A treatment we commonly perform in the Conservation Lab is re-backing. A weak point in many case bound books is the gutter. When it fails the spine typically deteriorates and falls off the back of the book. A re-backing replaces the original spine and enables the book to be used again without sustaining further damage. Continue reading
On July 10-14, 2012, Smithsonian Libraries staff members JJ Ford, Gilbert Borrego and Grace Costantino attended the 8th Annual Wikimania Conference in Washington, D.C. to explore possible collaborations between Wikipedia and the Biodiversity Heritage Library. The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), of which the Smithsonian Libraries is a founding member, is an open access, global digital library initiative dedicated to digitizing the biodiversity-related materials held in the collections of BHL consortium member libraries. Continue reading
Dr. Nancy Gwinn and Martin Kalfatovic at Mae Jemison Reading Room.
On June 10-15, 2012, Dr. Nancy Gwinn (Smithsonian Libraries Director and Biodiversity Heritage Library Executive Committee Chair),Martin Kalfatovic (Assistant Director, Digital Services Division, Smithsonian Libraries and BHL Program Director), and Grace Costantino (BHL Program Manager), along with several other BHL colleagues from across the US, traveled to Cape Town, South Africa to attend a series of meetings aimed at creating a BHL for sub-Saharan Africa. Continue reading
Nancy E. Gwinn, director of Smithsonian Libraries, and Martin R. Kalfatovic, associate director for Digital Services at Smithsonian Libraries, have been appointed to new positions within the global Biodiversity Heritage Library. Continue reading
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:
(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