Micropalaeontology library
The fossil dinoflagellate cyst Nannoceratopsis gracilis has a very distinctive shape, as shown by these right and left side views.
The Natural History Museum’s micropalaeontology library, otherwise known as the Heron-Allen Library, represents an unsurpassed micropalaeontology literature resource, providing access to:
- books
- bound reprints
- microfiche copies of scientific papers
The library was named in honour of Edward Heron-Allen, who amassed the original core of the collection.
As well as providing comprehensive background to our fossil and Recent collections, the library contains a mass of data from around the world, including taxonomic and stratigraphical information.
The library attracts scientific visitors in its own right, in addition to those who wish to study our micropalaeontology collections, and it has provided essential data underpinning many crucially important biostratigraphical projects.
Books
The micropalaeontology library holds an array of key works, including many of the early literary milestones on the Foraminifera, Ostracoda and Radiolaria. It is kept fully up-to-date with the addition of new and important works.
Reprints
Edward Heron-Allen had his collection of scientific reprints bound under the title Variorum de Foraminiferis Opuscula. His original collection eventually occupied 42 volumes.
Since then we have continued amassing scientific literature on micropalaeontology and the Var. Ops., as they have become known, now comprise 374 volumes, containing thousands of fully-indexed reprints.
Research
Researcher collections and student theses
In addition to the works gathered by ourselves, we are fortunate to have been presented with:
- bespoke collections of literature by retiring researchers who were leaders in their field, for example:
- Dr G Adams (foraminifera)
- Dr W Riedel (radiolarians)
- Dr J Neale (ostracods)
- Dr R Austin (conodonts)
- a large number of research theses, of which:
- most accompany their associated microfossil collection
- some arrived together with the entire university reference collection (from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, for example)
Palynology reference library
The palynology reference library is an incredible literary resource consisting of well over 17,000 scientific papers, together with a truly comprehensive index and cross-referencing system (providing links via taxon, age, country and author).
The result of a lifetime’s work by Dr John Williams, the library and its database (known as the John Williams Index of Palaeopalynology) continue to be added to on a daily basis. They are the primary source of information supporting many palynological projects.