The Menninger Collection on Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis

In June, 2003, the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library became the owner of the Menninger Foundation’s Library of Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis. This fine gift included their clinical library of books and journals, the historical and rare book collections, and complete runs of the Menninger publications. This is a wide-ranging rare book collection of more than 3000 titles pertaining to psychology, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis in both adults and children. The publications by and commentaries about Sigmund Freud are extensive. There are also a number of titles devoted to community mental health, nursing, and work in prisons. The collection includes a large number of early journals on psychoanalysis, hundreds of German psychiatric texts, and annual reports from American asylums. In addition to psychiatric materials, there are many fine texts related to the broader field of medicine. One of these volumes is a 1783 German edition of Andreas Vesalius’s anatomy with reproductions of the illustrations from the original Vesalius. See more info at Menninger Collection on Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis and its finding aid.

The McGovern Historical Center (MHC) is the historical and special collections department for The TMC Library. The MHC maintains rare book and archival collections. Artificial collections have been created to provide access to materials without clear provenance in order to increase discoverability. Soon after his arrival in Houston, Dr. McGovern became one of the Library’s most staunch supporters, annually supplying funds for the purchase of rare books and travel support for the librarians to attend meetings of the American Association for the History of Medicine. In 1977, The 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 books to the Library. In 1996 the Library’s Board of Directors named the historical department in his honor.