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Dear Friends and Colleagues, 


Thank you so much for your ongoing support of the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) and our remarkable Library. Generous friends like you make it possible for the centuries of knowledge captured in our collections to inform our society’s journey toward a healthier future. 

As 2024 approaches, we have bold plans to carry forward in our unique role as an active participant in public health discourse, linking the past to modern medicine and helping to forge solutions to the most pressing public health challenges facing us today. 

Your engagement in our mission reflects your understanding that history not only chronicles past events, it also forms the foundation of present and future possibilities. And with a generous year-end gift, you can help our Library advance the concept that a deeper understanding of public health and medical history enables us to better navigate current, vitally important healthcare challenges. 

Let me offer you two powerful examples of your support in action: 

  • In October, NYAM’s Center for Healthy Aging delivered updated recommendations to support older adults and the professionals who work with them in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to bolster their resilience in the face of increasing challenges posed by the climate crisis. 
  • The Library’s holdings reveal that nearly 40 years ago NYAM developed “Project Stay Well” to help New York City’s older populations.
  • In collaboration with residents in East Harlem in an on going program, NYAM’s Center for Community Partnerships and Policy Solutions supported the East Harlem Action Collaborative (EHAC) in developing the Declaration of Rights for Children and Families of East Harlem. It aims to outline actionable solutions, inform policies, and remove barriers to health in the community. 

EHAC’s current advocacy echoes the 150-year-old efforts of the Citizens’ Association of New York to highlight the enduring cycle of public health improvement. 

We know from the Library’s collection that 150 years ago the Citizens’ Association delivered its groundbreaking study on the horrific and unsanitary conditions of the City. This work led to the founding of the New York City Health Department. 

With your active support, NYAM’s work today is focused on building and supporting the capacity of the community to advocate for strengthening the systems that impact health and well-being. 
We advocate for a fair and comprehensive understanding of the human body, acknowledging its strengths and vulnerabilities as depicted through the ages. By leveraging historical texts and images, we enhance modern public health narratives. Our commitment to preserving and safeguarding medical heritage is vital to shaping the future of healthcare. 

With a collection that spans early chemistry to modern public health, encompassing over 550,000 volumes and extensive archives, we serve a diverse and inquisitive community, from academic researchers to curious passersby. The Library safeguards the heritage of medicine to inform the future of health. 
The heart of our Library beats strongly thanks to the generous support of friends like you—people who see the value in our past and are willing to invest in our future. Your contributions are crucial, enabling us to acquire and preserve literature, digitize our resources for global access, and host educational programs that spark dialogues across communities. 

As we approach the end of another year, I ask you to rekindle your support—or perhaps to give anew—to ensure the vitality of this indispensable resource. By contributing to the Library Annual Fund, you can invest in the health of tomorrow, rooted in the wisdom of yesterday. 

Please use the enclosed reply form to make a generous year-end gift. With your help, we can ensure that the legacy and lessons of public health and medical history continue to enlighten and inspire. 

With warm regards and gratitude, 

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Paul Theerman, PhD 
Director
The New York Academy of Medicine Library and Center for the History of Medicine & Public Health