For many years libraries purchased current copies of the Merck Manual for reference book collections. In the past few years, libraries could purchase the Merck Manual in print or as an eBook. Recently, however, the Merck Manual became a freely accessible online resource (http://www.merckmanuals.com/ ).
This week, instead of purchasing a new print edition, we removed the final 19th edition from 2011 from the Reference Collection and updated our records to highlight the new online resource.
The Professional Version of the Merck Manual can be found here: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional
There is also a Consumer Version of the Merck Manual with easier to understand content that can be recommended to patients: http://www.merckmanuals.com/home
Read more about the history and editorial criteria of the Merck Manuals on their website: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/resourcespages/about-the-merck-manuals