Professor Melvin Guy Mellon arrived in September 1919 to begin his career at Purdue. He was one of two analytical chemists on the Purdue Chemistry faculty, which totaled six at the time. The departmental library collection at this time was quite small. Professor Mellon, being especially interested in chemical libraries, began efforts to add to the collection in order to begin his course in chemical literature. Once every two weeks, he spent time in the library to put books back into place and lock the cabinets at closing time, as there was no librarian. Professor Mellon continued to teach the course on chemical literature at Purdue even after his retirement and provided guest lectures in the course until 1991.

Prof. M. G. Mellon

  In recognition of Professor Mellon's contributions to the Department and to the field of chemical literature the chemistry library was dedicated as the M. G. Mellon Library of Chemistry in 1973. The present library is now much larger than its original single room. Now it has grown in all directions. At present, the M. G. Mellon Library of Chemistry spans six rooms and three floors.

The current head of the library is Prof. Jeremy R. Garritano, Chemical Information Specialist and Assistant Professor of Library Science.

Prof. Jeremy R. Garritano