The Bruce Collette Fishes Acquisitions Endowment

View materials purchased by funds from this endowment

The Bruce Collette Fishes Endowment was established in 2004 to benefit fishes research at the National Museum of Natural History Library. This endowment supports book acquisitions and serial
subscriptions. Dr. Bruce Collette is a Senior Research Scientist at the National Marine Fisheries Service at the National Museum of Natural History.

Vertebrate Zoology Librarian Polly Lasker is very grateful for his contributions to the Libraries: “In these days of tight federal funding, endowments such as Dr. Collette’s make it possible to purchase such books as the expensive, 3-volume Encyclopedia of fish physiology : from genome to environment or unique titles such as Systematics and distribution of the swallowerfishes of the genus Pseudoscopelus (Chiasmodontidae).  He is always on the lookout and has good suggestions for important ichthyological titles for adding to the Fishes library collection.”

Inspired by his work as a fishes scientist, Dr. Collette wanted to give back in a meaningful way. He says that the Smithsonian Libraries needs “internal support from employees" and that is the reason why he was inspired to establish this endowment. Since 2012, his endowment has helped acquire over 60 ichthyological books for the National Museum of Natural History Library.

He is an author of the highly successful and authoritative ichthyology text, The Diversity of Fishes.  

Image from Galaxy of Images: Philip Henry Gosse The aquarium: an unveiling of the wonders of the deep sea , 1856 “The Ancient Wrasse”