.
