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Author: Erin Rushing

Erin Clements Rushing is the Outreach Librarian for Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. She enjoys sharing the Libraries and Archives' treasures with new audiences and telling the stories from the stacks through various outreach efforts. She coordinates social media and the blog (Unbound), plans tours and manages the internship program. She also handles rights and reproductions for library collection images and acts as point person for copyright concerns. Erin holds an M.L.S from the University of Maryland, as well as a B.A. in History and Art History.

Bloch’s Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische

Erin Rushing
July 9, 2015
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For many Americans, mid-summer is best spent by the shore; beaches and lakes are traditionally packed this time of year. And if you’re lucky, that little time by the water will involve a glimpse at some aquatic life — a sand crab, a sea star, perhaps a fish or two. If your summer sightings have inspired an interest in fish (or perhaps you want to save yourself the sunscreen and view some wildlife from the comfort of your computer screen), one of our favorite sources of undersea imagery is the ichthyology work of Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723-1799).

 

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Vintage Fireworks for the Fourth

Erin Rushing
July 4, 2015
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This post was written by Adrian Vaagenes, intern in the National Museum of American History Library.

The 4th of July is upon us, and for many of us this means, to borrow a quote from The Simpsons, it’s “time to celebrate the independence of our nation by blowing up a small part of it”. Just as we enjoy lighting roman candles, sparklers, cherry bombs, and m-80’s, these pieces of trade literature in our collection show that our forefathers and foremothers of yesteryear were just as delighted by pyromancy and destruction.

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Celebrate America with Gibson’s “Americans”

Erin Rushing
July 3, 2015
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Charles Gibson (1867-1944) is one of the best known illustrators of the Gilded Age primarily due to his creation, the Gibson Girl, who became an icon of American beauty. As an illustrator he was talented in depicting relationships between men and women and submitted illustrations to such magazines as Harper’s Weekly, Life, and Harper’s Monthly. In 1890 he introduced a modernized beautiful female character with upswept hair, fashionable clothes, and imbued with independence and glamor – the Gibson Girl.  Gibson’s book, Americans, is currently available for adoption in our Adopt a Book program.


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Fall 2015 Internship Opportunities

Erin Rushing
June 26, 2015
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Freer and Sackler Galleries LibrariesThe Smithsonian Libraries is pleased to announce two opportunities for Fall 2015 internships. Each project offers a unique learning experience that would benefit any student interested in library work. For students in undergrad or graduate library and information science programs, we are happy to work with universities to help students obtain academic credit or fulfill practicum requirements. These projects are particularly well suited for students with enthusiasm for instructional design or collections management. Applications will be collected until July 27 or until filled.

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“Langley Leap” at the Hirshhorn Library

Erin Rushing
June 15, 2015
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HMSG stacks
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Library stacks.

This post was written by Lily Zhang, a senior at Langley High School.

I had no idea how real senioritis was until I caught it. Worse than the common cold, the dreaded senioritis hinders motivation with distracting visions of prom, parties, and graduation. But at Langley High in McLean, we are provided with a novel cure: no school. While other seniors in surrounding high schools continue to attend school in May, Langley seniors have the opportunity to “leap” outside school walls and participate in a 10-day internship of our choosing. The Langley Leap program gives us a chance to explore possible areas of interest beyond classroom lectures and tests, an opportunity I believe to be irreplaceable and essential to the overall high school experience.

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Cruising through National Bike Month

Erin Rushing
May 22, 2015
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There are only a few days left in National Bike Month but we couldn’t let May pass without sharing a few of the fabulous bicycle-related resources available from the Smithsonian Libraries. National Bike Month, established in 1956, is sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists. It promotes the benefits of bicycling and encourages more folks across the country to give it a try.

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