Author Archives: Robin Everly

It’s Cherry Blossom time in Washington D.C. !

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The other day, seeing this article in the Washington Post reminded me of my days at the National Arboretum (USNA) when the Arboretum cherry trees as well as the tidal basin ones are in full bloom.  Here’s the article from the Post about Roland Jefferson, a retired USNA Botanist:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/for-retired-botanistcherry-blossoms-never-lost-their-charm/2012/03/20/gIQAxLfJQS_story.html

(it will be freely available for the next few days)

A while back, I asked for his great little book on the history of the cherry trees and an National Arboretum Contributions publications entitled, The Japanese flowering cherry trees of Washington, D.C. : a living symbol of friendship to be scanned for the Biodiversity Heritage Library.  Right now, it is also available in the Internet Archive, if you would like to download and read it.  It makes a great subway read:

http://www.archive.org/stream/japaneseflowerin04jeff#page/n3/mode/2up

The Smithsonian Libraries has several books on cherry trees—history, symbolism, gardening, and biology in its various Branches.  Keyword either “cherry blossom” singular or plural to discover more on Prunus x yedoensis (cv. Yoshino or Somei-Yoshimo) and its taxonomic relatives.

Finally, not only is the Cherry Blossom festival underway, but it’s the 100th  anniversary of this wonderful gift from Japan.  Japan, first sent us the trees in 1909 but those had to be destroyed; it is the second gift given to our Nation in 1912 we celebrate today. Because it is a special anniversary, the festival is scheduled from March 20th to April 27th this year.

Learn more at : http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/

-Robin Everly, Branch librarian, Botany-Horticulture Library

East Coast earthquake affects Botany-Horticulture Library at Smithsonian

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It made national news! A rare 5.8 magnitude earthquake on the East Coast which has caused the closing of some of Washington D.C.’s  iconic structures such as the Washington Monument and the National Cathedral.  What is less known, is the effect it has had on the interior of the Botany-Horticulture Library located in the National Herbarium and one of the 20 Branch libraries in the Smithsonian Institution Library system.

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While the only Natural History library in the building to have extensive damage, the Botany-Horticulture library had eight shelf ranges or an estimated 1600 linear feet destroyed beyond repair due to the August 23rd quake.  Many shelves, filled to 100% capacity with books, shifted severely and ended up leaning on the windows, which line one side of the library.   Luckily, no window panes were broken and nobody was hurt.  Many Smithsonian staff, including Smithsonian Institution Libraries’ Director, Nancy Gwinn, came in the same evening following the afternoon quake and carefully removed books most likely to cause further damage if there were aftershocks.  

 

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Although the books were supporting the shelving structure instead of the reverse, there was very little damage to the books.  Approximately, 18,000 books are now being housed on shelves in our new Natural History East Court Library.  Luckily, there was a moving company finishing up moving the collection from the Smithsonian Naturalist Center from Leesburg.  They were able to step in and quickly moved the books and journals to our other library so the damaged shelving could be removed and the collection could be made once again accessible to SI staff and visitors.  New shelving has already been reinstalled and plans are being made to bring the books and journals eventually back to the Botany-Horticulture Library. 

Robin Everly

Photos courtesy of Martin Kalfatovic:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelinglibrarian/sets/72157627394103839/

Happy Birthday, President Theodore Roosevelt

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Wilderness-warrior-edit_1October 27 marks what would be the 151st birthday of the 26th President of the United States and youngest to hold office. He became president in 1901 at 42 years of age after the assassination of President William McKinley. Theodore Roosevelt is considered by scholars to be one of the greatest American Presidents. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating an end to the Russo-Japanese War and was responsible for the completion of the Panama Canal.

While known as an avid hunter, his lifelong love of the outdoors and study of natural history has been somewhat overlooked. In a new book entitled, The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America, author Douglas Brinkley writes exclusively about Roosevelt as naturalist, conservationist and hunter. He details what might be his greatest achievement, the creation of 150 National Forests, 51 Federal Bird Reservations, 4 National Game Preserves, 6 National Parks, and 18 National Monuments. A total of 234 million acres of wilderness preserved for future generations.

So part of President Roosevelt’s legacy is making such wonderful places as the Grand Canyon, Devil’s Tower in Wyoming, Mesa Verde in Colorado, and Dry Tortugas in the Florida Keys—just to name a few—part of our federal public lands systems. This book is available in the Libraries'  Natural History Library.—Robin Everly

This year’s CBHL conference

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MissouribotgardenThe Libraries was well represented at this year’s annual meeting of the Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries (CBHL) on May 12-15, 2009, hosted by the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri. Robin Everly, Botany-Horticulture Librarian and Leslie Overstreet, Curator of Natural History Rare Books, Joseph F. Cullman 3rd, Library of Natural History, attended the conference. The theme was, "Growing Green: the role of gardens as models of conservation and sustainability". Martin Kalfatovic, Assistant Director for Digital Services, presented to a full audience information on Botanicus, Biodiversity Heritage Library, and TROPICOS at the preconference. The presentation was well-received and discussed amongst participants throughout the conference.

At Wednesday's evening literature awards reception held at the Piper Palm House in Tower Grove Park, TL-2 or Taxonomic Literature: a selective guide to botanical publications and collections with dates, commentaries, and types, 2nd edition, was given a special recognition award by the organization. This fifteen-volume work is one of the most important resources in taxonomic literature. Through its over 30-year history, it's been written, organized, and produced by botanists, most recently Laurence Dorr and Dan H. Nicolson of the Smithsonian’s Botany Department. At the reception, many librarians recalled fondly working with many of the botanists involved in TL-2.  TL-2

Finally, Robin Everly was elected by the CBHL membership to serve on the Board as Second Vice President. It’s a four-year commitment, with the third year serving as the organization's Board President.  

For over 40 years, CBHL has been an independent, innovative group of primarily botanical, horticultural, and natural history librarians. They work in partnership with researchers.  Their skills and training reach across all aspects of librarianship and information management.—Robin Everly

Orchids Through Darwin’s Eyes Exhibit at NMNH

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Orchid
For this year’s annual orchid exhibit, which celebrates
Charles Darwin’s 200th Birthday, the Smithsonian Institution
Libraries (SIL) has played a small, but pivotal role.  In the middle of the exhibit room, you will find a
beautifully displayed first edition of Darwin’s book, On the various contrivances by
which British and foreign orchids are fertilized by insects and on the good effects of intercrossing published
in 1862.  It is bound in a plum cloth with an orchid gilt on the front cover.  You’ll also find quotes from
this book on several of the interpretation panels.

In this book, he describes the relationships between
orchids and the insects that fertilized them.  The observations Darwin made by studying
orchids and their pollinators, gave support to the theory of natural selection that he describes in his more famous book “On the
Origins of Species”.  “Fertilization
of Orchids” was praised at the time by his contemporaries in natural history and
botany. 

However, initially, the book was not a bestseller, selling only six thousand copies by the turn of the
century.  Later editions found the title shorten a bit by removing “On”,“British and foreign” and "and on the good effects of intercrossing". Darwin updated the
second edition which was published in 1877. 
Today, the book is still in print and considered an important early work
in the science of orchidology and pollination biology.   

The exhibit Orchids through Darwin’s Eyes is located
on the first floor of the National Museum of Natural History from January 24,
2009 to April 26, 2009.  Go to:   http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/orchids/index.html —Robin Everly

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