The Duke University Libraries are committed to providing exceptional collections and research support for Chemistry and related disciplines. Our Chemistry collections are historic, comprehensive, and broad in nature due to the diligent work of past Duke librarians. In print and electronic formats, a researcher can find chemical information, written in original German, from 1771 alongside current research available by searching SciFinder and Reaxys, the major chemical information databases. Researchers are able to read about cutting-edge research in scientific journals published by the American Chemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry, or explore innovation in research by watching lab protocols videos published by a new “visual” journal.
Traditional library collections have long focused on the major chemistry disciplines of Organic, Inorganic, Physical, and Analytical Chemistry. As noted by Chemist George Whitesides, in an Angewandte Chemie International Edition essay, chemistry research is at “the end of one era and the beginning of another.” Research in traditional core chemical disciplines is focused more on improvement rather than new discoveries. Whitesides argues that new chemical research opportunities are “broader in scope and greater in complexity” and “greater-both in terms of intellectual challenge and in terms of potential impact on society.” Today’s chemistry collections need to preserve the past while simultaneously expanding to support the research and discovery of the future. To support this new generation of Chemistry research, Duke Libraries must expand its collections in the areas of Biochemistry, Organometallic Chemistry, Biophysical Chemistry, Chemical Physics, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Toxicology, and Pharmacology.
Establish a restricted Collection Endowment ($300,000)
A collection endowment that is restricted for Chemistry that is broad in scope and format will allow the library to purchase resources that support Duke’s research where chemistry intersects with other disciplines and global collaborations. Duke Libraries will purchase resources across STEM disciplines, in a variety of formats, to support the original research output of the Duke University Department of Chemistry. Establishing a restricted endowment will fund collection growth to support the research and teaching mission of the University, while continuing to increase the reputation of Duke research worldwide.
