Rx for Information

The Fishbon Library's staff of professional librarians has over 50 years of combined experience in biomedical information research. If you are looking for information on a specific condition, you may want to download our Information Form and take it with you to your next appointment with your doctor. Ask your doctor to complete the form, then bring it to the Library and we'll help you find the most relevant and accurate information on your condition.

The National Library of Medicine's Loansome Doc Program

Visitors to HealthWorks who do not have UCSF library privileges may request articles not held at Mount Zion by registering with the National Library of Medicine's Loansome Doc program.

Loansome Doc is a feature of PubMed which allows users who are unaffiliated with a library to request copies of journal articles they have found using Pubmed. Articles are requested online using the Loansome Doc Ordering Screen at the National Library of Medicine's website.

Requested articles are forwarded to DOCLINE, the National Library of Medicine's online ordering system, which transfers them to the Fishbon Library. The Library fills the request if the material is available. The requester receives a photocopy of the article by standard mail, email as a pdf attachment, or they may pick it up at the Library.

Click here to find out more about the Loansome Doc service. Users may also obtain assistance from the National Library of Medicine's Regional Medical Library (RML) in their area by calling 1-800-338-RMLS (7657).

The Fishbon Library serves unaffiliated health professionals and non-health professionals within the United States. The fee for this service is $10 per article. You will be billed and may pay by check or money order made payable to the Fishbon Library; we are not able to take credit cards at this time.

Instructions to become a registered user with the Fishbon Memorial Library

1. First, complete the Fishbon Memorial Library Loansome Doc Application Form. Choose a format:
   
   Download and print out:
   
   

   	•	PDF format - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.
   	•	Microsoft Word format

   
   Or, phone the Fishbon Library Information Desk,
   415-885-7378 to receive an application by U.S. mail, fax or email.
   
   
2. Check your application to be sure it is complete.
   
   
3. Read the Copyright Disclaimer, sign the form, and return it to the Fishbon Library either via mail, fax or email:
   
   MAIL:
   H.M. Fishbon Memorial Library
   Loansome Doc Request
   1600 Divisadero Street
   UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion
   San Francisco, CA 94143-1637
   
   FAX:
   415-776-0689
   
   EMAIL
   fishbon@itsa.ucsf.edu
   
   
4. Once the form is signed and received at the Fishbon Memorial Library, applicants will receive the Fishbon Library DOCLINE Ordering Library Identifier (LIBID). You will not be able register with the Loansome Doc program until you receive notification and the Library ID.
   
   
5. Using the DOCLINE Ordering Library Identifier, register at the Loansome Doc Registration Page at PubMed.