Seeds are vulnerable to a variety of threats resulting in extinction. Collection of seeds and saving them in secure facilities-seedbanks-to be shared for breeding disease-resistant varieties is the best solution. Working in the spirit of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the Global Crop Diversity Trust, the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research, and the Food and Agriculture Organization played a vital role in establishing over 1,700 seedbanks worldwide. Svalbard Global Seed Vault, known as Doomsday Vault, is an example of a global backup system for the planet's plant genetic resources.

This case study describes the second part of an experiment using a bundled database subscription model. Texas A&M University (TAMU) Libraries pursued a multiyear agreement with ProQuest to address "administrative churn." This agreement was known as "ProQuest Comprehensive." During 2014, the final year of the agreement, the TAMU Libraries considered renewal and assessed support for ProQuest Comprehensive. The company is a well-recognized information provider, but to date there are no studies assessing bundled ProQuest content. This article will outline the evaluative criteria developed to assess ProQuest Comprehensive and the steps TAMU Libraries undertook to determine what ProQuest databases to renew, what databases to cancel, and the challenges encountered in the decision-making process.

This chapter stresses the importance of agricultural research and technology in feeding the growing population in developing countries. It underscores the role of research and information in advancing agricultural production and focuses on changing trends in international agricultural research and the role of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The chapter describes international developments in providing open access to agricultural information and literature.

This guide was created to assist Texas A&M University students that are distance or online learners, with navigating the library's resources and service.

This guide was created to assist Texas A&M University students that are distance or online learners, with navigating the library's resources and service.