Swivel Chairs at the Movies
Alexia MacClain : June 17, 2013 9:00 am : Collection Highlights, History and Culture, homepage, Trade Literature
You’re at the movies. Suddenly someone is trying to climb over you to get to the aisle. So you stand or half stand, maybe knocking over some of your popcorn and blocking the view of the people behind you. A few minutes later, you get up again to let the person back in the row.
Have you ever wished for an easier way for everyone involved? How about a chair that swivels? more »
Satirical Science Journals
Polly Lasker : June 14, 2013 9:00 am : Collection Highlights, homepage, Natural and Physical Sciences
Quite often scientists are pegged as a very studious and serious group of individuals. In order for serious scientific research to be developed, nurtured and shared, this is a valid assumption. And scientists are very serious about their journals; either as a vehicle for getting their original research out to fellow scientists or in consulting other published material in their discipline (or other disciplines). However, every great now and then you come across evidence of some not-so-serious ‘published’ work that shows an irreverent, tongue-in-cheek side to scientists. I would like to share some examples I found in the Smithsonian Libraries Vertebrate Zoology collections. more »
Are books history as we go digital?
Liz O'Brien : June 12, 2013 9:00 am : Digitization, Education and Outreach, History and Culture, homepage, Research
Inspired by the launch of the Digital Public Library of America, BBC News reporter Jane O’Brien wanted to get the scoop on physical libraries versus digital libraries. Watch her interview our Director Nancy Gwinn, who brought out a handwritten letter by Galileo at the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology:
Highlights from the Cultural Heritage Library
Erin Thomas : June 10, 2013 9:00 am : Collection Highlights, Digitization, History and Culture, homepage, Special Collections
Did you know our Digital Library now hosts the Cultural Heritage Library (CHL)? Some things remain the same. You can browse the collection’s subject headings or list of authors to discover the collection, or if you are looking for a particular art, history, or culture book published before 1923, use the search box. more »
Quilting the Book
Michelle Strizever : June 7, 2013 9:00 am : Art and Design, Collection Highlights, homepage, Intern and Volunteer Updates
Like books, quilts are symbolic items with patterns that can tell stories. Quilts tell domestic narratives and have been recognized as important historical artifacts. As a result, the Smithsonian’s National Quilt Collection at the National Museum of American History contains hundreds of quilts. However, it might be surprising to hear that the Smithsonian Libraries also hold quilts – or rather, quilt-like books. more »