The Woman's College Library dates from the 1927 construction of the Woman's College campus. During the three years required to build the library on West Campus, this was the library for the entire university. In 1930 the Woman's College Library opened officially with a collection of 4,000 books. The collection contains material pertaining to the operations of the Woman's College Library including clippings, correspondence, and periodical subscriptions. The major topic in the collection is art exhibits. Materials date from 1930-1994, bulk 1930-1970.

Collection contains material pertaining to the operations of the Woman's College Library including clippings, correspondence, and periodical subscriptions. The major topic in the collection is art exhibits including: announcements of art exhibitions; booklets on works of art; biographical sketches of artists; and schedules of exhibitions. Materials date from 1930-1994, bulk 1930-1970.

Nine interviews with alumnae of the Duke University Woman's College conducted by Carolyn Murray Happer from 2003 to 2004. Also includes one recording of alumnae reminisces from the 75th anniversary celebration of the Woman's College Library in 2006. Interviewees discuss their experiences and perceptions from their years at Duke University during the period of the co-ordinate college which existed from 1930 to 1972. Subjects interviewed include several class leaders, a member of the Duke family, and others who have had long established ties to the school after graduation. Also includes one recording of alumnae reminisces from the 75th anniversary celebration of the Woman's College Library in 2006.

Carolyn Murray Happer interviewed nine alumnae who graduated from the period of 1931 to 1947. Her goal was to document the experiences and perceptions of women who attended Duke University during this period. In particular she wanted to know why they selected and how the Woman's College figured into that decision. She also explored her subject's position and negative experiences at Duke. Her interviewees include several class leaders, a member of the Duke family, and others who have had long established ties to the school after graduation.

The Woman's College was established at Duke University in 1930, as a coordinate to Trinity College for men. As a coordinate college within Duke University, the Woman's College fostered a community that allowed for shared university faculty, curriculum, and educational facilities, while giving women an opportunity for leadership through their separate student government, social standards committees, and judicial board. It was merged with Trinity College in 1972. The collection includes university administrative records, correspondence, reports, memoranda, minutes, course schedules, statistics, handbooks, newsletters, calendars, financial information, photographs, audio recordings and other materials. Major topics include coordinate education at Duke University, especially administrative and curricular procedures; relationship between the Woman's College and its students (in loco parentis); social standards policies; women's student government; integration of the Woman's College; student health care; and student organizations.

Materials in the collection include university administrative records, correspondence, reports, memoranda, minutes, course schedules, statistics, handbooks, newsletters, calendars, financial information, photographs, audio recordings, scrapbooks, and other materials from the tenures of Deans Baldwin, Brinkley, Ball, and Kreps. The university administrative records of other offices such as Dean of Women, Academic Dean, Assistant Dean of Women, and Dean of Freshmen are also present.

The Duke University Women's Department of Health and Physical Education began in about 1926 and merged with the Men's Physical Education Department in 1975. The Women's Department was responsible for providing required physical education courses, overseeing recreational and athletic activities, and providing a major in physical education. The Department had three chairmen during its existence: Julia R. Grout, Betty F. McCue, and Elizabeth C. Bookhout. The Women's Department of Health and Physical Education Records include correspondence, reports, brochures, publicity materials, student records, scrapbooks, and photographs. Major topics include the curriculum and administration of the department, student attitudes toward P.E., the attempt to build or renovate the gymnasium facility for women, the eventual merging of the Women's and Men's departments, and the effect of Title IX on women's athletics. English.

The Women's Department of Health and Physical Education Records consist of correspondence, reports, brochures, publicity materials, student records, scrapbooks, and photographs. The records are organized into two series: Alphabetical Files and Scrapbooks.

The alphabetical files primarily cover the period from the 1930s to 1975. Of note are photographs of women participating in physical education classes and sports; materials from the Women's Athletic Association and Women's Recreation Association; several surveys and reports from the 1960s and 1970s about women students' feelings and attitudes toward physical education; correspondence, estimates, and reports about the proposed building of a new facility for the department; correspondence and many reports which document the struggle with the administration to maintain the Department as a separate unit from the men's department in the 1970s; materials that discuss the effect of Title IX on women's sports and the growth of women's sports in the 1970s. Major figures include Julia R. Grout and Elizabeth C. Bookhout, both of whom served as Chairman of the department. The Alphabetical Files also include information on students who majored in physical education. In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, Duke University permits students to inspect their education records and limits the disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records.

The Alphabetical Files are arranged by broad subjects: Addresses, Administration, Annual Reports, Budget, Correspondence, Curriculum, Departmental Studies and Reports, Facilities, History, Photographs, Publicity, Recreation, Staff Meetings, Task Force and Curriculum Committee Action, and Women's Athletics. Within each of these subsections, materials are arranged either chronologically or alphabetically. The original arrangement of the materials has been maintained as much as possible.

The Scrapbooks are compilations of photographs, clippings, programs, correspondence, and other memorabilia. There are three books which date from 1932 to 1975.