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Information Resources - Collections and Resources
Access the Truman G. Blocker History of Medicine Collection
The Truman G. Blocker, Jr. History of Medicine Collections
The Moody Medical Library houses the largest and the most significant
collection in the history of the biomedical sciences in the southern
United States. The historical holdings, which amount to over 30,000
print titles, constitute an important resource not only for The University
of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston but also for the state and
region.
Background:
The special collections came into being mostly through the efforts of
Truman G. Blocker, Jr., M.D. (1909-1984), plastic surgeon, medical educator,
and the first President of UTMB. The expansion of the rare book library
began in the late 1960s. With funds provided by foundations, and UTMB
clinical departments, and with donations from various individuals, the
historical collections grew steadily in the 1970s and the 1980s.
Holdings:
The Truman G. Blocker, Jr. History of Medicine Collections include the
following types of materials:
| Rare Books |
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About 18,000 titles, with strengths in anatomy and
surgery; anesthesiology; immunology; occupational medicine; psychiatry
and behavioral sciences. |
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| Archives and Manuscripts |
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Selected institutional records, personal papers of
UTMB faculty and alumni, and records of several Texas organizations
in the health sciences. including the Centennial
Oral History |
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| Visual Materials |
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6,000 photographs, mostly relating to UTMB; 6,000
portraits
of historical figures in medicine; over 100,000
postage stamps;
5,200 hospital postcards.
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| Artifacts |
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About 2,000 items, including
microscopes,
medical and surgical instruments,
pharmaceutical collection,
medals, and related memorabilia.
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| Secondary Sources |
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Over 15,000 titles of modern monographs, reprints,
translations, and early 20th-century textbooks. |
Services:
All historical materials are available for use by researchers within
the premises of the Blocker Collections, 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 pm
to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Reproduction services include slides,
black-and-white and color prints, and photocopies. A fee is charged
for photo duplication services. The Rare Book Room is open to the public,
and rare books and other items of historical interest are displayed
on a regular basis. The library welcomes inquiries by phone, FAX, or
electronic mail.
Contact:
The Blocker History of Medicine Collections
The Moody Medical Library
The University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, Texas 77555-1035
Phone: 409/772-2397; FAX: 409/765-9852;
E-mail: ref@utmb.edu
Also, find out some
Interesting Facts,
about the Blocker Collections.
See some images
from the Blocker Collections.
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