Chronology of the subject: emphasis/restrictions
The emphasis is on current research in agricultural plant science; forestry and forest products, horticulture; floriculture; and pest, weed and disease prevention and management.
Languages of resources collected: exclusions/emphases/translations
English is the primary language in the collection. Other languages are collected when an English translation is unavailable. The African languages are represented in small part due to the rise in the Africana collection, and European languages are represented in greater amounts due to their long history in forest management.
Geography of the subject: emphases/restrictions
The bulk of the collections cover the USA and Canada. Agricultural practices in the lesser-developed countries are collected more often, especially in the areas of sustainable agriculture and niche farming. Sub-Saharan Africa is emphasized due to the assistance of the Africana collection. Publications from other forested areas of the world are collected to a lesser extent, however items on agroforestry practices from all regions are collected on a higher level.
Format of the resources collected: restrictions if any
Internet-accessible format is the preferred format for new periodicals, with extreme attention paid to the quality of graphics in periodicals digitized after paper publication. Monographs and book serial titles are predominantly in ebook format although titles that lend themselves to reading cover-to-cover are often purchased as print books. Materials are purchased in print when it is the preferred format or the only format available.
Duplicate formats may be purchased when requested.
Research data - particularly data which is not already openly available or that cannot/will not be placed in existing research data repositories is not normally collected but may be collected if it otherwise meets collection development guidelines for research data. For additional about the guidelines, please see MSU's Digital Research Data Collection Development Policy.
Date of publication of resources collected: emphases if any
Current materials are acquired. Gaps in serial runs, monographic sets, maps and documents sets regardless of age will be actively pursued, especially for high priority areas such as Michigan, the Great Lakes, the Northeast region, specific Michigan crops, and areas of faculty interest.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Agriculture and forestry are vital to all peoples, globally. Likewise, these subject areas at Michigan State have local, national and international research interests. The MSU Libraries seeks out underrepresented and marginalized voices, identities, and perspectives to diversify and fill gaps in our collections, and participate in dismantling racism, sexism, and other biases in authorship and content.