The Vesic Library is Duke's Engineering, Mathematics and Physics Library. There are several web-pages of library resources available:
- The main Vesic Library Page:
http://www.lib.duke.edu/vesic/ - Vesic Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
http://www.lib.duke.edu/egr/faq.htm - Math and Physics Resources:
http://www.lib.duke.edu/mathphy/ - Physics Resources:
http://www.lib.duke.edu/mathphy/physics.htm
There is also a general webpage for the Duke libraries that
includes links to the catalog, e-journals, databases, etc.
http://www.lib.duke.edu
The Vesic Library is next door to
the Physics building, inside the Teer building. If the front door to the
Teer building is obstructed, take the stairs behind the physics building
to the LSRC and enter through the side of the Teer building. After hours
your Duke card will work to open the Teer doors, but you must request
after-hours, library access from Maxine Stern (maxine@phy.duke.edu).
Background literature searches should probably start at the ISI Web of Science:
http://isi4.isiknowledge.com/portal.cgi/wos
Other databases are also available from the library:
http://www.lib.duke.edu/texis/databases/
Many journal articles can be obtained on-line directly from the journal's web site. Commonly used resources include:
- The American Physical Society publications (Physical Review Letters, Etc.)
http://prola.aps.org - Elsevier Publications (such as the Physica series)
https://www.sciencedirect.com
You should be aware that Duke has canceled many double subscriptions, so that we now either get just the paper or the electronic form of a journal instead of both. If an journal paper is unavailable on-line, it should be available in the libraries.
An important resource is InterLibrary Loan (ILL). If a publication is unavailable
on-line and in Duke's libraries, it may be available from another libary through ILL:
http://www.lib.duke.edu/ill/index.html
There should be no access requirements for a patron to access e-journals such as Science. If a person is asked for a password to gain access to an electronic journal, he/she should notify the Math-Physics Librarian, Mary Ann Southern (mplib@phy.duke.edu). Patrons should, of course, access e-journals either using a machine with a Duke IP address or through the library's catalog.
Another resource is the arXiv.org pre-print server:
http://xxx.lanl.gov
Pre-print versions
of papers back to 1991 are available. New publications appear daily and it is a good idea to subscribe
to the daily listing of abstracts in your subjects of interest:
http://arxiv.org/help/subscribe
There is an explanation of arXiv on the main library's "Articles and
databases" webpage
(http://www.lib.duke.edu/texis/databases).