You may know that we have great History of Science archival collections and great book collections, but do you know about our book collections?

Granta 16: Science.

I was reminded again this week of how awesome the “History of Science Books and Dissertations Collection, 1575-2002” and “History of Atomic Energy Collection, 1896-1991” are is as I watched our resident scholar pore over stacks of books in our reading room.

Cart full o’ books

The History of Science collection documents the development of science and technology within the past 150 years, with a particularly strong focus on quantum physics and chemistry. Highlights of the collection include Niels Bohr’s doctoral thesis; the first edition of Marie Curie’s Traite de Radioactivite; and the first and only edition of Avogadro’s Hypothesis.

• How big is it? 237 linear feet — 2,512 items — and still growing!

The History of Atomic Energy Collection, containing more than 3,000 items, is a valuable resource for research on the development of nuclear technologies in the twentieth century. Highlights of the collection include the first published account of the discovery of radioactivity in 1896 by Nobel Prize winning physicist Henri Becquerel; writings on the Manhattan Project; materials concerning the congressional hearings of J. Robert Oppenheimer; and formerly classified government reports. Cultural aspects of the atomic age are also explored through fictional works, poetry, drama, and music.

• How big is it? 231 linear feet — 3,108 items — and still growing!

If you don’t go through our Rare Books portal, you can find most of these books in the OSU Libraries’ online catalog. When you search for a title look for a location that says “Valley SpCol HistSci” or “ValleySpCol Atomic Energy” [see below for a visual aid].

Catalog record with “Valley SpCol HistSci” location