Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library

The Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library is a medical research collection with more than 416,000 volumes covering clinical medicine, public health, nursing, and related sciences. The facility also houses major historical collections, including ancient manuscripts and scientific documents from different time periods.

The library opened in 1941 as a Y-shaped addition to Sterling Hall of Medicine, built with funds from John William Sterling's estate. It was later named for Harvey Cushing, a pioneering neurosurgeon, and the patron John Hay Whitney.

The Medical Historical Library displays medieval manuscripts and early medical texts that show how physicians shared knowledge across centuries and cultures. Visitors can observe how medical ideas developed differently in Islamic, Persian, and European traditions.

Students and researchers access electronic databases like PubMed, DynaMed, and UpToDate through the library's digital system. It is helpful to check opening hours in advance and be aware that some materials require library registration.

The Cushing Center displays brain specimens, photographs, and documents from neurosurgeon Harvey Cushing's collection, including materials from his surgical techniques that remain relevant today. This personal archive offers a rare look at how a 20th-century medical pioneer actually worked and documented his discoveries.

Location: New Haven

Website: https://library.medicine.yale.edu

GPS coordinates: 41.30300,-72.93330

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:03