Giacomini, Hector (2025) The Rapid Arrival of Josiah Willard Gibbs's Elementary Principles in Statistical Mechanics in European University Libraries. [Preprint]

Text Gibbsfin.pdf Download (276kB)

Abstract

This note offers an overview of how Josiah Willard Gibbs's Elementary Principles in Statistical Mechanics, published simultaneously in London and New York in 1902, spread through European university libraries. Contrary to the received idea that the circulation of this text was slow, information gathered through direct contacts with numerous academic libraries, together with an examination of Yale University's archives, reveals an unexpectedly rapid material diffusion beginning on 15 March 1902. This early propagation can be explained by several channels: presentation copies sent by Yale University to leading universities, personal mailings by Gibbs himself to prominent scientists, and the distribution of copies by the American publisher to major scientific journals.

---

Export/Citation:

EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL

Social Networking:

Share |

---

Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Giacomini, Hector giacominihector@gmail.com 0009000791947193
Keywords:	Josiah Willard Gibbs-Elementary Principles in Statistical Mechanics-History of statistical mechanics-Book circulation-Library acquisition records-Yale Bicentennial Publications-Early 20th-century physics
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Depositing User:	Dr HECTOR GIACOMINI
Date Deposited:	10 Dec 2025 13:49
Last Modified:	10 Dec 2025 13:49
Item ID:	27418
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Date:	September 2025
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/27418

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Actions (login required)

View Item