Discover Our Ever-Evolving Herbal Medicine Research Library at United Plant Savers

Growth of the Research Library

The Duke Ethnobotanical Library located at United Plant Savers has grown from a small yurt bookshelf into a large collection that will serve the community for years, offering broad knowledge on herbal medicine and related fields.

Our goal is to provide greater access to plants in peril, creating opportunities for the public to learn about the medicinal plants this community holds dear.

Diverse Contributions to the Collection

The library includes many notable contributions including the John Staba early pharmacy textbooks, Stephen Buhner’s philosophical works, David Winston’s extensive range from eclectic medicine to modern plant wisdom, and Cascade’s newest collection centered on folk traditions and herbal practices of the Northwest and Central America.

Special Collections and Archives

A key feature is the DEA (Duke Ethnobotanical Archives) at the center, containing global flora materials and Duke’s alphabetized research files, providing a comprehensive look at ethnobotanical studies. This is the biggest collection of Jim Duke’s prolific herbal writings, Peggy Duke’s incredible botanical drawings, along with the couple’s notes, files, and herbarium—preserving their extensive research for the public to see in one central locale.

Access and Exploration

The entire catalog, containing nearly 4,000 volumes, can be searched online. Members are encouraged to visit the library in person to explore and dive into this rich resource — opening doors to new insights and traditions in the field of herbal medicine.

FURTHER READING