R2 Digital Library
R2 Digital Library is a paid, web-based database of searchable medical, nursing, and allied health eBooks for health sciences libraries.
What R2 Digital Library is
R2 Digital Library is a paid, web-based database of searchable medical, nursing, and allied health eBooks for health sciences libraries. Its search system uses medical keywords to query peer-reviewed, editorially vetted content from more than 110 STM publishers. Institutions select titles individually and retain access for the life of each edition, with older editions available in an archive. Licensing can cover one or three concurrent users, or use patron-driven acquisition. The collection includes more than 4 million medical images, plus video and multimedia. Topic tags, publisher and special-collection browsing, free MARC records, remote access, deep linking, discovery tools, and integrated drug information support library work. Administrators manage purchasing, usage statistics, authentication, access methods, and users. The service works on web-enabled desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and eReaders, with offline access, annotations, and read-aloud support. A 30-day institutional trial requires an active Rittenhouse account number.
Good
- Searches content from more than 110 publishers
- Includes over 4 million medical images
- Supports individual title licensing
- Provides library administration tools
- Offers a 30-day institutional trial
Watch out
- No free plan
- Trial requires an active Rittenhouse account number
- Printing and emailing can be suspended temporarily
Who it suits
It is intended for health sciences libraries and their institutional users seeking medical and allied-health eBooks. Librarians needing title-level licensing and administrative controls may find its tools suitable.
Verdict
R2 Digital Library combines medical eBook discovery with institutional licensing and library administration. Its trial requirements and usage limits should be reviewed alongside the title-level purchasing model.
Plans and prices
From R2 Digital Library's own pricing page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Institutional title license | — | single or 3 concurrent user license · No public dollar price shown; the maker says titles are purchased individually and remain accessible for the life of the edition. |
The facts
Each one read from R2 Digital Library's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Access
- The library is available on web-enabled devices, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and web-capable eReaders.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Administration
- Administrators have tools for purchasing, usage statistics, access and authentication methods, and user management.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Collection licensing
- Institutions can select titles individually, with access for the life of the edition and older editions available through the archive tool.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Content
- The database includes more than 4 million medical images, video, and multimedia content.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Copyright limits
- Printing and emailing for a resource can be suspended for 24 hours after more than 60 requests or 20% of its HTML pages are reached in a 24-hour period.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Discovery tools
- Medical-term tagging supports topic-driven navigation, and librarians can browse topics, publishers, and special collections.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The platform offers free MARC records, remote access, discovery tools, deep linking, and integrated drug information.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- R2 is presented as a customizable eBook platform for health sciences libraries and their institutional users.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Library tools
- Administrators can access purchasing, usage statistics, authentication settings, and user management.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Licensing
- Institutions select eBooks individually and retain access for the life of the edition, with older editions available through the archive.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Privacy and security
- R2 says registration information is stored on servers behind a firewall in a secure data center, and employee access to customer data is limited.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Product
- R2 Digital Library is a web-based database of searchable medical, nursing, and allied health eBooks for health sciences libraries.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Purchase options
- The shopping cart provides instant quotes, and institutions can choose a single-concurrent-user or three-concurrent-user license, or use patron-driven acquisition.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- R2 Digital Library is a web-based platform for searchable medical, nursing, and allied health eBooks.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Resources
- The database includes more than 4 million medical images, plus video and multimedia content.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Search
- Its proprietary digital rights and content management system uses medical keywords to search peer-reviewed, editorially vetted publications from more than 110 STM publishers in a single query.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- R2 customer service is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Usage restriction
- If a title exceeds 60 print or email requests or 20% of its HTML pages within 24 hours, printing and emailing are suspended for that resource for 24 hours while access remains available.checked 8 Oct 2026
The company
- Founded
- 1946checked 28 Sep 2026
- Headquarters
- Sarasota, Florida, United Stateschecked 28 Sep 2026
Money
- Trial
- The free institutional trial lasts 30 days; an active Rittenhouse account number is required to start one.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Trial eligibility
- The 30-day institutional trial requires an active Rittenhouse account number, and trial users can access all health sciences eBooks and real-time usage statistics.checked 8 Oct 2026
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