The Plant Sciences Library’s collections support the Department’s teaching, learning and research activities.
If you would like to recommend an addition to the Library, please let us know or submit a request.
Books
The Plant Sciences Library collection contains books on plant anatomy, physiology, genetics, microbiology, pathology, ecology, conservation, applied botany and more. This ranges from more historical material to modern textbooks, however many newer items are purchased in ebook format.
All books in the Plant Sciences Library are listed on the online catalogue, which is searched using iDiscover. Monographs, floras and taxonomic works are more likely to be found in the Cory and Herbarium Libraries.
The print books are organised according to an in-house classification scheme:
| AA | Plant sciences, general; older texts on botany | FE | Ecology - British Isles & Ireland | JC | Specific geological periods |
| AB | Scientific skills, methods and communications | FF | Ecology - Europe | JD | Quarternary; pollen analysis |
| AC | Reference books; bibliographies | FG | Ecology - New world | KA-KG | Systematics; taxonomy (now in Herbarium Library) |
| AD | History of botany | FH | Ecology - Rest of world | LA | Algae & fungi, combined |
| BA | Genetics and cytology, general | FI | Conservation; diversity | LB | Algae; phytoplankton |
| BB | Genetics, molecular biology | FJ | Remote sensing; Aerial photography | LC | Bacteria |
| BC | Cytology | GA | Biomes – general works and sets | LD | Fungi |
| BD | Evolution; population biology; Darwinism | GB | Polar regions and tundra biome | LJ | Lichens |
| CA | Plant anatomy; tissue culture; reproduction | GC | Boreal and temperate forests | MA | Bryophytes & Pteridophytes, combined |
| CB | Vegetative organs: Morphology & anatomy | GD | Mountain biome | MB | Mosses |
| CC | Reproductive organs: Morphology & anatomy | GE | Mediterranean / Chaparral biome | MC | Ferns |
| CD | Cellular ultrastructure | GF | Desert biome | NA | Gymnosperms |
| DA-DB | General plant physiology | GG | Grassland biomes | OA | Angiosperms |
| DC | Biochemistry; cells; signalling; transport | GH | Tropics - general works | UA | Applied botany; crop science; economic botany |
| DD | Protoplasm | GI | Tropical forest biomes | UB | Plant pathology; diseases; viruses; epidemiology |
| DE | Biochemistry; growth; enzymes; proteins | GK | Wetlands | VA | Microbiology; bacteriology |
| DF | Metabolic processes; nutrition; soil chemistry | GL | Freshwater biomes | VB | Microbial taxonomy & methodology |
| DH | Metabolic processes; water relations; photosynthesis | GM | Coastal areas | VC | Microbial physiology |
| FA | Ecology, general | GN | Islands | VD | Microbial ecology |
| FB | Ecology of species; adaptation | GO | Oceans | VE | Microbiology, applied |
| FC | Competition; climate; climate change; soil ecology | HA | Floras (now in Herbarium Library) | WB | Wellbeing; leisure reading |
| FD | Ecology – General regional | JA | Palaeobotany |
Wellbeing and leisure reading collection
The Plant Sciences Library has a small collection of non-academic texts related to wellbeing, and leisure reading titles with a plant or nature theme. Suggestions for new fiction, non-fiction, poetry, graphic novels and more are welcome! Please email plant@lib.cam.ac.uk.
Journals
The Plant Sciences Library retains a large number of back-runs of historic, sometimes rare, botanical and plant sciences journals. All titles are listed in iDiscover, but full details of holdings are not given.
The University subscribes to a wide range of electronic journals which can be searched at article level in iDiscover. Visit the University Library's website for more information about accessing online content.
Archives
The Department has generally not kept the research material collected by previous members. Most valuable items have been sent to the University Library Archives. Please use ArchiveSearch to check material already held there. None of the archival collections that remain in the Department have been catalogued, although some local listings exist. Please contact us if you believe the Department holds the material you wish to consult.
Some archive material or ‘collections’ located in the Plant Sciences Department
The list below shows some of the material kept in the Department. These items may be consulted after prior permission has been granted:
- Teaching of Botany – A few sets of lecture notes, a very few records of lecture attendance, ledgers and visitors books. These were not systematically collected. Revisions and corrections to Francis Darwin’s textbooks. Diagrams used for teaching purposes.
- Minute books of Department clubs - Includes: Botany Club, Cambridge Ecology Club, Cambridge Mycology and Plant Pathology Club, Cambridge University Natural History Society – Botany Section, Marshall Ward Society.
- Tea Phytologist - Correspondence and drafts of contributions to the Department’s spoof publication, which appeared irregularly 1908 – 1984.
- Photographs - Group photographs from British Association for the Advancement of Science meetings, portraits of past Department members.
Manuscripts and research data
- WHITEHOUSE, Harold: Mosses and liverworts of Cambridgeshire
- GODWIN, Sir Harry: Notes on Wicken Fen
- WOODRUFFE-PEACOCK, Rev. Adrian: Notes on the rock soil flora of Lincolnshire
- NICHOLSON, William Edward: Correspondence, notes; Diaries 1892-1939
