The John P. McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center (McGovern Center) in the Houston Academy of Medicine - Texas Medical Center (HAM-TMC) Library has notable historical collections on the foundations of the medical specialties, Texas medicine, rheumatology, and North American public health. The archival collections focus on the development of the institutions and hospitals in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas, the careers of Houston physicians, and biographical information on Texas physicians. In addition, the archive includes manuscript collections from American rheumatologists, members of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission, and the life sciences departments at the Johnson Space Center.
Books and the other materials of the McGovern Center do NOT circulate. Most of the Center's rare books, along with many of the photographs and manuscript collections, have been cataloged and may be searched in the Library's online system. Please be aware that some resources will not be found using the online search system. Contact the McGovern Center staff for additional assistance.
Back to TopElizabeth White, Associate Director
713.799.7139 or 713.799.7135
elizabeth.white@exch.library.tmc.edu
Fax 713.747.0483
Pam Cornell, Archivist
713.799.7145
pam.cornell@exch.library.tmc.edu
Fax 713.747.0483
M.J. Figard, Digital Initiatives Librarian
713.799.7141
mj.figard@exch.library.tmc.edu
Fax 713.790.7052
Alethea Drexler, Historical Collections Assistant
713.799.7165
alethea.drexler@exch.library.tmc.edu
Fax 713.747.0483
The McGovern Research Center has collections in two locations. The Menninger Rare Book Collection, photographs, artwork, and the manuscript collections, which include Institutional and Personal Papers are at the Historical Research Center(HRC).
The Rare Book Room in the Houston Academy of Medicine - Texas Medical Center (HAM-TMC) Library houses the John P. McGovern History of Medicine Collection, the McGovern Collection on William Osler, the Mading Collection on Public Health, and the Burbank/Fraser Collection on Arthritis, Rheumatism and Gout.
Join physicians, nurses and other community members who contribute to the success of the McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center, one of the premier historical healthcare and biomedical research collections in Texas.
Individuals and foundations support our efforts to document and preserve the contributions healthcare providers, faculty, researchers and administrators have made to the Texas Medical Center, Houston and Texas. Our supporters also help us develop world class collections in medical specialties, the history of rheumatology, the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission, public health, psychiatry and mental healthcare. We appreciate the contributions we have received over the last 30 years. Please help us as we continue to preserve our medical heritage.Houston and Texas History:
Donate medical and nursing school yearbooks, directories for Houston and Texas, collections of personal papers, copies of speeches, newsletters from hospitals and schools, records from organizations, photographs, videos, annual reports, publicity brochures – all these and more. Anything that documents a part of our healthcare history – anything that tells a part of the story of how our hospitals, schools, and medical community developed is needed for our historical collections. Please contact the archivist, if you have questions or would like to discuss materials with historical value for the McGovern Center – 713.799.7145 or hrc@exch.library.tmc.edu
Rare Book Collections:
Donate books that document the beginnings of the medical specialties in the late 19th century and through first half of the 20th century are of special interest to the McGovern Center. In addition to the focus on the medical specialties, the McGovern Center has collections on the life of William Osler, the history of rheumatology, North American public health, biographies of Texas physicians, and the history of psychiatry & mental healthcare. Donations in any of those areas are especially welcome. If you have books or pamphlets that you would consider donating to the McGovern Center, please contact Elizabeth White – 713.799.7139 or elizabeth.white@exch.library.tmc.edu
Financial Support to the McGovern Endowment:
The Board of Directors for the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library started the McGovern Endowment for the History of Medicine in 1996. The income from this fund makes it possible for the rare book and manuscript collections to be properly preserved and maintained. The John P. McGovern Foundation continues to add to this Endowment by matching one to one your financial contribution.
The staff of the McGovern Center is available to answer reference questions, provide information on the availability of books or manuscrupt resources, and consult on the best resources for your historical projects. Some consulting is available on the preservation of historical collections. Contact the McGovern Center staff for assistance.
It is HAM-TMC Library's policy to strictly comply with copyright laws. It is a violation of this policy for authorized users to copy, duplicate, install, electronically forward, distribute or use copyrighted works including but not limited to software, images, data, sounds (including music) and multimedia works which infringes on the copyright of another. Improper copying includes but is not limited to electronic copying, downloading or transferring and printing copyrighted works via the Internet.
For complete information on the use of resources, please see the HAM-TMC Library's Acceptable Use Policy.
As part of its educational and research mission, the McGovern Center makes available via the World Wide Web digital versions of certain items from its collection. This material is to be used for personal or research use only. Any other use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly reproductions, redistribution, publication, or transmission, whether by electronic means or otherwise, without prior written permission, is prohibited. The McGovern Center will grant or withhold permission on a case by case basis, and a usage fee many be required depending on the type of proposed use. Permission requests may be sent to mcgovern@library.tmc.edu .
Copyright and other rights in the images, underlying encoded text, selection, indexing, and display of materials are held by HAM-TMCLibrary to the extent permitted by law. Users should be aware that materials made available on its web page(s) may be subject to additional restrictions. These include but are not limited to the rights of copyright, privacy, and publicity. Such restrictions may be controlled by parties other than HAM-TMC Library. Users are solely responsible for determining the existence of such rights, obtaining any permission(s), and paying any associated fees required for the proposed use.
The McGovern Center has made reasonable efforts to secure any permission(s) needed in order to make available for personal or research use the materials found on its web page(s). People who discover material that may represent a copyright infringement should report the allegation of copyright infringement to mcgovern@library.tmc.edu.
The earliest acquisition records for the books in the McGovern Center are found in the Houston Academy of Medicine's Library Committee reports for 1935 and 1936. Thirty Fellows of the Academy had raised three hundred dollars to purchase a collection of 275 French medical books published between 1730 and 1830.
In 1949, the Houston Academy of Medicine and Baylor College of Medicine combined their medical libraries. In anticipation of the completion of the Jesse H. Jones Building for the library, the M.D. Anderson Foundation purchased the rhuematology collection of a New York physician, Dr. Reginald Burbank. This was followed by a gift from the Cora and Webb Mading Foundation of more than one thousand titles on sanitation and communicable diseases. After the 1954 dedication of the library building, many physicians donated books or historical pamphlets to be stored in a very small, locked room on the second floor.
Soon after his arrival in Houston, Dr. McGovern became one of the HAM-TMC Library's most staunch supporters, annually supplying funds for the purchase of rare books and travel support for the librarians who wanted to attend meetings of the American Association for the History of Medicine. In 1977, the HAM-TMC Library formed a new department with new quarters to collect historical materials and to enhance the rare book collections.
In 1982, Dr. McGovern donated his personal collection of rare and historical book to the HAM-TMC Library. Photographs taken at the event celebrating this donation are available here. In 1994, he donated his William Osler collection. The HAM-TMC Library's Board of Directors named the historical department in his honor in 1996 and that same year established the McGovern Endowment for the support of the department.
On June 4, 2007, the department celebrated it's 30th Anniversary with a party honoring Dr. McGovern and the preservation of medical history. Houston Mayor Bill White, Library Board President Victoria McGillin and Texas Medical Center President and CEO Richard E. Wainerdi spoke at the event. Photographs taken at the event are available here and remarks by Dr. Elizabeth Eaton, Library Director, Mayor White, Dr. McGillian and Dr. Wainerdi are available here.
The rare books are currently available in a reading room on the second floor of the HAM-TMC Library. This room features bookcases which were in the home of Oliver Wendell Holmes and a fireplace mantle from William Osler's home at Oxford. The room is open four days a week and by special arrangement.
Following major flood damage from Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, the Archives and photograph collections were moved to the off-site location on El Rio.
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