Medical narratives are located in many different sections of Collins Library. On this page, you will find information about searching for primary texts using the LitMed database, which you can then search for in Primo to find out if it is available at Collins Library. You can also use Library of Congress Subject Headings in Primo to help identify potential texts, and then use the call number for each title to locate the book. Note that some titles may need to be requested from SUMMIT.

Each module below provides:

1. Specific formats and wording for relevant subject headings;
2. A few examples of literary medical narratives that share these subject headings

Use the following formula for composing Library of Congress Subject Headings:

su: [specific name of disease, illness, injury or condition] -- personal narratives

su: Depressive disorder -- personal narratives

su: Breast neoplasms -- personal narratives

su: [role of person] -- personal narratives

su: Physicians -- personal narratives

Use the following formula for composing Library of Congress Subject Headings:

su: [name of disease, illness, injury or condition] -- History

su: Cancer -- History

su: [field of medical study] -- Popular works

su: Epidemiology -- Popular works

su: [specific treatment or medical procedure] -- History

su: Vaccinations -- History

Not sure where to start? Try browsing through these anthologies of primary sources:

Use the following formula for composing Library of Congress Subject Headings:

su: [specific name of disease, illness, injury or condition] -- Comic books, strips, etc.

su: Cancer -- Comic books, strips, etc.

su: [name of treatment] -- Comic books, strips, etc.

su: Psychotherapy -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Use the following formula for composing Library of Congress Subject Headings:

su: [name of disease, illness, injury or condition] -- Patients -- Fiction

su:  Leukemia -- Patients -- Fiction

su:  Epidemics -- Fiction

su: [role of person] -- Fiction

su: Physicians -- Fiction

A collection of documentaries, feature films, and television shows on DVD are available on the lower level of the library. They are arranged by call number.

To search for DVDs, use Primo. Search the title of the film to see if a DVD is available in Collins Library or is available through another SUMMIT library. TIP: If you do an advanced search in Primo, you can limit material type to audio and video to retrieve streaming video and DVDs.

Viewing DVDs:

If you do not have personal access to a DVD player, computers #28 and #29 in the Learning Commons are equipped with disk drives for viewing DVDs.

Media Services also provides loaner equipment (including Blu-Ray players and DVD players) for checkout to students, faculty, and staff. To reserve equipment, contact Media Services at 253.879.3963, media@pugetsound.edu, or by visiting the Tech Center in Collins Library 066.

Streaming Media:

Consult an online video aggregator such as JustWatch.com to see which titles are available on major commercial streaming providers like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon.