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National Agricultural Library: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Agricultural research library}} | {{short description|Agricultural research library}} | ||
The '''United States National Agricultural Library''' ('''NAL''') is one of the world's largest agricultural research libraries, and serves as a national library of the [[United States]] and as the library of the [[United States Department of Agriculture]]. Located in [[Beltsville, Maryland]], it is one of five national libraries of the United States (along with the [[Library of Congress]], the [[National Library of Medicine]], the [[National Transportation Library]], and the [[National Library of Education]]). It is also the coordinator for the [[Agriculture Network Information Center]] (AgNIC), a national network of state [[Land-grant university|land-grant institutions]] and coordinator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) field libraries. | The '''United States National Agricultural Library''' ('''NAL''') is one of the world's largest agricultural research libraries, and serves as a national library of the [[United States]] and as the library of the [[United States Department of Agriculture]]. Located in [[Beltsville, Maryland]], it is one of five national libraries of the United States (along with the [[Library of Congress]], the [[National Library of Medicine]], the [[National Transportation Library]], and the [[National Library of Education]]). It is also the coordinator for the [[Agriculture Network Information Center]] (AgNIC), a national network of state [[Land-grant university|land-grant institutions]] and coordinator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) field libraries. | ||
NAL was established on May 15, 1862, by the signing of the Organic Act by | NAL was established on May 15, 1862, by the signing of the Organic Act by Abraham Lincoln. It served as a departmental library until 1962, when the Secretary of Agriculture officially designated it as the National Agricultural Library. The first librarian, appointed in 1867, was Aaron B. Grosh, one of the founders of the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
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In 1934, the collection reached 250,000 volumes in size, and the library began participating in the Bibliofilm Service, which, along with the [[American Documentation Institute]] and the Science Service, supplied microfilm copies of articles to scientists. This was the first large-scale attempt by a library to provide copies of library materials to patrons rather than the original documents, and during its first year, over 300,000 copies were distributed.<ref name="fusione" /> | In 1934, the collection reached 250,000 volumes in size, and the library began participating in the Bibliofilm Service, which, along with the [[American Documentation Institute]] and the Science Service, supplied microfilm copies of articles to scientists. This was the first large-scale attempt by a library to provide copies of library materials to patrons rather than the original documents, and during its first year, over 300,000 copies were distributed.<ref name="fusione" /> | ||
During [[World War II]], the Department of Agriculture underwent reorganization to address wartime needs. The library, which had been decentralized since 1920, was consolidated into a central facility under the direction of Department Librarian | During [[World War II]], the Department of Agriculture underwent reorganization to address wartime needs. The library, which had been decentralized since 1920, was consolidated into a central facility under the direction of Department Librarian Ralph R. Shaw. | ||
On May 23, 1962, the 100th anniversary of the library's establishment, Secretary of Agriculture Orville Freeman officially designated the library as the National Agricultural Library, making it the third [[national library]] in the United States. In 1964, funds were appropriated by Congress to begin planning for a new library facility in Beltsville, Maryland, on the grounds of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Construction on the new facility began in 1965, and it first opened in 1969. In 2000, Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman designated the building as the Abraham Lincoln Building.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} | |||
==Facilities== | ==Facilities== | ||
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===Paul L. Byrne Agricultural Teaching and Research Center=== | ===Paul L. Byrne Agricultural Teaching and Research Center=== | ||
The [[Paul L. Byrne | The [[Paul L. Byrne Agricultural Teaching and Research Center]] is located at [[California State University, Chico]] and is part of the 800-acre Paul L. Byrne Memorial University Farm.<ref>[https://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/edtr/paul-l-byrne-agricultural-teaching-and-research-center "Paul L. Byrne Agricultural Teaching and Research Center"], ''United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library website''. Retrieved August 16, 2020.</ref><ref>[https://www.csuchico.edu/ag/university-farm/index.shtml "The University Farm"], ''California State University, Chico College of Agriculture website''. Retrieved August 16, 2020.</ref> | ||
==Services== | ==Services== | ||
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===AGRICOLA=== | ===AGRICOLA=== | ||
{{main|AGRICOLA}} | {{main|AGRICOLA}} | ||
NAL maintains AGRICOLA (AGRICultural OnLine Access), the largest | NAL maintains AGRICOLA (AGRICultural OnLine Access), the largest bibliographic database of agricultural literature in the world.<ref name="avma">[http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/oct01/s100101h.asp AGRICOLA a useful database on agriculture, veterinary science]. ''Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association''. 2001-10-01. Retrieved on 2008-12-05.</ref> It contains more than 4.1 million records for publications dating as far back as the 15th century. 78 percent of the records are for journal articles and book chapters, while 22 percent cover full-length books, journals, maps, electronic resources, and audiovisual materials.<ref name="agricola">[http://agricola.nal.usda.gov/help/AGRICOLADoc2006.pdf Specifications for cataloging and indexing records from the National Agricultural Library]. National Agricultural Library. July 2006. Retrieved on 2008-12-05.</ref> The database indexes publications from many disciplines related to agriculture, including veterinary sciences, entomology, forestry, aquaculture and fisheries, economics, food and human nutrition, and environmental sciences. | ||
AGRICOLA originated in 1942 as the ''Bibliography of Agriculture'', a printed index of article citation records. It was first digitized in 1970, when records were placed on magnetic tapes rather than reproducing them manually.<ref name="uiuc" /> The name was changed to AGRICOLA at this time, and the records were made available through database vendors such as Dialog and OCLC. In 1998, it became available to the general public for free on the | AGRICOLA originated in 1942 as the ''Bibliography of Agriculture'', a printed index of article citation records. It was first digitized in 1970, when records were placed on magnetic tapes rather than reproducing them manually.<ref name="uiuc">Paskoff, Beth M. 1990. [http://www.ideals.uiuc.edu/bitstream/2142/7672/1/librarytrendsv38i3c_opt.pdf History and characteristics of agricultural libraries and information in the United States]{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. ''Library Trends'' 38(3):331-349.</ref> The name was changed to AGRICOLA at this time, and the records were made available through database vendors such as Dialog and OCLC. In 1998, it became available to the general public for free on the World Wide Web.<ref name="agricola" /> | ||
===National Agricultural Library Special Collections=== | ===National Agricultural Library Special Collections=== | ||