Collection Development

Collection Strengths


A partial list of traditional strengths exclusive of LLMVC
and the Rare Book Collections follows:

  • African-American Studies: particularly important are those items that pertain to our geographic region. The LSU Libraries have strong historic collections in 19th-century publications of both the U.S. and the U.K. Twentieth-century civil rights areas should be included for processing.

  • Agriculture: particularly important for the historic collections are rice and sugarcane culture and processing. Any agricultural concerns in the wet subtropics especially certain areas of Australia and some Central American areas; any geographic area with similar crops/climate concerns. (Gulf Coast regions of Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia)

  • American Historical Studies: Major strengths in 19th-century travel and reconstruction/post-reconstruction era as well as Civil War materials.

  • Aquaculture: particularly shrimp/prawns and crawfish and regionally important fish such as catfish, red snapper, etc.

  • Astronomy : an international collection based primarily on the activities of Arlo Landolt.

  • French Language and Literature: material considered for original treatment will include French Canadian literature, Franco-African and Caribbean materials.

  • Latin Americana: particularly 19th-century material, with some emphasis on Hapsburg (Maximillian) period in Mexico, 19th-century travel and pamphlet material from the earliest printing periods for much of Latin America. Central American agriculture, forestry and fisheries are also an historic strength.

  • Louisiana and Louisiana-Related Materials: primary location LLMVC, 2nd copies for Middleton or branch locations. Some areas, Canadian-Acadian history as an example, have Middleton as primary collection locations.

  • Marine Studies: e.g., coastal and estuarine studies.

  • Military History: particularly 19th-century, dovetailing with Civil War strengths. Significant collections (e.g., Middleton room) of World-War II materials including regimental histories.

  • Nineteenth-century American Social Movements: note strengths in Socialism, Communism, Shakers, and utopian experiments like Brooks Farm.

  • Ornithology: most materials worldwide, but particular focus on Latin American rainforest birds.

  • Petroleum and Geological Materials: particularly those corresponding to Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley geologic formations and fields (including East Texas).

  • Plantation Economies and Systems: worldwide, though primary focus is the Americas.

  • Polar Exploration: focus on late 19th century and early 20th century explorers.

  • Press Collections: small press, fine press or letter press collections of early 20th century poetry and literature. Particular strength is material published by Chiswick Press, for example. Most of this is still in the general collections, but a great deal has been moved to RBC.

  • Southern Literature: all periods, primary focus on contiguous areas, e.g., Arkansas, Mississippi, Eastern Texas and Florida Panhandle.