Mount Zion History
Library History
The Jellinek-Nahmann Library, circa 1950
The Fishbon Memorial Library, 2005
The Place ...
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| Dr. Bernard Strauss |
The medical library at Mount Zion was first organized in the 1930's as a small collection of books housed in the Interns' quarters on Sutter Street. It expanded rapidly, and on November 21, 1939 Dr. Bernard Strauss wrote to the Library of Congress for instructions on "setting up a Medical Library."* The Library's location was shifted more than once in the ensuing decade, but for most of that time it was housed at Mount Zion's Harold Brunn Institute for Cardiovascular Research. In 1949, the medical staff, in planning the new wing of the hospital, designated space for its library on the main hallway where it could be accessed easily by the staff. The Library has been in this space on the "A wing" of the hospital since it was completed in 1950.
Modifications were made to the Library over time, including the addition of space and the taking away of space. In 1995, the reference room and information desk were upgraded and the reference room was named the "Richard F. Ury Reading Room" in honor of the Library's long-term volunteer library assistant.
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| Dr. Harry Weinstein |
Six years later, the Library staff celebrated the completion of a major remodeling project by hosting an Open House on December 14, 2001. The guest of honor was Harry Weinstein, MD. Dr. Weinstein is currently a Member Emeritus of the Mount Zion Library Committee, on which he has served for over 20 years, and a Professor Emeritus of UCSF. He participated in the planning and development of the Library in the late 1940's, and he was chair of the Library Committee when the current remodeling plan was proposed in 1998. In honor of Dr. Weinstein and his ardent support of the Library for more than 50 years, the new main room was dedicated as "The Weinstein Room." Guests at the Open House also had the pleasure of joining Dr. Weinstein in celebration of his 89th birthday.
The Weinstein Room is restored to its original 1950's spacious look and it has been brought into the 21st Century with new computers tucked into contemporary "Nova" stations. The configuration of the room allows for easy access to both hard copy and electronic resources, and it also serves as a classroom.
* Mount Zion Bulletin/Medical Staff Newsletter, XIV:6, July-Aug, 1966
The Name ...
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| Dr. Emil Jellinek | Dr. Adolph Nahmann |
Along with the location changes came name changes: originally called The Jellinek-Nahmann Library, it was renamed in 1966 to the Sinai Memorial Library in recognition of the generous and continuous donations to the Library by the Sinai Memorial Chapel.
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| Dr. Harris Fishbon |
With the full support of the Sinai Memorial Chapel, the name was changed again in 1979 to the Harris M. Fishbon Memorial Library. Dr. Fishbon had been Chief of Medicine, Chair of the Library Committee, and for many years, acting Librarian at Mount Zion. Medical staff colleagues and friends of Dr. Fishbon felt that naming the Library for him was a most appropriate way to commemorate his extraordinary commitment to medicine, medical education, and Mount Zion.
The Collection ...
Books, journals, and other material owned by the Library are reflected in the Melvyl Catalog of the California Digital Library (CDL). The Library acquires materials based on the research and patient care activities at Mount Zion. The Library has full access to the electronic resources of the UCSF Kalmanovitz Library, the CDL, the UCSF Medical Center, and selected electronic resources that are unique to the Fishbon Library.
The Library also has a History of Medicine (HOM) Collection that is shelved in the Hellman Conference Room at Mount Zion. The Library acquired these books and other selected materials as gifts from members of the Mount Zion Medical Staff over many years. A Mount Zion oral history project was begun in the late 1970s and continued through the mid 1990s. The oral history collection consists of 50+ interviews with mostly physicians who practiced (or are still practicing) medicine at Mount Zion. All of the interviews have been transcribed into hard copy. The entire HOM collection, including the oral histories, is reflected in the Melvyl Catalog. The oral histories are also listed in the National Library of Medicine’s Guide to Oral Histories in Medicine and the Health Sciences.
The Librarians ...
 Reeda Selden |
Acting Librarian
Harris M. Fishbon, M.D. [1950s-early 1970s]
Professional Librarians
Reeda Seldon [1955- early 1970s]
Kay Kammerer [early to mid 1970s]
Andrea Vanderbilt-Rail [mid to late 1970s]
Dixie Shipp [late 1970s- early 1980s]
Angela Wesling 1982-1988
Gail Sorrough 1989-
Gloria Won 1988-89; 1992-
Laura Olson 2002-
Driving Directions
The UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion's facilities are centered around 1600 Divisadero Street.
For maps and driving directions, click here.