New York State Medical Information Services Program

History of the MISP Program

With the passage of Chapter 718 (Laws of 1981), the New York State Library (NYSL) entered into contracts with the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) to obtain interlibrary loan services from subcontracting libraries in the Federal Regional Medical Library Program (RML), now known as the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM). From 1981 through 1997, the NYSL purchased Library Service Coupons from NYAM for use by the Reference and Research Library Resources Systems (NY 3Rs) and the NYSL. The NYSL approved a set of Guidelines for Distribution of Regional Medical Library Program Library Service Coupons in December 1981. Those guidelines, based on the provisions in Education Law section §273(4)(b), guided the allocation and use of the coupons for 17 years.

Beginning in 1996, the NYAM began moving from the use of paper Library Service Coupons to electronic payment for medical interlibrary loan services. A statewide Task Force formed by the NY 3Rs produced a report in October 1997 entitled Interim Plan for New York State Subsidized Medical Interlibrary Loan. The report recommended new procedures for the NYSL, NYAM and the NY 3Rs in carrying out the regional medical interlibrary loan services program in an electronic payment environment.

The last distribution of paper Library Service Coupons was in September 1997. The Library Service Coupons expired on March 31, 1998. Beginning April 1, 1998, the NYSL implemented new policies, procedures and practices for carrying out the regional medical interlibrary loan services program based on the NY 3Rs report and outlined in the document, Guidelines for Allocation of Medical Interlibrary Loan Subsidy Program Funds, February 1998 and amended in December 2003.

In May 1998, the State Librarian appointed the New York State Medical Information Task Force (NYSMIT) to recommend to the NYSL a three-year plan for the program. The August 1999 guidelines reflected recommendations outlined by NYSMIT in the Plan for Distribution of New York State Medical Information Subsidy for April 1999 - March 2002.

An amendment to education law was signed into law as Chapter 571 of the Laws of 2003 (S.5056/A.8366). With the passage of Chapter 571, each of New York's nine reference and research library resources systems receive State funds directly from the New York State Library to provide a clinical medical and consumer health information services program for libraries and library systems.

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Last Updated: July 27, 2009