By Anne Cantrell MSU NEWS SERVICE
BOZEMAN — A new collection of materials available to the public at Montana State University’s Library covers numerous aspects of the popular sport of fly fishing, from the motivations of why individuals fish, to casting and how to tie a fly.
The
collection, acquired from Fly Fishers International, consists of books,
periodicals, promotional materials and other items that relate to the study and
practice of fly fishing. It includes an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 volumes dating
from the 19th century to today. Fly Fishers International is a nonprofit based
in Livingston that focuses on conservation, education and community.
“The
material is a wonderful addition to our Trout and Salmonid Library Collection,
which is the largest on the species in the world,” said James Thull, MSU
Special Collections librarian. “The [Fly Fishers International collection] is
one of the most comprehensive collections on fly fishing in existence, and its
addition to our library makes our collections wider in scope and more useful to
researchers and anglers alike.
“While we
focus on the fish themselves, [and] collect everything from scientific reports
on fish diseases to children’s literature, the [Fly Fishers International]
library is focused on a particular fishing style that is, of course, very
popular in Montana and the Western states,” Thull added, referencing the act of
fly fishing.
Thull said
the collection is valuable because it adds to the library’s materials on fly
fishing, fills gaps in its subject areas and will offer “a bounty of
information for anyone looking to get a line wet in Montana’s trout waters.”
The MSU
Library acquired the collection after informal discussions throughout the
years. Thull noted that many individuals at Fly Fishers International
contributed to the efforts and helped make the acquisition possible.
“Our
collection represents an extensive repository of publications and materials
authored by many of the most important luminaries in the sport of fly fishing,
some of whom were founding members of our organization,” said Patrick Berry,
president and CEO of Fly Fishers International. “The collaboration between Fly
Fishers International and Montana State University’s Special Collections and
Archives represents a truly synergistic partnership as we merge part of our
respective strengths.”
“This is a
win-win for both institutions in that Fly Fishers International can focus on [its]
museum collections and free up valuable space, and MSU gets to add an amazing
collection to our library where it will be cataloged, stored in archival
conditions and available to the public,” Thull said.
The MSU
Library’s Special Collections and Archives has more than 800 active collections.
It specializes in collections related to Montana agriculture and ranching,
Montana engineering and architecture, Montana history, MSU history, Native
Americans in Montana, the author Ivan Doig, prominent Montanans, trout and
salmonids, U.S. Sen. Burton K. Wheeler, and Yellowstone National Park and the
Yellowstone ecosystem.
Visit lib.montana.edu/archives for more information.
