Manuscripts

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Subject areas represented within the collections correspond to the breadth, diversity, and focus of instruction offered at University of California, Davis.

Agricultural Technology

1795 to the present. Pamphlets, correspondence, drawings, blueprints, photographs, microfiche, ledgers, and audiovisual materials focusing primarily on research and development in the United States.

Agriculture

1870 to 1990. Photographs, audiotapes, pamphlets, books, realia, and manuscripts pertaining to commercial enterprises whose purpose is to raise crops for profit.

Animal Science

1850 to the present. Livestock production, growth, and management are the primary concerns of these collections. Both the scientific and commercial aspects of raising animals for food or fur are represented, with themes ranging from breeding and nutrition to herd management and ranching enterprises.

Apiculture

1857 to the present. Manuscripts, photographs, and realia. Collections tend to highlight the history of beekeeping in California but there are no geographical or chronological exclusions.

Art and Architecture

1764 to the present. Original and commercial art, design, printing, photography, bookbinding and the research efforts of art historians.

California History

1850 to the present. Most collections in this subject category chronicle the details of rural family, community, and business life in early California, and the growth and development of the University Farm. Materials include photographs, journals, letters, typescripts, maps, deeds of trust and property titles, brochures, pamphlets, court records and other records.

Entomology

1914 to 1988. Materials include research done on insects and parasites, various aspects of insecticide development and use in California agriculture, and materials related to entomological organizations and professional associations.

Ethnic Studies

1800 to 1980. Collections in this category illustrate the diversity of American society and focus on the contributions of minorities and marginal groups in forming a rich cultural history.

Food Processing and Manufacture

19th through 20th centuries. Collections in this category focus specifically on the development of technologies and structures allowing the vast acreage of produce grown in the state to reach the tables of consumers worldwide.

Language and Literature

1500 to the present. Personal papers and manuscript collections detailing the evolution of the written word from an idea into a product, including personal journals, correspondence, manuscript drafts, galley proofs, and financial records of writers.

Natural Resources

Collections focus on the development, allocation, and use of California’s natural resources.

Northern California Food Movement

1970s to 1990s. Northern California and the Central Valley were the birthplace of a national conversation about the food we eat, how it is produced and the lives of the people who grow and sell it.

Performing Arts

From 19th century American vaudeville to 20th century British experimental theatre, materials in the performing arts category form research collection emphasizing stage productions.

Plant Science

Collections in this category focus on the taxonomy, genetics, and physical structures of plants, and largely consist of historical research in the fields of botany, agronomy, pomology, and horticulture.

Political Science

Social conflict within and between cultural groups forms the context of collections gathered under this subject heading, ranging in theme from local social unrest to world war and its aftermath.

Viticulture and Enology

An extensive collection of materials pertaining to the growth and development of the wine industry.

Wine Writing

The papers of the storytellers who give lasting life to the people and places connected with wine, moving beyond regions, types of wines, and ratings to influence the very aesthetic and legacy of the industry.