The UCSF Patient Health Library is a cozy, somewhat unassuming place tucked away along a corridor in Mount Zion’s A Building.

But despite its small size, the library opened its doors in December with some very large goals: to offer comprehensive information about a wide range of medical conditions, and to empower patients and their loved ones as they seek to educate themselves about their health.

“Searching for information on your own can be overwhelming,” said Deborah Sommer, the medical librarian hired to assist the new library’s visitors. “I’m here to help teach people where to find high-quality, credible information so they can go back and do it from home without feeling lost.”

The library includes three computer stations with access to Internet health resources such as the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus service and UCSF Medical Center’s online library — resources that can also be accessed from home through the library’s website. In addition, patients can browse through a variety of medical books and journals.

“We offer information on all kinds of diseases, procedures and lab tests, but also on wellness, for people interested in prevention and staying healthy,” Sommer said.

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