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Welcome Intern Emily Somach!

Erin Rushing
October 26, 2012
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Intern Emily Somach

My name is Emily Somach and I am a new intern at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. I am originally from the North Shore of Massachusetts but have been living in the Maryland/DC area since February. I graduated from Northwestern University in 2010 with a B.A. in English Literature and will soon be applying to the MLS program at University of Maryland. My internship here at the Smithsonian centers on the archival arrangement of files from the Institution’s Forum on Material Culture, and I will be working under the supervision of Mary Augusta Thomas. I also plan to help resurrect the forum’s newsletter and assist in its writing, editing, and production.

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Editing Wikipedia: Better with friends, and best with librarians!

Sara Snyder
October 24, 2012
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Smithsonian WLL 2012 Barnstar
SIL’s WLL Barnstar

This post was written by guest author Sara Snyder, Webmaster at the Archives of American Art.

Have you ever tried to write or edit a Wikipedia article? It can be really a fun and rewarding experience, especially for library, archives, or museum professionals, since we are often passionately dedicated to sharing knowledge. If you have tried it, then you already know that it is not easy for newcomers to just jump in and start editing. The design of the wiki interface can be intimidating, and the norms and rules of the Wikipedia online community can be mystifying. New editors often have their work changed or reverted, which frustrates them.

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Smithsonian Libraries Staff Assist with Growth of the Digital Public Library of America

Trina Brown
October 19, 2012
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Image of exterior, Chicago Public Library
Impressive exterior of the Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago

This post was written by Martin Kalfatovic, Associate Director, Digital Services Division, Smithsonian Institution Libraries.

On October 11-12, Nancy Gwinn, Director of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, and I participated in the Digital Public Library of America’s (DPLA) Midwest workstream and plenary meetings. The meetings were held in some wonderful meeting spaces at the Harold Washington Library Center of the Chicago Public Library (interesting side note: the building holds the record for largest public library space!).

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“Comfortable Corsets” Circa 1893

Alexia MacClain
October 17, 2012
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Worcester Corset Co. pamphlet for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition

This post was written by Cathy Rae Smith who had a 2011-2012 Graduate Research Assistantship at the National Museum of American History Library.

“Style, Comfort, Economy” touted the full color exposition pamphlet for Royal Worcester WCC Corsets.  The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago gave attendees an opportunity to see the leading products and advances of the time–including this company’s fully boned, tightly laced corsets described as offering “great FLEXIBILITY, always comfortable.”

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Smithsonian Libraries Events Update

Tina Morrison
October 15, 2012
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Guests were invited on a rare books tour in the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History prior to the dinner.It’s been a busy fall for the Smithsonian Libraries!

In tandem with the National Book Festival, the Smithsonian Libraries hosted nine renowned authors at an intimate dinner on Saturday, September 22nd. The distinguished group included Geraldine Brooks, Charlaine Harris, Tony Horwitz, Katherine Neville, Christopher Paolini, Lisa Scottoline, Francesca Serritella, Sally Bedell Smith, and R. L. Stine. Read on for our upcoming events!

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The Fix: Housing Differently Sized Items Together

Katie Wagner
October 12, 2012
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The Fix: Housing Differently Sized Items Together

A constant challenge in the Book Conservation Lab is housing items of disparate sizes together. Recently we faced this issue in re-housing the pamphlet “Instructions in Reference to Collecting Nests and Eggs of North American Birds.” The pamphlet came to us in pieces in an envelope bearing the name of former Secretary of the Smithsonian, Alexander Wetmore. 

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Groovey Luggage

Leah Smith
October 10, 2012
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Junkers, Ju.52, Courtesy of San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives on Flickr Commons.

One of my favorite things to do while waiting in an airport, other than reading and seeing what others are reading, is looking at everyone’s luggage. I have always had a passion for luggage.   My favorite is the old-fashioned trunks and vintage luggage that people plastered with labels of their travels. I find most of the luggage of today to be high on utilitarianism and low on glamour.  Now don’t get me wrong; I bow down before the wonderfully clever person who decided to put wheels on luggage.

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