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Happy Holidays!

Happy
holidays in 2008!

All
through 2008, the Smithsonian Libraries has been celebrating the 40th
(Ruby) anniversary of the year (1968) that Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon
Ripley created the Smithsonian Institution Libraries as a separate unit with a
central administration and Director. We had a party for our Smithsonian friends
and colleagues in April, and Acting Secretary Cristián Samper gave us $40,000
for acquisitions, a dollar for every year.  We held a symposium about
18th century naturalist Mark Catesby with the Washington premier of
the film “The Curious Mr. Catesby,” which you may see on your local PBS station
in the coming year. 

With
Smithsonian colleagues, we sponsored a speaker series that brought thinkers and
experts from outside the Institution to talk about their views of the future of
libraries, archives, and museums. We engaged a consultant to lead us through a
strategic planning process that will start us off well for our next 40 years! 

On
October 30, we hosted our Ruby Anniversary Gala, “Paint the Town REaD!” to raise
funds to support our art libraries.  And we opened two exhibitions: Picturing
Words:The Power of Book Illustration
in the just re-opened National Museum of
American History, and The Art of African Exploration in the National Museum of
Natural History. Whew!

It
has been a busy time, but now we will all stop and reflect on the needs of
others and the joys of the holiday season.  We wish everyone well for the coming
year.

Nancy
Gwinn

One Comment

  1. mindful

    Forget about the consultant you just hired: just go with your own ideas:-)

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