The guide links you to repositories such as Thingiverse and the NIH 3D Print Exchange to browse their collections of ready-to-print models. It also links you to the job submission form. From there, we take care of the rest!
We frequently print items to support research at GW, and have recently fulfilled several orders for hearts to support medical students in the Cardio/Pulmonary/Renal block. (See images below.)
Image source: Brian McDonaldImage source: Brian McDonald
Our two Zortrax printers can print materials as large as 8x8x8 inches. The cost is 10 cents per gram, with a $1.00 minimum purchase. Check out our quick 3D printing video guide to learn more about our service, and to see our printers in action! Or stop by the Circulation Desk to see some of our models on display.
Himmelfarb offers the following online resources to help you prepare for the USMLE or PANCE/PANRE exams.
Exam Master
Exam Master uses question banks to prepare you for the USMLE Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 exams as well as the PANCE and PANRE exams. The question banks aim to simulate the experience of an actual board exam. Scoring feedback lets you know what areas you need to focus on. Access is available from on-campus locations and via VPN from off-campus locations. Create a free personal account to access.
Features include:
Detailed scoring feedback.
Tutor Mode emulates the look/feel of the exam or can focus on basic science subjects.
Timed Mode delivers practice exams and then provides access to My Stats for a report of strengths and weaknesses by subject.
Case Files Collection
In addition to its ‘Access’ textbook libraries, McGraw Hill offers the Case Files Collection, an interactive series of case scenarios that emulate real-life cases. This resource will strengthen your skills in both the basic sciences and clinical medicine. Set up a free MyAccess account to use. Access the software and then create a free MyAccess account.
Features include:
1000+ cases, explanations, and quizzes.
Clinical rotation cases are offered for: anesthesiology, cardiology, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, medical ethics & professionalism, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, and surgery.
BoardVitals
BoardVitals offers question banks geared toward 3rd and 4th year medical students preparing for the NBME Shelf Exams. Features include timed test conditions, study tips, and individualized study recommendations based on practice test performance. Access BoardVitals and then create a personal account.
Features include:
Choose a specific exam: Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, OBGYN, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgery
Choose either a timed or untimed exam
Study Mode can display answers and explanations during the quiz
Select your difficulty level: Hard, Moderate or Easy questions
Choose subject areas within a specific exam to study
PA Exam Prep
PA Exam Prep offers practice questions for PANCE and PANRE. Itcan generate random practice quizzes for you, or you may create customized quizzes tailored to specific areas of study. Set up a free personal account prior to first use.
Features include:
Choose your level of difficulty.
Establish keywords that should appear in the quizzes.
Define your learning objectives from among:
Areas of focus (family medicine, emergency medicine, OB/GYN, etc.)
Organ systems (cardiovascular, EENT, hematologic, etc.)
Task areas (history taking, ordering labs, pharmaceutical therapeutics, etc.)
Choose among three test modes: Practice, Test, and Simulation (simulates the actual exam).
Could you benefit from peer-to-peer guidance and feedback on your writing assignments? If so, help is coming to Himmelfarb! The GW Writing Center is offering weekly, one-on-one consultations at the library throughout the spring semester.
Schedule an appointment to meet with Kamiah, a Public Health major with expertise in scientific writing and APA/MLA citation styles. She will be onsite Wednesdays from 7pm – 9pm. Her consultation services begin Wednesday, January 26th. The Writing Center table will be located on the first floor by the emergency exit near the Circulation Desk. If you prefer, you may also schedule a virtual appointment.
For questions, or for more information, please visit the GW Writing Center website.
We hope you all had a safe and relaxing Winter Break. We look forward to seeing you in the spring semester. Our current access policy and hours of operation are the same as Fall 2021. Please see below for more information and also for descriptions of and links to our core resources and services.
Onsite Access
We look forward to seeing you if you plan to visit Himmelfarb onsite! But first, please check that you are in compliance with the library’s entry requirements:
All affiliates must present a valid GWorld card upon Himmelfarb Library entry.
Visit the Himmelfarb Library website for our current hours of operation. Our daily hours are always posted and updated on the Himmelfarb Library website. Presently we are open:
Mondays - Thursdays: 8am - 11pm
Fridays: 8am - 8pm
Saturdays: 12pm - 8pm
Sundays: 12pm - 11pm
We hope to return to 24/7 hours of operation on Wednesday, January 19. Please continue to check our website for updated information.
Circulation Desk
Can’t find the book you need on the shelf? Do you want to know if we own a particular book title? The staff at the first floor Circulation Desk are here to help! The Circulation Desk is staffed during all hours of operation. For questions about our services, please email mlbcir@gwu.edu or call us at (202) 994-2962.
Reference Services
Need help with formatting citations, searching databases, or finding information? Himmelfarb Library provides reference assistance Mondays – Fridays from 8am to 5pm. Stop by the first floor Reference Desk for a consultation, use our Chat service to message with Reference staff, or visit our web page to discover the additional ways you can reach a Reference librarian, whether you are on- or off-campus.
Classes
We can demystify APA citation format for you! We’ll introduce you to the systematic review process! Explore Himmelfarb’s listing of online classes that can help you with your research — and, registration is free!
Consortium Loan Service and Interlibrary Loan
Would you like to borrow books or order articles that we don’t have in our collection? No problem! We offer two ways to bring those items to you.
Through our Consortium Loan Service, you may request books from other academic libraries in the DC Metro area, including Gelman Library. All requested books are delivered to Himmelfarb within a few days. You will be notified when books have been delivered, and then you can come to our Circulation Desk to check them out. (We will also return the books for you when you bring them back.) If you live out-of-town and require shipping, we can accommodate you.
If no local consortium libraries have what you’re looking for, or you need a journal article that's not in our collections, then our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service will find it for you! Students receive up to 15 free ILL requests (books or articles) per semester. Requested articles usually take 2-3 days to arrive in your inbox, and books usually take 7-10 days to be shipped to Himmelfarb for checkout.
GW Writing Center
Great news for you if you’d like a little help with the papers you’re writing. GW’s Writing Center will begin offering weekly in-person consultations at Himmelfarb later this month. You’ll soon be able to schedule appointments to meet with a member of the Writing Center team. Stay tuned for further details!
Study Room Reservations
We have plenty of study rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors (and a few on the B1 level!). Remember to make an online reservation prior to using a study room.
3D Printing
We invite you to explore our 3D printing services, Find a model you’d like and we’ll print it for you at a cost of ten cents per gram, with a $1 minimum charge. (If you’re interested in printing scientific models, the NID 3D Print Exchange is a great place to explore.)
We hope you are all getting ready for a much deserved Winter Break! Himmelfarb would like to remind everyone that our onsite hours will change over the break. (Our online resources will remain available throughout the closure.)
Thursday, Dec. 23: Himmelfarb Library closes at 8pm
Friday, Dec. 24 – Saturday, January 1: CLOSED
Sunday, January 2: Himmelfarb Library re-opens at 12 noon and resumes 24/7 hours of operation
Stay healthy and warm, and we’ll see you in the new year!
Do you need to find a quiet space? Somewhere with an extra strong WiFi signal? We’ll take you floor by floor through Himmelfarb Library to help you find what you’re looking for.
B1 Level
One floor below the library’s first floor, the B1 Level is a haven for those seeking peace and quiet. Study tables are located in the book stacks. Additionally, group study rooms, classrooms, and the B103 computer lab are available as long as classes aren’t scheduled. (Daily class schedules are posted by the entrance to each room.)
First Floor
If you and your friends would like to study together in an area where you can talk (library voices, please!), our first floor has plenty of study tables to accommodate you. If you need a public computer, we have plenty of workstations here, as well as three WEPA printers. And, if you just want to chill with friends after an exam, we have couches and other furniture designed for relaxation on both sides of the floor.
Second Floor
Shhhh! You are on the quiet floor. Choose from study tables with a window view and both open and closed study carrels. If you’d like to reserve a group study room through Himmelfarb Library, the second floor has two wings of rooms, each of which can accommodate small groups. (Library voices only in these rooms, please!) The 203 wing of study rooms is located on the 23rd St side of the library, and the 204 wing of study rooms overlooks the Ross Hall courtyard.
Third Floor
Peace and quiet extends to half of the third floor. The area in front of the elevator is reserved for quiet study. Choose from group study tables and open/closed study carrels. Beyond this study commons is a wing of group study rooms that you are welcome to reserve online. The 304 wing of study rooms overlooks 23rd St. (Again, library voices are appreciated.)
To the right of the study commons as you exit the elevator or main stairwell is the Bloedorn Technology Center (BTC). The BTC is home to the bulk of our public computer workstations. The BTC also houses all but one of the library’s public flatbed scanners. We have two WEPA printers on the floor, one by the elevator and the other just inside our Middle Computer Lab.
If you need technology assistance, you are in the right place! The SMHS IT Help Desk is located at the BTC, and they welcome walk-up questions!
A few larger rooms for study are available to use as long as classes aren’t scheduled. (Check the daily class schedules that are posted by the door.)
Additionally, you will find a large group study table, located near the IT Help Desk, as well as bistro-style study tables in the BTC’s Levine Lounge (directly behind the Help Desk). BodyViz for interactive anatomy study is also located in that room.
For the best WiFi
Are you looking for a room with a strong WiFi signal for your next WebEx or Zoom meeting? We have robust WiFi throughout the library, but for an extra boost, you’ll find ceiling-mounted WiFi access points located just outside of the 203, 204, and 304 wings of study rooms.
Questions?
If you have any questions about study spaces at Himmelfarb, please stop by the first floor Circulation Desk or Reference Desk and ask for assistance.
Would your study of anatomical structures benefit from a 3D rendering that you can scale and rotate? Could a collection of infographics aid you as you master illness scripts?
Focused Anatomy Modules
Image source: AccessMedicine
AccessMedicine, your online gateway to Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, has recently released 300+ systems-based anatomy modules that take you on a visual journey inside the human body. These modules focus on common medical conditions, offering 3D views of affected areas of the body with the functionality to rotate, pan, and zoom. Labels identify various parts of the anatomical structure under study, and a brief text description of the condition appears to the left, with a link to a relevant chapter from AccessMedicine library of medical textbooks. Users can highlight and isolate structural elements, as well as read descriptions of their structure and function. The program includes a drawing tool as well as an option to download the image with your annotations.
Infographic Guide to Medicine
Image source: AccessMedicine
AccessMedicine has also introduced a series of infographics that address common conditions. These infographics, also organized by system, often reflect the template you use when creating illness scripts. Their graphical layout, with illustrations and a spare use of text, can help you with recall and retention.
How to Access
AccessMedicine is available on the library’s homepage under Popular Resources and is accessible from on- and off-campus locations. These modules are featured on the AccessMedicine homepage.
Want to test a new technology? Practice using an otoscope? Explore the inner you via the portable ultrasound machine?
Himmelfarb Library encourages you to check out its Emerging Technologies Black Bag Collection.
The collection includes:
Portable blood pressure cuffs
Otoscopes
Portable EKG readers
Fitness trackers
Portable ultrasound machine
Most of these devices are designed to work with your iPhone or Android phone.
Come to the first floor Circulation Desk to borrow any of these items. We keep them behind the desk on our Reserves shelf, and each piece of equipment circulates for 1 week. See our Equipment for Checkout Collection for a complete list of circulating equipment.
For more information contact Circulation at mlbcir@gwu.edu or (202) 994-2962.
Welcome and welcome back to all of our students, faculty and staff! We are excited to meet students who are on-campus for the first time, as well as see some familiar faces. It is so great to have all of you here with us at GW!
Regardless of whether you are new to campus or returning, we wanted to provide information about navigating Himmelfarb Library onsite. Perhaps you've been wondering....where are printers located at Himmelfarb? Are there study rooms available to use? How do I find Room B103? For those of you who don’t know all of Himmelfarb’s nooks and crannies, we offer you a guide to navigating the library. Read on...
Library hours
Visit the Himmelfarb Library website for our current hours of operation. Our daily hours are always posted and updated on the Himmelfarb Library website. Presently we are open:
Mondays - Thursdays: 8am - 10pm
Fridays: 8am - 6pm
Saturdays: 12pm - 8pm
Sundays: 12pm - 10pm
We plan to return to 24/7 hours of operation in September.
Getting in and out
Entry gate
The entry gate is located just beyond the library lobby. A current GWorld card is required in order to get in.
Exit gate
The exit gate is to the right of the entry gate as you are leaving.
The exit gate opens automatically as you approach it.
No need to use your GWorld card when leaving Himmelfarb.
Getting around
Library floors and room numbers
Himmelfarb Library has four floors:
Room numbers starting with 1 (for instance, Room 107), are located on our 1st floor.
Room numbers starting with 2 (for instance, Room 202), are located on our 2nd floor.
Room numbers starting with 3 (for instance, Room 305H), are located on our 3rd floor.
Room numbers starting with B1 (for instance, Room B103), are located on the B1 level (one level down from the first floor).
Stairwells and elevator
Himmelfarb has two stairwells, one on the library’s courtyard side (west) and one of the 23rd St. side (east)
Staff at the Circulation Desk (located just beyond the entry gate on the right) can direct you to either.
Only the courtyard-side stairwell takes you to the B1 level.
Himmelfarb has one elevator, located to the right of the courtyard stairwell.
It goes to all floors.
Places to study
Study rooms to reserve
We have small rooms that you may reserve for individual or group study on our 2nd and 3rd floors. Please make a room reservation (for up to four hours) prior to occupying the room.
Book and AV item locations
Books available for 3-week loan are housed on the B1 level. Reference books (in-house use only) are located on the 1st floor next to the Reference Desk. A smaller Reference collection is housed at the Bloedorn Technology Center on the 3rd floor. DVDs and audio CDs available for 3-week loan are also kept at the Bloedorn Technology Center.
Service desks
Circulation Desk
The Circulation Desk is located ahead to the right as you pass through the library’s security gate. The Desk is staffed during all open hours. Here, you can check out everything from books to iPhone/iPad chargers to dry-erase markers and erasers to use in our study rooms. This is also where you can check out items on reserve. Circulation’s phone number is (202) 994-2962, and their email address is mlbcir@gwu.edu.
Reference Desk
Himmelfarb’s Reference Desk is staffed Monday - Thursday from 8:30am - 8pm, and Friday from 8:30am - 5pm. You can reach a Reference Librarian via text, email, or chat. Or you can stop by the Reference Desk (located next to the Circulation Desk) to speak in-person with a Reference Librarian. Reference’s phone number is (202) 994-2850. They can help you with literature searches, citation resources, and much more!
IT Help Desk
The School of Medicine’s IT department is conveniently located at the Bloedorn Technology Center on Himmelfarb’s 3rd floor. IT offers assistance weekdays from 8am - 5pm, and they welcome walk-up questions. You may also call them at (202) 994-9400, or email them at casshelp@gwu.edu.
Technology
Computer workstations
Computers are available for use on the 1st and 3rd floors, as well as on the B1 level in Classroom B103 (depending on room availability). Just log in with your NetID and password.
Computer labs
Our largest computer lab is in Room B103 (on the B1 level). It is available to use except when reserved by departments for classes and exams. Our other computer lab is the Women’s Board Teaching Classroom (WBTC), located in the Bloedorn Technology Center on the 3rd floor. It is also free to use as long as a class or exam has not been scheduled.
Printing
Public printing is available on the 1st and 3rd floors of Himmelfarb. Three WEPA printing stations are located directly across from the Circulation Desk. An additional WEPA printer is located at the Bloedorn Technology Center’s middle computer lab. GW’s Colonial Printing website tells you how to print from various devices, and lists the cost of printing as well as how to pay.
Scanning
Flatbed scanners are available to library users on the 1st and 3rd floors. The 1st-floor scanner is located near the Circulation Desk. Scanners on the 3rd floor are located in the Bloedorn Technology Center.
Free writing consultations
GW Writing Center
The GW Writing Center offers one-on-one consultations for all types of writing assignments. Their main location is at the Gelman Library (Suite 221 on the entrance floor). The Center offers face-to-face appointments at Gelman throughout the week (hours listed below). Zoom appointments are also available, which is useful for those living off campus.
The Writing Center’s hours of operation are:
Monday - Thursday: 9am - 9pm
Friday: 9am - 3pm
Sunday, 5pm - 10pm
Visit WCOnline to schedule appointments. Once registered, you can sign up for up to three appointments per week, up to two weeks in advance.
If you are working on a long-term project, take advantage of the Writing Center’s Long-Term Project Program. This program allows you to partner with a single consultant on a major project for up to a full semester.
Restrooms
Restrooms for men and women are located on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors of the library in the southeast corner (23rd Street side of building). A restroom for women is also located on the library’s B1 Level, as well as a Lactation Room. Ross Hall offers a nearby gender-inclusive restroom, located next to Room 101.
Restroom foot pull door openers
All restroom doors are equipped with no-touch foot-operated door openers.
Hand sanitizing stations
Two hand sanitizer dispensers are currently located at Himmelfarb Library: one in the library lobby and the other near the first floor, courtyard-side stairwell.
Need to borrow a copy of Emergency Medicine PreTest for your upcoming clerkship? Has your professor assigned you materials on Course Reserve? Or would you just like to check out an iPhone/iPad charger? Himmelfarb Library’s Circulation Desk handles it all! We are located on the first floor, just beyond the security gate entrance, and are staffed during all open hours. Read on to learn about our basic loan periods and policies.
Circulating Books and DVDs/CDs
Books from our B1 level stacks, as well as from our Humanities and Healthy Living Collections on the main floor, circulate for 3 weeks. As long as no one has placed a hold request on an item currently checked out to you, you may renew materials twice for a maximum total loan period of 9 weeks. DVDs and audio CDs, housed at the 3rd floor’s Bloedorn Technology Center, carry the same loan rules as circulating books.
We do not charge daily overdue fines for circulating books, DVDs, and audio CDs. At 41 days past the due date, however, we will assess overdue, item replacement, and processing fees totaling $120 for most borrowed items.
Books and Equipment on Reserve
Reserve materials, which are kept behind the Circulation Desk, are available for hourly use. Books placed on Course Reserves by professors have a 3-hour loan period. Most equipment on our Reserves shelves, including HDMI cables, headphones, and iPhone/iPad chargers, have a 4-hour loan period.
May I renew Reserve materials?
Due to their high demand, we are unable to offer renewals of items on Reserve.
Overdue fines
Because of high demand, overdue fines for most Reserve items accrue at $1.00/hour, with no grace period.
For more information
Want to learn more about the kinds of items available to borrow and their loan periods/policies? Check out our Loan Periods and Fines guide. You are also welcome to contact our Circulation Desk staff in person or by phone for more information. Our phone number is (202) 994-2962.
