The primary objective of Special Collections at Oregon State University's Valley Library is to maintain and preserve the Ava Helen and Linus Pauling Papers. Linus Pauling is considered to be one of the most important scientists and humanitarians of the twentieth century. With the use of the Pauling collection as a cornerstone, a secondary objective of the Special Collections will be to document the development of science and technology in the twentieth century. The Special Collections will be of particular interest to researchers concerned with 20th-century science and science-based technology, and to those investigating the development of science. Find out more about our Collections.

No special credentials or permissions are necessary to use our materials. We are open to both the academic community as well as the general public. We do suggest that researchers visiting from outside the area contact us before their visit so that we may prepare accordingly.

News and Events

The Pauling Student Learning Curriculum September 5, 2008 – A curriculum for use by high school- and college-age students is the latest web release from the Ava Helen and Linus Pauling Papers. Meant to provide an introduction to Linus Pauling's scientific research, peace activism and family life, the Student Learning Curriculum is a valuable resource for teachers and students of science and history alike. The inclusion of numerous illustrations, hyperlinks to digitized primary sources and references for further study make this a helpful tool both for remote users as well as those students able to visit the Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections reading room. Read more. Bernard Malamud Resources Updated: New Videos, Essay and Illustrations August 15, 2008 – Transcribed video of an hour-long book reading by acclaimed author Janna Malamud Smith is the centerpiece of a major update to the collection of Bernard Malamud resources now available on the Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections website. An illustrated biographical essay and a detailed finding aid to the Malamud Papers are also included in this release. Read more. New Videos Featuring Noam Chomsky July 18, 2008 – Transcribed video of a two-hour lecture and Q & A session by Dr. Noam Chomsky is now available on the Special Events section of the Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections website. Titled "Prospects for World Order" and delivered on the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the talk provides compelling analysis of international relations from the left-radical perspective. Read more. Video and Transcription of Roderick MacKinnon Lecture Now Available June 3, 2008 – Fully-transcribed video of Dr. Roderick MacKinnon's 2008 Linus Pauling Legacy Award Lecture is now available on the Special Collections webpage. Titled "Ion Channel Chemistry: The Electrical System of Life," Dr. MacKinnon's talk provided a fascinating glimpse into the history of scientific inquiry into the human electrical system. The presentation also introduced recent developments in the study of the molecular principles of selectivity and gating in potassium channels -- a field of research that many feel will shed new light on potential cures for a wide range of neuromuscular diseases. Read more.  Subscribe to our News Feed: RSS or Atom.   Read Archived News