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Author: Liz O'Brien

Mentorship Monday: David Opkins

dave opkinsWelcome to “Mentorship Monday,” where we will be featuring blog posts from our staff about their experiences with the Smithsonian Institution Mentorship program. This “Mentorship Monday” post was written by Dave Opkins, Administrative Project Specialist, Smithsonian Libraries Administration Services. The Smithsonian Institution Mentorship Program is an annual 9-month program dedicated to “developing leaders throughout the Institution” through professional development in the areas of networking, interpersonal skills, coaching, and institutional engagement.

Spotlight: Elements of the philosophy of plants (Edinburgh, 1821)

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Elements of the philosophy of plants by Augustin-Pyramus de Candolle and Kurt Sprengel is the first edition in English of a composite work by two of the most eminent botanists of the early 19th century. The first three parts on nomenclature, theory of classification, and descriptive botany are from a work by de Candolle, while the final part on the structure and nature of plants is by Sprengel. This book was recently adopted through our Adopt-a-Book program by George Gwynn Hill.

Biodiversity Heritage Library Adds Washington University as New Member

The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), headquartered at the Smithsonian Libraries, welcomes Washington University Libraries (St. Louis, Missouri) as a new member. The 14th member of the BHL consortium, Washington University Libraries will help identify and digitize historical science literature from its collections and add these to the BHL’s online holdings, where all materials may be accessed free by the public.

Libraries Brings The Lost Bird Project to the Smithsonian

Passenger Pigeon
(L-R): Jonathan Kavalier (Smithsonian Gardens Supervisory Horticulturist), Todd McGrain (Artist), and Susan Frampton (Libraries Program Coordinator) stand next to the newly-installed passenger pigeon sculpture in the Urban Habitat Garden.

The Smithsonian Libraries and Smithsonian Gardens present The Lost Bird Project, an exhibit by artist Todd McGrain, March 27 through March 15, 2015. This project recognizes the tragedy of modern extinction by immortalizing North American birds that have been driven to extinction. It features large-scale bronze sculptures of the Carolina parakeet, the Labrador duck, the great auk, the heath hen and the passenger pigeon.

Funding the Future of the Libraries

The Smithsonian Libraries is a vibrant force in promoting new ideas through knowledge sharing. We play a unique role in advancing scientific and cultural understanding, and in preserving America’s heritage. Our extensive collections and highly trained staff are a crucial and unmatched resource for research and education communities within the United States and around the world.

Adopt-a-Book Event

Thank you to those who attended our annual Adopt-a-Book event on January 9 in the Smithsonian Castle. Almost 120 books have been adopted since inception of our Adopt-a-Book program. Last year, 26 books were adopted at our Adopt-a-Book event (48 books were on display), 128 tickets were purchased and more than $10,000 was raised. This year, 45 books were adopted at the event (74 books were on display), 106 tickets were purchased and more than $12,000 was raised.