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The Libraries and Smithsonian Collections

Aluminum Ladder Co., Aluminum Ladders , 1939.
Aluminum Ladder Co., Aluminum Ladders, 1939
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The Libraries is a big contributor to the Smithsonian Collections Search Center, which is developing into a one-stop-searching center for the public for collections held in the Smithsonian’s libraries, archives and museum collections. This fast-growing Collections Search Center is hosted by the Smithsonian’s Office of the Chief Information Officer, and currently contains 2.3 million records with 280,000 online media such as images, sound files, videos, and online collections.

Through the Smithsonian Collections Search Center the Libraries provides access to its print and electronic holdings of books, serials, rare books and manuscripts. Libraries collections are particularly strong in natural history, tropical biology and Chesapeake Bay area ecology; anthropology, American and African American history and culture; postal, horticulture, and garden history; the history of science and technology; aerospace history; astronomy and planetary sciences; African, American Asian, contemporary, and design and decorative art; conservation science, and museum studies.

The Libraries has recently added access, through the Collections Search Center, to its art and artists files as well as its trade literature collection at the National Museum of American History Library:

Art and Artists Files:

Over 100,000 files that contain exhibition announcements, newspaper and magazine clippings, press releases, brochures, reviews, invitations, illustrations, resumes, artists' statements, and exhibition catalogs.

Trade Literature Collections:

Over 400,000 historical trade catalogs, representing over 30,000 companies featuring predominantly American-manufactured products for industry, agriculture, business, and decorative arts. Primarily from 1880-1945, the collection includes product catalogs, technical manuals, advertising brochures, price lists, and company histories.—Marcia Adams

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