Network Membership

Membership to the National Network of Libraries of Medicine is Free! The New England Regional (NER) office provides membership services to qualified institutions located in the six New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Find out how to Apply for membership.

Benefits of Network Membership

Each Full Member and Affiliate Member will receive:

1. A certificate every five years which names the institution as a recognized member of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine;
2. Invitations to provide input to the NER on regional programs and services;
3. Invitations to apply to the NER for various funding opportunities;
4. Special mailings of National Library of Medicine (NLM)® posters, brochures, and other publications;
5. An opportunity for librarians to be considered for service on the Regional Advisory Council;
6. Numerous training and education opportunities.

How to Apply for Network Membership

To apply, please submit a New Member Application: http://nnlm.gov/ner/webform.pdf

The NER staff is available to assist you in completing the new member application as well as in subsequently reviewing the data you have submitted. Your information will then be entered into the DOCLINE database to create a member’s Institution Record. Data stored in the Institution Record will be accessible only to Full Member libraries that participate in the DOCLINE system. There are portions of contact data, however, that are made available to the general public at the NER web site. If you have any questions about applying for network membership in the NN/LM-NER, please contact the New England Regional office and ask to speak to the Network Coordinator.

Qualifications for Membership: Full and Affiliate

There are two categories of membership within the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM): Full Member and Affiliate Member.

Full Member

A Full Member may be any health sciences library or health-related information center, institution, or organization that meets the following criteria:

• Regular Staffing: A minimum of three or more mornings per week is recommended.
• Network Connectivity: At least one computer connected to the Internet.
• Health Science Collection: May include books, journals, audiovisuals, and electronic databases. (A minimum of 25 titles is recommended.)
• Information services: includes reciprocal lending via DOCLINE® participation, along with traditional reference services and online literature searching provided to health professionals – and/or – the general public.

Full members are also encouraged to provide Loansome Doc® service to their own patrons and/or unaffiliated users.

Affiliate Member

An Affiliate Member may be a library or information resource center that provides health information services to their patrons/users, but they do not meet all of the criteria (listed above) for Full Membership. Public libraries are encouraged to join the NN/LM as Affiliate Members. Some Affiliate Members may form a cooperative relationship with a Full Member for assistance with reference services or document delivery.

Responsibilities of Network Membership

Each Full Member and Affiliate Member institution must agree to make the following contributions:

• Designate an individual as NN/LM Liaison/local contact person. This person is responsible for keeping updated and informed on network-related information (such as staying connected to the NAHSL-L online discussion list);
• Permit listing in the national registry of network members. National registry information is available online through the DOCLINE Institution Record and through the NN/LM Web site; and
• Provide basic information on collections and services to NLM by keeping information stored in the DOCLINE Institution Record both updated and accurate.

Information on DOCLINE, SERHOLD, and Loansome DOC

• DOCLINE Eligibility Guidelines
• DOCLINE - Fact Sheet
• DOCLINE Online Manual
• SERHOLD - Fact Sheet
• Loansome Doc - Fact Sheet
• Loansome Doc Information for Librarians

NN/LM NER Travel Expense Voucher

Please use the Travel Expense Voucher to submit expenses to the New England RML. Please note that if you are completing a Travel Expense Voucher for the first time, you must also submit a completed W9 Form. An online version of the W9 form is located at: UMW-9.pdf (PDF).

Please submit all reimbursement requests and refer reimbursement questions to Martha Pearson (508-856-5979; martha.pearson@umassmed.edu)