The AHEC library program and consortia development in California.

A brief history of the first Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Library Program in California is presented, with a description of methodology and results. The goals of this program were to develop and improve hospital library resources and services, to train hospital library personnel, and to promote resource sharing in a medically underserved area. The health sciences library consortium that evolved became a model for the ten other library consortia in the state. Based on AHEC's twelve years' experience with consortia, from 1973 to 1985, recommendations are made as to size, composition, leadership, outside funding, group participation, publicity, and linkages.