What do you do when you are out and about and have a craving for a quick snack? Shoppers, picnickers, theatregoers, or someone simply out for a stroll in the more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/10/18/snacking-while-out-and-about-a-century-ago/
“When did I get my first TV? When I was eight?” *Mom laughs* “More like when you were one…” Family and technology have always been in the picture for me. more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/10/11/curiosity-preserved-the-av-memories/
My name’s Dawson, and over the summer I worked as an intern at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Library in DC. I’m currently an Art History and Visual Culture more »
Camping, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors are common summer pastimes. This trade catalog from 1919 shows how visitors in the early 20th Century might have explored the wonders of Yellowstone mor...
The Zoological Gardens and Aquariums Ephemera Collection began as an all-call for interesting memorabilia relating to zoos, aquariums, gardens, or the societies that support such institutions. Ma...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/09/19/zoological-gardens-and-aquariums-ephemera-collection/
The color blue has had a long history in the Western world. The ever-changing role of blue has been used in bookbinding and the book arts to color manuscripts, maps, more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/09/12/in-search-of-the-perfect-blue/
It’s interesting to think of how much of our everyday culture goes unnoticed, lost to time and simple decomposition. The newspaper someone tossed yesterday turns to mush in a landfill more »
As we gear up for the upcoming school year, the Education Team at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives wants to remind you of our growing fleet of Traveling Trunks! These interactive educational m...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/08/28/traveling-trunks-available-for-borrowing/
This is the fifth in a series of ongoing blog posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI), spotlighting the labor of Smithsonian media colle...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/08/21/through-the-loupe-rick-prelinger/
This exhibition and blog post were curated and written by Joana Stillwell. Sonic Strategies in the Library accompanies the newly opened exhibition Musical Thinking: New Video Art and Sonic Strate...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/08/08/sonic-strategies/
Gardens provide us food, sustenance, exercise, and pleasure. Gardens also require a lot of work. It takes time, energy, and patience to grow a garden. In the early 20th century, more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/07/27/save-time-in-the-garden/
Daughters of America is a book in our Digital Library that I find myself turning to time and again when researching blog posts or highlighting 19th-century women on our social media more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/07/13/meet-author-suffragist-and-minister-phebe-hanaford/
Trophies, cups, and plaques. These are typical awards that might be presented at a ceremony today. How were these types of awards designed in the past? Are there similarities or more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/06/28/celebrating-success-with-award-designs-from-the-past/
This is part of a series of posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ spotlighting Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative’s (AVMPI) new staff members. You can also read about their Au...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/06/20/from-pop-tarts-and-mtv-to-federal-employment/
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Preservation Team recently had the opportunity to participate in a three-day workshop exploring various binding techniques for atlas structures at our Book Cons...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/05/31/a-better-understanding-of-atlas-bookbinding-techniques/
The Trade Literature Collection covers a multitude of subjects. As might be expected, many of the catalogs advertise products. These might be items such as clothing, furniture, bicycles, or even ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/05/23/a-catalog-reveals-a-special-sale-of-horses/
May 25th, 12 pm ET Register via Zoom Celebrate Dr. Sally K. Ride’s birthday and get excited for the 40th anniversary of her momentous space mission with our next AVMPI more »
We are pleased to announce that Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty will receive an honorary doctoral degree from Simmons University on Friday, May 19, 2023. ...
This is the fourth in a series of ongoing blog posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI), spotlighting the labor of Smithsonian media coll...
It seems as if libraries have always had the challenge of shelving more books in less space. How did libraries in the late 19th century deal with space constraints? One more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/04/20/using-motion-to-create-space-in-libraries/
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives exhibition, Nature of the Book, looks at the natural materials and evolving techniques in bookbinding from 1450-1850 as illustrated by our collections. As t...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/04/18/when-middle-east-met-west/
This is the third in a series of ongoing blog posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI), spotlighting the labor of Smithsonian media colle...
The Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents recently appointed Evelyn Dilsaver, Cathy Heron and David H. Lipsey to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board. They join 17 promine...
In the early 20th Century, a knock on the door might have come from a salesperson offering the latest in cosmetics or household supplies. How did salespeople at that time more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/03/28/how-to-take-a-product-line-on-the-road/
It’s an enormous opportunity and a personal thrill to join the pan-Institutional Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI). I’m excited to explore and work with some of the collection...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/03/24/avmpi-building-upon-a-sound-foundation/
In the series called “The ABCs of the Corcoran Artist Files” the American Art and Portrait Gallery (AA/PG) Library will explore artists through the materials from the recent Corcoran Verti...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/03/08/the-abcs-of-the-corcoran-artist-files-the-ls/
This is the second in a series of ongoing blog posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI), spotlighting the labor of Smithsonian media coll...
Two men set off to ascend a mountain located in Colorado called Pikes Peak. Their transportation was a vehicle called the Locomobile, and this trade catalog traces their journey on more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/02/22/ascending-pikes-peak-in-a-locomobile/
This Black History Month, we’re excited to introduce the #FunnList: a spotlight on Black women in science from Smithsonian history. The Funn List builds off the Smithsonian Funk List, the more ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/02/15/introducing-the-funnlist/
February 28th, 7 pm ET Register via Zoom Zines are celebrations of self-expression. These unique documents often combine first-person narratives and frank opinion pieces with interviews, reviews,...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/02/08/join-us-for-music-herstory-women-zines-and-punk/
Interested in exploring books and archives dating back to the 13th century? Join our summer rare book school! The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, in collaboration with UCLA’s California Rar...
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ new exhibition, “Nature of the Book“, explores the use of natural materials in books from the hand-press era, from the mid-1400s through the mid-1800s. O...
As a new year begins, the idea of sorting or reorganizing files might be running through our minds. Without the use of computers, how were important records filed or accessed more »
Every recording saved is a story rediscovered. The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives recently launched the Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI) to describe, preserve, and provide ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2023/01/06/join-us-for-avmpi-presents-a-zoom-with-a-view/
We’re excited to announce a new round of internships for Summer 2023. These opportunities provide hands-on experience in a range of subject areas and are open to both undergraduate and more ...
It’s been a busy year! Indulge us as we take a trip down memory lane and highlight our top blog posts of 2022. In no particular order, here are five more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/12/28/a-few-of-our-most-popular-posts-from-2022/
It is nearly impossible to go through a holiday season and not view some rendition of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, whether it be in writing, on the stage, or more »
The first in a series of ongoing blog posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative, spotlighting the labor of Smithsonian media collections staff. Wi...
Imagine riding through a landscape blanketed in snow. Whether it’s a family outing, a trip to deliver goods, or simply a pleasure ride, this early 20th Century sleigh catalog includes more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/12/14/a-dash-through-the-snow-on-a-sleigh/
We’re celebrating new publications, exciting exhibitions, and the festive holiday season with another round of digital jigsaw puzzles. This collection of images highlights a few winter favorite...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/12/07/digital-jigsaw-puzzles-holiday-2022-edition/
Wild Flowers of North America: Botanical Illustrations by Mary Vaux Walcott features more than 250 exquisite reproductions of Walcott’s celebrated watercolors of wildflower life. Edited by P...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/11/30/walcotts-wild-flowers-an-interview-with-pamela-henson/
To celebrate November 21 as World Television Day, staff from the Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI) have aggregated 100 of their favorite online Smithsonian collection items about ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/11/21/tuning-in-for-world-television-day/
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we might be thinking of delicious food. Or perhaps we are realizing how much time it will take to prepare such a meal. Modern more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/11/18/a-few-options-for-cooking-in-the-1860s/
In the throes of my first year of pre-pandemic teaching, when I was fresh and green and hardly older (or taller!) than my students, the term Information Literacy meant something more »
Wesley Chenault has been appointed Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives and Programs of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. In this inaugural role, Chenault will oversee outreach, com...
Join us for a virtual tour on Tuesday, November 15th! The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives presents a new exhibition, “Nature of the Book,” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natur...
“It’s alive!” During the spooky season celebrated around Halloween, decorations and costumes of classic pop culture creatures abound, like Dracula, the Wolfman, and Frankenstein’s monster...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/10/31/arion-frankenstein/
During American Archives Month, we’re highlighting the work of our Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative in a series of posts. This is the third post in the series. As a kid growing more ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/10/27/avmpi-from-aquariums-to-archives/
Open Access Week is the perfect excuse to talk about a favorite topic of mine—making Smithsonian research more open! A couple years ago, I wrote a post about a Tableau more »
The Trade Literature Collection gives us a small glimpse into the past. It includes catalogs on a variety of topics, including undertakers’ supplies. These catalogs illustrate coffins, grave gu...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/10/25/expressing-elegance-in-a-funeral-procession/
During American Archives Month, we’re highlighting the work of our Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative in a series of posts. This is the second post in the series. 263,663! 293,586! 694,5...
In preparation for a Chinese Object Study Workshop hosted by the National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) in late August, I selected a sutra in the Freer and Sackler Library more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/10/18/the-road-to-recovery-for-a-chinese-sutra/
During American Archives Month, we’re highlighting the work of our Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative in a series of posts. This is the first post in the series. Smithsonian Institution ...
What does it take to paint a wildflower that blooms for a single day in a deep forest? For Mary Vaux Walcott, it involved spending up to seventeen hours a more »
Imagine a beautiful seaside town view, of foaming waves crashing against the coast as the sun shines brightly and sailboats can be seen far in the distance. Heat shines down more »
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, together with the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, are excited to announce the publication of a new comic mini-zine about the work of musician and mo...
During my time in the Kathryn Turner Diversity and Technology Internship, I worked with my mentor to create a program/software that would take completed projects from the Smithsonian Transcriptio...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/09/30/creating-the-transcription-cleanup-tool/
If you were sick at the turn of the 20th Century, a doctor might have visited you at home. This was called a house call. But to do this, doctors more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/09/27/what-the-doctor-ordered-the-crestmobile-for-house-calls/
Recently, the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library received a generous donation of Arion Press books from the collection of Dr. Ronnyjane Goldsmith. The Arion Press, founded in 1963, blends ...
Nothing about the Smithsonian Institution can be described as small, especially the impact of its staff. As an intern with the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Summer Scholars’ Program in the...
Previously, we have shared one stream of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ linked data experiments, Wikidata, which is based on a Wiki platform. In this post, we share another linked data mor...
This September, the National Museum of African American History and Culture celebrates its sixth anniversary. When it first opened, our National Museum of African American History and Culture Lib...
This post was contributed by Isabella Buzynski, 2022 Summer Scholars intern with the American Art and Portrait Gallery (AA/PG) Library. Isabella is currently attending the University of Michigan...
Today, on the Smithsonian’s birthday, we are pleased to celebrate the launch of a new, refreshed, and greatly expanded web exhibition, Smithson to Smithsonian. Explore Smithson to Smithsoni...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/08/10/introducing-smithson-to-smithsonian/
Can a particular kind of retail furniture help grocers save money and prevent food waste? In a World War I era trade catalog, Sherer-Gillett Co. promotes a piece of furniture more »
As a current graduate student studying for my Master’s in Library and Information Science, I have a passion for digital archives and information organization. Throughout my own research, I have...
This is the fifth part of a series sharing Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ work with linked open data and Wikidata. For background and overview of current projects, see the first several...
As a Master of Library and Information Science student at the University of Southern Mississippi School of Library and Information Science, I have learned that Information Literacy is a critical ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/07/21/a-journey-with-storymaps/
Over the course of 175 years, the Smithsonian has grown to encompass 21 museums and nearly a dozen research centers—becoming a global organization working across history, culture, and science. ...
Recently, I stumbled across a trade catalog that made me pause. As I looked at its vibrantly illustrated front cover, I thought of relaxing, summer days at the beach. It more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/07/14/pedalling-through-time-with-davis-sewing-machine-co/
Join the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives at the Smithsonian National Education Summit on July 27th-28th, 2022. This is a free, two-day, online and in-person program hosted by the Smithsonian f...
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage open a new exhibition, “Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change” at the Smi...
Will you be in Washington, DC for the American Libraries Association Annual Conference and Exhibition this June? If so, we look forward to meeting you! The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives wil...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/06/15/smithsonian-libraries-and-archives-at-ala-2022/
At first glance, this trade catalog appears to be typical. It provides general information for steamship travelers. But as I turned to the last few pages, I stumbled across something more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/06/08/a-diary-hidden-in-a-19th-century-trade-catalog/
Dr. Jason Cavallari is an intern with the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives in pursuit of a certificate in Digital Humanities from George Mason University. He is also an administrator and more ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/06/03/the-long-life-of-a-dead-rhinoceros/
1996 marked the 150th anniversary of the Smithsonian Institution. It was also in that year that the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) published Asian Pacific American Resources at the Smithsonian. ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/05/25/talk-story-smithsonian-asian-pacific-american-center/
This is the fourth part of a series sharing Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ work with linked open data and Wikidata. For background and overview of current projects, see the first severa...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/05/18/wikidata-artists-files/
When it comes to building a new home, there are so many things to consider. Should it be multi-level or one floor? Will it have a basement? Do you want more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/05/11/cementing-your-home-plans-in-1909/
Serena Katherine “Violet” Dandridge (1878-1956) was one of the Smithsonian’s first female scientific illustrators and a supporter of women’s suffrage. Dandridge grew up in Shepherdstown,...
Between 1849 and 1851, Johan George Heck published his encyclopedia Bilder-Atlas zum Conversations-Lexicon and the work continues to offer valuable insight into life in the 19th-century. With ove...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/04/19/a-19th-century-encyclopedia-gets-a-modern-makeover/
To celebrate National Library Week and a new spring season, we’ve put together another round of digital jigsaw puzzles. This time we’re featuring a variety of soothing natural history-related...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/04/07/national-library-week-digital-jigsaw-puzzles/
Before we had online circulation systems, barcodes on books, and automated due date reminders, libraries used paper-based systems for everyday tasks. This required book cards, book pockets, charg...
Last month, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives hosted Women at Work, which celebrated the lives and work of women both past and present, as well as challenged attendees to advocate more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/03/31/looking-forward-with-women-at-work/
This is the third part of a series sharing Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ work with linked open data and Wikidata. For background and overview of current projects, see the first two more ...
Mark your calendar for this year’s Adopt-a-Book events! Join us on April 20th and April 26th, 2022 for a closer look at our collections and the opportunity to support their more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/03/29/join-us-for-adopt-a-book-events-in-april/
Today the task of laundry is simple. We load machines with clothes, add laundry detergent and softener, and check settings. But essentially, the modern washing machine and dryer do the more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/03/24/mid-19th-century-reaction-to-a-laundry-invention/
In a love letter to his apartment, Xavier de Maistre writes of his walls, windows, and furniture in Journey Round My Room, as if he would rather be there than more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/03/22/journey-round-my-room/
This post was written by Katie Wagner, Senior Book Conservator, David Holbert, Digital Imaging Specialist, and Jacqueline E. Chapman, Head, Digital Library and Digitization. Learn more about the ...
Curious what might life have really been like for two wealthy, unattached New York City sisters at the turn of the 20th century? Fictional sisters Ada and Agnes from HBO’s more »
Fannie Merritt Farmer, who was born in 1857, suffered a paralytic stroke in her teenage years that stalled her dreams of a formal education. After she regained the ability to more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/03/14/fannie-farmer-knew-her-pies/
Argentine grass expert Dr. Cleofé E. Calderón (1929-2007) collected species, published descriptions of rare and unusual plants, and led workshops that helped shape the field of bamboo taxonomy....
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/03/03/the-bamboo-expert-who-rediscovered-a-missing-grass/
This post is part of our Smithsonian Libraries and Archives & Wikidata series. Over the past two years, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has embarked on a linked data journey along more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/02/17/wikidata-projects/
Today in the 21st Century, we have several options for shopping. Two options that might immediately come to mind are visiting stores to shop in person or ordering online from more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/02/15/unveiling-1915-spring-fashion-through-mail-order/
When the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building reopened in November 2021, it launched FUTURES, an ambitious, interactive exploration of what lies ahead for humanity. This building-wide exh...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/02/10/explore-the-past-with-a-learning-tool-of-the-future/
Calling all coloring enthusiasts! #ColorOurCollections is back for 2022 and we have ten new coloring pages just for you. Whether you want to bring polychromatic glory to old black-and-white photo...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/02/07/color-our-collections-for-2022/
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives recently welcomed Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty as our inaugural director. Join us as we get to know the new leader of our organization! 1.) What is your mo...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/02/04/interview-tamar-evangelestia-dougherty/
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is pleased to announce a significant acquisition of fine press books published by the Arion Press in San Francisco. Thanks to a gift from Dr. Ronnyjane mor...
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating and disproportionate effect on working women, especially those of color and in the LGBTQ+ community. But even before the pandemic “overtook the glob...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/01/25/upcoming-event-women-at-work/
This post is part of our Smithsonian Libraries and Archives & Wikidata series. Libraries have created and curated metadata that describes their collections for a very long time. It is more »
Every dwelling has its own unique qualities. How do you make your space reflect your personality? The furniture, decorations, and wall hangings all combine to make it feel like home. more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/01/11/19th-century-furniture-options-for-style-and-storage/
History is full of narratives and those narratives have a history. As a high school history teacher, I went into my Neville-Pribram Mid-Career Educator fellowship with a motivation to help more ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2022/01/07/go-west-then-back-to-the-future/
We’re excited to announce a new round of internships for Summer 2022. These opportunities provide hands-on experience in a range of subject areas and are open to both undergraduate and more ...
There was plenty of news in 2021 and most of it was, well, not great. So, you’ll be forgiven if you overlooked an article or two on this very blog. more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/12/27/icymi-five-most-popular-posts-of-2021/
Did you know you can honor friends and family, enable important research, and skip the mall this holiday season? Adopting an item from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is a more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/12/20/giftable-adopt-a-books-for-the-holiday-season/
The holiday season has kitchens humming around the world, whether it’s churning out a favorite cookie recipe or prepping a celebratory meal with loved ones. In the 1700s, kitchens in more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/12/14/holiday-cooking-with-hannah-glasse/
That time of year is upon us. The season when we see lots of gift bags stuffed with brightly colored tissue paper. The simple act of fluffing a piece of more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/12/08/the-varied-and-artistic-uses-of-decorative-tissue-paper/
We’re looking forward to hosting Steven Turner, author of The Science of James Smithson, for our Annual Dibner Lecture on December 1st, 2021. Turner will explore a few lesser-known tales more ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/11/22/a-coffee-break-with-james-smithson/
What comes to mind when you think of Thanksgiving? Family gatherings, time with friends, relaxing, traveling, or maybe a delicious meal? Those meals require work, and today we have the more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/11/18/kitchen-essentials-from-centuries-past/
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives invites you to join us for our 2021 Dibner Library Lecture, featuring Steven Turner, “What Was James Smithson Doing in the Kitchen & Classroom?” Wednesd...
In honor of American Archives Month, we’re highlighting career tips from archivist Jennifer Wright. Jennifer leads the Archives and Information Management Team within our Smithsonian Institutio...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/10/28/some-archival-career-advice/
Anthropologist Zelia Maria Magdalena Nuttall was an expert in Mesoamerican people and artifacts. A remarkable Mexican American scholar, she helped change the conversation around pre-Co...
Ready to fall into another round of digital jigsaw puzzles? We’ve put together, or rather, taken apart five new puzzles based on images in our collections. Play them right here on more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/10/21/digital-jigsaw-puzzles-fall-2021-edition/
October might bring to mind costumes, pumpkins, treats, and candy. But have you ever wondered how all that chocolate is made? What types of machines are used? Let’s travel back more »
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is pleased to announce Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty as our new director, effective November 6. An expert in the stewardship, interpretation, and acquisition...
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives invites you to join our next free, online webinar: “At Home with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives: Magnificent Obsessions” on Tuesday, October 5th at 5 pm...
The beginning of a school year brings many new things. New classes, new supplies, and perhaps new clothing. What did school outfits look like over one hundred years ago? Let’s more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/09/21/new-school-year-new-clothes-1915-style/
This post was contributed by Martha Ball, who has served as the Advancement Intern during the Summer of 2021. Martha is currently pursuing her M.S. in Library and Information Science more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/09/14/adventures-in-advancement-and-advocacy/
This post was written by Lezlie Hernandez, a Summer 2021 intern at the Smithsonian Institution Archives, sponsored by the American Women’s History Initiative. Her project focused on researching...
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives wants to help you gain a better understanding of information literacy and further your skills in this crucial area. In an age where there are myriad more »
This post originally appeared on the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ blog. Nell MacCarty’s internship was part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ 50th Anniversary Internship prog...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/08/17/early-20th-century-women-computers-at-the-smithsonian/
Imagine it is the early 20th Century and you are packing for summer vacation. What did your luggage look like? Did you pack your clothes in a trunk? What were more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/08/13/packing-for-a-vacation-in-1907/
This post originally appeared on the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ blog. Melissa Anderson’s internship was part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ 50th Anniversary Internship pr...
I am currently wrapping up my first year as an MLS student at Emporia State University, with a concentration in archives. A sense of curiosity, a love of learning, and more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/08/04/exploring-bias-and-library-of-congress-subject-headings/
When the Smithsonian Institution was founded “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” it was difficult to know how impactful this mission would still be 175 years on. To this more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/07/27/stewards-of-the-hungerford-deed/
Before online outlets and a certain Swedish superstore, imagine decorating and furnishing a new home in the early 20th Century. What did your furniture look like? What curtains or window more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/07/21/vintage-furniture-finds-from-the-early-20th-century/
This blog post was written by Taylor Smith, the 2019 Kathryn Turner Diversity and Technology Intern in the Smithsonian Libraries’ Web Services Department. At the time of her internship, Tay...
A chill rain drizzled over guests arriving at Bamie Roosevelt’s midtown brownstone near the corner of Madison Avenue and East 62nd Street in December 1887. There weren’t many of them, ...
This post was written by Katerina Ozment, part of the Smithsonian Libraries’ 50th Anniversary 2019 Intern Class, funded by the Secretary of the Smithsonian and the Smithsonian National Boar...
Do you remember summer camp as a child? Perhaps you went on a camping trip with your family or maybe you camped out in your own backyard. The Trade Literature more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/06/16/a-late-19th-century-camping-experience/
This post first appeared on the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ blog. Being an avid reader, every once in a while an item comes across my desk for digitization with such an more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/06/10/falling-for-field-books/
Ask a Conservator: Emergency Management Wednesday, June 23 at 5 pm ET Cultural heritage is not renewable. If books, documents, pieces of art, or any other ephemera are destroyed in more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/06/07/upcoming-event-ask-a-conservator-emergency-management/
Na au iki a me na au nui o ka ʻike: The little and the large currents of knowledge. In preparation for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I chose more »
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Adopt-a-Book program has brought donors, Smithsonian staff, and treasured collection items together for twelve years. This year our annual event went vir...
While the Smithsonian is referenced all the time in popular media, nothing goes hand-in-hand with the world’s largest museum complex quite like the world’s largest film franchise: the Marvel ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/05/20/smithsonian-directives-and-captain-americas-shield/
Are you dreaming of summer vacation? Do you eagerly read guidebooks or search online to learn about cities and sites you’ll visit? How did tourists in the late 19th Century more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/05/18/sailing-the-great-lakes-in-1897/
This post first appeared on the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ blog. While Thomas W. Smillie is known as the Smithsonian’s first and chief photographer from 1871 to 1917, it is less known...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/05/12/meet-the-smithsonians-first-woman-photographer/
This post was originally featured on the Biodiversity Heritage Library blog. In the last decades of the 19th century, a monumental publication on the biodiversity of Mexico and Central America ...
Curious about our conservators’ favorite books or trickiest treatments? While they’ve had to step away from the bench during the pandemic, our Preservation Services staff have been hard at wo...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/04/27/new-video-series-highlights-conservation-treatments/
What products or materials come to mind when you think of libraries? The obvious things might be books and shelving, but to keep a library functioning other items are needed more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/04/21/libraries-then-and-now-the-ideas-we-share/
This post was contributed by Natalia Addison, 2020 spring intern with the American Art and Portrait Gallery (AA/PG) Library and a recent Master of Science in Information and Library Science grad...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/04/14/an-internship-in-the-time-of-coronavirus/
A year in to the COVID-19 pandemic and we’re guessing some of you might be missing your libraries. We know we are! To give your next video meeting some book-ish more »
To celebrate National Library Week and the start of spring, we’ve put together another round of digital jigsaw puzzles! We hope these cheerful florals brighten your screens and bring you more ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/04/07/digital-jigsaw-puzzles-national-library-week-edition/
This week (April 4-10, 2021) is National Library Week and Tuesday is set aside to celebrate National Library Workers Day. It’s a wonderful opportunity to highlight the important contributio...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/04/06/celebrating-national-library-workers-day/
“To her mind the truths of science seem revealed.” That’s how Phebe A. Hanaford, author of Daughters of America (c. 1882), described naturalist Graceanna Lewis, one of the first ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/03/22/graceanna-lewis/
As winter winds down and spring approaches, outdoor activities start to look more appealing. How did people a 100 years ago spend their free time outside? The National Museum of more »
We’ll be busy over the next few months and you’re invited. Interested in Women’s History? Want to get a closer look at our collections? Join us for an upcoming event! more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/03/09/upcoming-events-march-and-april/
In 1906, industrialist Charles Lang Freer gave his collection of Asian and American art and related materials in a gift that began the Freer Gallery of Art. This gift included more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/03/02/freers-marginalia-and-mandarin-ducks/
The Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents appointed John Chickering, Christopher Clark, Christopher Lee and Nick Santhanam to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board. They jo...
John Wesley Cromwell was an influential African American lawyer, educator and activist. He was also an early advocate for a concept librarians and educators still struggle with today: represent...
Zhong Kui is a legendary figure in East Asian countries. In China, it is customary that by the end of the year in preparation for the New Year, people hang his portrait on their more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/02/12/zhong-kui-and-the-chinese-new-year/
A garden is a place to rest, relax, rejuvenate. It also provides an opportunity to learn about nature. Staff at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives are also learning and developing new more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/02/10/the-garden-a-place-to-learn-and-experiment/
Calling all coloring enthusiasts! #ColorOurCollections is back for 2021 and we have a brand new coloring packet just for you. We’ve teamed up with our colleagues at Smithsonian Institution Arch...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/02/04/color-our-collections-for-2021/
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has just opened applications for virtual, paid internships for Summer 2021 through our 50th Anniversary Internship Program. The projects are in a variety of...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/02/02/summer-2021-virtual-internships-available/
The pineapple, indigenous to South America and domesticated and harvested there for centuries, was a late comer to Europe. The fruit followed in its cultivation behind the tomato, corn, potato, m...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/01/28/the-prickly-meanings-of-the-pineapple/
Another season, another set of digital jigsaw puzzles! Ahead of National Puzzle Day (January 29th), we’ve put together one more round of images for you to piece together. They include more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/01/26/digital-jigsaw-puzzles-january-edition/
With the beginning of a new semester, many students will resume research. Today we might be familiar with electronic resources and online library catalogs, but in the past people searched more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/01/21/the-staple-of-libraries-past/
The skies of 2021 will provide quite a few celestial events for the amateur astronomer. National Geographic notes a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter in February, a “Blood moon” total more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/01/13/amateur-astronomy-in-the-digital-library/
The Smithsonian Libraries and the Smithsonian Institution Archives have joined forces as the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives to better serve researchers, curators, educators, and learners of a...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2021/01/06/at-home-meet-the-archives/
Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley (1865–1931), a pioneer in photomicrography, captured detailed images of thousands of individual snowflakes. His photography and publications advanced the scientif...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/12/22/happy-holidays-from-smithsonian-libraries-and-archives/
Long before Fannie Farmer, Betty Crocker, or Martha Stewart, Lydia Maria Child provided American women with tips and tricks for running a smooth household. Her most successful book, The Frugal ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/12/21/lydia-maria-child-home-economy-and-human-rights/
As the holidays approach, children often dream of that perfect gift. What did a child dream of in the early 20th Century? Is it very different from today? Perhaps there more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/12/16/a-step-back-into-1907-and-some-possible-gifts/
Earlier this week, we announced the exciting news that the Smithsonian Libraries and the Smithsonian Institution Archives have teamed up to become one, united Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/12/10/meet-the-archives-get-to-know-our-newest-colleagues/
The Smithsonian Libraries and Smithsonian Institution Archives have merged to become Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. “We are excited to combine the collaborative and innovative work of the ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/12/08/smithsonian-libraries-and-archives/
We’re always in awe of our book conservators. Whether it’s mending a torn cover, giving a 16th century book the “full treatment”, or helping with international disaster relief efforts, th...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/12/02/askaconservator-day-recap/
Families have different Thanksgiving traditions. Some may prefer a casual dinner while others plan formal events. Either way, a Thanksgiving meal requires many pieces, everything from individual ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/11/17/setting-the-thanksgiving-table-1915-style/
The summer of 2020, as part of a Smithsonian Libraries’ Wikidata Pilot Project and in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery more »
In celebration of this year’s annual Open Access Week, the Smithsonian Research Online team will be releasing a new dashboard on our statistics page that includes data about the openness more ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/10/23/open-access-week-how-is-the-smithsonian-doing/
The stories of our past are powerful tools. They can be reminders of our successes and cautions of our failures. Entirely too often history has been written by and for the more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/10/21/introducing-women-in-america-extra-and-ordinary/
You asked and we delivered. A new set of digital jigsaw puzzles is finally here! We’re so glad you enjoyed our last round of puzzles and hope you find these more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/10/14/digital-jigsaw-puzzles-fall-edition/
Today, most people are familiar with online shopping but some might also remember mail ordering. While one method uses computers, the other relies on paper. However, there are similarities. Both ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/10/07/pen-paper-and-mail-shopping-and-corresponding/
This is the seventh and final post in a series about the Art Deco resources at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum library. Each post will highlight primary resources which contain the...
As with many of the books that come into our lab, the Baby Bird-Finder (1904-1906), a two-volume illustrated bird guide, was intended to be used. And used these volumes were, more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/09/23/the-fix-reusing-original-leather-in-a-new-rebinding/
I wrote what I did because as a woman, as a mother, I was oppressed and broken-hearted with the sorrows and injustice I saw, because as a Christian I felt more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/09/16/uncle-toms-cabin-early-and-notable-editions/
My normal week is satisfyingly hectic: offering trainings to colleagues at the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park (NZP), hopping on the Metro, providing reference support at the National Mu...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/09/09/covid-19-citation-database/
What library equipment and supplies did our predecessors use? Some things have changed quite a lot while others remain somewhat similar. Let’s take a look at libraries from the past more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/09/02/the-library-of-our-predecessors/
Whether you’re headed back to school, back to work, or back to your home office or dining room table this fall, we’ve compiled a few fun treats and created this Digital Book Bag for more ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/08/26/digital-bookbag/
Day-Glo® : a moniker describing shades of orange, pink, green, blue, and yellow so bright they seem almost incandescent. The Day-Glo® Designer’s Guide, a trade catalogue in the Cooper Hew...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/08/19/strange-brew-creating-fluorescent-pigments/
As I removed the trade catalog from its protective envelope, the awnings on the front cover caught my eye. It reminded me of visits to my grandmother as a child more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/08/05/shading-us-from-the-elements-19th-century-style/
Brighten someone’s day with our new set of digital postcards! Based on images in our collections, these customizable cards could invite a recipient to daydream of an island vacation, encourage ...
This is the sixth in a series of posts about the Art Deco resources at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum library. Each post will highlight primary resources which contain the styles ...
Sometimes, planning a trip is as much fun as the trip itself. The Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library includes catalogs that might have been more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/07/14/handwritten-notes-left-behind-from-a-steamship-journey/
This post was written by Cora Nevel, a student at School Without Walls in Washington, DC, who recently interned in the Smithsonian Libraries Education Department. This past fall semester (2019)...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/07/07/impactful-work-in-education-an-interns-experience/
Three Cheers for 100 Years of Fine Arts research at the Smithsonian! The largest art library of the Smithsonian Institution hits a major milestone on July 1, 2020: the American Art & Portrait...
The Edo period (1600-1868) in Japan was a time of prolonged peace. Ruling under an isolationist foreign policy (Sakoku) and with no civil wars, the Tokugawa Shogunate government focused on more ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/06/26/lonely-planet-in-edo-period-japan-meisho-zue/
For the past few months, many Americans have relied on delivery vehicles to transport essential goods, like food and other household products. And okay, maybe a non-essential pair of shoes, more ...
Few who walk past the Bethesda Fountain in New York City’s Central Park know the history behind the angel statue, standing high atop the fountain with wings outstretched. This sculpture, more ...
With Mother’s Day in our recent memory, it’s the perfect to remember one of the most familiar and loved matriarchs in American literature: Marmee, from Little Women. The American Art more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/05/28/abigail-may-alcott-little-woman/
In a society that largely relies on motor vehicles for transportation, or even for sport, it may seem difficult to understand why it was so monumental for a plucky twenty-year-old woman to be ...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/05/26/breaking-the-cycle-the-kittie-knox-story/
As the world faces the global challenge of COVID-19, the Smithsonian Libraries is working to provide research services and resources to our users around the world. Whether it’s by joining more ...
This is the fifth in a series of posts about the Art Deco resources at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum library. Each post will highlight primary resources which contain the styles ...
Whether shelter-in-place has you working from a studio apartment, in a home filled with kids, or a makeshift set-up at your dining room table, it can be hard to find more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/05/14/find-the-perfect-video-meeting-background/
During this hectic time, it’s always great to be able to learn new and exciting things. From a recent social media discussion, I found out about an especially inspiring endeavor from our S...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/05/12/embroidery-down-the-needle-hole/
Need a fun mental break? We’ve created six digital jigsaw puzzles through Jigsaw Explorer that feature a few favorite images from our collection. Play them right here on our blog more »
With just one glance at the front cover of this trade catalog, it appears like Spring is on the way. A lady is surrounded by flowers. Purple ribbons accessorizing her more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/05/05/sliding-into-spring-fashion-and-more-in-1915/
An activist, a teacher, a poet — Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was an extraordinary figure in American history. She was born free in the city of Baltimore in 1825, orphaned at the age more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/04/28/poetry-towards-progress-frances-e-w-harper/
Although our 21 physical branches remain closed during the COVID-19 outbreak, we’re still excited to celebrate National Library Week with our users near and far. While staff and researchers are...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/04/24/national-library-week-a-few-staff-favorites/
This Earth Day, the Smithsonian celebrates the Earth Optimism movement, which aims to shift the conservation conversation from one of doom & gloom to hope, optimism and positive action. Whi...
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/04/22/artists-books-earth-optimism/
It’s National Library Week 2020! This year’s theme is “Find your place at the library.” While the Smithsonian Libraries has closed its 21 physical branches during the COVID-19 outbreak, o...
Grace Miller is a Social Media Intern for the Smithsonian Libraries. She is currently a senior at McDaniel College and is pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in English and Writing. For more »
Oliver Byrne, in the introduction to his The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid of 1847, states that “the Elements of Euclid can be acquired in less than more »
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/03/10/fun-with-euclid/