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Finding Aid for the Willard F. Libby Papers
1276
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Description
Willard F. Libby (1908-1980) was a professor in the UCLA Department of Chemistry (1959), and director of the Institute of
Geophysics and Planetary Physics at UCLA. In 1960, he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing the radio-active
dating technique known as carbon-14. The collection consists of correspondence, notebooks, research materials, publications,
lectures, and memorabilia related to Libby's career as a chemist, and items related to Libby's involvement in the U.S. Atomic
Energy Commission, tritium experiments, radiocarbon dating, the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary physics, and UCLA.
Background
Libby was born December 17, 1908; BS (1931) and Ph.D (1933), UC Berkeley; part of the Manhattan Project, 1941-45; professor,
Institute for Nuclear Studies, University of Chicago, 1945-54; commissioner, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, 1954-59; became
a professor, UCLA Department of Chemistry, 1959; director, Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at UCLA; received
the 1960 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing the radio-active dating technique known as carbon-14; died September 8, 1980.
Extent
143 linear ft.
(278 boxes, 4 cartons, 9 oversize boxes.)
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical object belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright, are
retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library
Special Collections for paging information.