Duke University Libraries’ International & Area Studies (IAS) department supports Duke’s global interdisciplinary research, teaching, and outreach initiatives. Using subject- and language-expertise and in-depth knowledge of interconnected world cultures, IAS subject librarians:
- work internationally to build distinct and diverse collections in the Research Triangle;
- strengthen collections on the national level through cooperative collection development;
- collaborate with curators and archivists across the Libraries to collect complementary primary and archival materials;
- teach subject-specific in-class sessions at the undergraduate and graduate levels;
- provide in-depth reference consultations and partner in research with faculty and students;
- mentor aspiring academic librarians in international librarianship;
- organize local events and create online research guides that advance the public's understanding of world cultures.
The IAS Department was launched in 1991 in direct response to Duke’s deliberate internationalization of its curriculum and to new trends in globally networked publishing and book vending. In its current form, the IAS Department continues to meet the changing needs of faculty and students working within and across world regions, languages, and cultures.