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Category: Advancement and Development

Mentorship Monday: Tina Muracco

New employee Tina MuraccoThis “Mentorship Monday” post was written by Tina Muracco, Director of Advancement, Smithsonian Libraries Office of Advancement & Public Affairs. 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.

Throughout my career, I have gained valuable experience and insight, both professionally and personally. I attribute most of my progression to the brilliant individuals I have worked with and have had the pleasure of calling mentors. A mentor can help build confidence, impart thoughtful advice, and inspire new career goals and perspectives. A great mentor will not only provide specific guidance on certain tasks and duties, but also provide general advice on honing life skills and forming a solid work ethic.

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.

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.

The Cost of Scanning One Page…

The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), in its global efforts to digitize biodiversity literature and make it freely available to the world, ensures that this precious knowledge is available to everyone, everywhere. The BHL currently provides access to over 42 million pages and over 87,000 images and is changing the face of research methodology. Scientists around the world are using BHL to identify and classify species, facilitate further scientific research, and support conservation efforts to prevent extinctions.

Smithsonian Libraries Announces 2014 Professional Development Internships

The Smithsonian Libraries will offer new, paid internships for the Professional Development Program in the summer of 2014. These internships are open to graduate students interested in working in research and museum libraries. The Libraries will award up to three paid summer internships this academic year.