The John Martin Rare Book Room as a learning resource

Abstract

The John Martin Rare Book Room (RBR) houses over 5,000 rare books relating to the biomedical and health sciences. The most notable works in the collection were a bequest to the University Libraries from Dr. John Martin (1904–1996), an anatomist and neurosurgeon, who collected the books over a period of many decades. The RBR offers numerous services promoting learning, including publishing a monthly newsletter, offering a monthly lecture series during the school year, and creating regular exhibits from the resources of the collection. The Curator of the RBR, Donna Hirst, MPH, MLS, gives all first‐year medical students an anatomy lecture focusing on the social and historical ambivalence toward the body and human dissection, together with the legal and social history of dissection. The Sparks Essay Contest, coordinated through the RBR, is offered annually to all medical students. Significant monetary prizes recognize the best essays that examine a timely issue in medicine incorporating historical, ethical, and cultural perspectives. Tours and open houses of the room are offered to groups upon request, often featuring specific aspects of the collection. Among courses utilizing the RBR have been graduate courses in Anatomy and Cell Biology, and a course in Classics on Galen and Human Dissection. The John Martin Rare Book Room serves the University as a vital resource in anatomical instruction and historical research.