Library Guide

A print version of the Library Guide and Library Hours with Holiday information is available at the Matas Library Information Desk.

The Rudolph Matas Library is the primary library for the Tulane School of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tulane National Primate Research Center and Tulane Hospitals & Clinics.  Borrowing privileges are extended to faculty, students and staff of Tulane University, Tulane University Hospital & Clinic., and LSU Health Sciences Center.  LSU users should register for a library card at the Information Services Desk weekdays, 8am-6pm. Regular hours for the Matas Library Information Services Desk are 8am-11pm, Monday -Thursday; 8am-9pm, Friday; 9am-5pm, Saturday; and 11am-11pm, Sunday.  The after hours side (card access) of the Library opens when the desk closes.  Computers, printers, and scanning is available 24/7!   Tulane Splash Cards are required. 

Books circulate for 28 days (4 weeks).  Journals and “Commons” study guides circulate for two days. Items may be renewed online (prior to due date) in the web catalog or by phone unless on hold for another patron.  Recalls may be done online for items that have been checked out for 14 days, (2 weeks).  Recalled items must be returned by the assigned due date; a fine of $1.00 per day is charged for recalled items.  Patrons may request a hold on an items that are checked out less than 14 days and will be notified when the item is available.  Holds do not change the due date.  When the recalled or hold items are returned to the Library the item is held at the desk for pick up for five days.

There are no daily overdue fines for books from the stacks, but if items are not returned within ten days after the due date, patrons will be charged the replacement cost (minimum of $75.00 per volume) for the items plus a $10.00 per item processing fee.  If the items are returned (prior to material replacement) the bill for the replacement cost will be waived, but the processing fee will still be charged. All library privileges, including interlibrary loan service, may be suspended until the materials are returned and the fees paid.

Course-related textbooks and other materials are kept on reserve at the Information Services Desk. Reserves check out for two hours. Most reserve materials may be checked out of the library two hours before closing, to be returned within one hour of opening the next day. Fines are $1 per hour for overdue reserves. Faculty wanting to place items on reserve for student use should contact the Library (medcirc@tulane.edu). Laptop computers, headphones and dry erase supplies are available for checked out for use in the library.  Reserves may not be renewed online, but rechecked at the desk if there are no holds.

Off—Campus Access (See Off-Campus Login above) The library website provides remote online access to e-journals, e-books, databases & library services at Tulane University.  Your Tulane email i.d. and password are required to sign in for remote access.

Library Catalog - use when searching for a specific book or journal title.  When available, link from a Catalog record to electronic books and journals.  Use the call number to find a print book in the stacks. Print journals are in the Rudolph Matas Library stacks alphabetically.  A mobile version of the catalog is available.
 
Tulane E-Journal List – use to link to electronic journals and books.  Find many E-Journals that come from databases and may not be in the Library Catalog.  You may also link to full-text e-journals by using the  “TU Link icon”.

Ovid, Embase and PubMed are recommended search engines for MEDLINE.  These versions provide precise searching capabilities and have links to Tulane licensed electronic journals.   Use the TU Link to locate full-text, check the catalog and request interlibrary loan as needed.

Subject Guides—Find electronic resources in your specialty or on a topic. Top electronic journals, e-books and more!   Use the Matas Library “Subject Guides” to help locate selected Health Science resources by speciality.

 Databases – Hundreds of databases are accessible including: EMBASE, Cochrane, Gideon, Global Health, Web of Science (Science Citation Index). Scifinder Scholar (Chemical Abstracts, ACS) is a specialized database for use on-campus only; ask about required software. Many of these databases provide full-text access to resources. Contact the library with any problems or specific questions concerning database searching.   .

The Rudolph Matas Library History & Archives - search the card catalog, since most are not online, for library materials from the late 19th and early 20th century.  Use may be restricted to in-house only.  

Have a Question? GET IN TOUCH!
The Information Services Desk is staffed from 8am-6pm: Mondays-Fridays.  In addition to in-house help, contact staff by phone 504-988-5155,  Chat with us online, use our contacts list on the web page or send a message to medref@tulane.edu.

Library Classes, Tours and Instruction
Users are encouraged to request assistance in database searching or to schedule individual instruction.  Tours, classes or topical seminars for any size group may be arranged. The Matas Library has a hands-on computer lab/classroom for groups of seventeen or less. 

Don’t find what you need? Requests for library purchase for books, databases, or interlibrary loan are welcome.  

Interlibrary Loan - (ILLiad system)
Request materials not found in our collection through Interlibrary Loan.  Documents are requested and received electronically.  Interlibrary Loan is only available to current Tulane faculty, students and staff.    
        First time users must register to create a user name and password:  Register online.