Collection Development Policies:

Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science

Purpose: To support teaching, research, and service needs through the doctoral level in the fields of veterinary anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology; veterinary microbiology and pathology; veterinary clinical medicine and surgery; neurosciences; as well as for the professional Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Includes support for centers and programs, such as the Center for Animal Health and Well-Being, Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, the Aquaculture (Aquatic Health Inspection) Program, the School of Global Animal Health, and the Field Disease Investigative Unit. Some areas of veterinary science are of interest also to individuals in the departments, schools, and colleges of Animal Science, Psychology, Biological Sciences, Center for Integrated Biotechnology, Center for Reproductive Biology, the USDA Animal Research Service, (USDA-ARS) College of Pharmacy. Information to support public health and food safety is also required. General information for the animal-owning public is acquired selectively. As a major veterinary library in the Northwest, WSU has an overall obligation to serve the veterinary needs of this region.

Materials in the non-veterinary pre-clinical/ research (basic sciences) areas must also be acquired. Because research is conducted in the fields of immunology, parasitology, virology, biotechnology, vaccinology, and the neurosciences, access to information supportive of these disciplines, must be maintained. For teaching needs, some mammalian pre-clinical material is collected, particularly in areas such as physiology, microbiology, pathology, anatomy, and immunology.

General Collection Guidelines:
  1. Languages: The primary language of the collection is English. However, basic veterinary journals in the major European languages may be acquired selectively.
  2. Chronological Guidelines: Emphasis is placed upon developments within the last 3 years.
  3. Geographical Guidelines: Primarily North American and European countries, with selective coverage in other countries, particularly in developing countries for global animal health interests.
  4. Treatment of the Subject: Materials of a historical nature are acquired by Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections for its history of veterinary medicine collection (see Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections). Material of a popular/non-scholarly/ introductory textbook nature is not collected.
  5. Types of Material: For the most part, collecting is in the form of journals and books, and includes encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, and atlases of anatomy. Materials, especially journals, are acquired in electronic format when coverage is complete and access is stable and archival. Online indexes are preferred to print. E-books are acquired as appropriate.
  6. Date of Publication: Last 2-3 years.
  7. Other General Considerations: A great deal of basic science and pre-clinical peripheral research material is covered by other policies. Other relevant policy statements include Biological Sciences, Animal Sciences, Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Medicine. Reciprocal borrowing agreements, such as SUMMIT, greatly supplement the collection, particularly for monographs. Consortial journal packages are especially important in acquiring access to biomedical research materials.
Observations and Qualifications by Subject with Collection Level:

I. Veterinary Medicine

Major emphasis: Small animals (canine, feline); large animals (equine, bovine, camelids, caprine, ovine, porcine); avians (ratites, cage birds, wild birds, poultry).

Lesser emphasis: Exotics (zoo animals, aquarium and ornamental fish, reptiles, amphibians; pocket pets, wildlife (sea mammals, game animals); laboratory animals (hamsters, gerbils, rats, mice).

A. Veterinary Clinical Medicine and Surgery:

Veterinary Anesthesiology: B

Veterinary clinical epidemiology (FDUI): B

Veterinary clinical pathology: B

Veterinary dentistry: C(1)

Veterinary dermatology: C(1)

Veterinary genetics: B

Veterinary internal medicine: B Cardiology, nephrology, ultrasound, endoscopy.
Veterinary neurology/neurosurgery: B

Veterinary obstetrics/reproduction/theriogenology: B

Veterinary oncology: B See also: Medicine
Veterinary ophthalmology: C(1) Including cataracts.
Veterinary orthopedics: B Including arthroscopy.
Veterinary pathology: B

Veterinary pharmacology: B See also: Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Veterinary practice management: C(1)

Veterinary radiology: B Including MRI, scintigraphy, CT, fluoroscopy.
Aquaculture and aquatic diseases: C(1) See also: Animal Sciences
Animal behavior: C(2) / C(1) See also: Zoology under Animal Sciences
Veterinary surgery: B Including experimental surgery and alternatives, soft tissue repair, and laparoscopy.
Veterinary toxicology/poisonous plants: B See also: Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

B. Veterinary Pre-Clinical Disciplines:

Human animal companion bond/animal welfare: C(1)

Animal nutrition: C(1) / C(2) See also: Animal Sciences and
Wildlife Biology under Animal Sciences

Veterinary anatomy: C(1) / B Including surgical and comparative anatomy.
Veterinary embryology: C(1)

Veterinary histology: C(1)

Veterinary microbiology/immunology/infectious diseases: B Including tropical diseases. See also: Biological Sciences
Veterinary parasitology: / B Including entomology.
Veterinary physiology: / B

Zoonosis/public health/food safety: / B See also: Engineering: Biological Systems
Medicine

II. Pre-Clinical/Research Disciplines

(Not restricted to veterinary animals; includes human and laboratory animal research as well.) See also: Biological Sciences and other related statements. Anatomy and histology: C(2) Mammalian.
Embryology/teratology: C(2) / D Experimental teratology, congenital malformations.
Genetics: See: Medicine
Immunology: C(1) / B Vertebrate immune response and mechanisms of the immune response, including immunopathology.
Microbiology: C(1) / B Viral and rickettsial organisms, focusing on organisms of medical importance; microbial pathogenesis, epidemiology and diagnostic techniques. See also: Biological Sciences
Molecular Biology/Biotechnology: C(2) / C(1) Laboratory and technical manuals and standard treatises relating to laboratory methods, recombinant DNA methodology, techniques and protocols used for research and study of organisms at the molecular level. Includes product development, licensing and patenting. See also: Biological Sciences
Engineering: Biological Systems

Neurosciences: C(1) / B Mammalian; includes structure and function of nervous tissue, cellular, neural, and endocrine control systems in physiology, neurochemistry, theory and techniques. See also: Medicine
Biological Sciences
Psychology

Parasitology: C(1) / B Arthropods, protozoa and helminths of veterinary and medical importance, including arthropods of importance as disease vectors; disease pathogenesis, diagnostic techniques and biological control of parasitic infections.
Physiology: C(2) / B Mammalian; especially cardiovascular, reproductive, endocrine, cellular, neural. See also: Zoology under Animal Sciences
Engineering: Biological Systems

Vicki Croft
Spring 2011