The Duke University Medical Center Library & Archives provides biomedical information, innovative services, educational programs, archival preservation, knowledgeable staff, and collaborative spaces.
We license, curate, and provide access to information resources for Duke Health, including:
Selected library resources have been integrated into MaestroCare and were viewed over 826,145 times in fiscal year 2025.
Centralized buying saves money: one of the lowest cost-per-use for a library-subscribed article is only $0.07. Independently buying an article directly from most publishers averages $40 per article.
In this photo, titles from our Engel Collection stacked as a poem: “Poetry in the Clinic.” These books are available in the Reading Room.
We teach evidence-based practice, literature searching, and information synthesis.
We have liaisons to all of Duke’s academic health professions programs, Graduate Medical Education, and Duke University Health System nursing. We also teach on demand classes and create online tutorials to make learning available online, any time.
In the 2024-2025 academic year, librarians:
In this photo, two images featuring medical students coming to the library for classes in our Computer Classroom and Reading Room.
We maintain administrative and historical records for Duke Health, including the records of 2 Nobel Laureates, World War II surgical teams, School of Medicine and School of Nursing departments, and student groups.
In fiscal year 2025, we:
Some newly processed and accessible collections this year are an addition to the Department of Community and Family Medicine Records about the Safety and Health of Working Women (SHOWW) Exhibit; records from the Duke Jewish Medical Student Association; records from the Duke Chapter of Medical Students for Choice and a new oral history from Victor J. Dzau.
In this photo, boxes of material lining the shelves at the Archives. This year alone, we added 160 linear feet of print items.
The Medical Center Library is a vibrant hub for collaboration: a truly interprofessional space where everyone is welcome. Here, clinicians, researchers, students, faculty, and staff come together to study, discover, and learn side by side, fostering a culture of innovation and shared knowledge.
In response to student feedback, we have expanded access to our study spaces for late night and weekend access. Our study spaces were reserved for more than 20,000 hours this past academic year. Our study rooms remain our most popular spaces, as most students report seeking private spaces for both deep study and group collaboration.
Our building turned 50 this year. As we look to the future, we are working on plans for next generation library spaces. We welcome your feedback on our current space and your future needs.
In this photo, then and now images, highlighting how our library building looked in 1975 (left image) and today (right image).
Librarians partner with faculty, staff and students to strengthen Duke research.
Systematic Reviews: A third (34%) of our 1,863 research consultations with Duke faculty, staff, and students are regarding systematic reviews or other evidence synthesis work. We have provided methodological expertise for more than 167 synthesis projects in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Research Impact: In the 2024-2025 academic year, our staff worked on 31 research impact projects to demonstrate the research impact of departments and research teams using publication data. Our staff collaborate across Duke to showcase the potential for using Scholars@Duke publication data.
Animals in Research - Searching for Alternatives: Librarians construct comprehensive literature searches for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) protocols in order to seek methods of reduction, refinement, and replacement. We conducted 88 searches to support these protocols.
Championing Open Science and Open Access: Librarians guide researchers through funders’ open science initiatives, such as the NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan Policy and the newly revised NIH Public Access Policy.
In this photo, a word cloud highlighting the top 50 words found within the article titles of 439 publications with library co-authorship.
In 2025, sweeping changes to the NIH Public Access Policy have reshaped the publishing landscape for NIH-funded researchers. Our Medical Center Library has stepped up in a big way.
As of July 1, NIH-funded authors must make peer-reviewed publications immediately available in PubMed Central without embargo. While the NIH emphasized that compliance should be free, many publishers—including Elsevier and Springer Nature—are charging steep article processing charges (APCs), with some exceeding $12,000. Others have sent confusing messages and even blocked authors from uploading their own manuscripts.
These developments have left researchers scrambling. Many face unanticipated costs, limited publishing options, and potential impacts on academic promotion, especially as top-tier journals often require high APCs. The situation is expected to intensify in January 2026, when NIH will restrict the use of grant funds for covering APCs.
Amid this upheaval, the Medical Center Library has become a vital ally. Led by Beth Blackwood, Lead for Research Impact, library staff have worked tirelessly to monitor policy updates, educate faculty, and advocate for sustainable publishing practices. Our outreach spans departments, research leadership, and APT committees.
This has been a major effort with real impact across the institution, and the Medical Center Library is committed to helping researchers navigate these challenges and continue sharing their work with the world.
As similar mandates from other federal agencies loom, the library’s leadership offers a model for how academic institutions can respond to the evolving demands of open science.
In this photo, librarians at Duke meet for a NIH Public Access Policy “camp” for federal open access training.
At the Medical Center Library and Archives, our student assistants are essential to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone who walks through our doors. Whether helping patrons locate resources, keeping study spaces inviting, or simply offering a friendly smile, their presence enriches our library community in countless ways.
Our student assistants bring energy, curiosity, and a deep appreciation for the opportunities Duke provides. When asked about their favorite aspects of being Duke students, they spoke of the many events and resources for professional development, the sense of growth and possibility, and the peacefulness of being near a forest while surrounded by driven, enthusiastic peers.
We also asked what they wish more people knew about the Medical Center Library:
When it comes to their favorite study spots, two areas tied for the top: the third floor and the cozy “airplane” chairs on level 2.
We are proud to support these students not only in their roles at the library but also in their academic and professional journeys at Duke. Thank you to Deleah, Melina, Alisha, and Esther—we are so proud of you!
In this photo, Deleah Pettie, PhD in Biomedical Engineering, ‘26; Melina Marjani, BS in Computer Science, ‘26; Esther Park, BS in Biology, ‘26; Alisha Reji, Masters of Engineering Management, ‘25.
Our staff has expertise in information technology, administration, collection curation, archives, access services, and research and education.
In 2025, we co-authored 83 peer-reviewed journal articles – most of which are the result of collaborations with Duke authors on systematic reviews and other research projects. Library staff members also delivered presentations at conferences and served the university community and our professional networks through committee work, peer review, and leadership roles.
We appreciated hearing from patrons about our staff in our 2025 satisfaction survey, including:
In this photo, our library staff and interns gather in the third level stairwell for a staff photo.