Collection Policies

  1. PURPOSE OR SCOPE OF COLLECTION

    1. Curricular/Research/Programmatic needs

      The College of Veterinary Medicine offers a preveterinary program and programs for the D.V.M., Ph.D., and M.S. degrees. In addition to the teaching and research functions of the College, there is also a Diagnostic Center for Population & Animal Health to serve the veterinary medicine practitioners of the state and country. The College has a veterinary technology program which offers both two year and four year degrees.

    2. History of the Collection

      The collection has evolved along with the University. The University was founded in 1855 as the Michigan Agricultural College. In 1883, Dr. E.A.A. Grange was hired as the first professor of veterinary science. The Michigan Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) founded in 1883 has had major influence on the College.

      In 1900 the MVMA passed a resolution recommending the establishment of a course on the scientific aspects of meat and milk inspection. In 1902 the MVMA passed a resolution recommending a veterinary curriculum of not less than three years. The bacteriology department at MAC was organized in 1901 and later became the department of Microbiology and Public Health. In 1910 the Veterinary Division at MAC was organized. It was the first four year veterinary college curriculum east of the Mississippi and the eighth to be established at a land grant institution. Dr. Giltner, head of the Veterinary Division, started a medical biology curriculum within the Division in 1926. It was named the School of Medical Technology and was the first Bachelor of Science program of its kind in the world. The School of Medical Technology is now a program within the College of Natural Science and continues to offer a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. The Veterinary division became a school in 1943 and then a college in 1955 when MAC became Michigan State University.

      The Veterinary Medical Library was located in Giltner Hall until 1979. In 1979, the clinical portions were moved to the Veterinary Medical Center Library in the new Veterinary Medical Center.

      The materials not needed in Veterinary Medical Center Library which were unique to the MSU Libraries collection were transferred to the Main Library. The Veterinary Rare Books Collection is housed in Special Collections. This collection of rare books and manuscripts on veterinary medicine was first initiated in the 1950's with the acquisition of the Beaudette Collection. Having been enriched over the years with additional purchases and generous gifts, the MSU's Veterinary Rare Books Collection, the Catalogue of Rare Veterinary Books & Allied Subjects in Animal Husbandry, stands today as one of the finest in the world.

    3. Existing strengths and emphases

      The Veterinary Medical Center Library collection strengths are General Internal Medicine, Diseases of Companion and Food Animals, Surgery, Anatomy and Physiology, Pathology/Pathobiology, and Ophthalmology. The library has begun to focus more on the areas of Oncology, Nutrition, Pharmacology, Physical rehabilitation, and Lameness.

  2. FACTORS INFLUENCING COLLECTION POLICY

    1. Anticipated future trends

      1. Electronic availability of full-text resources.
      2. Library materials to complement the new Veterinary Medicine facilities on campus:

        The Diagnostic Center for Population & Animal Health focusing on Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Endocrinology, Microbiology, Nutrition, and Toxicology. The Center for Comparative Oncology focusing on Oncology, Immunology and Radiology.

      3. Collecting materials in the following subject areas:
        • Veterinary Public Health Concerns
        • Pet Nutrition
        • Pharmacology
        • Biotechnology (Genetics)

    2. Relationships with other resources

      1. On campus branch or format collections, if any

        The Veterinary Medicine collection is divided between the Main and Veterinary Medical Center Library. The emphases of the two collections are divided into research and clinical. The current ten years of approximately 70 journal titles which are clinically orientated and used for teaching and patient care are housed at the Veterinary Medical Center Library. After ten years (because of space issues) the volumes are sent to the Main Library. Symposia, conference proceedings, books and journals which are on a research level or are on animal culture are housed at the Main Library. With the implementation of electronic indexes and journals there is less need for duplication of resources.

        The Special Collections Library has an extensive Veterinary Rare Books Collection. This non-circulating collection features over 2,000 books and manuscripts which document the history and development of veterinary science and medicine up to the mid-nineteenth century.

      2. Regional or network resources, if any

        The MSU Libraries participates in various regional medical library networks and OCLThe MSU Libraries holdings are also listed in the Veterinary Union List of Serials, 2nd Ed.

    3. Relationships to resources treated in other policy statements

      • Medicine – oncology, dermatology, nutrition, laboratory and human medicine
      • Animal Science – livestock physiology, reproduction, diseases, welfare, behavior
      • Biological/Biomedical – biotechnology, genetics, microbiology, physiology of animals
      • Zoology – animal physiology, development, behavior
      • Special Collections – Rare veterinary medicine books

  3. ANALYSIS OF THE SUBJECT FIELD

    1. Chronology of the subject: emphases/restrictions

      Emphasis is on current research and trends in veterinary medicine. Here at Michigan State University those subjects include, (see “existing strengths and emphases, (1. C.)” above).

    2. Languages of resources collected: exclusions/emphases/translations

      The predominant language is English. German is collected as needed.

    3. Geography of the subject: emphases/restrictions

      The primary emphasis is on the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. International coverage is also highly desired, therefore, English-language publications may be purchased regardless of country of origin or geographic treatment.

    4. Format of the resources collected: restrictions if any

      Resources collected include: Research and trade journals, monographs, conference proceedings, etc. Print, electronic, DVD's and CD-Rom formats are collected, with emphasis placed on electronic. At this time very few veterinary books are published electronically at the clinical and research level.

    5. Date of publication of resources collected: emphases if any

      Generally materials published in the last five years are collected, unless they are acquired to fill in gaps. Older materials are collected as appropriate for the history of veterinary medicine collection, the Catalogue of Rare Veterinary Books & Allied Subjects in Animal Husbandry.

  4. LEVELS OF COLLECTING INTENSITY

    (Use conspectus divisions and/or compilations thereof followed by the RLG collection intensity level. Scope notes, if any, should be uniformly brief.)

    Conspectus

    Call # Ranges

    Subject

    Level

    Note
    SF 600-1100 Veterinary Medicine 3B  
    SF 604.5-724 History and Conditions 1 * See below
    SF 740 Veterinary Public Health 4  
    SF 761-768 Veterinary Anatomy & Physiology 3B  
    SF 769 Veterinary Pathology 3B  
    SF 771-779 Diagnosis & Teaching 3B  
    SF 780.2-780.9 Veterinary Microbiology 4 See also QR49
    SF 781-809 Communicable, Microbial, Parasitical Diseases 4  
    SF 810 Predatory Animals 1 See QL758
    SF 811-910 Veterinary Medicine by Organ or System 4  
    SF 911-914 Veterinary Surgery 4  
    SF 915-919 Veterinary Pharmacology 4  
    SF 925 Veterinary Physical Medicine 1  
    SF 951-959 Diseases of Horses 4  
    SF 961-967 Diseases of Cattle 4  
    SF 968-969 Diseases of Sheep & Goats 4  
    SF 971-977 Diseases of Swine 4  
    SF 981-992 Diseases of Pets 4  
    SF 994-996 Diseases of Birds, Zoo Animals, Laboratory Animals 4  
    SF 997 Diseases of Wild Animals, Fur-bearing Animals, Reptiles 2 Strong in Reptiles

    * Special Collections collects at a 3B level for materials older than 1850.

  5. COLLECTION MANAGEMENT ISSUES

    Specific policies, if any, on replacement, deselection, out of print acquisition, preservation, etc. Because it is Michigan's only Veterinary Medicine collection, efforts are made to preserve items which have significance to the State's veterinary professionals and institutions (such as University of Michigan, Michigan Department of Agriculture, and some hospitals such as Henry Ford Hospital of Detroit). Special Collections preserves materials of historical value.

Collection Development Policy Statement: Veterinary Medicine

Written by: Leslie M Behm

Date Drafted: 20 February 1989
Date Revised: 30 March 1989, 5/12/89, 7/3/89, 8/16/89, 9/8/89, 7/21/98
Revised by: Sheila J. Bryant - 1/24/06

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