The Rush University Library and Archives is a collaborative learning and research commons with a strong teaching mission. Our knowledgeable and engaged staff provide access to authoritative health sciences resources, and teach our students, faculty, and staff how to use them effectively. We fully commit to providing high quality instruction, services, support, and space for our diverse community, as we connect our work in the library to the Rush University Medical Center mission of delivering the best patient care possible.
The Library of Rush University Medical Center enjoys a rich history of serving the education, patient care, and research needs of all students, faculty and staff at Rush. Through the Library website, Rush users have access to over 10,000 full-text electronic journals, 120 databases and 8200 electronic books, all fully available on campus, or off Materials such as books or journal articles not held by the Library may be ordered through the interlibrary loan department. The Library also provides document delivery service for materials held in-house.
Library staff are available to answer your questions in person, via phone, e-mail and online chat. Reference librarians are also available to provide customized classroom support, research support, and other traditional services. Please feel free to ask a question or schedule an appointment. The librarians also create and maintain over 50 individual web-based guides on a variety of topics to assist students at their point of need. Guides are created to address specific topics (example: "an overview of resources for PT students"), teach specific processes (example: "how to find databases") and to teach users how to use specific resources (example "how to use CINAHL"). All are available through the library homepage.
The library offers approximately 20,000 square feet of dedicated study space, all of which is available to students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via badge swipe access. The library has multiple learning environments to meet different needs, including both collaborative and quiet study. Computers with printing capabilities are available, as are group study rooms, modern individual study carrels with light and power, and individual short-term student lockers.
The Rush University Medical Center Archives tells Rush's story through its collections, which showcase its esteemed and enduring history of education, research, patient care and community service. Dating back to the founding of Rush Medical College in 1837, the Rush Archives identifies, preserves, organizes and enables access to valuable Rush records from our earliest years to current digital assets.
The Rush Archives engages with the Rush community and the public. Rush University students can broaden their understanding of course materials by exploring Rush's past contributions to health care. Students, faculty, staff and alumni are encouraged to contribute their experiences and materials to strengthen and diversify the collections for future researchers. Rush's archivist provides reference services, hosts historic tours, makes presentations, helps create exhibits, and assists with records consultations and acquisitions.
The Rush Archives office is located in the basement of the Triangle Office Building at 1700 W. Van Buren St., Suite 086. Learn more about the history of Rush and explore our collections online via https://library.rush.edu/rusharchives.