This post was written by Morgan Arronson, intern in the Dibner Library for the History and Science and Technology and Preservation Department.
If you want to stay cool during DC’s hot and humid summer, head to the Smithsonian and find the nearest rare book. Instantly a wave of cool air will rush by. This may sound strange but it works every time.
Here at the Smithsonian’s Dibner Library and the Book Conservation Lab located in Landover, MD, where I’ve been interning for the past six weeks, rare and precious texts are kept in climate controlled environments with humidity and temperature levels set to levels bordering on chilly. Wandering the stacks will give anyone goose bumps—not only because of the cool temperatures but also because of the incredible library materials stored there.
