LuEsther T. Mertz Library, founded in 1899, is recognized as the largest and most comprehensive botanical library in the United States. Besides botany and horticulture, the library's collections have also made great contributions to the study of history, anthropology, landscape and architectural design, architectural history, ethnobotany, economic botany, urban social history and environmental policy. In addition to contemporary academic works and periodicals, the library also collects many precious historical materials, such as1description of the prince's garden in Europe in the 7th century,1botany investigation and discovery in the 8th century, and manuscripts of Karl Linnaeus and Charles Darwin.