Medical Sciences Library Hosts Reception for CVM
The Texas A&M Medical Sciences Library (MSL) flaunted its recently renovated collections space, promoted its growing historical collections, and celebrated its commitment to preserving the university’s veterinary heritage during a reception on Feb. 20.
The reception—held specifically for students, faculty, staff, and administrators within the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM)—treated attendees to views of a number of special books in the collection.
Among those were equestrian plates from the 1743 “A New System of Horsemanship in all its Branches,” by William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle; different forms of classical equine “disease map” engravings from English, French, and Spanish books from the 17th and 18thcenturies; a comparison of equine anatomy engravings from the 1683 Snape “Anatomy of an Horse,” copied from the 1618 Ruini “Anatomia del Cavallo, Infermita.”
Visitors also viewed the oldest works in the collection: a 1468 English manuscript of equine remedies; a 1528 Vegetius “Artis Veterinariae, Sive Mulomedicinae;” and the 1511 Spanish veterinary book “Libro de Albeyteria.”
Other items included leaves of a Japanese manuscript scroll from the 19th century and another Japanese manuscript scroll from 1721 with an illustration of acupuncture points on a horse.
The renovated MSL space includes two temperature- and humidity-controlled collection rooms, an exhibit area with six museum-quality exhibit cases, and a large open area that can serve a variety of purposes, from quiet study to lectures and receptions.
