The Coy C. Carpenter Library has an unrestricted circulating history of medicine collection, and a locked-case rare book collection that does not circulate and in most cases cannot be photocopied. The Dorothy Carpenter Medical Archives serves Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center as a permanent repository and reference center for documents pertinent to the history of the North Carolina Baptist Hospitals, Inc., Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and the records of Wake Forest University as pertains to medicine. The Archives collects records and documents of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center; the North Carolina Baptist Hospitals, Inc., Wake Forest University, and Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and includes publications, personal collections, history of medicine sources, museum objects, print collections, and oral histories. Recently the Archives started digitizing some collections including a sample of oral histories. Two current digitization projects are campus buildings and pediatric dermatology slides. The Archives is the official repository for several medical associations: American Neurological Association, American Society of Neuroimaging and the Association of Medical Illustrators. SERVICES: The Archives encourages patrons to call before they visit. Portable computers, tape recorders, and typewriters may be used. Some photocopying is allowed for a small fee.

The Coy C. Carpenter Library's locked-case history of medicine collection has a total of 2,313 items: 16th century: 4; 17th century: 12; 18th century: 103; 19th century: 831; 20th century: 1,363. As of 2005, the Dorothy Carpenter Medical Archives holdings consist of 1,850 cubic feet of materials; 98 photograph and print collections; 420 collections by title; and 202 manuscript collections.