Flower-Sprecher Veterinary Library

Textbooks – Print (5-hour loan)

To help decrease students’ financial burden, the library provides several copies of the textbooks required for the core curriculum for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.

You can find print copies of textbooks on the first floor of the library, in the first three rows of the library’s book collection. Each textbook has a blue and white label on the spine identifying it as a core resource (i.e., a required or recommended course material).

You can check out textbooks for a 5-hour period.

Textbooks – E-books

Some textbooks also have e-book versions available. Check the library catalog for e-book versions.

The library offers a growing collection of wellness books for checkout. The books cover a variety of self-care topics ranging from stress management to financial literacy to mindfulness meditation and more.

How to Find Wellness Books

You can find wellness books in the Basom Lounge at the front of the library. Just after entering the library, take the first left — the wellness books are stored on the low shelves just below the glass windows.

Each book in the wellness collection is labeled with a peach-colored sticker on the spine.

Other Materials to Support Wellness

The library also offers board games, puzzles, origami supplies, and balloon animal kits for in-library rest and relaxation.

Plus, bring your own mug and fill up on complimentary tea or hot cocoa from our tea cart, located next to the circulation desk.

You’re welcome to nap in our bean bag chairs, cozy up with a book in a yellow armchair, or relax outdoors in our poisonous plant garden.

You can also check out a TCAT bus pass (Zone 1) for easy travel to and from wellness visits at Cornell Health.

Have an idea for other items you’d like to see in our wellness collection? We’d love to hear it… Email us!

As important as it is to study, it’s also good to explore stories and other creative outlets from time to time to rest our minds, connect with ourselves and each other, and glean new inspiration for our work.

In this spirit, the library offers a growing collection of short stories, memoirs, and novels through our Basom Pleasure Reading Collection.

How to Find Pleasure Reading Books

Pleasure reading books are located in the Basom Lounge at the front of the library. Just after entering the library, take the first left — the books are stored on the low shelves just below the glass windows.

Each book in the pleasure reading collection is labeled with a yellow sticker on the spine.

About Dr. Richard Basom (’44)

The Basom Pleasure Reading Collection and Lounge are available due to a generous gift from Dr. Richard Basom, who graduated from the veterinary college in 1944.

Read more about Dr. Basom, including his veterinary background, Cornell pride, and generous gift to the library.

On the hunt for more than just books?

Bring your reusable mug and fill up on complimentary tea or hot cocoa. Or grab a set of earplugs to help shut out the world while you study or relax.

Plus, use or check out the following items in our Library of Things:

For Checkout

• Laptop chargers (Macs & PCs)
• Noise-cancelling headphones
• Regular headphones
• Computer mice
• Umbrellas
• Tote bags

For In-Library Use

• Complimentary tea cart
• Universal charging station for cell phones
• Whiteboards (large and small) with markers and erasers
• Desktop computers (Macs & PCs)
• Board games & puzzles
• Origami & balloon animal kits
• Coloring pages & supplies
• Scanner

Have an idea for other items you’d like to see in our Library of Things? We’d love to hear it… Email us!

What They Are

Every fourth-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student in the College is required to enroll in Fourth-Year Seminar, VTMED 5612.

In this one-credit course, students conduct a short-term, clinically-oriented research project about a disease based on a case or series of cases. Students present an oral report and submit a written report within two weeks after their oral presentation.

The seminar is designed to foster an atmosphere of open discussion in which students can exchange ideas and air controversial opinions.

How to Find Them

Access Senior Seminar papers dating back to the 2002-2003 academic year via eCommons@Cornell.

You can also find summary handouts, PowerPoints, and video clips for many Senior Seminars dating back to the 2005-2006 academic year.

Looking for an older paper (i.e., from 1947-2002) that’s not in eCommons? Just email us at vetcirc@cornell.edu – we’ll track it down for you.

How They Began

In the fall of 1945, the College of Veterinary Medicine implemented a new curriculum requiring fourth-year students to take a credit-bearing course called Clinical Conferences.

This course required students to present oral reports on their studies of select cases from clinics. Faculty members then critiqued and discussed the reports. The goal was to bring together the specialized knowledge and perspectives of various veterinary experts and clinicians, especially to address issues of diagnosis and therapy.

In 1949, students in the course began preparing and submitting papers. Some of these papers lack author names, so they are listed as “anonymous” in the library holdings. In 1950 and 1951, several students also authored more than one paper.

In 1965, these presentations and papers took on the name Senior Seminars.

What They Are

The Archives holds the official records of the College of Veterinary medicine. It also stores the personal papers of many alumni, faculty, and staff.

Collections also include materials from veterinary professional organizations, such as the New York State Veterinary Medical Society.

How to Find Them

The Archives of the College of Veterinary Medicine are housed in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, located in Kroch Library.

Check out these handy guides to our collections.

Donating Your Materials

Interested in donating your records to the Archives? Contact the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections