Medical Center Library Records, 1932-2023

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Restrictions:
Contains Medical Center Administrative records. These include records of the officers of the University, as defined in the Bylaws, the deans of schools and colleges, and departments, institutes,...
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Summary

Creator:
Duke University. Medical Center. Library.
Abstract:
The Medical Center Library serves the Duke University Medical Center's academic, professional, research, teaching, and patient communities. The Library was conceived in the late 1920s and early 1930s by Wilburt C. Davison and early staff of the Duke University School of Medicine. This collection contains records of the Medical Center Library at Duke University. Materials were created by library directors or administrators and professional library staff. Types of materials include correspondence, reports, grants, articles, meeting minutes, job ads, proposals, meeting agendas, subject files, photographs, building blueprints, policies, publications, library statistics, manuals, Annual Snapshots, and digital files. Materials range in date from 1932 to 2023.
Extent:
86.05 Linear Feet (45 cartons, 3 manuscript boxes, 2 half manuscript boxes, 5 flat boxes, 13 map tubes, 12 small roll storage boxes, 1 card box, 13 DVDs, 21 CDs) and 3 artifacts and 574.44 MB
Language:
English
Collection ID:
AR.0037

Background

Scope and content:

Contains records of the Medical Center Library at Duke University. Materials were created by library directors, administrators, and professional library staff. Types of materials include correspondence, reports, grants, articles, meeting minutes, job ads, proposals, meeting agendas, subject files, photographs, building blueprints, policies, publications, library statistics, manuals, Annual Snapshots, and digital files. Materials range in date from 1932 to 2023.

Biographical / historical:

The Medical Center Library serves the Duke University Medical Center's academic, professional, research, teaching, and patient communities. The Library was conceived in the late 1920s and early 1930s by Wilburt C. Davison and early staff of the Duke University School of Medicine. From 1935 to 1975, the Library was housed in the basement of the School of Medicine in the Davison building.

With the advice and help of colleagues and Hospital Librarian, Judith Farrar, Davison began amassing a collection from book dealers throughout the world. For an average cost of three dollars per volume, he was able to create one of the best medical libraries in the country at that time for $227,000. Farrar was succeeded by G. S. T. Cavanagh in the early 1960's, and the Library services and staff were greatly expanded. Library automation began in 1965 with the appointment of a Chief of Library Systems, Warren Bird, who later succeeded Cavanagh as Director.

The Library is located within the Seeley G. Mudd building on the Medical Center campus. The building was constructed between 1973 and 1975. It opened in November 1975 and was dedicated May 8, 1976.
Medical Center Library Directors are listed below:

  • 1935-1960s: Judith Farrar
  • 1960s-1968: G.S.T. "Terry" Cavanagh
  • 1968-1991: Warren Bird
  • 1991-1998: Susan Feinglos
  • 1998-2017: Patricia Thibodeau
  • 2017-present: Megan Von Isenburg

Acquisition information:
Accession A2003.044 (transferred, June 2003), Accession A2004.068 (transferred, August 2004), Accession A2005.046 (transferred, October 2005), Accession A2005.052 (transferred, October 2005), Accession A2006.006 (transferred, January 2006), Accession A2006.050 (transferred, June 2006), Accession A2006.062 (transferred, December 2006), Accession A2007.009 (transferred, January 2007), Accession A2007.037 (transferred, March 2007), Accession A2007.070 (transferred, August 2007), Accession A2007.078 (transferred, September 2007), Accession A2008.023 (transferred, May 2008), Accession A2008.035 (transferred, June 2008), Accession A2008.057 (transferred, September 2008), Accession A2009.015 (transferred by Patricia Thibodeau, April 2009), Accession A2009.016 (transferred, April 2009), Accession A2010.006 (transferred, March 2010), Accession A2010.018 (transferred, April 2010), Accession A2010.022 (transferred, May 2010), Accession A2010.055 (transferred, September 2010), Accession A2011.004 (transferred, January 2011), Accession A2011.013 (transferred, February 2011), Accession A2011.063 (transferred, July 2011), Accession A2011.071 (transferred, August 2011), Accession A2011.072 (transferred, August 2011), Accession A2011.075 (transferred, September 2011), Accession A2011.083 (transferred, October 2011), Accession A2012.076 (transferred, December 2012), Accession A2012.077 (transferred, December 2012), Accession A2013.036 (transferred, June 2013), Accession A2013.044 (transferred, July 2013), Accession A2013.050 (transferred by Patricia Thibodeau, August 2013), Accession A2014.004 (transferred by Patricia Thibodeau, February 2014), Accession A2015.013 (transferred by Patricia Thibodeau, May 2015), Accession A2016.004 (transferred by Patricia Thibodeau, January 2016), Accession A2017.014 (transferred by Patricia Thibodeau, March 2017), Accession A2017.053 (transferred by Russell Koonts, December 2017), Accession A2018.025 (transferred by Megan von Isenburg, May 2018), Accession A2018.031 (transferred by Megan von Isenburg, June 2018), Accession A2020.012 (transferred by Megan von Isenburg, February 2020), Accession A2020.015 (transferred by Megan von Isenburg, February 2020), Accession A2020.046 (transferred by Karen Barton, September 2020), Accession A2021.007 (transferred by Megan von Isenburg, January 2021), Accession A2021.010 (transferred by Megan von Isenburg, February 2021), Accession A2021.011 (transferred by Megan von Isenburg, February 2021), Accession A2021.087 (transferred by Megan von Isenburg, November 2021), Accession A2022.011 (transferred by Sarah Cantrell, February 2022), Accession A2023.063 (transferred by Lucy Waldrop, December 2023), Accession A2024.010 (transferred by Rebecca Williams, February 2024)
Processing information:

Processed by Emily Glenn: October 2005; encoded by Emily Glenn: October 2005; updated by Matthew Shangler: April 2012; updated by Dawne Howard Lucas: July 2012; updated by Kahlee Leingang under the supervision of Lucy Waldrop: March 2017, May 2018, June 2018; updated by Lucy Waldrop: January 2020, February 2020, September 2020, January 2021, February 2021, November 2021, February 2022, December 2023, February 2024

Arrangement:
Organized into the following series and accessions: Director's Files, 1960-2016; General Administrative Records, 1959-1999, 2018, 2022-2023; Building Plans, 1966-2004; A2006.006: Library Advisory Committee Records, 1992-1999; Accession A2006.050: Administrative Files, 1992-2004; Additions of 2007-2011: Administrative Files, 1950-2003; History of Medicine Collection Records, 1932-2010; Library Correspondence and Records, 1943-2009; Photographs and Artwork, 1933-2007; Accession A2014.004: Notebooks, 1991-2010; Memorabilia, undated; Unprocessed Accessions, undated; Events and Lectures, 1997-2011; Accession A2016.004, undated; IMLS Grant, 2003-2012; Accession A2022.011: Statistics and Manuals, 1978-2008; Digital Files, 1992-2023. Material within this collection has been organized by accession reflecting the fact that the collection has been acquired in increments over time. Researchers should note that material within each accession overlaps with/or relates to material found in other accessions. In order to locate all relevant material within this collection, researchers will need to consult each accession described in the Series Scope and Contents section. Researchers should also note that similar material can be arranged differently in each accession, depending on how the material was organized when it was received by the DUMCA.
Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
DACS

Contents

Using These Materials

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Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Contains Medical Center Administrative records. These include records of the officers of the University, as defined in the Bylaws, the deans of schools and colleges, and departments, institutes, and other offices as designated by the President. For a period of twenty-five years from the origin of the material, permission in writing from the director of the office of record and the Medical Center Archivist is required for use. After twenty-five years, records that have been processed may be consulted with the permission of the Medical Center Archivist. (Issued by the Office of the Chancellor, December 1, 1975).
All files in box 65 must be screened for sensitive or confidential materials before it being accessed. For further information consult with the Medical Center Archivist.

Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Medical Center Library Records, Duke University Medical Center Archives.