Collection Development Statement

NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY COLLECTION

DESCRIPTION

Purpose:

To support the research of the Illinois Natural History Survey as described in its broad mandated mission, "to study the plants and animals of Illinois and how they interact among the variety of ecosystems throughout the state. Through its research and other activities, the Survey fosters intelligent and responsible management of the biological resources of Illinois and public appreciation of the state's natural heritage". These investigations, involving both pure and applied research, are divided into the four Scientific Centers at the Survey: Center for Aquatic Ecology, Center for Biodiversity, Center for Economic Entomology, and the Center for Wildlife.

University of Illinois departments that are serviced by the Natural History Survey include the School of Life Sciences, School of Integrative Biology, Department of Animal Biology which include Botany, Entomology, Biology, Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution. In the College of Agriculture, Agriculture, Agronomy, Plant Pathology, Agricultural Entomology, and Horticulture; Landscape Architecture; and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning.

History of Collection:

The Library of the Illinois Natural History Survey was founded at the first meeting of the Natural History Society of Illinois in 1858 and has always had a professional librarian since 1906. In 1861, the Society received its charter from the State Legislature and was located in Normal Illinois. The Society became the Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History in 1877. The collection was transferred to Urbana in 1885 so that the laboratory director, Stephen A. Forbes, could also serve as Professor of Zoology and Entomology at the Illinois Industrial University. From that time through the present, the Natural History Survey Library has been affiliated both with the State Natural History Survey and with the University of Illinois.

In 1917 the Laboratory of Natural History was combined with the State Entomologist's office and was renamed the Illinois Natural History Survey. The library remained under the possession of the INHS until 1928 when it was turned over to the University of Illinois with specific stipulations. The Natural Resources building which currently houses the Illinois Natural History Survey and the Illinois Geological Survey was built in 1940. At that time the Illinois Natural History Survey Library became a full departmental library of the University of Illinois Library. An agreement was reached between T.H. Frison, chief of the Survey, and C. M. White, Director of University Libraries, providing that the Survey would furnish the building, furniture, and staff for the Library and the University Library would provide a budget for the purchase of books and serials and do the technical processing. Many of the materials from the Natural History Library (in the Natural History Building) were transferred to this library.

In 1959 upon completion of Burrill Hall the INHS Library's collection was split up. The life sciences materials were moved to the Biology Library housed at 101 Burrill Hall and the geological materials were moved to the newly formed Geology Library in the Natural History Building.

Today, the Natural History Survey Library is both an agency library of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and a departmental library in the University Library system.

Estimate of Holdings:

42,000 volumes for Natural History Survey Library only.

State, Regional and National Importance:

The Natural History Survey Library collection is nationally known and is well respected by researchers at the national, regional and state levels.

Unit Responsible for Collecting:

The Natural History Survey Library is the departmental library responsible for collecting in relation to Section I.A. Purpose. Many departmental libraries such as the Biology, Agriculture, and City Planning and Landscape Architecture Libraries collect in overlapping subject areas.

Location of Materials:

The majority of materials are in the Natural History Survey Library with other related materials in the Bookstacks, Agriculture, Biology, and City Planning and Landscape Architecture Libraries.

Citations of Works Describing the Collection:

Warrick, Ruth R. "Library." Bulletin of the Illinois Natural History Survey 27 (2):210-214.

GENERAL COLLECTION GUIDELINES

Languages:

English is the dominant language of the collection. German, Spanish, French, Russian and other Slavic languages, Japanese, Chinese, Scandinavian, Portuguese, Italian and other minor language materials are all collected, mainly through exchange agreements.

Chronological Guidelines:

No restrictions. Special interest in the historical perspective.

Geographical Guidelines:

Emphasis is on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Special emphasis on Illinois but collect internationally.

Treatment of Subject:

The concept "Natural History" is interpreted in a very broad sense for the collection. Coverage includes life histories, ecology, reproduction, and environmental aspects of natural resources along with their allocation and use. Standard statement.

Types of Material:

Appropriate primary and secondary works, and bibliographic, and reference materials are acquired. Ordinarily, dissertations, theses and translations are selectively collected. Hard copy is normally preferred to microforms, except when the original formats are unavailable or prohibitively expensive, or for reasons of usage, storage or conservation/preservation, in which case microforms may be preferable. Audio-visual materials are normally collected selectively.

Date of Publication:

Current materials are emphasized, but retrospective works are acquired on a selective basis. New and revised editions or important works are purchased when new explanatory or primary material is introduced.

Place of Publication:

No restrictions.

COLLECTION RESPONSIBILITY BY SUBJECT SUBDIVISIONS WITH QUALIFICATIONS, LEVELS OF COLLECTING INTENSITY, AND ASSIGNMENTS

EXISTING STRENGTH: subject holdings rated on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the most extensive).

PRIMARY ASSIGNMENT: departmental libraries that have the greatest collection intensity of subject materials, respectively.

In the case of 2 or more libraries listed, the collection intensity is comparable.

SECONDARY ASSIGNMENT: departmental libraries where additional materials may be found.