The Osler Library of the History of Medicine comprises a circulating/reference collection of modern editions and secondary studies, and a collection of primary materials (pre 1914) on medical sciences and the practice of medicine. The nucleus of the collection is the library of 8,000 rare and historic volumes assembled by the Library's founder, Sir William Osler (1849 1919), which since 1929 has grown by purchase and gift to close to 60,000 volumes. One noteworthy recent acquisition is a collection of some 22,000 19th century Paris medical theses. The archives and manuscript collections are largely devoted to Sir William Osler and to the history of medicine in Canada and Quebec. Services: Reference, interlibrary loan, reprography (not on-site), tours, and a visiting fellowship for scholars. Databases have been developed to find our collections of archival holdings, medical almanacs and reprints, as well as an index of Canadian medical obituaries.

59,000 monographs, including 150 incunabula; approximately 200 current serials; microforms; films; videos; photographs and images; archives; medical artifacts. Publications and Guides to the Collections: Faith Wallis and Pamela Miller, eds., 75 Books from the Osler Library (2004); Bibliotheca Osleriana (1929; reprint with corrections 1969 and 1987); The Osler Library (1979); Lawrence D. Longo and Philip M. Teigen, "Dearest G…Yours WO" William Osler's Letters from Egypt to Grace Revere Osler, 2002; Theodore L. Sourkes, The Life and Work of J.L.W. Thudichum, 1929-1901, 2003. Osler Library Newsletter (3 issues per year); Osler Library Studies in the History of Medicine (1. E. H. Bensley, McGill Medical Luminaries, 1990; 2. R. L. Golden, ed., Oslerian Verse, 1992; 3. R. L. Golden, ed., The Works of Egerton Yorrick Davis, M. D., 1999; 4. E. F. Nation, C. G. Roland, J. P. McGovern, An Annotated Checklist of Osleriana: Volume One, 1976, reprint, 2000; 5. E. F. Nation, C. G. Roland, J. P. McGovern, An Annotated Checklist of Osleriana: Volume Two, 2000; 6. J. W. Lella, Willie: A Dream, 2000) 7. Lawrence D. Longo and Philip M. Teigen, "Dearest G…Yours WO" William Osler's Letters from Egypt to Grace Revere Osler, 2002; 8. R. L. Golden, "A History of William Osler's" 'The Principles and Practice of Medicine', 2004; 9. Theodore L. Sourkes, The Life and Work of J.L.W. Thudichum, 1929-1901, 2003; Disease in History: Medical Profiles of Illustrious Persons (exhibition catalog prepared by Mary Simon, 1996).