The Institute houses a portion of the personal library of Roger Tory Peterson. In the collection are books and monographs both written and illustrated by Dr. Peterson or to which he contributed. The library also includes a representative collection of titles by other renowned naturalists and notables in the world of ornithology, including Olin Sewall Pettingill, Arthur Cleveland Bent, Guy Mountfort, Frank M. Chapman, Ludlow Griscom, Allan Cruickshank, George M. Sutton, Sir Peter Scott, James Fisher, and John James Audubon. Numerous periodicals and journals focusing on birding and the natural world subscribed to by Dr. Peterson round out a retrospective panorama of the world of nature study and ornithology. A clipping file of writings by Dr. Peterson extracted from numerous journals and periodicals is also available. The reference library offers a varied selection of materials devoted to the study and understanding of the natural world. Included in the collection are titles on ornithology and birding, environmental science and conservation, ecology, wildlife, endangered and extinct species, natural history, the sciences, including life sciences, botany, entomology, and zoology, and activities allowing for interaction with the natural world such as nature art, photography, and gardening. The education library provides materials with a focus on the natural world. Included are teaching aids for use in a traditional school setting as well as materials designed to encourage the use of nature as the classroom. Books, videocassettes and sound recordings are available. These materials can be used to spur creativity as it relates to the natural world as well as to encourage scientific inquiry and environmental awareness. These items include classroom activities, science experiments, outdoor projects, nature journaling, photography, and art projects. A collection of junior books also has a nature focus with such authors as Jane Yolen, Lynne Cherry, Virginia Kroll, Jim Arnosky, Laurence Pringle and Jennifer Dewey.
Ornithology, natural history.
