In 1993, Dr. Billie Turner donated funds to establish an endowment at the Life Science Library for the collecting of floristic texts. Billie Turner was a long time director of the Plant Resources Center and a professor in botany at UT Austin. He has been described as a 'giant' in the field. Authoring several books, a multi-volume work on Asteraceae, hundreds of scientific papers and reports, and naming over 1,400 plant taxa.
This endowment was named in honor of Dr. George M. Hocking, professor emeritus in pharmacy at the University of Auburn in Alabama. Dr. Hocking, an expert in plant-based and other naturally derived medicinal drugs, authored many scientific papers and is perhaps best known for authoring A Dictionary of Natural Products. He also amassed a great collection of specialized pharmacognosy materials and other systematic botany works. Also in 1993, at least 300 materials from Dr. Hocking's personal collection were donated to the Life Science Library at the University of Texas. These materials have no notation in the catalog record to identify them as such.
Today the endowment continues to ensure the addition of floristic texts to the collection at the Life Science Library.
Beutler, J. A. (n.d.). George Macdonald Hocking 1908-2001—American Botanical Council. Retrieved August 9, 2022, from https://www.herbalgram.org/resources/herbalgram/issues/52/table-of-contents/article2240/
Elmer, N. (2021, April 12). Billie l. Turner. https://integrativebio.utexas.edu/about/history/billie-l-turner
George M. Hocking ’28. (n.d.). Retrieved August 9, 2022, from https://www.reed.edu/reed-magazine/in-memoriam/obituaries/november2001/george-m-hocking-1928.html
George M. Hocking Fund for the Collection of Floristic Books | Endowments. (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from https://endowments.giving.utexas.edu/george-m-hocking-fund-for-the-collection-of-floristic-books/
Powell, A. M. (2020, June 20). Billie Lee Turner. https://npsot.org/wp/story/2020/12174/
The Hocking Endowment was generously gifted to the library by former herbaria director Dr. Billie Turner and Dr. Hocking. The aim is to continue to support collections in the area of plants and plant biology. Though the endowment is for the purpose of supporting library collections, the Plant Resources Center and Billie Turner played an instrumental role in ensuring this funding and support for plant collection enhancement.
Acquire:
General Guidelines for Purchases:
1. Publication Dates:
Recent or current publications are prioritized
2. Formats:
Electronic and print monographs are supported. Audio-visual materials are not typically collected but may be considered. Most items will be sought in electronic form when available, however, drastic price differences, availability of materials, and content types will all be considered when determining whether to buy in print. Microforms will not be purchased.
3. Geographical Focus:
Prioritized geographic regions are North America and South America. Asia and African materials will be sought for regions of high biodiversity, such as the Himalayas. European materials will be considered, however, less frequently purchased.
4. Language:
English
If you have a specific title in mind or a type of botanical materials you'd like to see more of, I'd love to hear about them. Please get in touch, my contact information is on the home page.
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