The library

The IGM owns the most comprehensive specialist library on the history of homoeopathy worldwide as well as a significant stock of books and journals on the history of medicine in general and on the social history of medicine in particular (with over 65,000 items). It is one of the largest libraries on the history of medicine in Germany and particularly attractive for research scientists because of its online electronic catalogue (WEB-OPAC) that allows for a targeted research of the catalogued data .
The Institute’s special international collection of c. 12,000 volumes on homoeopathy is unique in the world and encompasses the entire history since Hahnemann. In order to meet the criteria of a special library, holdings are constantly extended through the purchase of new publications and antiquarian books.

A printed catalogue of the homoeopathy collection is available (last updated in 1988). Yearly lists of new acquisitions were published in the Institute’s Annual from 1989 to 2004. Since 2004, the holdings on homoeopathy and also the history of medicine (the latter is not complete yet) can be directly researched via the Library’s web-OPAC (see left-hand column).

Borrowing is only possible in the Stuttgart area, but part of the holdings are available via the German inter-loan service (library identifier STG 255).