University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Libraries

The Regional Academic Health Center Medical Library serves four counties of South Texas located along the Mexican border known as the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The population of the community is largely Hispanic and, according to the 2000 Census, has grown by 40 percent since 1990. The counties here are among the most underserved areas in the country with regard to medical care. Opened in 2001, the Regional Academic Health Center Medical Library serves not only the academic needs of faculty, staff, and students of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, but also the general health information needs of the public. Two recent contracts with the National Library of Medicine enable staff to pilot health literacy projects that empower residents to learn about their own health issues and use technology to gain access to high-quality health information.