Earth and Planetary Sciences

Overview

The collection’s primary function is to support research and teaching programs in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, as well as earth sciences teaching and research in the Yale College academic departments and professional schools throughout the university.

Additionally, the collection supports the curators and staff at the Peabody Museum of Natural History.

The collection was originally brought together in 1963, drawing its holdings from prior geology libraries in Kirtland Hall, the Peabody Museum, and the Geology and Geophysics items in Sterling Memorial Library. From 1963-2016, the collection was housed in the Kline Geology Lab. The current collection resides in Marx Science and Social Science Library alongside other core materials in the sciences and social sciences.

Departments/disciplines/programs/subject areas supported

Departments and Programs

  • Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
  • Peabody Museum of Natural History
  • Yale School of the Environment
  • Yale Center for Earth Observation
  • Yale Climate and Energy Institute

Disciplines

  • Atmosphere, oceans, and climate dynamics
  • Biogeochemistry, paleoceanography, and paleoclimate
  • Geochemistry
  • Lithosphere and surface processes
  • Paleontology and evolution
  • Solid earth geophysics

The department offers graduate and undergraduate degrees and has active faculty researchers.

A complete list of research areas supported by the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences may be viewed here: http://earth.yale.edu

Formats collected

Electronic format is preferred unless otherwise noted.

Formats and materials acquired regularly to support the collection 

  • Journals
  • Monographs (academic and trade press preferred)
  • Reference data, handbooks, dictionaries, and other materials

Formats and materials collected selectively or by request

  • Conference proceedings
  • Audiovisual materials
  • Government documents (acquired selectively in conjunction with the Librarian for Political Science, International Affairs, Public Policy, and Government Information)
  • Non-reference data (collected in collaboration with the Data Librarian at Marx Library and other selectors as appropriate; includes online databases and data that may be housed on a local server)
  • Microform
  • Maps (collected in collaboration with other subject specialists per guidelines in the Maps and Geospatial Information Collection Development Statement)
  • Non-Yale theses and dissertations (gifts evaluated and acquired occasionally)
  • Pamphlets
  • Textbooks
  • Selective print duplicates of electronic content by faculty request

Formats and materials not collected

  • Ephemera
  • Instructor’s materials
  • Juvenile works
  • Manuscripts
  • Preprints
  • Software manuals unrelated to specialized scientific software or applications

Languages collected

English is preferred but other languages are collected in collaboration with area studies librarians and by patron request.

Chronological and geographical focus

Current materials are emphasized; subject matter includes any geologic age, epoch, or period.

Geographical focus is worldwide. 

Collaborations within Yale

  • Data Librarian, GIS Librarian, and Subject Specialists at Marx Science and Social Science Library
  • Astronomy Department Library Faculty Representative (planetary science materials)
  • Department of Areas Studies and Humanities research Support
  • Bass Library
  • Medical Historical Library
  • Peabody Museum of Natural History

Subject Librarian

Kayleigh Bohemier
Science Research Support Librarian
Marx Science and Social Science Library
(203) 432-9519