History
The library was established in 1932 to serve as the new medical library of the Medical Center of Louisiana State University. Dedicated on May 10, 1932 as the Agramonte Memorial Library, the library was named in honor of Dr. Aristides Agramonte, a prominent researcher of yellow fever. Dr. Agramonte's collection of over 500 books and periodicals became the library collection's nucleus. Even today, our Library Commons houses an art deco bas-relief depicting Dr. Agramonte called the Conquest of Yellow Fever.
Over the years the library branches would be located in various locations, including 1542 Tulane Avenue ( the Clinical Education Building) and 1900 Perdido Street ( the Medical Education Building). In 1989, the two branches of the LSUMC-New Orleans Library merged to form the new Library located at 433 Bolivar Street. The new, single Library was dedicated in the name of John P. Isché, a former director, on May 24, 1991. Mr. Isché guided the library for 26 years, from 1959 until 1985. He died in 1988.
From: "Library Facilities." Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Catalog/Bulletin. 2010-2011.
The Division of Libraries of the LSU Health Sciences Center at New Orleans includes the John P. Isché Library and the Dental School Library at the William Pitcher Plaza Dental Campus. The Isché Library occupies floors 3-5 of the Resource Center Building. The Dental Library occupies the third floor of the Dental Administration Building.
The New Orleans collection includes over 238,000 bound volumes, 3,000 audiovisual titles, and approximately 12,000 serials in electronic format and 200 print journals. There are approximately 400 electronic monographs. A web-based integrated library system, networked databases, search systems, and full-text databases provide patrons access to a variety of resources. Remote access to online resources is available through WAM (Web Access Management) through the integrated online catalog, INNOPAC (http://innopac.lsuhsc.edu/).
Reference librarians provide mediated searches with access to over 400 databases. A fully equipped, state-of-the-art electronic classroom is available for bibliographic instruction. Computer labs with multimedia programs, internet access, and assorted software programs for faculty and student use are located at both the Isché Library and the Dental Library. Reference librarians teach courses, seminars, and regularly schedule training sessions in the access and use of the biomedical literature and in the use of the Library.
The Libraries offer online reference service and online interlibrary loan service. Both libraries have wireless networks. The Isché Library is open 94 hours per week. The Library Commons is adjacent to the Isché Library and is available for study and relaxation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Dental Library is open 74 hours per week. The Isché Library serves as a Resource Library in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, is a member of the South Central Academic Medical Libraries (SCAMeL), and LALINC, the Louisiana Academic Library Information Network Consortiums.