The institutionalization and professionalization of the medical library in Puerto Rico: the Conrad F. Asenjo Library's legacy
Santos-Corrada, C.M.
Boletin de la Asociacion Medica de Puerto Rico 108(2): 7-12
2016
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-4849 Document Number: 703059
The discourse about health in Puerto Rico has been constructed using the physician and hospital's perspective or a particular disease or epidemic. Thus far, this approach has not addressed the health library as an object of study. The origins and development of the Conrado F. Asenjo Library (CFAL) will be discussed. Before 1912, there were no medical libraries in Puerto Rico, only private collections. In 1914, the act that created the Institute of Tropical Medicine was amended to allocate funds for the purchase of books to support research in tropical diseases in Puerto Rico. The history of the CFA Library reflects its contribution to issues, concerns, development of research, and to the evolving paradigms in the health field in the Island. Historical documents, such as Bailey K. Ashford's personal papers located at the CFAL and Georgetown University Archives (GU) were evaluated. Institutional reports from the School of Tropical Medicine (STM) and articles published by Puerto Rican physicians such as Dr. Pedro Gutiérrez Igaravídez and Dr. Isaac González Martínez, affiliated to the Institute of Tropical Medicine, were also studied. Finally, references and bibliographies in articles published between 1912 and 1924 were evaluated and consulted to find additional sources.
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