Collecting should follow and anticipate, when possible, major trends and developments in veterinary medicine and animal science. There is an increased demand for electronic resources and information formats beyond the traditional books and journals, including diagnostic and point-of-care tools.
The collection should reflect the College of Veterinary Medicine's redesigned competency-based curriculum, and support new and emerging areas of research and practice such as comparative medicine and veterinary public health.
The research of the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center and projects funded by the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture and other grants will impact the demand for specific library materials. Interest in topics such as animal genetics, behavior, nutrition, physiology, and reproduction is expected to remain strong. Material addressing issues related to environmental impacts, animal welfare, and meat quality and safety will also be in demand.
Murray and Hong Special Collections houses an extensive Veterinary Medicine Historical Collection, which includes items on animal husbandry, horsemanship, beekeeping, and other allied topics. This non-circulating collection features over 2,000 books and manuscripts which document the history and development of veterinary medicine and animal science up to the mid-nineteenth century.
Materials in the Business Library collection support the agribusiness and food industry management tracks of the undergraduate degree.
Materials related to legal aspects of animal husbandry and veterinary medicine, particularly animal law, animal welfare, and medical malpractice, are collected primarily by the MSU College of Law Library. The Animal Legal and Historical Center, part of the MSU College of Law, also provides a comprehensive repository of information about animal law. However, a small number of books used in the veterinary curriculum, primarily on the topic of animal welfare, are held on reserve in the Main Library.
MSU and its Libraries are a member of the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA). Consortial purchases with the BTAA have added important online resources, especially large journal and ebook packages.
| Agriculture | general agriculture, forages, feeds, welfare |
| Biological/Biomedical Sciences | biotechnology, genetics, microbiology, physiology of animals |
| Biological Sciences/Natural History | zoology, animal physiology, development, behavior |
| Food Science and Human Nutrition | technology, food production, food safety, crop protection |
| Medicine | anatomy, physiology, genetics, toxicology, laboratory medicine |
| Murray and Hong Special Collections | rare veterinary medicine books |