Materials from the open stacks are available for self-service photocopying or for copy requests through our document delivery service.

Photocopying of materials from the locked History of Medicine Collections is always dependent on the physical condition of the book or manuscript. Instances of extreme fragility preclude photocopying. The integrity of the material takes precedence. Bleed-through, deep browning or foxing of the paper as well as tight bindings can affect the quality of any copy.

Books and Journals

Photocopying printed books and journals from the locked collections in History is handled only by staff. In person requests can usually be filled on the spot. Turn-around time for mailed requests depends on the number of pages, condition of the material, and availability of staff.

A single request is usually limited to a book chapter or 10% of the total pages, whichever is smaller. At no time will we copy an entire book.

In person requests, copied by Library staff, cost 7 cents/page with a limit of 50 pages.

People not affiliated with Duke should make requests through their local library's ILL service and inquire about any fees that their library may charge. Under special circumstances, requests may be made directly to the History of Medicine Collections. Fees for direct requests will be $10.00 for the first 30 pages and 15 cents/page thereafter.

Manuscripts

Since manuscripts are more complex and fragile than books, photocopying is handled only by the History staff. The requestor must sign and return 2 copies of our Permission to Reproduce (link to form) agreement before any copies are provided. Turn-around time will be estimated on a case-by-case basis and determined by a combination of factors: number of pages, condition of the material, and availability of staff.

The fees for copying manuscripts are detailed below. In addition, for-profit requests, which involve the intent to publish, require the payment of a publication fee that is specified on the reproduction agreement.