With the arrival of warmer days, images such as the lawn and porch swings found in this trade catalog might look inviting. Imagine you are relaxing on a porch swing looking out over the water, just like in one of the images in this 1913 trade catalog.

This post was written by Ludivine Javelaud, intern in the Book Conservation Lab. I am currently a conservation graduate student at the Institut National du Patrimoine in Paris and I have been accepted to complete part of my 4th year internship requirement in the Book Conservation Lab in the Preservation Department at the Smithsonian Libraries.     One of the projects I am involved with is the conservation of a collection of more »

This post was written by Laura Bell, Digital Archives Intern, Smithsonian National Zoological Park (Exhibits Office) and Smithsonian Libraries (Dec. 2017-May 2018).   What do most people picture when they imagine an archive? Probably a grand building with old, precious documents like the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration building in downtown D.C. Some people think of the movie National Treasure. But, not every archive holds centuries-old documents. Some archives are for more »

The Smithsonian Libraries is currently recruiting for fall internships. We have four projects available – two in our Education department, one that is fully virtual and one that would be a fantastic experience for an aspiring science librarian. Below are additional details. We expect to close applications July 31st, 2018. Full details and application instructions can be found on our webpage: https://library.si.edu/GeneralInternships   Educational Programs (Storytime) Smithsonian Libraries Education Department is looking more »

Join us as Dr. Jennifer Atkinson and Dr. Robert S. Emmett explore the garden’s unique role in American history and literature, including ways it has shaped U.S. culture and the arts, social justice movements, environmental advocacy, and other public and private visions of the good life. 5:30pm, Friday, June 22, 2018 S. Dillon Ripley Center Lecture Hall 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW Copies of Gardenland: Nature, Fantasy, and Everyday Practice and Cultivating Environmental more »

I recently discovered an important link between two stories about which I have known for years.  Turns out there is a deep connection between one of my favorite aircraft and a pioneering scientist at the National Museum of Natural History.  The connection appeared while working on a cataloging project, which ended up overlapping with a book that was recommended to me. The book, The Electra Story by John Selding (in Smithsonian Libraries), more »

Saturated: The Allure and Science of Color debuted at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (New York, NY) in May 2018. The exhibition explores the elusive, complex phenomenon of color perception and how it has captivated artists, designers, scientists and philosophers for centuries. Featuring over 190 objects – 44 from Smithsonian Libraries’ collection – Saturated reveals how designers apply the theories of the world’s greatest color thinkers to bring order and excitement more »