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    Melvin Sabshin, M.D. Library and Archives

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    Melvin Sabshin, M.S. Library and Archives Logo

    Visit the Library's Legacy Gallery Site »

    Visit the Library & Archives website to view:

    The American Psychiatric Association's Library began in 1949 when our first medical director, Dr. Daniel Blain, asked members to submit autographed copies of their books to share knowledge with fellow members. Donations of significant objects continued and helped grow the library to what it is today: an important collection of around 1,700 rare books, 200 artifacts, and 550 photographs and oral histories documenting the history of psychiatry and the APA.

    A view inside the Library and Archives showing displays of rare books and artifacts and cases of books

    As the oldest medical association in the country, APA is proud that sharing knowledge between leaders in the field is as vital today as it was in 1844 when it was founded.

    Long held in storage, the Melvin Sabshin, M.D. Library & Archives found a beautiful, permanent home in APA's headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Archives are complete with the Logan and Daniel Blain Reading Lounge and the Marion Kenworthy Learning Center. Expertly designed, the library provides an environmentally‑controlled space to maintain the collection for future generations and a long‑awaited opportunity to share it with APA members and the world.

    The Melvin Sabshin, M.D. Library & Archives became a significant repository of information for all of us through the past generosity of individuals who were dedicated to the field of psychiatry and the preservation of history. Now we invite you, our members of today, to join us in maintaining this collection for the future by participating in the Adopt‑a‑book Program

    Read more on the Archives in this Psychiatric News article about the history of the library.

    For more information, or to schedule a visit, contact [email protected].