Special Collections
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The History of Medicine and Rare Book Rooms are located on the 8th floor of the McGoogan Library. The History of Medicine collection contains items which are old and historically valuable, but are not necessarily rare. The Rare Book collection (divided between North and South Rare Book Rooms) is composed of works that also are old and historically valuable, but may be unique or harder to find. Some of the items that can be found in these collections are listed below.
Interesting Items in the Rare Book Rooms
- Isaac Newton's Principa and Optiks
- Edward Jenner's works on vaccination
- Darwin's first edition of "Origin of Species" .
- 1300's Manuscript, by Albertus Magnus, written by Johannes.
- Vesalius anatomical drawings, including a rare broadside of the human brain and cranial nerves.
- A Japanese OB/GYN book.
- Book entitled " Rose Garden" (English translation of the German Rosengarten), a 1513 German OB/GYN book in vivid paintings.
- Oldest books are Ketham's " Fasciculus medicinae" and Michael Scot's " Liber phisionomie", both published in 1495.
- 1700's anatomy book by William Hunter.
- Leonardo Da Vinci's anatomical drawings (North Room), and 12 facsimile volumes of his restored "codex Atlanticus."
Policy for Use of Historical Collection
Circulation/Photocopy
- Materials in the History Collections of McGoogan Library do not circulate. Use is restricted to the rooms with a Library staff member present at all times. These materials include:
- All materials housed in the Rare Book Rooms
- All materials housed in the History of Medicine Room
- History of Medicine vertical file materials (e.g. clippings, reprints, scrapbooks, reports, realia)
- Photocopying of rare book materials may be allowed but all photocopying must be done by the Library staff.
- Photographs may be made of some materials through scanning in the Learning Resources Center.
These materials will be available 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday, and access will be controlled according to established procedures. For use of these materials, make an appointment in advance with the Special Collections Department. Access at other times (in exceptional circumstances only) must be done through special arrangements beforehand or access may be granted by the Head of Special Collections.
North Rare Book Room
All Helix records for books saying "Rare Book Rooms" as the locations are located in either the North or South Rare Book Rooms.
Books in the North Rare Book Room follow the NLM classification for Early Printed Books, arranged by the Author's time period (classified by the century in which the author lived, not the imprint) and all books are classified in WZ for authors up to the 19th century. For example:
WZ = NLM History of Medicine class code
240 = 16th century author NLM code
A621 = cutter number for authors last name
WZ 220 up to 1450
WZ 230 1450 to 1500
WZ 240 16th century
WZ 250 17th century
WZ 260 18th century
WZ 270 Americana: early American imprints
Facsimiles and reprints of works are classified the same as originals.
Oversize items are designated as follows:
OS = Oversize
7 = cabinet #7
2 = Drawer #2
These cabinets are in the North Room beneath the book shelves on the south wall.
South Rare Book Room
The South Rare Book Room collection of 19th and early 20th century (1913 and before) books are classified according to NLM Classification System on "Special Schedule for 19th century publications". They are shelved on the shelves in the middle of the room. All NLM numbers are broad such as WL P143.
Orr Collection
- This is the private collection of Hiram Winnett Orr which was given to the Library on permanent loan from the American College of Surgeon in 1977. The collection consists primarily of surgery, military medicine, and wound and injuries materials, many of which were published prior to 1900. The collection spans to 1956, the year when Dr. Orr passed away, including 468 items Dr. Orr considered classics. All items in the collection are housed in the South Rare Book Room, located in cabinets around the room which are arranged according to "A Catalogue of the H. Winnett Orr Historical Collection", a guidebook for the collection. These items are searchable in Helix.
History of Medicine / UNMC Archives / Nebraska Collection
Items in the History of Medicine collection are not necessarily considered rare, but have historical value. Housed in Room 8000 in the northeast corner of the 8th floor.
Materials in the History of Medicine area include:
- Commencement Programs
- Every year of UNMC commencement booklets are available in the History of Medicine Room.
- M.S. theses, Ph.D. dissertations--arranged chronologically, then alphabetically
- Most theses in the collection are M.D. Theses---from 1931-1969. Searchable by author's last name in Helix. Also could be found under the person's graduation year.
- Nursing research papers and theses---chronologically, then alphabetically
- UNMC archives (serial type materials)
- History of Medicine Journals
- Microfilm on Early American Imprints, 1668-1820
- This is a microfilm collection boxed and kept in the microfilm cabinet. All items are cataloged and searchable in Helix with a call number such as M209. There is also a printed subject catalog accompanying the microfilm set.
- Microfilm of University of Nebraska Board of Regents' minutes, from 1869 to 1986. Also paper copy of the minutes from 1973 to the present.
- UNMC Department Annual Reports
- This collection is incomplete. Currently, the most complete is College of Nursing.
- Other UNMC archives and History of Nebraska (consult card case 3 for location of materials).
- Individual and/or family collections of papers and manuscripts.
- Nebraska Collection includes books and journals specifically related tot the history of health professions in Nebraska.
Head of Special Collections
John Schleicher is the Head of Special Collections. You can contact him at 559-7094 or jschleicher@unmc.edu.
