Public Library
Not just your average library, the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) Library, Archive and Museum at our campus features three unique spaces dedicated to the management of knowledge and memory: written and audiovisual documents, archival materials, and archaeological and historical artifacts. There is something for everyone - from scientific to fictional, for the scientist or a student.
To protect and ensure the conservation of these valuable artifacts managed by the CDF, and due to the environmental conditions in the Galapagos Islands, all the collections are currently organized in spaces with temperature and humidity control, as well as with restricted access.
G. T. Corley Smith Library
Open to the public, the G. T. Corley Smith Library (Library) houses the bibliographic collections of the CDF, and welcomes all visitors who want to learn more about natural sciences, especially those carried out in Galapagos.
The general collection of the Library consists of textbooks and specialized reference texts on exact and natural sciences, with a special emphasis on ecology, conservation and biology. It also includes:
- A specialized newspaper library.
- A reference section.
- The Darwin collection (texts by and about the distinguished scientist).
- Four specialized collections which collect much of the scientific knowledge produced on the natural environment of Galapagos, along with the history of the CDF.
All of these are cataloged online:
The Library is not just a space with books. In addition to keeping our bibliographic database up to date, and offering a specialized search, loan and reference service, we have actively promoted reading as a form of leisure by significantly expanding our collection of fiction. At the same time, we have organized a series of activities to support scholarly writing and outreach.
Archives
Our Archives comprise of a textual, and an audiovisual and special materials sections. Between them they comprise tens of thousands of images, drawings, maps, administrative papers, field notebooks, and unique manuscript copies, produced by some of the many researchers who have worked at the CDRS.
Textual archive
The textual archive contains the old newspaper library (academic journals from the period 1930-2000), architectural plans, the map library, research, historical and educational documents, and CDF administrative files.
Audiovisual and special materials archive
This archive includes photographs and slides, films, sound recordings, illustrations, posters, brochures, maps, diskettes, CDs, DVDs, and other documents and objects.
The Archive and Museum are restricted to researchers, and are limited to certain materials. For access, please get in touch:
Museum
The Museum seeks to recover and conserve archaeological artifacts, and pieces of historical and cultural value of the Galapagos.
In the last year, work has also begun to recover personal documents of scientists who worked in Galapagos in the past, and the digitization of hundreds of photographs and slides, as well as manuscripts and unique gray literature.
In parallel, a "media archeology" program has been launched to recover and safeguard old information management technologies, such as tape recorders, cameras, storage media, furniture and catalogs, etc.
As with the Archive, access to the Museum's collections is restricted to researchers, and is limited to certain materials. For access, please contact us: