The Story of the FAO Library – 65th Anniversary 1952–2017 is a journey through the events that led to what has become one of the world’s finest collections of materials (both digital and print) on food, agriculture and international development. Today, the library is the depository of over one and a half million volumes, plus a collection of 400 rare books, 32 incunabula (books printed before 1501) and thousands of digital publications. Its origins lie in the International Institute of Agriculture (IIA), founded in Rome in 1905 by King Vittorio Emanuele III to defend and modernize agriculture, with the encouragement of David Lubin, an American citizen and passionate promoter of agricultural knowledge. Lubin committed to creating and developing the Institute’s library, soon the reference point for research centres, governments and other agencies specialized in agricultural matters. In the aftermath of World War II, the legacy of the IIA and its unique library were closely safeguarded by FAO. FAO’s library, which officially opened in 1952, was named after Lubin “in recognition of the foresight, leadership, and outstanding contribution … to international co-operation in the field of agriculture.” This publication unveils the library’s precious collections, ranging from those inherited from the Marquise Raffaele Cappelli, second President of the IIA, to the atlases, periodicals, yearbooks and even an edition of Alexander von Humboldt's Cosmos from the Centre International de Sylviculture collection. The publication's text is accompanied by photographs and images taken from the archives, showing rare pieces ranging from the incunabula to exquisite hand-drawn illustrations. And what about today? Already as of the 1970s, the library had embarked on digitalization, providing access to technologies and supporting libraries in some 90 developing countries via FAO's decentralized offices. As the book reveals, the Library continues to rise to the digital challenge, maintaining its pivotal role in knowledge dissemination.

This series is dedicated to serving the growing community of scholars and practitioners concerned with the principles and applications of environ mental management. Each volume is a thorough treatment of a specific topic of importance for proper management practices. A fundamental objective of these books is to help the reader discern and implement man's stewardship of our environment and the world's renewable re sources. For we must strive to understand the relationship between man and nature, act to bring harmony to it, and nurture an environment that is both stable and productive. These objectives have often eluded us because the pursuit of other individual and societal goals has diverted us from a course of living in balance with the environment. At times, therefore, the environmental manager may have to exert restrictive control, which is usually best applied to man, not nature. Attempts to alter or harness nature have often failed or backfired, as exemplified by the results of imprudent use of herbicides, fertilizers, water, and other agents. Each book in this series will shed light on the fundamental and applied aspects of environmental management. It is hoped that each will help solve a practical and serious environmental problem.