ATHENS, Ohio -- When Ohio University librarian Laura Lynn Windsor couldn't find a single reference book on women in medicine, she wrote it herself.

"I had a student ask me a question relating to a woman physician and, after searching in several places, we found some information. Later I thought it would be nice to add a book on women in medicine to the collection. I searched for one to buy for the library, but realized no such book existed. What was needed was a comprehensive reference book on women in medicine," said Windsor, a health sciences reference librarian for Ohio University Libraries.

"Women In Medicine: An Encyclopedia" is an encompassing and accessible reference work on the history of women in medicine. It looks at how women, events and places have shaped the medical profession and chronicles the contributions and achievements of women physicians, psychiatrists, nurses, midwives and researchers.

It includes more than 200 biographical and topical entries. There are also entries on the key universities, institutes, and foundations as well as illustrations, an extensive bibliography and index.

"I learned quite a bit," she said. "I found out about women I had never heard of and interesting facts about the struggles women faced. It is just amazing that they decided medicine was what they wanted to do and they weren't going to be deterred."

"It's a testament to Laura's savvy and perseverance that when she couldn't find a book she essentially wrote it herself," said Dean of University Libraries Julia Zimmerman. "It's really an excellently written and very useful book."

The one volume encyclopedia was published by ABC-Clio in November 2002.

Windsor has been a health and science librarian for more than 15 years for public and university libraries. She is a member of the American Library Association and the Medical Library Association.