NLM User Services and Collection Division (USCD)
A core, multidisciplinary, and progressive division advancing the Library's main functions as:
- A national library authorized by Congress to acquire, preserve, and make publicly available information pertinent to biomedicine.
- A key node in the ecosystems of data science, health services research, interoperability, reproducibility, and global biomedical information, which exchanges hundreds of terabytes of data with millions of users daily, aiming to empower scientists and society to use credible and accessible biomedical information to advance basic and social science research, and improve individual health outcomes, experiences, and public and clinical care.
- A central coordinating body for clinical technology standards within HHS and a leading partner of standards development organizations, other federal agencies, and implementers of standards, both in the US and internationally.
USCD also oversees the Network of the National Library of Medicine, a nationwide partnership of more than 2,000 active member organizations wherein librarians and information professionals advance health literacy, training, and access to trusted biomedical information for communities, health workers, and researchers.
The Network connects users with high-quality health resources, supports outreach and education, and strengthens libraries' ability to serve public health needs across the U.S., helping people find, understand, and use health information with confidence.
Learn more about USCD through this overview.
Last Reviewed: May 6, 2026