Smithsonian Libraries and Archives / Unbound

Snacking While Out and About a Century Ago

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 13:00:21 +0000

What do you do when you are out and about and have a craving for a quick snack? Shoppers, picnickers, theatregoers, or someone simply out for a stroll in the early 20th Century might have stumbled across a popcorn and peanut machine like one shown in this trade catalog.

The trade catalog is by C. Cretors & Co. and is both untitled and undated. However, we believe it was published circa 1924 by piecing together some information from the catalog, such as the company was established in 1885, it mentions 40 years of experience in building these machines, and it has a library stamp date of 1924 on the front pages.

C. Cretors & Co., Chicago, IL. Untitled C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog (undated), front cover.

These popcorn and peanut machines were suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Some ideas for locations included theatres, department stores, ballgames, fairs, parks, picnic areas, and even sidewalks. The machines were constructed of all-steel frames and finished with paint and varnish. The various metal parts were nickel-plated. After completion, each machine was tested by inspectors.

C. Cretors & Co., Chicago, IL. Untitled C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog (undated), page 3, Index and C. Cretors & Co. building.

The popcorn machines included a self-seasoning popper. This meant the flavor was “cooked right into the corn” during the popping process rather than being “smeared on afterwards.” This also saved time as additional buttering or salting was not necessary.

The machine was ready to begin popping within three minutes after the burner was lit. And then approximately every three minutes after that, it could pop 10-12 bags. The popcorn never encountered the burner’s fire or fumes which prevented it from having the taste or smell of gasoline.

C. Cretors & Co., Chicago, IL. Untitled C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog (undated), pages 22-23, general information about machines including images of a popcorn popper and machine shop where machines were built.

According to this catalog, the parts of the machine were easy to access which helped with cleaning. It recommends spending just “15 minutes daily” to keep it clean.

One full page of this catalog is devoted to information about steam engines and electric motors used in these machines. As the catalog points out, the electric motor (below, bottom right) might not be as beautiful as the steam engine, but it was a good option when a machine was positioned indoors or in front of a store. That is, if a nearby and ready supply of electrical current was available.

C. Cretors & Co., Chicago, IL. Untitled C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog (undated), page 24, steam engines and electric motors for the popcorn and peanut machines.

The Enlarged No. 6 “Earn-More” Machine is featured on the first page of this catalog (below). Though it was a stand-alone machine and not incorporated into a wagon or automobile, it was equipped with casters to make it mobile. With a name such as “Earn-More,” it might have attracted attention of store owners and vendors desiring a large capacity machine to increase their sales. According to this catalog, the “Earn-More” Machine could pop 140-160 one-pound bags of popcorn per hour. And when it came to half-pound bags, it popped 280-320 bags per hour.

C. Cretors & Co., Chicago, IL. Untitled C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog (undated), page 1, Enlarged No. 6 Special Finish “Earn-More” Machine for popping corn and roasting peanuts.

The “Earn-More” was also a peanut machine. Each hour, it had the ability to produce 100 five-cent bags of roasted peanuts. It came with a tester to ensure the peanuts were properly roasted. The machine’s three glass sides provided a visual of the warm buttered popcorn and roasted peanuts available for sale. Besides catching the attention of passers-by, the glass sides also allowed customers to see the machine in action.

C. Cretors & Co., Chicago, IL. Untitled C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog (undated), page 2, description of Enlarged No. 6 “Earn-More” Machine for popping corn and roasting peanuts.

Just like many of the machines in this catalog, the Model 401 Roaster and Popper with Case, shown below, was both a popcorn and peanut machine. Described as “an unusually attractive machine of maximum capacity,” it might have been used at venues for special events. The catalog suggests ballparks, fairgrounds, theatre lobbies, or department stores. The Model 401 included drawers for storing extra supplies, like raw corn, peanuts, bags, and cartons. Due to its ability to supply popcorn and peanuts at “maximum capacity” and a peanut roasting cylinder of 20-pounds capacity, this extra space probably came in handy.

C. Cretors & Co., Chicago, IL. Untitled C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog (undated), page 10, Model 401 Roaster and Popper with Case.

The Sidewalk Special (below) was another popcorn and peanut machine. As the name suggests, it might have been situated on a sidewalk or street corner, but it was also suitable for other confined and not so mobile locations. It measured 10 feet 8 inches long and three feet wide. The operator entered the “Sidewalk Special” via a central door and worked in a very small space measuring 36 x 42 inches. The door featured a drop sash and folding counter which allowed interaction with customers.

C. Cretors & Co., Chicago, IL. Untitled C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog (undated), page 7, Sidewalk Special popcorn and peanut machine.

Some machines were incorporated into a wagon, such as the Improved No. 1 Wagon Model “B” 1916, illustrated below. Described as “attractive, symmetrical and convenient” in design, it featured a steel canopy with drop curtains, brass trim, heated peanut drawers, and a 21-pound peanut roaster capacity. Signs reading “Fresh Roasted,” “Hot Peanuts,” and “Buttered Pop Corn” were located on the sides of the wagon to attract customers. The 8-foot 2-inch wagon was equipped with wood wheels and buggy rubber tires.

C. Cretors & Co., Chicago, IL. Untitled C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog (undated), page 17, Improved No. 1 Wagon Model “B” 1916.

Some vendors who desired to be more mobile in their business might have considered the “Automobile Models.” Besides standard equipment like the peanut roaster and double corn popper, these vehicles could also be fitted with other food equipment. Options included ice cream packer cabinets, soft drink coolers, equipment for hamburgers and lunch items, and cookers. For example, the automobile illustrated below advertised cold drinks on its signs along with popcorn and peanuts.

C. Cretors & Co., Chicago, IL. Untitled C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog (undated), page 4, Automobile Model with corn popper, peanut roaster, and cold drinks.

As might be expected, installation and user instructions were included with each machine. But that was not all. The company also provided new owners with promotional items, including advertising materials, moving picture slides, newspaper cuts, and recipe books. The suggestions in these materials came from other owners sharing ideas that had worked for them.

This untitled and undated C. Cretors & Co. trade catalog and other trade literature by C. Cretors & Co. are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Curiosity Preserved the (AV) Memories

Erin Rushing — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 13:00:20 +0000

“When did I get my first TV? When I was eight?”

*Mom laughs* “More like when you were one…” 

Screenshot of Kayla Henry-Griffin as child from a collection of family Hi8 tapes.

Family and technology have always been in the picture for me. They are intertwined, connected, and that bond can never be broken. I have always been interested in how technology works and how I could use it not only in my artistic practice, but also how I can save family memories. I look towards pictures of my grandmother whom I never met to understand my family and how we are dispersed globally. I look towards camcorder-recorded home movies of me to understand my role and my place in the Henry/Griffin/Toney family. I picked up skills from the Mac computer in my childhood home, I learned about pop culture through the TV with the wooden cabinet in the living room, and I picked up my love of video games when I bought my first game at the age of eight (it was Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life for the console GameCube). 

Screenshot of gameplay in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life (Gamecube English version).

 All of this to say- I have been immersed in audio-visual technology to the point that I wanted to preserve the memories behind it. All forms of technology are a vessel for me to get closer to how I memorize math equations to even how I recollect that major move I did from California to Mississippi. Of course, this took a while for me to truly understand that this was a personal and professional path I wanted to take on. At my alma mater, I created my own major to encompass my love for photography and optics (my degree literally says ‘Photography and Optics’). I learned about art conservation during this time and since then, I have been on this professional journey of preserving cultural heritage. 

In 2018, I attended a Software Preservation Network (SPN) workshop in Texas that focused on emulation and preservation. I met a multitude of folks in the cultural heritage field that worked with non-traditional materials from VHS tapes to computer software like Microsoft Golf. After talking with someone who works for Strong Museum of Play, I was more than elated to hear that I could preserve video games if I wanted to. That moment, in combination with all of my heartfelt experiences with technology, led me to pursue this dream of preserving memories from non-traditional mediums.  

During the pandemic, I attended the Moving Image Archiving and Preservation (MIAP) program at New York University. During that time, I interned at various organizations (Los Herederos, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Third World Newsreel, and The Museum of the Moving Image) that shaped my philosophy on preserving cultural heritage. Even though I mostly worked with magnetic media in the internships, I also had experience with software-based art and film. I found a love for mysterious and obscure formats like the HIPAC, and soon learned that my love of video games meant that I also would love to preserve them and the experiences that people have with video games. 

Following my graduation from the MIAP program, I took on a fellowship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I continuously worked with conservation of time-based media with mentor and supervisor Jonathan Farbowitz. One task I was focused on during the fellowship was to finish a project from my internship with a Philippe Parreno artwork by the name of, With a Rhythmic Instinction to be Able to Travel Beyond Existing Forces of Life (Purple, Rule #3). This was a project that challenged my philosophy and practice of preserving audiovisual media and time-based media. The project further pushed me to critically think about the ethics of preservation and showed me that all media will not be treated or preserved the same. 

Philippe Parreno. Pilar Corrias Installation view of With a Rhythmic Instinction to be Able to Travel Beyond Existing Forces of Life (Green, Rule#1), 2014.

My experiences have been mainly with museums and small non-profits and those experiences have shown me that in fact, no matter how small or large the institution is, saving cultural heritage means preserving memories. My role at the Audio Visual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI) has been to assess, catalog, and conduct conservation work of collections throughout the Smithsonian. Knowing that I am a part of the work that is occurring to preserve media collections has personally made me more sensitive to how we care for others and their experiences. My time at Smithsonian has just started this summer and I have seen the progress and impact AVMPI has made to care for the cultural heritage on media. My role as a professional in this field is similar to my role as a Henry-Griffin family member- preserve memories and stories for years to come. 

Lost in the Vertical Files

Dawson Escott — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:55:50 +0000

My name’s Dawson, and over the summer I worked as an intern at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Library in DC. I’m currently an Art History and Visual Culture student at Bard College. I applied to the internship last spring with only a little archival experience under my belt, and no idea of how I would live in DC if I even got the position. It was a total leap of faith, and I’m still a little surprised I landed on two feet. In the cover letter, I expressed my belief that “[w]orking with the library’s art and artist files is an opportunity for me to engage directly with the histories of modern American art, and the role of the nation’s emblematic contemporary museum in showing and shaping said histories.” At the time, I had no idea if that would really hold weight or not, but it ended up being more true than I could have expected.

Here was what the job was like, day-to-day, in short. The Hirshhorn has, since its inception, collected various ephemera connected to artists whose work the Hirshhorn was interested in obtaining or ultimately did obtain in its collection. Some of the ephemera even dates to before the museum, when Joseph Hirshhorn had the collection and not yet the institution to hold it. All this ephemera is now stored in the library’s vertical files, one file for each artist. Ephemera is media that is not intended to be preserved long-term – in our collection there are postcards from various artists’ exhibitions, newspaper clippings of reviews, interviews, and obituaries, artists’ resumes and bibliographies, press releases, and lots and lots of advertisements for exhibitions. I would date all of these pieces of ephemera, stamp them with a small “HMSG” insignia, and then sort them chronologically. A lot of these glossy advertisements and obscure clippings aren’t really the kind of media that most libraries preserve, yet they do reflect important auxiliary and parallel histories to more straightforward sources– offering a history of art advertisement, histories of galleries and institutions, and how artists and their art are depicted and remembered on the most immediate levels.

Intern Dawson Escott in the Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Library.

This was my job description on paper, but because of some experience at school working with metadata I took the opportunity to spend a lot of time updating the online entries in the Smithsonian’s Art and Artist’s Files database and on Wikidata (if you’re curious, you can find me on there with the username PalmyranRealness) to better digitally represent the Artist Files’ contents and publicize the material available at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Library for researchers. I feel strongly that most research in the present day is done online and in order for physical archives to remain used and helpful, there’s a definite need for them to have a digital presence. I updated birth and death dates, created files, clarified exactly which person each file represented (using a unique identification number called a VIAF), all kinds of minutia that make online research easier. In short, my time was spent half and half clarifying both the physical and digital presences of the Hirshhorn Library. So what, after two months, were the takeaways of a beginner’s first foray into library work?

The first takeaway was a practical change in perspective– I hadn’t ever conceptualized the absolute sprawl of artists there are in the world. The Hirshhorn Library really only catalogues information related to artists whose works are in the museum’s collection, and even with that constraint, there are still thousands of artists. In my two months there, working at a pretty consistent pace, I made it through two filing cabinet drawers. Llyn Foulkes to Julio Gonzalez– about a single letter of ground covered, all in all. My title of “A to Z Artist Files Intern” was definitely ambitious in hindsight. There were some well known names whose folders would take me the entire day to sort through– Helen Frankenthaler, Lucian Freud, Alberto Giacometti– and there were countless folders of unsung artists, which took me closer to fifteen minutes to work through. I would spend a long time falling into research rabbit holes, whether it be resolving conflicting birth dates or differentiating between several artists with the same name. (Sidebar– there were three John Ford painters I had to pick apart, and my Google search was severely complicated by the famous Western director. Total mess.) In my personal for-fun research at home, I would normally pick one or two artists, or a circle of artists, and read about them in-depth. But in working for a library, my scope of awareness by necessity widened to whole spheres of art which had never before caught my attention.

For example, I worked on our online entry for Ruth Cyril. I approached this artist as a name on a page and came away with an intimation of more than I can really grasp. I was trying to add birth and death years to the artist’s life, and in the process got lost in the murkiness of her name change and unsung biography. I caught just a glimpse of a wider world of the printmaking renaissance of Atelier 17 and the countless students at said school who went on to have long and varied careers. And then, just like that, I moved on to another name with its own situated culture and story. The world of art, really just the world, is full to the brim of unexamined artwork and unexamined lives and pure detail, pure intricacy. It’s a little overwhelming and humbling to come to a closer awareness of this fact we kind of accept at face level without necessarily having to deal with it. Even a small, neatly limited section of history is unthinkably large when approached with an eye for detail and its smallest, ephemeral pieces.

The second and bigger takeaway is that there is something oddly powerful to the whole process which is difficult for me to voice. I felt like a custodian to artists alive and dead. The word custodian has a janitorial connotation, and that was certainly part of the job. There was a lot of small manual labor that I refined each day to a personal art: rubber stamping, neat pencil handwriting, a tidy spreadsheet. But I felt too, that working on these countless artists in little ways was a small form of invocation, plucking a string somewhere in the vast interconnected web of history that is tying me to art history. Adding someone’s name to a database, their date of birth and death to Wikidata, was like a little resurrection. The organizational microadjustments I did in swaths were part of the culturally vital process of keeping an archive alive. That sounds overly cliche, but I really mean alive, in the sense that being a custodian to this archive made it visible, responsive to change, and part of a living community. It acted on me, and I it, and all that felt indescribably valuable and somehow essential to an historic process. I felt linked to the Hirshhorn’s librarians before me that I knew now by name, to curators and collectors, sculptors and painters, exhibitions long gone, artwork still here, somewhere. Linked, too, to the peers around me, the workers and researchers operating in this huge Smithsonian historical web that’s so large it’s a wonder to me it floats. But through this internship, polishing the organizational structures of all this ephemera, I got a sense of an undercurrent. Something pesky to describe that binds together impossibly wide times and spaces. I think libraries and museums are where you can come closest in contact to that undercurrent. If you’re tempted by this blog post at all, try and dip your toe in, and see if you don’t end up caught in the undertow like me.

Thanks for having me Hirshhorn and the whole Smithsonian Libraries and Archives system, especially to my supervisor Jacqueline Protka who made me feel truly welcome. If you’re curious about the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden Library, it’s open to the public by appointment and full of untapped knowledge.

Exploring Yellowstone in 1919

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:00:58 +0000

Camping, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors are common summer pastimes. This trade catalog from 1919 shows how visitors in the early 20th Century might have explored the wonders of Yellowstone National Park.

The trade catalog is titled Yellowstone National Park in Your Own Automobile (1919) by Yellowstone Park Camping Co. Referring to the national park as a “motorist’s paradise,” this brochure encourages tourists to visit in their own vehicle and camp, or lodge, at designated sites. The focus of the brochure is the summer season of 1919 which ran from June 20 to September 15.

Yellowstone Park Camping Co., Livingston, MT. Yellowstone National Park in Your Own Automobile (1919), front cover/unnumbered page [1].

According to this brochure, Yellowstone Park Camping Co. began providing accommodations for visitors beginning in 1915. However, it notes that these permanent summer camps located within Yellowstone National Park were “operated under government control.”

Old Faithful Camp, Mammoth Camp, and Canyon Camp (also sometimes referred to as Grand Canyon Camp) were the three main camps mentioned in this brochure. However, the map below appears to indicate two additional camps named Camp Roosevelt and Lake Camp.

As shown on the map, each camp was situated along a park roadway and nearby areas of interest, such as Old Faithful Geyser, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and Mammoth Hot Springs. The camps provided lodging, food, and entertainment for guests with an atmosphere described as “clean, informal and pleasurable.”

Yellowstone Park Camping Co., Livingston, MT. Yellowstone National Park in Your Own Automobile (1919), unnumbered pages [11-12], Map provided by Automobile Blue Book Publishing Co. showing the locations and distances of Camps in Yellowstone National Park.

Visitors had the option of purchasing tickets at a Park Entrance or from “outside agencies.” As noted on the front cover, information offices were found in various cities: Livingston, MT, Salt Lake City, UT, Pocatello, ID, Yellowstone Station, MT, Cody, WY, and Denver, CO.

The park offered three-, four-, or seven-day tickets and half-price tickets for children under age 12. Tickets included both lodging and meals, though it appears to have been possible to pay separately for these amenities as well. There was even a separate cost for a bath. If visitors did not use a portion of their tickets, they had the option of redeeming that portion upon exiting the park.

The summer camps provided dining halls and social assembly halls for guests to use during their stay. These buildings were situated in the center of the camp along with the camp’s business headquarters. Surrounding the central buildings were the sleeping accommodations. These were nestled beneath fir and pine trees to create “a ’tent city,’ or village of cozy, electric-lighted canvas bungalows or private sleeping rooms.” Guest accommodations included one, two, or four sleeping rooms.

Camp buildings were laid out in an avenue style design. The avenue grid is visible in an aerial view of one of the camps shown below (center). The collage of images below also shows various buildings at Old Faithful Camp (center, top) and Canyon Camp (center, bottom).

Yellowstone Park Camping Co., Livingston, MT. Yellowstone National Park in Your Own Automobile (1919), unnumbered pages [4-7], collage of images showing aerial view of one of the Camps in the center surrounded by images of single room sleeping tent interior, campfire, dining hall interior, Old Faithful Camp, Canyon Camp, four room sleeping tent interior, playgrounds, assembly hall interior, and wildlife.

The sleeping tents were framed, floored, and wainscoted. Images of the furnishings appear simple, such as a table, chair, washstand with pitcher and bowl, and a full-size bed. No cots were used. A wood burning stove provided heat for each tent.

Yellowstone Park Camping Co., Livingston, MT. Yellowstone National Park in Your Own Automobile (1919), unnumbered page [7], interior of four room sleeping tent, playgrounds, and assembly hall with fireplace.

Meals were served in the dining hall located at each camp. The dining hall in the image below (bottom) shows several tables with a fireplace. Daily evening entertainment was also available. This included such activities as campfires (below, middle), music, dancing, and popcorn feasts.

Yellowstone Park Camping Co., Livingston, MT. Yellowstone National Park in Your Own Automobile (1919), unnumbered page [4], single room sleeping tent interior, campfire, and dining hall interior.

Visitors had the option of remaining at one camp for their entire vacation or lodging at multiple camps, especially if they wanted to see a wider portion of the park. The title of this catalog encourages visitors to bring their own automobile, and according to this brochure, each park provided guest parking areas with gasoline and oil available.

Camp staff were young people, mainly college students and teachers. As a free service, guides were available to lead a sightseeing day trip. Of course, visitors also had the option to venture out on their own. Perhaps they marveled at the natural beauty of the scenery as they drove along the hundreds of miles of roads or took a detour to enjoy one of the scenic approaches to the park. A map of the main routes to Yellowstone National Park is included in this brochure.

Some visitors might have been lucky enough to snap photos of the wildlife, such as bear, elk, deer, antelope, or buffalo. Hopefully any pictures were taken from afar!

Yellowstone Park Camping Co., Livingston, MT. Yellowstone National Park in Your Own Automobile (1919), unnumbered pages [2-3], general information about the Camps and Park.

Yellowstone National Park in Your Own Automobile (1919) by Yellowstone Park Camping Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Diving into the Zoological Gardens and Aquariums Ephemera Collection

Elizabeth Shanberg — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 13:00:30 +0000

The Zoological Gardens and Aquariums Ephemera Collection began as an all-call for interesting memorabilia relating to zoos, aquariums, gardens, or the societies that support such institutions. Many items were received, cataloged, and filed in cabinets located in the former library space at the National Zoological Park (Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC). A previous attempt was made to rehouse, organize, and digitize parts of the collection, but the project was left incomplete. The collection was eventually moved to the National Museum of Natural History Library so that the items could be properly archived and stored.

“Illustrated Guide and Catalogue of Woodward’s Gardens” (1873), bearing signature of Smithsonian ornithologist Robert Ridgway.

When I arrived at the Natural History Library’s main location at the beginning of the summer of 2023 for my internship, I got my first look at the Zoological Gardens and Aquariums Ephemera Collection. After performing a short survey assessment of the collection, my supervisor Bonnie Felts and I came up with a game plan to rehouse and document the collection. During our discussion, we decided that our end goal for the project was to conserve as many of the items as possible and make them discoverable for future research.

View-Master reel for the San Diego Zoo.

I found that the collection included a wide variety of diverse pieces from various time periods. While some items do not have a date included on the object, the collection appears to range from about 1873 to 2008 according to the items that do have dates listed. The objects in the collection are mainly guidebooks, maps, pamphlets, postcards, and reports, but there are also disparate items such as stickers, coloring books, and view master slides. As I went through the collection, it was interesting to review the objects that people thought important enough to save. Some of these items are over a hundred years old and represent a piece of history not only to the Smithsonian, but to the people who spent time at these institutions.

“Popular Official Guide to the New York Zoological Park” in a new enclosure.

As someone who is just stepping foot into the library and archives space, it was an incredible learning experience to be able to work with this collection. It was empowering to take part in the hands-on work of rehousing the collection mainly because it was a collaborative experience. Instead of being given a concrete task list, my supervisor was open to my input on how best to conserve and house the various objects in the collection. We worked together to create a system not only to rehouse the items, but to make sure those items were able to be found later in our finding aid. My favorite piece of the rehousing process of the internship was learning how to make a four-flap enclosure for some of the larger delicate artifacts. The hands-on learning of rehousing the collection into archival mylar, folders, and boxes, along with the creation of the finding aid and four-flap enclosures are skills that I will be able to take with me into the next steps of my career.

“10 Miniature Cards of Florida’s Gulfairum in Color” from Fort Walton, Florida.

Overall, my experience with my Smithsonian Library and Archives internship was incredibly informative. Not only were the skills that I learned important, but the experience of working in a library or archive space was key to my educational growth. Through the internship I gained introspection that this was the correct step for my future and my career. Having this opportunity and space to learn and grow gave me incredible insight into how important these spaces are for future generations and why I want to be a part of them.

In Search of the Perfect Blue

Vanessa Haight Smith — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:00:13 +0000

The color blue has had a long history in the Western world. The ever-changing role of blue has been used in bookbinding and the book arts to color manuscripts, maps, and scientific illustrations. Colorants used in inks, paints, and dyes have come from a variety of natural sources, including clays, gems, plants, and insects. Blue pigments were first made from imported minerals from Central Asia, eventually shifting to local resources within Europe. The exhibition, Nature of the Book, explores the use of natural materials in bookmaking during the hand-press period (1450-1850), touching on how this rare pigment was initially reserved for religious works, later changing focus to favor European royalty and nobility. As blue’s color gained popularity for a wider audience by the end of the 18th century, new shades and formulas were created; in fact, the first synthetic pigment was a blue that offered greater access to a more affordable version.

The earliest and rarest blue was obtained from the precious stone lapis lazuli, also known as lazurite. The mineral, primarily mined in Afghanistan, was for centuries shipped a great distance into Europe through Venice. It was ground to a powder and laboriously processed to create a vibrant pigment. Because it was so costly, artists chose to use it sparingly. The calcite content in lazurite, a silicate mineral, was positively identified by x-ray fluorescence in a blue paint sample on parchment in a 15th-century illuminated philosophical work from the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology. This reveals that the pigment was only used as a top coat and provides evidence of its value. Europeans called this color Ultramarine because of its brilliant resemblance to the sea and, as such, the color remained a favorite and was most extensively used in hand-colored manuscripts through the 15th century.

Detail. Boethius, On the Conservation of Philosophy, 15th century.

Azurite, a blue copper ore, was a less expensive alternative to rare lapis lazuli. Though available by trade from sources as far as Asia, azurite was popularly used in European illustrations into the 17th century owing to the convenience of some local regional mining. Ultramarine and azurite blue were used to beautify and convey prestige or value in books; the symbolism of blue represented the mystical powers of sky and water. Combined with the relative expense to achieve this, the use of blue was often reserved for those of high-ranking status, as featured in a hand-colored 1604 Spanish petition for nobility. The blue pigment used in the illuminations has been positively identified as azurite. The bound manuscript is displayed alongside a specimen collected from Germany and loaned from the Department of Mineralogy in the National Museum of Natural History.

Detail. Petition for noble status (manuscript), Spain, 1604.

Azurite with malachite and siderite, Germany. NMNH B7994, National Museum of Natural History. Gift of Carl Bosch.

As subject matter expanded with the development of printing, books covered a multitude of topics by the 18^th century. The desire to use blue pigments for illustration grew with the rapid pace of book production. By 1724 the first modern artificially produced pigment that offered a more economical option, Prussian Blue, was developed for use. Global exploration during that period stimulated the production of many scientific works that required precise coloring for illustrations of the natural world for an insatiable academic audience. Illustrations from the first fully illustrated and comprehensive study of the flora and fauna of North America were drawn, and many of them etched, by author and naturalist Mark Catesby. Some illustrations in Catesby’s work are hand-colored using Prussian blue – its iron content recently identified through pigment analysis by conservation scientists at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute – to enhance the colors of the Carolina Parakeet and the Painted Finch, birds not yet known to Europeans. Accurate descriptive coloring from that period has continued importance with current research as some species within the natural world are now extinct.

Visitors are encouraged to visit the books and artifacts representing this story of blue as well as other specimens and collections illustrating the varied sources of dyes, pigments, and inks featured in the Nature of the Book exhibition, located on the first floor of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis). Mark Catesby, The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands. London, 1729-1747.

Detail. Painted Finch (painted bunting, Passerina ciris). Mark Catesby, The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands. London, 1729-1747.

Processing Personalities: Ephemera Research at the AA/PG Library

Kiran Aliyah Williams — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:29:35 +0000

It’s interesting to think of how much of our everyday culture goes unnoticed, lost to time and simple decomposition. The newspaper someone tossed yesterday turns to mush in a landfill pile. The gilt invite you saved from your alma mater’s 15^th reunion is lost in a pile of documents, kids’ art projects, and bills. The sticky note with your to-do list gets stuck to the bottom of your shoe and wears away as you walk to work one day. We often don’t take the time to think about these little pieces of paper, these tiny fragments of memory and thought that we churn out every single day, though these can very often be the most crucial clues about who we are.

The value in the Art & Artists’ Files at the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library (AAPG) lies in their attention to these everyday ephemera, the things left behind and that, when pieced together in a variety of different ways by staff members and researchers, tell a myriad of intimate and often novel stories of artists and institutions. Each file includes ephemera on a particular subject (an artist, corporation, or subject): exhibition announcements, clippings, press releases, brochures, pamphlets, photographs, resumes, artist’s statements, exhibition catalogs, and more, a panoply of snippets from the lives and works of American artists (with an expansive definition of “American”). For some of the lesser-known artists in the Files, these small slips of paper are the only available materials we have for research and study.

The beautiful mint green cover of a copy of Photo Era magazine from 1900, found amongst the NMAH Photo History ephemera.

As a Summer Scholar intern at AA/PG, I had the opportunity to sort through seventeen boxes of woefully unorganized ephemera, attempting to merge the subject files on photographers and inventors from the Photographic History Collection of the National Museum of American History with AA/PG’s Art & Artists’ Files. The types of ephemera in these boxes ranged from patents for photographic technology (from multiple countries), photocopies of master’s theses, photographs and slides, and handwritten letters to whole magazines, exhibition catalogues, self-published books, and anything else on paper you can think of. I knew that attention to detail and scrupulous documentation would be necessary for keeping track of everything for this project, so I set five goals for the process and result:

Clear out the backlog of old ephemera held by the AA/PG
Add relevant and potentially valuable research material to Art & Artists Files
Gain experience processing “archival” or ephemera materials.
Create accessible records for wider range of photographic artists in the collection.
Establish a repeatable personal process for doing this sort of work if it comes across in my career in the future.

Some of the many storage boxes for my processing of the NMAH ephemera (there were originally 17!)

The main challenges I faced when attempting to achieve these goals were the disorganization of the boxes and undoing the partial processing done in the past, which made finding out what we had and where to put it challenging; establishing the criteria for what to keep and what to get rid of; and filing hundreds of physical materials into our folders in a way that kept everything cohesive and accessible.

I set two step-by-step plans in place, one to follow for ephemera whose subject was in the Art & Artists’ Files online database and one for ephemera whose subject was new or not in our files yet. We could slot ephemera for records we did have right into our subzero room of file cabinets, while the ephemera for records we didn’t have could be set aside into boxes to be looked over later. Because there were over 850 individual subjects represented in the boxes, I had to develop some strict criteria for what to keep and what to weed, based on what was already in the AA/PG collections. Many libraries face issues with space, and there are already thousands of files in the Art & Artists’ Files collection, so it was time to make some tough choices. I decided on the following guidelines:

Is the artist/corporation American?
Do they supplement an existing file in a novel/important way?
Is the ephemera folder too scientific or is it appropriately art-related?
Is the piece of ephemera in good condition?
Is the piece of ephemera rare or special in some way?

At the end of the day, the AA/PG Library collects expansively, meaning that many of the things I’d marked for weeding ended up finding a happy place in the collections instead. After doing an unexpected amount of labor to type every piece of relevant information about the materials in my master spreadsheet, rearrange everything in the boxes, and put the ephemera away in the filing cabinets, I was excited to finally have completed my project. As with many archival processing-adjacent projects, there’s still one box left for my supervisor to review after I’m gone. Through this experience, I not only learned new skills in processing diverse types of materials but also improved as a project manager. The independence that the librarians at AA/PG gave me to explore different methods for completing my project helped me gain self-confidence by allowing me to piece together my library skills in a new and challenging environment. When I started work on my processing project at the Smithsonian’s American Art and Portrait Gallery Library, I never expected to gain a practical and much-needed lesson in mindfulness—in appreciating these tiny moments, encapsulated in ink, cardstock, paper, and graphite—but I quickly learned that its important to appreciate and let myself be excited by seemingly mundane, everyday things.

A hand-coloured photograph (zoom in on her face!) by Getrude Kaesebier, a 19th-century woman photographer whose file is in the AA/PG Art & Artists’ Files

If you’re interested in learning more about photography, its history, and its major players (or any other medium of art and architecture), I highly suggest checking out all of my newly added Art and Artist files at the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library.

Traveling Trunks Available for Borrowing

Bindi Chauhan — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 13:00:38 +0000

As we gear up for the upcoming school year, the Education Team at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives wants to remind you of our growing fleet of Traveling Trunks! These interactive educational resources are available for teachers and schools across the country. This program is free of charge and trunks can be lent for up to four weeks.

We have been working hard to add more themes over the past year and currently have three different trunks to lend, with a fourth available in October.

Nice Tú Meet You focuses on Latinx cultures from Central America and the Caribbean through the regions’ music and stories. Four fictional teen narrators tell their families’ histories and how it connects to their current lives in America.
Extra and Ordinary is narrated by a fictional archivist tasked with researching for a new exhibit. Learners will have the chance to look at the archivist’s research – recreated letters, pictures, and objects from the Smithsonian collection – about twenty women living from 1785-2013 in the United States.
Flights of Friction: Fact or Fiction? (coming September 2023) takes learners back to the 19th century to uncover sensational mysteries of the past. Guided by a passionate and curious librarian, learners will use information literacy skills to look into the legitimacy of authors, sources, newspapers, and their stories.
Art History Mystery (coming October 2023) partners with the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden to bring learners a clue-style journey of uncovering hidden messages in art, based on activism.

Materials from the “Flights of Friction: Fact or Fiction?” TravelingTrunk.

Traveling Trunks do rely on users being able to scan QR codes and watch videos. We recommend your group has at least four Wi-Fi or cellular-enabled smart devices to engage in this program.

Interested in bringing a Traveling Trunk to your school? Learn more about the program and see how to reserve a trunk on our Education webpage.

Through the Loupe: Rick Prelinger

Walter Forsberg — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 14:18:46 +0000

This is the fifth in a series of ongoing blog posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI), spotlighting the labor of Smithsonian media collections staff across the Institution, and the first to feature a past Smithsonian worker. Among several current professional roles, former Smithsonian contract audiovisual consultant Rick Prelinger runs the non-profit Prelinger Library in San Francisco with his partner Megan.

AVMPI Co-Presents: Radio Preservation Task Force

On April 30^th, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ pan-institutional Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI) co-presented the fourth day of the Radio Preservation Task Force (RPTF) conference with the Library of Congress. The theme of the 2023 conference was “A Century of Broadcasting: Preservation and Renewal,” and Day Four’s proceedings were titled “Sunday at the Smithsonian,” comprising a radio/sound art performance, presentations by Smithsonian staff about SI radio collections, and a conference-capping ‘Listening Party’ that shared archival radio clips from a dozen international archives. A brochure of the program, designed by AVMPI’s Video Preservation Specialist and go-to graphic designer, Brianna Toth, can be accessed here.

Included in the day’s array of radio-related and Smithsonian-proud programming was a ‘response’ conversation between sound performers Anna Friz and Jeff Kolar with audiovisual archivist, and recent Emeritus Professor of Film and Digital Media at the University of California – Santa Cruz, Rick Prelinger. For over 40 years the self-described “library experimenter” Prelinger (@footage) has been a visionary figure in the field of film archiving and information science. The Prelinger Library he founded with his partner Megan in 2004 should be at the top of your list of places to visit when in San Francisco. Prelinger’s career has spanned working as a typesetter, running his own stock footage licensing company, working as an archivist at The Comedy Channel and HBO, serving as a board member and contributor to the legendary Brooklyn magazine Stay Free!, making films and footage performances, and teaching at several universities. I have been fortunate to know Rick personally since the late 2000s, previously encountering and obsessing over his commercially-released VHS compilations of incredible ephemeral films and television commercials when I worked at Chicago’s Facets Video in 1999. However, there was one professional role of Prelinger’s I was unaware of and, during the RPTF’s April 30^th morning on-stage sound check, Rick disclosed it: he once worked for the Smithsonian (!?).

Rick Prelinger (at left) with this blog post’s author (at right).

Smithsonian Institution – Office of Telecommunications

Frankly, I had a hard time fully concentrating on the remainder of the day’s activities after Rick recalled a paid gig working for the Smithsonian’s Office of Telecommunications (OTC), around 1989. The Office of Telecommunications was an iteration of the Smithsonian’s in-house audiovisual production entities, which began in the 1960s under the initiatives of Secretaries Leonard Carmichael and (far more aggressively) S. Dillon Ripley. In 1976 the media production activities of the Smithsonian’s Office of Public Affairs were formally reorganized as the OTC, and New York television producer Nazaret ‘Chick’ Cherkezian (previously at New York University, then National Educational Television) was appointed its director. One particularly mythological photo of Cherkezian held by Smithsonian Institution Archives has ‘Chick’ standing in front of a 1-inch VTR video rack and exuding a no-nonsense attitude.

Photograph included in the transcript of the Nazaret Cherkezian Oral History Interview by John Peterson, December 3, 1986, in Smithsonian Institution Archives. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 9541, Box 1.

Cherkezian served as OTC Director from 1975 until 1986 and under his tenure OTC produced radio programs, exhibition videos, and a string of documentary films that won multiple awards, including four Emmys (for Celebrating a Century: The 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, directed by OTC staff filmmaker Karen Loveland) and a string of CINE Golden Eagles, among others. Cherkezian set Institutional program priorities for OTC productions, brought media-wary curators into the fold across disciplines, built a staff of 14 full-time producers, and conceived the successful television programs, Smithsonian World (1984-1991) and Here at the Smithsonian (1982-1989). Thanks to the Smithsonian’s Institutional Historian Pamela Henson, Cherkezian’s oral history from December 3, 1986 captures a great deal about Cherkezian’s era of the OTC.

Cherkezian’s longtime ‘number two’ was OTC Associate Director Paul B. Johnson, who began as a Production Specialist on the Radio Smithsonian half-hour program in the early 1970s. Johnson, who appears at the helm of a pair of ¼” reel-to-reel audiotape machines on page 229 of the 1974 edition of Secretary Ripley’s annual report to Congress, Smithsonian Year, became OTC Director upon Cherkezian’s retirement, serving in the role until the division’s ultimate dissolution in 2002, when it was known as Smithsonian Productions.

“Radio Smithsonian” with Radio Production Specialist Paul Johnson at the controls. Image from: Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian Year (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1974), 229.

Rick Prelinger: Smithsonian OTC Consultant

Prelinger grew up in the Washington, DC area, and as we talked during our “Sunday at the Smithsonian” sound check he recalled being dropped off by his parents on weekends to navigate the Smithsonian’s multidisciplinary exhibits. “I remember that they still had the pull-out stamp drawers,” Prelinger said, referring to Joseph Leavy’s innovative 1914 philatelic showcase that lasted over a half-century in the Arts and Industries building.

As a DC native, Prelinger evidenced a degree of pride about his contract work as a Smithsonian consultant for Paul B. Johnson’s OTC, where he conducted a holdings survey and assessment report on the division’s audiovisual collections. Exact recollected details were hazy, but maybe he still had a copy? Before Rick left the RPTF event early to spend some time with his sisters who still live in the area, I promised to badger him about finding that copy.

On May 10^th, Prelinger emailed me:

So I looked into this. I prepared it in 1989 for the Office of Telecommunications; my contact was [OTC Associate Producer] Jean Quinnette. It isn’t in my existing backups from that period, which makes me wonder whether I even used a computer. I will bumble around my hardcopy files for this period, if I can find any, but no promises. I am recalling that the report mostly covered internally produced film for Smithsonian TV — more of the video news release variety than programs intended for longform broadcast. And I think that I looked in metal cabinets in a number of Museum units. This is a perfect example of material disappearing into the amnesic pit of the 1970s and 1980s.

Rick wasn’t able to find any digital trace of his consultancy work for the Smithsonian, but he later wrote again to me:

It is almost unbelievable, but I opened a box at random and my Smithsonian folder was at the top. It contained my long-winded report from 1992 (not 1989). I was paid $400 for this — the invoices for travel reimbursement (maybe even on the Trump Shuttle) are laughable.

Rick Prelinger’s Rediscovered ‘Smithsonian folder’

Thanks to FedEx and my neighborhood copy shop, I’m thrilled to upload and make available much of the Smithsonian audiovisual collections treasure that Rick’s ‘Smithsonian folder’ contains. Prelinger is a longtime board member of the Internet Archive, which is where this documentation appropriately now lives.

The most substantive document contained therein is the fourth revised version of Prelinger’s report to OTC, dated November 1992. A priceless time capsule snapshot of OTC in an era when its long-running major television series Smithsonian World and Here at the Smithsonian had wound down, the report focuses on the idea that OTC might license stock footage for revenue purposes. Prelinger’s analysis and recommendations in this regard are sheer expert, informed by his first-hand concurrent operation of the New York City-based Prelinger Associates, Inc., and this report is one of the most detailed explanations of the stock footage landscape and how the footage licensing industry operated in the 1980s and 90s.

As a good film archivist, Prelinger also makes excellent recommendations regarding selection, physical conservation, and environmental storage: Isolate best copies of finished productions and move them to controlled storage; Develop and institute a retention policy that eliminates redundant inferior-quality copies and generational elements that exist elsewhere in better and more finalized versions; Research legal status of materials; Liaise with other Smithsonian audiovisual collections managers at museum units. All of these suggestions ring true as activities of our AVMPI project, in accordance with best practices of the field, and it’s refreshing to read that Prelinger communicated them to the Institution so long ago.

Prelinger’s ‘Smithsonian folder’ also holds a handwritten note on xeroxed Smithsonian stationery from OTC’s Jean Quinnette. The note conveys a certain familiar honesty about the slow pace of the federal government: “It was good to have you here last week. Makes it feel like something may really happen!”

Handwritten letter from Jean Quinnette to Rick Prelinger, dated March 23, 1992.

As Quinnette’s note references, Prelinger’s ‘Smithsonian folder’ also includes valuable original OTC documents with synopses, episode details, and air dates for its Smithsonian World and Here at the Smithsonian… (HATS) television programs. Both are series for which Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is currently digitizing videotape ‘master’ copies, with plans to stream them online in the coming year. These original promotional materials will helpfully inform our cataloging of both programs.

Several other film and video distribution brochures and a list of OTC-produced titles are also in Rick’s ‘Smithsonian folder,’ several of which contain the early-1990s OTC letterhead logo, which I have never seen before.

Office of Telecommunications logo, circa 1991.

If Rick Prelinger’s stint working as a contract audiovisual archives consultant for the Smithsonian was, ultimately, a brief one, his impact can yet be seen through the many current SI audiovisual archives professionals who consider Rick’s advocacy and career as essential to the archives field and a model to aspire to. Thank you, Rick!

Sound artist Jeff Kolar, archivist Rick Prelinger, and UC-Santa Cruz faculty Anna Friz in conversation at the Radio Preservation Task Force’s “Sunday at the Smithsonian” event, co-presented by SLA and held in the Baird Auditorium, April 30, 2023.

Sonic Strategies in the Library

Anne Evenhaugen — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 19:17:54 +0000

This exhibition and blog post were curated and written by Joana Stillwell.

Sonic Strategies in the Library accompanies the newly opened exhibition Musical Thinking: New Video Art and Sonic Strategies at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Musical Thinking, by Curator of Time-Based Media, Saisha Grayson, focuses on video art that uses sonic strategies including scores, improvisation, and interpretation, as well as styles, structures, and lyrics that speak to American life. The works selected for this accompanying exhibition at the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library (AA/PG) include books from the collection as well as materials from the artist files. Nine selections ranging from the early nineteenth century to the 2010s reveal the ongoing and evolving relationship between visual art and music and sound.

Music: A Mere and Colorful Memory

Before the advent of recorded sound, music was a medium only available to a live audience, and only recollected orally, or venerated in the visual arts. Painting was considered the main art in the early twentieth century and its ability to capture the essence of music was the focus of Luna May Ennis’ Music in Art (1904). This is embodied by the beautiful red and gold cover which centers a ribboned and stylized painter’s palette, while the border is compiled of different types of stringed instruments, pan flutes, and white flowers. The book is organized among themes of myth and enchantment, youth and love, worship and are punctuated by illustrations by Donatello, Raphael, Rubens, and more. The book reads as art historical analysis but through the perspective of a viewer trying to relive “the sound [that has died] with the vibration of the strings [and] with the breath of the singer becom[ing] a mere memory.”

Analogous Scale of Sounds and Colours from George Field’s Chromatics

George Field’s Chromatics, or, an essay on the analogy and harmony of colours (1817) contains rich hand-colored wood-engravings with letterpress captions. Field was known as a chemist and for being especially skilled with pigments but fell short on being a color theorist after ignoring Isaac Newton’s ideas regarding color and light. Regardless, this book reveals his artistic sensibilities while expressing his theories on the relationship between the spectrum of colors and the scale of musical tones.

The Potentiality of Scores

By the twentieth century, music and sound recordings were readily available, which heightened the exceptionality and spectacle of the event or live performance. John Cage, a seminal influence on music, sound art, performance art, and more, was fascinated by the ability of music to make the listener more aware of their present. Cage argued any vibration of a particular moment could be considered music. While living in Europe as an art student he “noticed [on a street in Seville] the multiplicity of simultaneous visual and audible events all going together in one’s experience and producing enjoyment. It was the beginning of the theatre and circus.”

Variations IV by John Cage with David Tudor

Variations IV (1965) is a work by Cage with composer David Tudor. It was presented at Cage’s first gallery concert, and is only remembered through printed instructions and a music sheet. The instructions read, “A performer need not confine himself to a performance of this piece. At any time he may do something else. And others, performing something else at the same time and place, may, when free to do so, enter into the performance of this.” Herbert Palmer, the owner of the gallery, recollected in a 2004 interview that Cage was in one room while Tudor was in another and between them were stacks of records and tapes.

Variations IV by John Cage with David Tudor

He remembered that each would turn on different recordings and the music would change depending on where you were in the space. Palmer expressed, “It was so wild, with all the different kinds of music going at once.” More of Herbert Palmer’s interview is available at the Smithsonian Archives of American Art.

Raven Chacon is an artist featured in Musical Thinking where a video work and original lithographs of four different scores are on display. The publication For Zitkála-Šá is a collection of this series of scores and the one selected in our exhibition is for his sister, Autumn Chacon. Similar to Cage’s musical sheet, there is a large location assumed or suggested. As a Diné and Xicana sound artist, activist, and community member, Autumn’s work examines contemporary methods of storytelling which dovetails into her work as a pirate radio engineer. In this score, Autumn is instructed to place, locate, and interact with lamps and radios while tracing her movements on the “score-map.” Every time the score is completed, a new path and story is forged and at the end she is invited to “sing the new song that [she] learned while performing the score.”

Musical score from María Magdalena Campos Pons and Neil Leonard’s “Identified.”

Soundscapes: Interpretations, Reverberations, and Process

In 2015, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery inaugurated its first performance art series, “Identify: Performance Art as Portraiture.” One of the performances, Identified by María Magdalena Campos Pons and Neil Leonard, was a study of President Abraham Lincoln, with the goal of reinserting the Black body into historical narratives evoking protest and devotion. The performance took place throughout the museum and its atrium. Portfolios containing 22 cards with texts, illustrations, and one musical score were handed to viewers. The score was performed by jazz musicians from Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Havana, a wind ensemble from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and folkloric musicians from Matanzas, Cuba. Together they reverberated the history that ties them together on the site of Lincoln’s second inaugural ball.

A promotional pamphlet for a monograph and two sound works, titled Finding Pictures in Search of Sounds (2008), depicts abstract fragments that question the interpretation of sound visually, aurally, and physically. The pamphlet by electronic musician and media artist, Stephen Vitiello, is a selection found in the AA/PG Library’s Art and Artist Files. The monograph contains individual booklets that act as visual clues to the sound pieces. Images of forests, reeds in water, and lines that mimic scores and wires can be vividly spread around a space without a distinct order and holds its own presence and experience. This pamphlet is just a shadow of the works it promotes, but reflects Vitiello’s practice of transforming unobserved atmospheric noises into engaging and imaginative soundscapes.

In 2021, ISSUE Project Room presented an online program of Annea Lockwood’s Piano Transplants with a Benefit event in her honor.

Womens Work (2019) is a facsimile of a publication from the mid-1970s. It was a magazine that highlighted the overlooked work of 25 female artists working with music, performance, and visual arts. Co-editor Annea Lockwood emphasized “We wanted to publish work which other people could pick up and do: that aspect of it was really important…this was not anecdotal, this was not archival material, it was live material. You look at a score, you do it.” One of the works in the book is by Lockwood herself and titled Piano Transplants (1968-1972). She cautioned that all pianos used for these performances should already be beyond repair, as she wrote and performed scores for the burning, drowning, and gardening of the instrument. She is particularly enamored with the environment, especially water, and collaborates and improvises with dancers, musicians, aquatic insects, and more.

George Brecht’s Water Yam (1963) was first published as a method to cheaply disseminate art democratically – widely and easily. Brecht was an important member of the experimental Fluxus art movement. The movement stressed the significance of the artistic process over the art product. The movement’s philosophy was grounded in experimental music and it was named after a magazine that featured artists and musicians who were influenced by John Cage. Water Yam is a box that contains many small, printed cards with instructions referred to as “event-scores.” Brecht became known for his haiku-like scores that left room for interpretation. Fourteen event-scores punctuate all three AA/PG Library display cases and were selected for their musical, performative, and tangential connections. These event-scores range from seemingly mundane tasks such as disassembling and assembling a flute, ambiguous encouragements of string quartets to shake hands, to supposedly more direct instructions to turn a radio on and then off at the first sound.

In the spirit of Musical Thinking, the library selections highlight visual works where music and sound – its memory, creation, and lived experience – is the primary focus. It also reveals how the visual arts has and continues to praise, document, and provide new pathways and interpretations of the fleeting medium. A particular event-score by Brecht feels like a fitting selection with which to conclude:

Event-score from George Brecht’s “Water Yam”.

This exhibition and blog post were curated and written by Joana Stillwell, the Audiovisual Archivist at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Moving Image Archive (MARMIA), who was the 2022 ARLIS/NA Wolfgang M. Freitag Internship Award recipient and was hosted at the Smithsonian American Art and Portrait Gallery Library. The exhibition will be on view from July-October, 2023, in the AA/PG Library.

Save Time in the Garden

Alexia MacClain — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 12:41:49 +0000

Gardens provide us food, sustenance, exercise, and pleasure. Gardens also require a lot of work. It takes time, energy, and patience to grow a garden. In the early 20th century, gardeners hoping to save time and labor might have considered using this hand cultivator. It was described as a “Time Saving Garden Tool.”

The trade catalog is titled “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator (circa 1905) by Schaible Mfg. Co. Even though it is only a few pages long, this small brochure is full of useful information. It provides instructions on how to use the cultivator, explains the benefits of using it, and illustrates specific parts, including tool attachments. It ends with customer testimonials.

Schaible Mfg. Co., Elyria, OH. “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator (circa 1905), front cover/unnumbered page [1], gardener using the “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator.

The “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator was constructed of steel and weighed 32 pounds. Gardeners had the option of buying tools to attach to the cultivator, such as the rake, sweep, or plow.

Described as “simple to operate,” it allowed gardeners to walk each row of plants at “an easy, continuous” pace. Equipped with two wheels, the operator simply pushed it along instead of carrying the cultivator’s back end down each row.

Schaible Mfg. Co., Elyria, OH. “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator (circa 1905), unnumbered pages [2-3], Cut No. 2 showing gardener using the “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator.

Throughout the brochure, the “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator is described as adjustable. This was one feature that most likely appealed to many gardeners.

The tooth frame of the cultivator consisted of seven steel teeth which were bolted to an adjustable frame. By using a thumb screw, the width of this tooth frame could be adjusted to any width between 8 and 16 inches. That adjustable frame was fastened to two yokes which could be raised or lowered. This gave gardeners the ability to choose a uniform depth at which to stir the soil.

Schaible Mfg. Co., Elyria, OH. “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator (circa 1905), unnumbered pages [4-5], Cut No. 3 showing the “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator with knives.

An adjustable slotted “U” frame was positioned in front of the back wheel and attached to the main bars with bolts. It was used to fasten tool attachments, such as knives, rake-sweep, or plow. A gardener could raise or lower the “U” frame to a fraction of an inch to work at a desired depth.

Cut No. 3 (above) and Cut No. 4 (below) illustrate the use of knives fastened to the cultivator. These knives could be adjusted to fit a specific width for a row or size of plant.

Schaible Mfg. Co., Elyria, OH. “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator (circa 1905), unnumbered page [6], Cut No. 4 showing the “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator with knives attached.

The rake attachment was positioned in front of the “U” frame with two bolt hooks and fastened with burs. Again, the depth of the rake was adjustable by raising or lowering the “U” frame. Depending on the soil, the rake could be used in a vertical position or at a slant.

Another attachment was the sweep, shown below in Cut No. 5. It was fastened underneath the “U” frame and could be adjusted to any depth from a fraction of an inch to four inches.

Schaible Mfg. Co., Elyria, OH. “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator (circa 1905), unnumbered page [7], Cut No. 5 showing the “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator with sweep attached.

The catalog ends with two customer testimonials sharing positive reactions to this cultivator. Anthony Fite of Hurtsville, Albany Co., NY mentions that he received the cultivator, “…and will say it is very satisfactory. I have used it with much success in onions, beets, celery, parsnips and carrots. Would advise all market gardeners to buy one.”

W. J. Murphy of Elmira, NY, wrote on October 6, 1905, commenting: “…I don’t see how I ever got along without it before, as I have a large garden and a big patch of strawberries to take care of, and I can do the work on them in fifteen minutes what it used to take me three hours to do. I am just stuck on it.”

Schaible Mfg. Co., Elyria, OH. “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator (circa 1905), unnumbered page [8], customer testimonial and benefits of the “Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator.

“Lou Dillon” Tandem Garden Cultivator (circa 1905) by Schaible Mfg. Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Meet Author, Suffragist, and Minister Phebe Hanaford

Erin Rushing — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 13:00:33 +0000

Daughters of America is a book in our Digital Library that I find myself turning to time and again when researching blog posts or highlighting 19th-century women on our social media platforms. This book contains the biographies of First Ladies and genteel writers that you might expect from a publication of the time, but also women scientists, inventors, doctors, lawyers, abolitionists, and suffragists. That’s always struck me as pretty progressive for a book published in 1883. When I started to learn more about the remarkable woman who wrote it, it all made perfect sense.

Cover, Daughters of America (1883).

Phebe Ann Coffin Hanaford was a successful author of fourteen books, but she was more than a writer. She was a social reformer who was an outspoken advocate for abolition and women’s suffrage and was also one of the first women ordained by the Universalist church. She wrote a book about her activist cousin Lucretia Mott (Lucretia the Quakeress), and officiated at funeral services for friends and well-known suffragists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

Hanaford was born in Nantucket in 1829, the daughter of merchant George Coffin and wife Phebe. She was raised Quaker and benefitted from both public and private education. After a stint as a schoolteacher, she married Dr. Joseph Hanaford and had two children. She published her first book in 1853, and additional publications, like the first posthumous biography of Abraham Lincoln in 1865, would make her financially independent. As her writing career grew and evolved, so did her faith. By 1868, she had separated from her Baptist husband, joined the Universalist Church of America, and was ordained.

Portrait of Phebe Hanaford, Daughters of America (1883).

Hanaford’s work as a minister was full of firsts. She was the first woman ordained in Massachusetts and New England. She was the first woman to be appointed chaplain and to officiate in the Connecticut Legislature. She was also the first woman to officiate the marriage of her own daughter.

It’s clear Hanaford was particularly proud of these contributions — she included them in her own biographical entry in Daughters of America. About them, she says:

These things are mentioned, not alone to mark her as a pioneer, but to show what woman can do hereafter. She is seeking to open the way for other women, as Olympia Brown, Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, and others have opened the way for her.

Following her separation from Joseph, Phebe Hanaford lived with Ellen Miles, a children’s author and former schoolteacher. Though we can’t know the full nature of their relationship, it was certainly the source of some controversy during their time. Miles was referenced as the “objectionable ‘minister’s wife’” in local papers and speculated to be part of the reason Hanaford left her parish in Jersey City. A Ladies Home Journal article from February 1888 noted that Hanaford “keeps house” with Miles, her “companion of eighteen years.” Lorretta Cody, in her book A Mighty Social Force: Phebe Ann Coffin Hanaford, 1829-1921, includes personal letters between Hanaford and Miles that demonstrate a deep and loving connection.

Women’s rights were interwoven in much of Hanaford’s life. She was an active member of the American Equal Rights Association until the organization fractured. She would later join the American Women’s Suffrage Association, which supported not only women’s suffrage but the voting rights of African American men. Hanaford continually lectured about women’s rights and contributed articles to publications like The Woman’s Journal, a suffrage newspaper.

The book that led me to Hanaford, Daughters of America, was an updated version of a previous work. Its precursor, Women of the Century , was published in 1876 as a tribute to the contributions of American women during the country’s centennial and it was advertised as a grand encyclopedia of American women. Six years later, Hanaford “revised and improved” the book, included additional women, and updated the name to Daughters of America. Though the book is overwhelmingly white, Hanaford does include notable 19th-century Black women writers and reformers Frances E.W. Harper and Sojourner Truth, as well as mythologized descriptions of Pocahontas and Phillis Wheatley. While it may be flawed from a 21st-century perspective, the publication still represents an unusually broadminded view of women in 19th-century America — one that celebrated women for inventing, leading, and advocating when their basic right to vote was still 40 years away.

Chapter IX, Women-Scientists, Daughters of America (1883).

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds three of Hanaford’s fourteen books, including multiple copies of Daughters of America. The National Museum of American History Library also holds an 1883 copy of Abraham Lincoln: His Life and Public Services and the American Art/Portrait Gallery Library has Hanaford’s biography of George Peabody. Readers can also peruse many of Hanaford’s titles via the Internet Archive.

Further Reading from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives:

Hanaford, Phebe. Daughters of America (1883).

Hanaford, Phebe. The Life of George Peabody (1870).

Hanaford, Phebe. Abraham Lincoln: His Life and Public Services [1883].

Other Resources:

Cody, Loretta. A Mighty Social Force (2009).

Hanaford, Phebe. Women of the Century (1877).

Tetrault, Lisa M. “A Paper Trail: Piecing Together the Life of Phebe Hanaford” (Accessed July 12, 2023).

Celebrating Success with Award Designs from the Past

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 13:00:51 +0000

Trophies, cups, and plaques. These are typical awards that might be presented at a ceremony today. How were these types of awards designed in the past? Are there similarities or differences? This catalog might provide a few clues.

The trade catalog is titled Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924) by Reed & Barton. Even though the title refers to trophies and loving cups, the catalog also includes plaques. Some of these pieces are simple while others are more elaborate in design.

Reed & Barton, Taunton, MA. Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924), front cover.

Reed & Barton, Taunton, MA. Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924), title page.

Shown below are “Goldyn-Bronz” silver inlaid loving cups. These loving cups have two handles, one on each side. The handles appear relatively simple. However, the rest of the cup includes a pattern of swirls and shapes, possibly vines or leaves.

These cups were available in a range of sizes and capacities. The largest cup shown below (bottom), was 18 inches high. It held a capacity of 24 half pints. In contrast, the smallest cup (below, top right) measured 5 ½ inches tall with a capacity of just five ounces.

Reed & Barton, Taunton, MA. Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924), page 6, “Goldyn-Bronz” silver inlaid loving cups.

Loving cup No. 2032, shown below, is silver plated and has an unusual design in both size and decoration. In particular, the height of the cup is noteworthy. It measured a little over three feet in height, 36 ½ inches. Regarding ornamentation, the catalog describes it as “elaborately hand chased.” The decorative elements include a figure at the top of each of the two handles.

Reed & Barton, Taunton, MA. Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924), page 17, Loving Cup No. 2032.

Another set of silver plated loving cups is pictured below. In comparison, these have a simpler design with very little ornamentation. The shortest cup measured 7 ½ inches in height with a capacity of four half pints (below, bottom right) while the tallest cup was 21 inches with a capacity of 36 half pints (below, top right).

Reed & Barton, Taunton, MA. Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924), page 19, Silver Plated loving cups.

Perhaps a simple or plain design allowed an image to be etched or inlaid onto it. Customers could request to have images etched onto sterling, plated, or pewter items or inlaid in sterling onto “Goldyn-Bronz” items. Referred to as “stock scenes,” customers had a variety of images to choose from.

As might be expected, some of the “stock scenes” were sports related. But there were also other images available, as shown below, such as a rooster, dogs, and even a ship at sea. If desired, the company also accepted a clear photograph supplied by the customer to etch or silver inlay onto the piece. Each image was created in proportion to the available space on the item.

Reed & Barton, Taunton, MA. Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924), page 31, examples of ornamentation or “stock scenes.”

Special trophies are also illustrated in this catalog. The example shown below is called the Irwin Brothers Trophy. It was 20 ½ inches high and made of sterling silver and bronze with an ebonized pedestal. The pedestal depicts a boat at sea with two passengers. Resting on top of the pedestal is the wheel of a ship with a clock incorporated into the design.

Reed & Barton, Taunton, MA. Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924), page 16, Irwin Brothers Trophy.

In this catalog, plaques are referred to as shields. No. 150, shown below (bottom left), is a plain shield without lettering or ornamentation. It was made of oak or mahogany and measured 25 x 20 inches. An image, name, accomplishment, or other wording could be etched onto its pewter or silver-plated center.

Shield No. 135-A (below, bottom right) depicts a golf player. The dimensions of the shield were 24 ½ x 10 ¾ inches. It was constructed of mahogany, framed in bronze, and included a pewter center measuring 12 ¾ x 5 inches. Shield No. 180-A (below, top right) is another example. It commemorated a bowling tournament with a bowling figure etched in the center.

Reed & Barton, Taunton, MA. Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924), page 28, shields, two plain and two etched with images.

A reception likely followed an awards ceremony during which this four-gallon punch bowl might have been used. It was part of a set which also included 12 cups, a 17-inch ladle, and a 22-inch waiter, or tray. The Punch Set, shown below, was constructed of “Goldyn-Bronz” and trimmed with pewter.

Reed & Barton, Taunton, MA. Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924), page 25, “Goldyn-Bronz” loving cups and punch set (punch bowl, cups, waiter, and ladle).

Trophy Book: Loving Cups and Trophies in Gold, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Pewter and “Goldyn-Bronz” (1924) by Reed & Barton is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

From Pop-Tarts and MTV to Federal Employment

Brianna Toth — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 13:25:09 +0000

This is part of a series of posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ spotlighting Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative’s (AVMPI) new staff members. You can also read about their Audio Preservation Specialist Dan Hockstein and Initiative Coordinator Siobhan Hagan! Brianna Toth currently serves as AVMPI’s Video Preservation Specialist.

In some ways it is ironic that I ended up at a huge, federally-funded institution like the Smithsonian, since my pathway into the field came from deciding I wasn’t happy working for conventional museum and gallery spaces — even though I knew I wanted to work with artists or with cultural heritage in some way. So, here goes trying to make a long circuitous story short-ish: After graduating with a B.A in Art History I moved to the Bay Area, where I became interested in film and video through performance art and experimental music at local organizations like Canyon Cinema, Artist Television Access and The Lab. While living there, I also dabbled in curation and helped program all-ages music shows, but still felt stumped on where to focus my energy in terms of a job that made sense with all my interests. Luckily for me, some mutual friends introduced me to Michelle Silva, who manages the Estate of Bruce Conner’s films, and my career path started to make a bit more sense. What Michelle did seemed like an application of my interests I didn’t know was an option before, and I eventually came to work for her. While working under her tutelage, I gained a deep commitment to retaining the integrity of analog media through conservation techniques and digital remediation. But despite everything I learned, all the jobs I saw required graduate degrees. This is how I ended up attending the California Rare Books School (CalRBS) and getting my MLIS from UCLA shortly thereafter. In retrospect, it really feels like a full-circle moment, since the Smithsonian is now collaborating with CalRBS to offer a range of courses, including an AV preservation workshop my AVMPI colleagues Siobhan Hagan and Walter Forsberg are teaching!

For me, helping preserve the cultural record as a moving image archivist connects all the dots and allows me to weave my personal interests into my work. Over the years, the collections I have worked on have been incredibly formative. In fact, the unexpected opportunities to preserve the video collections for the Sequoia King’s Canyon National Park and Bob Baker Marionette Theater are what sparked my love of analog video! I have also been able to take on many AV archival roles with these various collections: being responsible for managing large scale digitization initiatives, facilities moves, preservation and restoration projects, as well as collection management for community archives. In addition, I owe a lot to professional communities like No Time To Wait! (NTTW), Los Angeles Archivist Collective and the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA), who all provided crucial support and inspiration to me over the years. What can I say? I really feel that when I discovered the AV archiving community that I found my people.

Bob Baker Marionette Theater Library and Archives at their previous 1345 W. 1st Street location; Photo: Ian Byers-Gamber

On that note, let’s talk about AVMPI! On a practical level, my role as the Video Preservation Specialist is primarily responsible for digitizing video. I also assist our team with developing digitization workflows, standards, documentation and building out our video digitization racks. This all reflects a really exciting aspect of AVMPI, which is that we get to develop how we work from the ground up! For instance, we just demolished an old counter to fit in more shelving and rack space. We have also been busy getting new and refurbished items to update and expand upon the equipment already available.

Transitioning from contract and project-based work is another huge shift for me in taking this position — which I am incredibly grateful for. The archives profession in general has experienced its own version of “the gig economy,” with many new positions being posted as short-term contracts or temporary, project-based roles. This kind of contingency is not only stressful to experience when you’re trying to pay off your student loans and make ends meet, it’s also fundamentally incompatible with the long-term focus of most archival work. Being a part of AVMPI allows me to dig deeper and make long-term plans for myself and my partner, as well as for the collections I’m working with. This big picture thinking is one of the things that makes AVMPI stand out to me as truly unique. This initiative has been a long time coming to fruition: it evolved from a pan-institutional survey, to a collections assessment, then a Task Force, and now we have a full complement of staff to make it all happen. AVMPI’s pan-institutional structure is another way this initiative differs from other large digitization projects. Our team serves assists units across the Smithsonian with the digitization of their media collections. Although there are other folks at the Smithsonian with AV experience, not every unit has an AV specialist on their permanent staff. There are also units which have the required equipment but need an outside vendor to service it. This is where AVMPI comes in! In addition to digitization, we help with basic repair and maintenance of AV equipment at the Smithsonian, advise on best practices for digitization workflows, and will eventually lead training to support sustainable collections care.

Me with the first Video8 tape we transferred for AVMPI!; iPhone photo: Brianna Toth

It also should be mentioned that a huge draw for me was the collections themselves. The video holdings across the collections at the Smithsonian comprise an incredible variety of formats and contents — taken as a whole, they document the history of video itself. Even though home video formats like VHS have come and gone, video is still a nostalgic touchstone for multiple generations. Like many others, I grew up watching music videos on MTV while eating my pop-tart in the morning, and had to beg for rides to my local video store before I could drive. But in part because video is obsolete, it is easy for people to forget what an impact it made historically and culturally. Sure, my parents’ excitement about my job probably stems more from me snagging a federal position (with a steady income and a retirement plan) than understanding what I heck I do. But, like a lot of people, they may also not realize that video is a medium in urgent need of preservation, just like motion picture film and audiotape. The vast majority of late twentieth and early twenty-first century history and events have been recorded on magnetic tape—a medium used by early television, artists, activists, and later made accessible to the general public for home viewing and personal memory-keeping. These tapes are historical documents and records of our collective memory.

AVMPI offers the opportunity to assess the Smithsonian’s video collections holistically, evaluate their current status, and create new workflows to support digitization, description, access, and use of these amazing resources. Our most recent streamcast, which featured videos from the National Air and Space Museum’s Sally K. Ride Papers, is a perfect example of this. Helping to educate the public further about the importance of preserving video and the equipment required to decode and access the content embedded within it is a necessary and important endeavor I am thrilled to be a part of with AVMPI.

Still from the Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park Videotape Collection, “SEQU/KICA #8550 Split Screen (Tape 12 of 13),” VHS, color, silent, undated

A Better Understanding of Atlas Bookbinding Techniques

Vanessa Haight Smith — Wed, 31 May 2023 14:00:58 +0000

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Preservation Team recently had the opportunity to participate in a three-day workshop exploring various binding techniques for atlas structures at our Book Conservation Lab in Landover, MD. The workshop was taught by Katherine Kelly, Senior Book Conservator at the Library of Congress where she has taught this course several times. Guided by Katherine, our preservation staff constructed atlas models with a variety of map folding patterns, attachment techniques, guarded structures, and compensation methods. The models are intended to be a reference source of binding options when addressing items within our collections in the future.

Katherine Kelly instructing Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Preservation staff on creating a complex fold cloth-lined map

Atlases are a collection of printed maps that are bound into a book. These often need to be unfolded to be viewed but could just be a page of thicker or stiffer material requiring a compensation stub at the gutter. In order for the structure to be balanced and for the book to open comfortably, the fold-out illustrations are attached to guards that are fanned out and raised above the neighboring pages. The length of the guard is crucial: irregular and short guards cause tension that can result in breaks along the stiff edge of the guard or stub. Compensation for the various thickness of folded maps is also a factor when binding an atlas. Irregularities can allow for preferential openings, creating damage elsewhere.

Example of damage owing to irregular or short guard attachment causing maps to break away

From Katherine Kelly’s thorough overview in the AIC Conservation Wiki:

“Each book is different, and some may need to open more than others because of their paper qualities or how the plates unfold. The sewing method and spine linings of course have an effect on the opening. In general, avoid oversewing or excessive spine linings, because the guards should fan out at the spine and assist with the opening of the plates.”

A normal order of assembly would be:

Make oversize guards
Fold them along the spine edge
Trim the excess width
Form gatherings, press
Adhere the plates so that everything is aligned to the head
Trim excess guard length at the tail
Sew, then round and back

Profile of assorted map attachments in a workshop model

The workshop participants’ book models incorporated several folding and guarding techniques: centerfold, squashed scroll, staggered edge fold, complex fold, stiff insert, bifolium cloth lined map, Mylar encapsulated map, and full apron map – to name a few.

While this structure is common for atlases, foldouts, and attachments appear in various genres of books. Putting our experience to the test, I treated a small 19th-century sample book of watercolor paints in the week following the workshop. The color samples were adhered to pages of inflexible cardstock that had broken away from the rest of the textblock.

A Descriptive Handbook of Modern Watercolors, 1887, shows the cardstock leaves broken from the textblock

I repaired this by using the stiff insert attachment method where the board is attached at the very edge to a flax paper guard, separated ¼” from a compensated stub the thickness of the board. The paper gap between the cardstock and stub allows the flexibility to turn the page, previously met with resistance by only the stiff board.

Diagram of the stiff-insert method used to repair these pages

Diagram showing profile view with the stiff cardstock attached to a flax paper guard

Detailed view showing new guard attachment

Many thanks to the Conservation Division of the Library of Congress for allowing Katherine to join us for this valuable training opportunity. And, thanks to Smithsonian Libraries and Archives for their support in hosting, preparation, and participation.

Completed workshop models

A Catalog Reveals a Special Sale of Horses

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 23 May 2023 13:00:50 +0000

The Trade Literature Collection covers a multitude of subjects. As might be expected, many of the catalogs advertise products. These might be items such as clothing, furniture, bicycles, or even chocolate machinery. Other catalogs offer a service, such as architectural designs for a home or travel services for a trip. Recently, a catalog announcing a sale of horses caught my attention.

The trade catalog is titled MacFarland’s Special Sale (1896) by Wm. MacFarland Co. It announced a sale of horses to take place in Philadelphia, PA on Wednesday, April 8, 1896. It was held at Philadelphia Tattersalls located at 21st and Market Streets.

The front cover announces that horses for sale included high-class, trotters, pacers, gentlemen’s roadsters, gentlemen’s horses for all purposes, and coach teams. It points out that some of these horses have records while others do not. It further explains that the horses with records “can beat them” and the horses without records “can beat 2.20.”

Wm. MacFarland Co., Bridgeton, NJ. MacFarland’s Special Sale (1896), front cover, unnumbered page [1].

There are no images of the horses. However, the catalog provides written descriptions of each horse including details such as its name, color, height, age or year it was foaled or born, etc. Other information includes lineage or family history of the horse, such as names of parents or previous generations.

Each entry includes a separate “Note” with extra information that a prospective owner might consider such as the horse’s disposition or details related to races. For example, in the “Note” for Anjou (below, No. 7), it mentions he was “nominated in the $16,000 Kentucky Guaranteed Stake and no starter has a better right to win it.” Anjou was a bay colt foaled in 1894.

It appears that each horse in this catalog was assigned a number based on the order in which it was to be introduced in the sale. Manerva, a bay mare, is listed as horse No. 1 (below). She was foaled several years earlier in 1890 and at the time of this sale was 16 hands tall.

The “Note” at the end of her entry provides a few more details regarding her disposition which is described as perfect and states, “Manerva is the kind of road horse that everybody wants, but so difficult to find.” It further emphasizes that “She needs to be seen and used to be appreciated and will please the most fastidious on day of sale.”

Wm. MacFarland Co., Bridgeton, NJ. MacFarland’s Special Sale (1896), unnumbered page [2], written descriptions for horses No. 1 – No. 8.

Another horse in this sale was a black gelding named Rarus (below, No. 14). He stood at 16 hands tall and had a cheerful disposition. Rarus was described as a gentleman’s road horse that “does not know how fast he can trot.”

The catalog continues with more descriptions of horses. It includes a dam named Lady Emma (below, No. 15). She was a chestnut mare at 15.3 hands tall. Lady Emma was “an ideal road mare” and described as the “best prospect ever sold in Philadelphia for a race mare if given a chance.” Foaled, or born, in 1889, she trotted very fast as a three-year-old. However, soon after that, she was bred. One of her foals was described as promising and had already been sold as a yearling.

Lady Emma’s other foal was a brown filly named Jane Pepper, also in this sale (below, No. 16). Foaled in 1894, she was a trotter. According to her entry, both Jane Pepper and her dam (or mother), Lady Emma, were ones to watch. It remarks that they were both “second to none of them in breeding or individuality.”

Wm. MacFarland Co., Bridgeton, NJ. MacFarland’s Special Sale (1896), unnumbered page [3], written descriptions for horses No. 8 – No. 17.

Tom and Jerry (below, Nos. 25 and 26) were a pair of horses, a brown coach team at 16 hands tall. These were six-year-old horses. It remarks that they were a cheerful pair and could “step along pretty well.”

No. 28 (below) was simply described as a bay mare, 15 ½ hands tall, and foaled in 1891. No name is given. There are several paragraphs regarding her lineage along with an “Owner’s Statement.” The statement explains that she had only been handled since December 16. However, this mare showed promise with a 2.30 gait. It mentions she was “a great road mare, and will make a great race mare.” The statement ends with the comment, “Trainers do not miss this mare for here is a rare blood.”

Wm. MacFarland Co., Bridgeton, NJ. MacFarland’s Special Sale (1896), unnumbered page [4], written descriptions for horses No. 17 – No. 32.

The final page of the catalog announces that these horses would be at Philadelphia Tattersalls beginning on Monday, April 6, 1896. That was two days prior to the sale, allowing these horses to be available for inspection or riding ahead of the sale. After the sale and before a horse left the premises, it was required that each horse be examined by a veterinary surgeon.

MacFarland’s Special Sale (1896) by Wm. MacFarland Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Join us for “AVMPI Presents: Lunch with Sally Ride” on May 25th

Erin Rushing — Tue, 16 May 2023 13:00:53 +0000

May 25th, 12 pm ET
Register via Zoom

Celebrate Dr. Sally K. Ride’s birthday and get excited for the 40th anniversary of her momentous space mission with our next AVMPI Presents program!

During this virtual lunchtime talk, we’ll hear from National Air and Space Museum Archivist Patti Williams and stream newly digitized audiovisual materials from the museum’s collections, digitized with support from the American Women’s History Initiative Pool fund. It’s going to be out of this world!

Patti Williams is the Acquisition Archivist, Digital Coordinator, and Deputy Chair for the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Archives, Smithsonian Institution. She has been a member of the Archives Division since 1989 and during her almost 34-year tenure as Acquisition Archivist, she has brought in over 3,800 collections relating to aviation and space, one of which is the Sally K. Ride Papers.

Register via Zoom

We are committed to providing access services so all participants can fully engage in these events. Optional real-time captioning will be provided. If you need other access services, please email SLA-RSVP@si.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated. This program will also be recorded and made available following the event.

Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty Given Simmons University Honorary Doctoral Degree

Liz O'Brien — Thu, 11 May 2023 14:29:49 +0000

Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty.

We are pleased to announce that Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty will receive an honorary doctoral degree from Simmons University on Friday, May 19, 2023. Director Tamar was nominated by the Simmons University Honorary Degree Committee and approved by the Board of Trustees. She will deliver a graduate keynote speech at the university’s 118th commencement ceremony.

Director Tamar’s honorary degree recognizes her “achievements as the inaugural Director of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, her record as an intellectual leader in the field of libraries and archives, her efforts to provide access and inclusion to the African-American diaspora for articles, letters, and collections, and her support for curators working to unpack the often-overlooked histories of diverse communities.”

“Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty’s work as an archivist and advocate and its impact on our collective historical memory in a critical moment of calls for social justice and racial equity will inspire our graduating students and their families,” said Dr. Lynn Perry Wooten, President, Simmons University.

Simmons has a long history of educating women for leadership. Director Tamar joins distinguished past honorees such as Marian Wright Edelman, Gwen Ifill, John Pendergrast, Ellen Goodman, Charlayne Hunter Gault, Elie Wiesel, Coretta Scott King, Maya Angelou, Anita Hill, Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Alexander, Billie Jean King, Abigail Disney, Michelle Alexander, Gina McCarthy, and Ayanna Pressley. Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty holds a Master of Science in information science from Simmons University’s School of Library and Information Science.

Congrats, Director Tamar!

Through the Loupe: A Staff Profile of CK Ming, NMAAHC Media Conservation and Digitization Specialist

Walter Forsberg — Wed, 03 May 2023 19:42:20 +0000

This is the fourth in a series of ongoing blog posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI), spotlighting the labor of Smithsonian media collections staff across the Institution. CK Ming currently serves as a Media Conservation and Digitization Specialist at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

Walter Forsberg: Hi CK! Always great to see you. Can you introduce yourself to our Unbound blog readers?

CK Ming: Hi Walter. Yes, I’m CK Ming. I’m a Media Conservation and Digitization Specialist at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. I’ve been working here for three years—it will be four, in July. I work with Blake McDowell, AJ Lawrence, and Ina Archer, who are my main team of folks. But I also work with staff from the Robert F. Smith Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History. Like my title says, I work on conservation and digitization of media collections. When I’m not onsite, I help create public programming for the Smith Center and the Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts (CAAMA). I also work on collections justifications.

WF: Can you tell us about what ‘collections justifications’ are?

CKM: Justifications are a museum tool that we research and write in order to acquire collections. They include the history of provenance for the objects or collection, statements about their significance, and rationales for why the museum might want to acquire them and how they might use or exhibit them in the future. I work with various curators on that research, and then the justification goes to the museum’s Collections Committee. They vote on whether, or not, to acquire it.

WF: Can you share something about recent acquisitions you’ve helped bring into the museum?

CKM: One of the first things I worked on was an audiocassette interview with Rosa Parks that a 16-year old student made, after Parks moved to Detroit. In it, Parks talks about her work in the Civil Rights movement, but also about what she thought were the major issues affecting African Americans at the time. I think the interview was conducted in the 1980s, so that was really cool and surprising. We’ve also had several home movie collections come in, which are always fun to work on. Oh, and also the opening animated credits to the Black Journal television show. That title sequence was for the intro they began using in the 1972 season, and was made by an animator named Carmen D’Avino. I think they came from a film laboratory closure. When labs go defunct, they often dispose of a lot of original film elements that were used for making copies.

WF: Yes, I seem to recall that those came from DuArt Labs in New York City. Maybe I even served as the official donor of record?

CKM: That’s right. Honestly, the thing that helped us the most in identifying those were the digitized episodes of every season of Black Journal that the American Archive of Public Broadcasting ended up putting online. I just trawled every season’s intro to find out when they were from and who made them. We also recently accessioned a cinema verité film made about James Baldwin when he lived in Turkey called, James Baldwin: From Another Place, made by Sedat Pakay. It’s only eleven minutes long but Pakay has other photos in the museum collection of Baldwin from that time. The voiceover is of Baldwin talking about America, and his thoughts about being an expat.

WF: I don’t think our job timelines overlapped at NMAAHC, but you did spend a week scanning home movies with us for your previous position in Chicago. Can you talk about some of your career path that led to you joining the museum?

CKM: Prior to NMAAHC I spent four years working for the South Side Home Movie Project at the University of Chicago. Jacqueline Stewart is the director and founder of that project, which collects home movies from residents of Chicago’s South Side. Working there was really fun and a good introduction to home movies and how they shape culture and can affect history. The collections capture historical moments from all of South Side Chicago’s 74 community areas, dating from the 1920s to the 1980s. I was very involved in building up that archive, getting physical and digital storage, creating a catalog, and—my proudest achievement—actually putting collections online in a publicly searchable website. Justin Williams has now taken the reins and is doing really great things with the project. That experience of running an archive really led me to the museum: inspecting film, digitizing media collections, and working with donors. It was great preparation for working on the museum’s Great Migration Home Movie Project.

WF: Tell us more about that inititiatve.

CKM: It’s an award-winning public program that we’re hoping to re-start after having paused during the pandemic. Families visiting the museum can drop off their home movies in the morning, and pick them up at the end of the day when they also receive a USB drive with digitized files of the material. The program has been a great source of African American home movies and I think we have digitized for over 100 families. People can look for that coming soon.

WF: I know that you worked at MoMA after graduate school, but can you speak a little bit about when your passion for film developed, growing up in St. Louis?

CKM: My passion for the cinema really started in high school when I saw Moulin Rouge! (Baz Luhrmann, 2001). It was like nothing I’d ever seen before and it sparked an interest in how movies were made, who makes them, and the variety of different roles people play in production. My undergrad degree from American University was in film production with a minor in cinema studies, and I took a great silent film course. One of the things my professor said that stuck with me was the fact less than 10% of films produced in the ‘silent era’ survive. It led me to think about black filmmaking in that period, after discovering the work of Oscar Micheaux—one of the earliest black film directors, who made Within Our Gates (1920). If only 10% of that era’s film survive, then it must be closer to 2% of black films that survive. I applied to grad school and studied film preservation at NYU.

WF: It’s fascinating to look back on how nuanced experiences and personal encounters have helped to direct our lives’ paths, isn’t it?

CKM: Thinking back on it, now, my grandmother was a librarian and so is one of my aunts. Two of my great aunts were, as well, so I suppose I took over the family business.

WF: Our Unbound readership will appreciate those librarianship shout-outs! Can you talk about what it’s like working at the Smithsonian? I’m always curious about people’s impression of it before, and after, they work here.

CKM: Well, my Aunt Terrell is an early childhood educator and she actually worked at the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center. I remember visiting DC with my family and Aunt Terrell gave us a behind-the-scenes tour. I was nine or ten years old, and everything we saw was incredibly cool. It’s amazing to have ended up working here. I find this work so rewarding because of the large group of A-V archivists I get to interface with. In my previous jobs I was often the only person working with audiovisual collections, but here I can bounce ideas off my numerous colleagues in AVAIL [the Smithsonian’s audiovisual archivists working group], or pass by another unit’s laboratory to see how they approach similar problems that I might be facing.

Still image from the NMAAHC’s Lubertazzi Collection of home movies.

WF: Can you share any specific challenges you’re working on at the moment? Do you have any ‘soapbox topics’ you feel like sharing?

CKM: One recent soapbox I’ve been thinking a lot about came up last week when some graduate students toured the museum conservation lab. It surrounds the fact that none of the legacy media formats we work with were ever made to capture footage of people with darker skin tones. So, how do we—as archivists—reckon with that? And what are we doing in preservation and restoration projects to account for that? When color correcting scanned amateur film footage, sometimes we’ll adjust the slider and discover people in the frame who weren’t being picked up by the film’s exposure. I’m trying to figure out how to create a larger conversation about that in our A-V archiving community.

WF: That seems particularly relevant, too, given the current online Reddit craze of colorizing old black and white footage and photographs.

CKM: With moving images it’s often particularly bad because people so rarely link back to the original artifact or footage. I’ve seen so many Twitter posts where, say, a snowball fight from 1896 is colorized, but nowhere is it mentioned that the footage was originally black and white. As the archivists, how can we best frame the topic of authenticity in a world of AI, and get the original material out there so people have the context that color photography did not exist at that point?

WF: What are your upcoming projects?

CKM: I’m really excited about the upcoming year, restarting the Great Migration Home Movie Project and bringing the community archiving workshop model to organizations in need across the country.

NMAAHC Media Conservation and Digitization Specialist CK Ming leads a community archiving workshop in December 2022 with the James Solomon Russell/Saint Paul’s College Museum & Archives.

Using Motion to Create Space in Libraries

Alexia MacClain — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 13:00:12 +0000

It seems as if libraries have always had the challenge of shelving more books in less space. How did libraries in the late 19th century deal with space constraints? One possibility involves motion.

This trade catalog is titled Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Bureau (1894) by Library Bureau. It advertises everything from large pieces of furniture such as card catalogs to small supplies like fountain pens. On the title page, the catalog is referred to as “A handbook of library and office fittings and supplies.”

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Bureau (1894), title page.

One piece of furniture featured is the revolving bookcase. It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when dealing with limited space, but it does offer ideas for creating extra space. There are two types of revolving bookcases described in this catalog, the Danner Revolving Bookcase and the Sargent Rotary Bookcase.

The Danner Revolving Bookcase was available in several styles. Each provided a slightly different amount of shelving space, but all shared the same basic principles. Shaped like a column with books shelved on all four sides, it revolved with just a simple touch of the hand. The catalog mentions that people have asked if a round bookcase revolves in a smaller amount of space than a square bookcase with projecting corners. According to this catalog, a square bookcase forms “a solid column of books, and nothing more compact is possible.”

Besides shelving books upright, Danner Revolving Bookcases also included space to shelve oversize items lying flat. This might be on a completely open top shelf or an “open deck” which was an upper shelf with four open sides. As illustrated below (bottom), some bookcases included both.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Bureau (1894), page 142, 73a-b Danner Revolving Bookcase and 73c-d Open Deck Danner Revolving Bookcase.

Shown below is the Standard Danner Revolving Bookcase. It was constructed of antique oak, natural cherry, or walnut wood. The catalog labels the different versions as 73h-k, and each one provided varying amounts of shelving space. These bookcases had two to five sections, or tiers, of shelving.

Each section, or tier, consisted of four shelves which wrapped around the bookcase covering all four sides and providing a total of 56 inches of space in each section. Each shelf was 10 inches high except for the bottom shelves which were 12 inches in height.

Hundreds of books could be shelved on these revolving bookcases and then the bookcases placed in an out-of-the-way area while remaining accessible with just a quick spin. As the catalog explains, “Two cases behind a study chair are out of the way, but bring within instant reach of the hand 400 volumes of books, or their equivalent in other objects.”

According to this catalog, bookcase 73j was tested by filling only one side with 180 pounds while the other three sides remained empty. Even with the disproportionate weight, the bookcase revolved just as well after two months of testing as it did before the test.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Bureau (1894), page 145, 73h-k Standard Danner Revolving Bookcase.

The Danner Revolving Bookcase was available with an adjustable book rest (below, bottom). The self-acting ratchet allowed the book rest to be positioned at any angle. This was a handy option for those who might want to quickly consult an oversize reference book, such as a dictionary or atlas.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Bureau (1894), page 143, 73e-g Champion Danner Revolving Bookcase and 73g2 Danner Revolving Bookcase.

The other type of revolving bookcase advertised in this catalog is the Sargent Rotary Bookcase. It also revolved but was constructed a bit differently than the Danner. It included a ball-bearing turntable, illustrated below (top), which carried the weight of the bookcase. The balls were connected by rotary axles. As the catalog explains, “The claim for these is that the rotary movement being obtained at the bottom of the case, there is no upright to warp and throw out of plumb, and thus revolve unevenly.”

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Bureau (1894), page 146, Sargent Rotary Bookcases with a view of the ball-bearing turntable and 73s2 Rotary Bookcase.

Just like the Danner Revolving Bookcase, these Rotary Bookcases were available in a variety of sizes. Bookcase 73s4 (below, bottom) consisted of a total of nine shelves. This provided a total of eight feet of shelving. Four of the shelves measured 20 inches each and were placed on opposite sides of the bookcase, so that two shelves were on each of those opposite sides. These shelves ran the full width of the bookcase.

Every bit of space was used. This included the small amount of space on the other two sides of the bookcase, located between the backs of the four full-width shelves. As shown in the illustration below (bottom), the two remaining sides held four shorter shelves. The ninth shelf was an open shelf on top of the bookcase. This was a convenient spot for shelving oversize books lying flat.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Bureau (1894), unnumbered page [147], 73s3 and 73s4 Rotary Bookcases.

The adjustable shelf attachment (above, bottom) was a conveniently placed option for users who needed extra space to consult a book or a place to write. It was adjustable to any angle and did not interfere with retrieving books. However, it also provided a shelf extension. If adjusted to a position level with the top of the bookcase, it provided additional space for oversize books by extending the top shelf. Though revolving bookcases may not initially appear to create large amounts of extra space, every inch helps!

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Bureau (1894), page 148, 73s5 Rotary Bookcase and descriptions of 73s4 Rotary Bookcase and Adjustable Shelf Attachment (both pictured on the previous page).

Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Bureau (1894) and other trade catalogs by Library Bureau are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Interested in more revolving bookcases from the late 19th Century? Check out another style in this post about the Yost Consolidated Revolving Circular Bookcase.

When Middle East Met West

Vanessa Haight Smith — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 13:00:08 +0000

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives exhibition, Nature of the Book, looks at the natural materials and evolving techniques in bookbinding from 1450-1850 as illustrated by our collections. As the exhibition emphasizes, the form of the European book could not have happened without the trade of natural materials to Europe from different parts of the globe – primarily Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. That trade was the direct result of the Arab conquests and cultural expansion into Central Asia and other areas. The products were exchanged through centuries of global expansion that accompanied vibrant intellectual and craft development. Ideas, aesthetic and practical, traveled along with the trade of materials that created the Islamic binding style. The effect of all this on Europe was profound, and like much else, bookbinding was transformed.

Goods such as goatskin, flax-based paper, and minerals for pigments entered Europe through Arabic trade routes. Artistic influences incorporated decorative marbled papers and gold tooling into Western binding practices.

Early books of North and East Africa were comprised of sheets of papyrus or parchment sewn onto plain wood boards. Arabic craftspeople added leather covering to the books, often made from tanned goatskin, that completely wrapped around the boards and spine. The books often included a characteristic envelope flap used as a page marker. The Islamic book structure generally resembles a modern hardcover book, using a binding style recognizable to many today.

Goatskin cover for Qur’an, likely Syrian, later 1800’s.

What may not be generally known is that contemporaneous to this binding style, paper became one of the most far-reaching cultural influences offered by Arab trade and expansion. Paper has been the preferred and most familiar surface for writing and printing for centuries. It could be made quickly in large quantities. Paper was light and flexible, and it easily received type setting and inks following the development of movable type in the 15th century. As a result, it eventually replaced the use of costly parchment, made from animal skins.

Modern paper can be traced to Central Asia about the 8th century, when fibers from various plants like flax and hemp were woven into linen. The textile waste was shredded, mixed with water, and beaten to make pulp. Sheets of rag paper were formed when the pulp was dried on a screen. The shredding and pulping technique moved to this area from China where, several centuries earlier, hand-made papermaking directly used the long fibers from sub-tropical plants that were similarly shredded and beaten into a pulp.

Muslim settlements in the region of Samarkand adopted this new papermaking method which spread to Iran, Turkey, India, Africa, and Europe, making the Arabic world the largest producer and trader of this versatile linen rag paper. The Italian paper mill Fabriano mastered Arabic methods of paper making learned by the Spanish, shifting the source of fine paper to a European market by the 15th century. A 600-year old volume printed on Fabriano paper is featured in the exhibition.

De re militari (1532). These illustrations are printed on Fabriano paper which is recognized for its clarity, brightness, and flexibility. The Fabriano mills date from the 13th century when Arab paper-making traditions reached Italy.

The paper pages in Islamic binding structures were coated with sizing using plant starches and burnished with stone pestles or glass balls leaving a shiny surface. Organic plant-based dyes were used to color the pulp. Calligraphic manuscript was used with intricately colored designs and images, using precious minerals for color and gold illumination. Gold leaf was traditionally used to embellish the pages of Islamic religious manuscripts. Qur’ans were considered prized possessions and the use of gold was a sign of their importance.

Qur ʾan (partial), Qajar-period Iran, 1800’s. Sheets of gold were used to decorate manuscript pages made of burnished paper.

Goatskin covers dyed bright colors with ornate gold tooling and decorative colored marbled paper that was borrowed from Arabic book design, became increasingly popular by the 16th century in Europe, introduced by goods traded through Italian ports.

Amphitheatrvm æternæ (1615). Dyed goatskin and the craft of gold tooling were imported to Europe via Italian ports trading with North Africa and the Middle East.

A sophisticated level of design and decoration, in addition to the use of paper, allowed Arabs to enhance the functional and artistic improvements that have had a lasting impact in the development of the book.

Through the Loupe: A Staff Profile of Audiovisual Archives Specialist Analiese Oetting

Walter Forsberg — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 13:00:13 +0000

This is the third in a series of ongoing blog posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI), spotlighting the labor of Smithsonian media collections staff across the Institution. Analiese Oetting currently serves as Audiovisual Archives Specialist (contractor) with the National Museum of American History’s Archives Center (NMAH-AC).

Audiovisual Archives Specialist Analiese Oetting with the National Museum of American History’s Archives Center film collections.

Walter Forsberg: Hi Analiese, thanks for meeting today. Can you tell our Unbound readership where you’re working, today?

Analiese Oetting: Hi Walter. Yes, of course, I am in my office at ‘American History,’ which I am actually rarely in. Usually I work downstairs doing film inspection. But, we are moving spaces soon and they will be tearing down the area we’re in right now. The designer just sent tile swatch samples, and I think the renovated space will have less of a ‘dungeon vibe’ to it. [Laughs]

WF: Oh, that’s wonderful news. The basement of American History is a very historic space for film and media. If I remember correctly, that’s where the Office of Public Relations film and broadcasting section was located, beginning in 1967. There used to be a television studio there, even earlier, dating to when the building was first opened as the Museum of History and Technology in 1961…

AO: Yes, there are still several ‘Recording in Progress’ signs around, but no one’s recording much these days. It’s mainly me and the contractors installing a new fire alarm. [Laughs]

Décor in the lower levels of the National Museum of American History reveal remnants of the Smithsonian’s in-house film production past.

WF: Can you speak a little bit about your role in working with audiovisual collections at the Smithsonian?

AO: I am the Audiovisual Archives Specialist (contractor), which is a touch misleading given that my current job is focused solely on working with the motion picture film collections. I’ve been here on contract for the past eight months and one of my main projects is inspecting and creating an item-level inventory of all film collections at the Archives.

WF: That’s such a key and elemental thing to create when it comes to audiovisual archives.

AO: Completely. Once we created that item-level inventory, it made looking at the collections and determining priorities for digitization much easier. The project funding my job is called, “Capturing the Moment,” and is supported by the generous National Collections Program. It has a focus on home movie collections and we’re getting close to the large-scale vendor digitization phase. In the next few months, we’ll start sending films to a vendor on a rolling basis. Hollywood director George Sidney’s home movies will be among the first material, which are really interesting. Usually home movie collections are shot by amateur filmmakers, which can be their principal appeal, but these were shot by a professional filmmaker. If you’re someone interested in the ‘golden age’ of Hollywood you will find these extremely fascinating. We’re also planning to scan the home movies of composer Harry Warren, with whom I’m less familiar. We’re looking at scanning about 75,000 feet of film.

WF: Jeepers Creepers! That’s over 30 hours of material! I’m so pumped for that.

AO: Getting it all into the DAMS [Digital Asset Management System] and creating access for those films is always our obvious goal.

Audiovisual Archives Specialist Analiese Oetting hard at work inspecting film collections.

WF: While you work on all the procurement paperwork for that vendor-based scanning, I understand that you and NMAH Digital Archivist Leigh Gialanella are also digitizing some films as part of something called—correct me if I’m wrong—‘Scan Club’? Are you allowed to talk about Scan Club, or does that violate some rule of secrecy?

AO: Yes, Scan Club. I love Scan Club. It started because we needed a few things digitized for the AVMPI January Zoom with a View streamcast event. Thanks to NMAAHC’s [National Museum of African American History and Culture’s] Media Conservator Blake McDowell we were able to go next door and scan some old DuMont Television advertisements. First of all, it’s really lovely to be able to scan film in-house because of the slowness associated with federal procurement contracting with a vendor. With Scan Club we’re able to show up, scan film, get some stuff back immediately, and feel like we’re actually digitizing collections—all within the same day. It’s also incredible to get out of the museum basement, visit colleagues at another unit, and open dialogue. ‘What are you working on?’ ‘How do you do that?’ Meeting new people and faces— The fellowship of comparing notes in-person about projects is really nice, especially after the pandemic.

WF: Wow! I know that striving to be ‘Nimble’ is a key focus of Smithsonian Secretary Bunch’s five-year “Our Shared Future” strategic plan, and same-day film scanning sure sounds like it fits the bill! Can you talk about some of the recent films you’ve scanned?

AO: Last week, we scanned 16mm television kinescope film recordings from the Hills Bros. Collection. It is an interesting collection, and has a little bit of everything—home movies, baseball games, factory footage, promotional films, and even a few reels from a television program called, Shirley Temple’s Storybook from 1958. Hills Bros. coffee was a sponsor of many TV shows and the collection represents the breadth of materials you find in Archives Center.

Advert sponsoring pre-game program, Lead Off Man with Vince Lloyd, broadcast May 13, 1962 live from Wrigley Field on WGN-TV. Collection item # Reel OF 395.13, Hills Bros. Coffee Company, Incorporated Records, 1856-1989, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.

WF: I was researching about the Hills Bros.-sponsored 1962 TV program, Meet Me at Disneyland, and it appears that yours might be the only-known copy in existence. While the show was a little underwhelming and heavy on the Dixieland, the sequence of Fred MacMurray playing saxophone was satisfyingly curious.

AO: It’s always cool to know you have something unique. It’s always interesting to see what might pop up in a collection because even if you’re not necessarily interested in Hills Bros. Coffee. Having these little appearances by public figures like Walt Disney and Fred MacMurray that haven’t been widely seen by a modern audience is nice to have and fun to share!

End credit title card from the 1962 KTTV television program, Meet Me at Disneyland, broadcast June 9, 1962. Collection item # Reel OF 395.12, Hills Bros. Coffee Company, Incorporated Records, 1856-1989, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.

Actor Fred MacMurray plays saxophone on the 1962 KTTV television program, Meet Me at Disneyland, broadcast June 9, 1962. Collection item # Reel OF 395.12, Hills Bros. Coffee Company, Incorporated Records, 1856-1989, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.

WF: Can you speak about how you got interested in audiovisual archiving, and what your career trajectory has been?

AO: I was always super interested in film, and took film studies courses at York University during my undergrad. Like many fresh-faced 18 years olds in film school I thought I wanted to be a filmmaker. But, eventually it became clear at a certain point that I didn’t want to be a filmmaker, and I wasn’t super interested in academia or pursuing a PhD in cinema studies. I came across this program at Ryerson University—now, called Toronto Metropolitan University—for ‘Film Preservation and Collections Management’ and thought: this sounds cool as hell. I applied and got in, and when I got there everything really clicked into place. I was, like: ‘This is it!’ The program is very committed to providing internships and residency training.

WF: What were some of your practicuum experiences like?

AO: I did my internship at the Art Gallery of Ontario, working with a film collection they have from the 1960s and 70s of works by Canadian filmmakers—David Rimmer, Michael Snow, Joyce Wieland. There was a lot of time on the film bench, assessing condition and performing inspection. It was really nice to get that hands-on film handling experience. Then, I spent six months for my residency at the Vancouver Cinematheque in their film archive. The people there are lovely, they do great programming, and I undertook a lot of detective work about who donated specific films and updating their film database. That was also a reality check for me because it was messy—films don’t always show up, beautifully wound onto cores and in good condition.

WF: Did you have other archival jobs before arriving at the Smithsonian?

AO: In 2019 I got a job at the Sundance Institute straight out of grad school, working in their archives as a Digital Assets Assistant. That really blew my mind, and the job involved processing born-digital photos of current year-round events and programs and then also working on getting some of the older scanned materials into the DAMs. For a lot of that older stuff there’s no metadata, so most of that job is detective work, looking at past festival photos and figuring out: ‘Who’s that?’ ‘What film premiere was this?’ I really love that kind of work. In addition to festival materials, the Institute has saved a lot of documentation of their lab programs back to 1981.

WF: What are you working on next at the Archives Center?

AO: Day-to-day I’m always working on processing film collections, creating and updating finding aids for the the materials, working with interns to get things rehoused and also starting to document workflows and processes as I go along to sort of keep things consistent moving forward. We’re obviously very focused on our home movie preservation project at the moment, but always trying to identify other materials that need preservation, how best to get it done and how to make it accessible.

Three New Members Join Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board

Liz O'Brien — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:00:00 +0000

The Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents recently appointed Evelyn Dilsaver, Cathy Heron and David H. Lipsey to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board. They join 17 prominent community and business leaders dedicated to building the Libraries and Archives’ collections, increasing digital initiatives, advancing education, progressing library and archival preservation, creating high-quality exhibitions and programs, and securing a financial legacy.

“I am excited to welcome three distinguished new members to our Advisory Board,” said Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty, director, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. “They each will bring diverse expertise and strengths to our work, furthering the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ important mission and reach with local and global audiences alike.”

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board consists of members from across the United States. The mission of the board is to help the organization to provide authoritative information, steward the Smithsonian’s institutional memory and create innovative services and programs for Smithsonian researchers, scholars, scientists, curators, archivists, historians and other staff, as well as the public at large.

Evelyn Dilsaver

A CPA at Ernst, Evelyn spent the first 17 years of her career in the audit and finance function as Controller for a bank and for Charles Schwab and as CFO and Chief Administrative Officer for U.S. Trust, a wealth management firm. She was given the opportunity to hone her skills in marketing, business development, strategy, M&A and product development, culminating in the role of EVP of Charles Schwab, member of the Management Committee and President and CEO of Charles Schwab Investment Management.

Evelyn is a recognized leader in building motivated teams in the public and non-profit worlds. As President and CEO of Charles Schwab Investment Management she was responsible for all aspects of the business, growing the assets to over $200 billion while generating $1 billion in revenue.

Recognized in the community for her leadership, she has received San Francisco Business Times “100 Most Influential Woman” award, 2003-2009; CSU 2008 East Bay Alumnae of the year; 2014 “Outstanding Director;” and in 2018, Most Inspired Award by the SF Business Times. In 2016, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Cal State University East Bay, NASDAQ 100 Directors in 2019 and a NACD directorship 100 Honoree for 2020. She is also a frequent guest speaker and panelist on board of director topics at NACD Global and Chapter events, Women Corporate Director events and on-boarding boot camps for aspiring directors. She also speaks on leadership skills at Employee Resource Groups and University MBA programs and as a moderator for programs at The Commonwealth Club.

Evelyn has served on several public and private boards and currently serves on public company boards for Tempur Sealy (TPX), Health Equity (HQY) and Quidel/Ortho (QDEL); global consulting firm Protiviti and Bailard REIT; and leadership roles in several non-profit boards, including as former Chair of The Commonwealth Club and of the Blue Shield Foundation, and Co-Chair of Women Corporate Directors Advisory Board. She formerly served on the boards of Blue Shield of California, Long Drugs, Tamalpais Bancorp, Aeropostale, High Mark Funds and the National Association of Corporate Directors NorCal chapter. She is a graduate of CSU East Bay and the Stanford Senior Executive Program.

Cathy Heron

Cathy is a retired attorney with more than 40 years of experience in the investment management, tax and retirement regulatory fields. At the Capital Group Companies, one of the 10 largest investment management firms in the world, she served as General Counsel to Capital Bank and Trust, a trust bank for retirement assets and high net-worth individuals, and as a Senior Vice-President of the Fund Business Management Group of Capital Research and Management Company, the investment adviser to the American Funds. She was a founding member of the groups that established the largest 529 college savings plan in the nation and the American Funds industry-leading target date retirement funds. She also served as chair of Capital Group’s Retirement Plan Committee, responsible for administering plans covering more than 7,000 employees.

Prior to working at the Capital Group, Cathy was Senior Vice-President for Tax, Pension and International issues at the Investment Company Institute, the trade association for the US mutual fund industry. While living in Washington, she also worked in the Washington oﬃce of a major New York law firm, the national tax oﬃce of one of the largest international accounting firms and at the US Department of Labor, where she served as Special Assistant to the Solicitor of Labor.

Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College, her J.D. from Boston University School of Law and an LLM in taxation from Georgetown University Law School.

Cathy and her husband, Al Schneider, divide their time between homes in Manhattan Beach, Calif. and Arlington, Va.

David H. Lipsey

David H. Lipsey is a principal consultant and advisor working internationally on creating value from organizations’ digital assets – and setting in place the organizational and strategic processes to achieve success with this.  David has been involved with the field of digital asset management (DAM) since its inception in 1998 and is a global leader in the field.  

David’s work in DAM informs a deep experience in a diversity of both public and private sectors as well as content “types” – print, images, graphics, audio, video, CAD, aesthetic, medical, and software (gaming/VR/AR/data) assets.  He is well known as a leader in setting the ever-changing context for how “digital” goes to work – and works in service of mission.   

His work in the non-profit world includes the Library of Congress’s foundational National Digital Library, The Getty, The National Gallery of Art, The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Sesame Workshop, The Ringling Museum, The PBS NewsHour, The National Board of Medical Examiners, WGBH (Boston), WNET (New York City) and many others.    

His particular focus on digital content includes extensive work with insights gleaned from private sector experience with companies as diverse as General Motors, Hasbro, Lands’ End, HBO, Disney, PVH, Sony Music, Feld Entertainment, Garmin, A+E, Penguin Random House, The New York Times, Pearson and dozens more help to inform the meanings and value of DAM.   

Previously, along with founding senior consulting roles, David served as Industry Principal for Media & Entertainment for SAP and was, prior to that, a Co-Founder of one of the first and still-leading providers of enterprise DAM software.  

He serves as the Global Chair of the international DAM Conferences known as “The Art and Practice of Managing Digital Media”, including the global (virtual) conferences on DAM for Museums, attended in the past three years by more than 6,000 Museum, Library, Archive and Performing Arts professionals from 75 countries; he is a principal co-author of the widely used Digital Asset Management Capability Model, and a sought-after speaker in DAM. David co-founded the Rutgers University Professional Certificate in Digital Asset Management and is the Academic co-Director and an instructor. David was named the Rutgers University School of Communication & Information Sciences Instructor of the Year in May 2021. He is a frequent guest lecturer at numerous universities about DAM and is a co-founder of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Lab for Excellence in DAM.  

David is a graduate of Phillips Academy (Andover, Mass.) and New College (Sarasota, Fla.).  He resides in McLean, Va.  

How To Take a Product Line on the Road

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:00:13 +0000

In the early 20th Century, a knock on the door might have come from a salesperson offering the latest in cosmetics or household supplies. How did salespeople at that time display their product line? What kind of vehicle did they use? A circa 1919 J. R. Watkins Co. trade catalog offers a few ideas.

The trade catalog is titled Catalogue and Price List of Wagons (circa 1919) by J. R. Watkins Co. As might be guessed from the catalog title, it mainly illustrates wagons. However, it also includes product sample cases for Watkins salesmen to carry when visiting customers.

J. R. Watkins Co., Winona, MN. Catalogue and Price List of Wagons (circa 1919), front cover, company administration building.

As the catalog points out, first impressions can make a difference. It explains, “The man who is bright and neat and who drives up with a lively team and a handsome Watkins wagon finds his battle half won.” For that reason, J. R. Watkins Co. offered their salesmen specific types of wagons which were lettered with the Watkins name, salesman’s name, and types of products sold, such as extracts, spices, perfumes, etc. This was a form of advertising, and as the catalog further emphasizes, a Watkins wagon “will quickly pay for itself.”

The Watkins wagons were built by DeKalb Wagon Co. of DeKalb, Illinois. These wagons were ordered by J. R. Watkins Co. in large quantities and then sold to the Watkins salesmen. In the catalog, J. R. Watkins Co. explains that they sold the “wagon for cash at about what it costs us ordering in large quantities.”

For salesmen who preferred not to pay by cash, another option was offered at a higher cost. This was to buy it “on time” and charge it to their account along with goods ordered. In this situation, the salesman’s sureties were also required to sign the order.

What were the benefits of buying a Watkins wagon? For one thing, these wagons provided a convenient option for displaying products. A handy shelf was created by simply opening the rear door. The hinges of the rear door were at the bottom, allowing it to open out and making it level with the bottom of the body of the wagon. This created a shelf, or display area, for showing products to customers. The wagon illustrated below, labeled as Watkins Wagon Nos. 17 to 20, shows the shelf created from the rear door. For security purposes, the door had a lock and key.

J. R. Watkins Co., Winona, MN. Catalogue and Price List of Wagons (circa 1919), unnumbered pages [4-5], Watkins Wagon Nos. 17 to 20 and reasons to buy a Watkins Wagon.

Besides a place to display product samples when visiting customers, the shelf might also have been used as a workspace for organizing products in the wagon’s storage compartments, bins, and drawers.

As shown in the illustration below, four drawers were located above the rear door/pull-out shelf. Above those drawers, there was a supply bin. It was accessible from the driver’s seat. Another compartment or bin was located under the driver’s seat while four additional drawers and a bin were situated in front of the driver’s seat.

The catalog mentions the Watkins wagon will “quickly pay for itself.” How was that possible? Perhaps by using the wagon itself as a means for advertising. This was accomplished through custom lettering on the exterior of the wagon.

J. R. Watkins Co., Winona, MN. Catalogue and Price List of Wagons (circa 1919), unnumbered page [4], Watkins Wagon Nos. 17 to 20.

The wagon drew attention to the Watkins name in various ways. As shown in the above illustration, the company name “WATKINS” was painted towards the top of the rear of the wagon. It was also painted on the front of the wagon. A colored lithographed transfer was placed on the side of the wagon with a picture of Mr. J. R. Watkins, the founder of the company, along with an image of the company’s plant buildings in Winona, Minnesota.

J. R. Watkins Co., Winona, MN. Catalogue and Price List of Wagons (circa 1919), unnumbered page [12], company’s main office, laboratories, factories, and warehouses.

To further emphasize the company name, “WATKINS PRODUCTS” was lettered beneath the image of the company buildings. The name of the salesman and his address, such as city and state, were painted on the rear of the wagon above the door. Advertising the company’s ability to sell directly to customers, the wagon included lettering on the side near the top which read “DIRECT TO CONSUMER.”

The wagon also advertised the variety of Watkins products sold by their salesmen. Painted on the wagon’s lower front panel were the words, “EXTRACTS, SPICES, TOILET SOAPS, PERFUMES” while “STOCK & POULTRY TONIC” was painted on the lower side panel by the door. The Watkins wagon below (bottom), labeled as Watkins Wagon, Nos. 57 to 60, is lettered with “WATKINS REMEDIES” on its side. Overall, the wagon was painted in russet, a reddish-brown color.

J. R. Watkins Co., Winona, MN. Catalogue and Price List of Wagons (circa 1919), unnumbered page [7], Watkins Wagon Nos. 17 to 20 high gear and Watkins Wagon Nos. 57 to 60 high gear.

What happened when a Watkins salesman arrived at a customer’s home? How did he present items for sale? Perhaps he set them out on the rear wagon door/shelf or maybe he used a Watkins Sample Case. Sample cases provided a way to carry products to customers in a neat and organized manner. J. R. Watkins Co. offered two sizes, a small and large case. The small case measured 18 inches long, 12 ¾ inches high, and 6 ½ inches wide while dimensions for the large case were 17 ½ inches long, 18 inches high, and 7 inches wide. When filled, the large case weighed 46 pounds and the small case weighed 27 pounds.

Its exterior was covered with a waterproof vulcanized fiber trimmed with brass on each corner while the interior was fitted with black waterproof lining. The cases had a leather covered handle, three clasps to open and close, and a lock.

J. R. Watkins Co., Winona, MN. Catalogue and Price List of Wagons (circa 1919), unnumbered page [10], Watkins small and large sample cases (closed views) and large sample case (filled open view).

For extra strength, each case was fitted with a steel rod extending “from top to bottom through the partitions near the handle and the beveled edges of the case where it closes.” The interior of each case included partitions to securely store products of varying sizes, though, as shown below, the right side of the small case did not have partitions.

J. R. Watkins Co., Winona, MN. Catalogue and Price List of Wagons (circa 1919), unnumbered page [11], Watkins small sample case (filled open view).

J. R. Watkins Co. recommended both the large and small cases to their salesmen because one case did not fit everything. The catalog even suggests locations in the wagon to stow these cases. The large case fit in the front of the wagon between the seat and front bins along the door lengthwise while the small case could be placed on the seat next to the driver. This provided ample foot space for the salesman.

Catalogue and Price List of Wagons (circa 1919) by J. R. Watkins Co. and other trade catalogs by J. R. Watkins Medical Co. are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

AVMPI: Building Upon a Sound Foundation

Dan Hockstein — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 18:53:18 +0000

It’s an enormous opportunity and a personal thrill to join the pan-Institutional Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI). I’m excited to explore and work with some of the collections our team will digitize, preserve, and help to make accessible. As the Audio Preservation Specialist for AVMPI, I’m eager to ensure audio collections held here at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives – and across the broader Smithsonian – will be available in the future, as the initiative moves forward and fulfills its goals.

My interests in recorded sound preservation stem from my background as an audio engineer and musician, working in record stores, radio, live sound, and recording my friends and community. Socializing with “sound people” and learning about their interests has always been one of the most enjoyable elements of working in the audio world. In my travels, work, and crate-digging adventures, I’ve realized that so much of our recorded sound heritage has an incredible story to tell. In many cases, the most fascinating material never resurfaced beyond its original release format, did not get the full-scale production it deserved, or was on entirely non-commercial media in an archive. Preservation work felt like a great way to combine my audio engineering skill set with my interest in preserving these stories.

I arrive at the Smithsonian with some experience under my belt at other cultural heritage institutions, a digitization vendor, and academic libraries. My beginning as a career preservationist happened to start toward the beginning of recorded sound itself. I handled audio materials working as a volunteer at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park audio archive, which was close to my childhood home in New Jersey. Through digitization, some cataloging, and watching curator Gerald Fabris work, I had my first glimpse into what it looked like to meet best practices and keep things organized. From there, I was hired at a preservation vendor that was facilitating bulk digitization for Edison materials. I led the quality control team and learned about more complex workflow development and iteration. Acting as the final checkpoint for many incredible projects, including some Smithsonian work, I learned about metadata and transfer errors. After my time at the vendor, I moved to the University of North Carolina to perform audio preservation and reformatting under the leadership of the top-notch team at the Southern Folklife Collection. While at UNC, I obtained an Information Science master’s degree, which bolstered my understanding of many of the more formal information processes that happen in a large organization. I had a wonderful time working last summer as a Junior Fellow at the Library of Congress working with Kate Murray on the Sustainability of Digital Formats website — this provided some fantastic insight into practical elements of digital preservation and file format structure. Prior to arriving at the Smithsonian, I was in Columbus, Ohio, leading the beginning stages of The Ohio State University’s audiovisual digitization and preservation program.

Reconfiguring the audio setup at the NMAI Cultural Resource Center. Photo: Siobhan Hagan

In my new role as Audio Preservation Specialist, I’m tasked with handling and facilitating the stabilization and preservation reformatting of many pieces of material — tapes, cartridges, discs, cylinders, belts, and more. I’ll also develop and undertake quality control for our audio digitization processes. AVMPI’s goal of serving as a centralized resource means that some of my first priorities are to shape unified standards and workflows, such as file embedded metadata and tape baking and cleaning. I have also been evaluating much of our audio equipment and performing minor repairs to ensure AVMPI obtains quality reformatting results. I hope to serve as an advocate throughout the Institution for its audio collections, building upon the great work already happening at Smithsonian in this domain, with many of our Task Force members providing helpful advice and context. Collaboration across the Institution with Smithsonian staff across AVMPI’s various labs and priorities will be a key part of supporting the Initiative.

I have encountered many moments that resonate personally with why I (and, I’d imagine, many of us) make careers out of preservation: recordings of people who may have known relatives of mine; rare documentation of important historical events; incredible multitrack recordings and demos of some of my favorite music; fascinating technological experimentations in the concept of taking moving air particles and wrangling them into some other domain — whether it be grooves, tiny magnetic specks, or light.

Ensuring one of our Tascam compact cassette decks is ready for preservation use. Photo: David Walker

One of my strongest passions in this field is extending our preservation practices into the technical information necessary to perform this work. Ensuring the longevity of specialized knowledge surrounding the unsupported legacy equipment we use to migrate our audiovisual cultural heritage is an urgent need. As a “digital native” who came of age in an era of less mechanical parts and more microscopic, surface-mount components, I am grateful to mentors and engineers who are willing to pass on important skills. Much of this is facilitated through several organizations full of wonderful people, such as the Association for Recorded Sound Collections, the Audio Engineering Society, and the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives. However, as folks retire and this information leaves the field, it is becoming apparent that we need to actively collect technological information and make it accessible in innovative ways to combat “degralescence.” This is important, especially so that those without the resources of major institutions can retrieve information from obsolete carriers at high quality. Skill-sharing, organization of information, and documentation are crucial to this, and I hope to make such tasks part of my work here at the Smithsonian.

I look forward to sharing some wonderful digitized material, fun technical challenges, and more from AVMPI in future blog posts!

The ABCs of the Corcoran Artist Files: the Ls

Alexandra Reigle — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 14:00:04 +0000

In the series called “The ABCs of the Corcoran Artist Files” the American Art and Portrait Gallery (AA/PG) Library will explore artists through the materials from the recent Corcoran Vertical File Collection donation by featuring artists whose surnames begin with that letter. This time we are looking at the artists whose last names start with L. This exhibition and blog post were curated and written by Emily Moore, the Instruction and Outreach Archivist at the University of Oregon, who was a 2019 summer intern at the AAPG Library. After a pandemic pause, materials are once again on display in the library.

The discovery of a vertical file collection is an act of exploration – a loose construction of a life and career, presented visually through ephemeral materials. Dealing in both the personal and professional, these signifiers pique the interest of researchers and art explorers alike, encouraging the finder to continue to follow the line of a paper narrative. This opportunity for discovery occurs in a time capsule, in the unmapped elements of the research puzzle, encouraging the resolution of paper pieces put together in an organic, instinctual way. While working in the Corcoran files, I underwent a process of discovery that revealed personalities and art, both wonderful and strange, including the pulpy and brutal photos of Bud Lee and the early digital art pioneer Ruth Leavitt.

Bud Lee’s photo of actor Clayton Moore portraying the character the Lone Ranger.

Born in New York as the son of a career diplomat, Bud Lee (1941-2015) was known for his striking, off-beat, and slightly surreal photographs and portraiture, appearing in publications including Life, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Harper’s, Town & Country, Vogue, Ms., and Mother Jones. His “kitschy, whimsical and Fellini-esque” work covered a wide spectrum of subjects, including the cover of Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together, portraits of legendary directors Francois Truffaut, Frederico Fellini, and Michelangelo Antonioni, and an incredible double portrait of Church of God founders and leaders Dr. O.L Jaggers and Miss Velma.[i]

In addition to his shots of celebrities and art, Lee’s work in education and Civil Rights included documenting four days of rioting in Newark, unrest that left 26 dead and hundreds injured. His image of Joe Bass, aged 12, lying on the ground, shot during an altercation between looters and the police, appeared on the cover of Life brought the “long, hot summer” of 1967 into homes all over America.

Towards the end of his life, Lee suffered a stroke that left him blind in one eye and paralyzed down his whole left side. Exalted as both an artist and journalist, the addition of Lee to the vertical file collection at the AAPG Library provides fascinating and often arresting information both on the work of Lee, and the lived experiences of his many subjects.

Poster for Ruth Leavitt exhibition at the Martin Gallery, May 13 to June 1, no year provided.

The work of Ruth Leavitt is simultaneously mechanical and organic, and an early example of the exploration of art and technology. Originally introduced to computers by her husband, a computer science professor, Leavitt “learned through osmosis” and brought an Abstract Expressionist sensibility to the format.[ii] While studying with Peter Busa, a fellow Abstract Expressionist who also explored Indian Space painting, Leavitt shifted from the instinctual, physical painting of the Expressionist style to the data-driven, “conscious decision making” of working with a computer as co-collaborator.[iii] After using early software to experiment with distortion and transformation, Leavitt quickly grew frustrated with the technical limitations of existing programs and decided to write her own. Working with coders, Leavitt’s first program stretched and distorted her drawings, which went from “hard-edge, constructivist in style” to having the “lyrical qualities of Abstract Expressionism.”[iv] Through different iterations of her first program, Leavitt explored the dimensions of line and mass, as well as three-dimensional, projected figures and the concepts of attraction and repulsion. These experiments eventually resulted in paintings, graphics, serigraphs (silk screen) and work in film animation.

Leavitt described her sense of excitement over the possibility of creating her own tools and saw programming and technology as enabling creative vision while providing opportunity and access to new, marketable skills. Technology is, by its nature, interdisciplinary, and demands collaboration between human and machine. To Leavitt, the medium was as important as the message, and the technology she employed changed the meaning of her work. Despite this, however, Leavitt felt that there was no such thing as “computer art,” as the artist ultimately wields the power in creation.

As one of the first artists to work with computer programming, and an early female pioneer in digital art, Leavitt’s file supplements our textual narrative of both technology and the visual arts. In addition to her visual experimentation, Leavitt edited Artist and Computer, a 1976 text that featured the work and writings of 35 artists working in the new medium. The insights of her book, which is in the AAPG collection, is now supported by the inclusion of Leavitt herself in our vertical file collection.

Artists on display for the L’s of the Corcoran are:

Raymond Lark (1939- 2005), Ruth Leavitt (1944- ), Bud Lee (1941-2015), Joanne Leonard (1940- ), Les Levine (1935- ), Marilyn Levine (1935 – 2005), Harry Lieberman (1880 – 1983), Harvey K. Littleton (1922 – 2013), Fonchen Lord (1911 – 1993), George Luks (1867 – 1933), Joan Lyons (1937-)

[i] Eric Snider, “A Life In Pictures,” Creative Loafing Tampa, April 6, 2005.

[ii] Ruth Leavitt, Ed., “Ruth Leavitt,” Artist and Computer. New York: Harmony Books, 1976.

[iii] Leavitt, Ed., Artist and Computer.

[iv] Leavitt, Ed., Artist and Computer.

Through the Loupe: A Staff Profile of Media Archives ‘Journeyperson’ Emily Nabasny

Walter Forsberg — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 14:00:06 +0000

This is the second in a series of ongoing blog posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI), spotlighting the labor of Smithsonian media collections staff across the Institution. Emily Nabasny currently serves as Video Archives Technician (contractor) on the Media Conservation and Digitization team of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

Learn more about Emily’s work in our upcoming program, AVMPI Presents: The View from Her on March 15^th, 2023.

NMAAHC Video Archives Technician, Emily Nabasny. Photo courtesy of NMAAHC Media Conservation and Digitization Specialist, CK Ming.

Walter Forsberg: Hi Emily! Lovely to meet up with you. Can you start by letting us know where you are on the Smithsonian campus, today?

Emily Nabasny: Hi Walter! I am in the NMAAHC Video Digitization Lab at the Capital Gallery building, where [NMAAHC Media Archivist and Conservator] Blake McDowell and I have been working on rewiring this lab’s equipment and getting it fully back up-and-running. It hasn’t really been in use since before the COVID pandemic. Today, I’m digitizing VHS tapes from the Pearl Bowser Collection. I regularly work here, in the video lab, and next door in the film prep space where we undertake some of the film inspection work that we also do across the Mall at the museum.

WF: It seems as though NMAAHC has multiple media preservation spaces to perform work at. Is that a rarity at the Smithsonian?

EN: It is a rarity. It’s amazing to work at a place that’s so well-funded and well-equipped for this specialized labor. The media team is very privileged to have work spaces at three locations to do our preservation work. Our department has garnered a lot of positive attention for its digitization and conservation work with collections through the museum’s Center for African American Media Arts, and the Great Migration Home Movie Project. We must thank NMAAHC Head of Cataloging and Digitization Laura Coyle and the Robert F. Smith Fund for their immense budgetary support.

WF: Can you speak about how you first got interested in film and audiovisual media?

EN: For me it started very young. I grew up watching classic movies—like Hitchcock films, Universal Monsters, Vincent Price, and Turner Classic Movies—so I was exposed early on to a lot of film history. But my interest in the tangible archiving side of things really came from my grandfather Dennis L. Crow, who worked as a professional photographer. We had a lot of family slide shows and home movie projections—not only of family vacations, but also material my grandfather shot on his international work trips. They were exciting to experience as a kid, and I was fascinated by the technology. Being able to hold slides up to the light to see the images, watching the film projector spin the reels—that kind of thing.

Emily Nabasny’s grandfather, Dennis L. Crow, shooting in New York City.

WF: Did you get involved in shooting film, as well?

EN: I did a lot of still film photography, which my mother is also proficient at, and shot some VHS home movies. I would play around with recording, but I was more interested in the technical side of things. Watching tapes after they were shot and adjusting the settings. I was the kid in the house who would sit in front of the old CRT television set with the knobs on the front, altering the saturation, contrast, and color balances to the extremes.

I ended up majoring in Film Studies in undergrad at the University of Pittsburgh, where I learned how film reels became lost in old trunks, abandoned houses, and filled-in old swimming pools, then were ultimately rediscovered and preserved. To me, that ‘media archaeology’ side of things is extraordinary and exciting.

WF: You ultimately enrolled in the NYU Moving Image Archiving and Preservation (MIAP) graduate program. I remember advising you on a project about the defunct Kodak New York City corporate archives.

EN: That’s right! When I was getting closer to figuring out what I wanted to do after college, my fascination and love of film and history—along with my penchant for organization—led some people to mention library science, which lead me to the NYU MIAP program. That’s how I found out about media archiving. And I do remember those Kodak archive boxes. Hundreds of copies of scientific publications and information about film chemicals. That was a great collection inventory project.

WF: There always seems to be someone in each family with the genealogical-interest gene. Are you that person for the Nabasnys?

EN: Oh yeah, definitely. I currently have about eight boxes of family photos in my apartment that I’ve been scanning. Our family has a collection of thousands of photos. I’ve digitized all of our home movies and, several years ago, I surprised everyone by editing some holiday clips together. Because I’m an archivist, everything is receiving detailed metadata. [Laughs]

WF: Of all the Smithsonian staff I can think of, you’re the person I know who has worked for the most museums. Has it been a decade since you started? Of course, I owe it to our Unbound blog readership to request that you run down the list for us.

EN: Almost a decade, but I’ve been here closer to eight years. It feels unusual that I’ve worked at five different Smithsonian units. I started my Smithsonian journey in 2015 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG) where I was brought in to digitize and migrate artworks recorded on Betacam videotape, and to work with [Variable Media Conservator] Briana Feston-Brunet to set up workflows and processes for time-based media conservation and to build out their media lab. I was there for two years and worked on documenting and ingesting born-digital media artworks into the DAMS. During that time (and in 2021), I worked with [Senior Conservator] Dana Moffett at the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) on their time-based media art collection, creating collections policies and ingesting digital assets into the DAMS. A lot of the public is unaware of NMAfA. It’s small compared to many of its counterparts, but it hosts an incredible collection.

My third stop on the Smithsonian tour was the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (CFCH) Ralph Rinzler Archive to undertake an enormous item-level inventory of video documentation of past Folklife Festivals. Most people know the Folklife Center from its annual festival hosted on the National Mall and from Folkways Records, which are both admittedly awesome, but fewer people know that Folklife has an amazing collection of materials documenting international cultural heritage from work they do.

WF: Folklife Media Archivist Dave Walker shared a 2002 highlight video from the Silk Road-themed festival for our recent, AVMPI presents: A Zoom with a View streamcast. Definitely great stuff at CFCH.

EN: Absolutely. It was eye-opening to learn more about their vast collections, and I ended up inventorying about 9,000 videotapes. Unfortunately, the scope of my project did not allow me time to watch any of the tapes, but I would love to. They have real variety and unique gems in their collections. My fourth location before coming to NMAAHC was at your own Smithsonian Institution Archives (SIA). I worked with [Digitization Manager] Kira Sobers on cataloging the media collection elements of the Smithsonian World television program. Smithsonian World was a 1980s co-production with the PBS affiliate in Washington, WETA-TV.

Title credit from the 1980s PBS series, Smithsonian World.

WF: Ahem, I think you mean the “groundbreaking, six-season, Emmy Award-winning series, Smithsonian World.” [Laughs]

EN: [Laughs] Yes, that’s the one! I think SIA was given much of the collection by a former producer and the AV collection materials had never been fully cataloged, so SIA was never certain of what they had in terms of content. It’s mainly 16mm film, with a few reels of 35mm, ¼” audiotape, and most of the finished programs on one-inch videotape. The program was shot on 16mm, so there are production outtakes and original episode segment reels that were later combined on film to make the episodes. My project started with working on rehousing film and cataloging the AV materials for seasons 1 and 2. When COVID hit in 2020, we had to reconfigure my work to center on researching the series and describing episode content because I had to work from home. When that rehousing project eventually continues, they will be able to use my content information to organize film reels within the seasons, and to assist researchers.

The series is from the 1980s, so watching episodes was like being in a time machine. Some of the most fun things I watched were a ‘fashion’-themed episode narrated by James Earl Jones, a segment where a wandering minstrel attempts communication with animals through music, and an episode about developing and constructing the Hubble telescope. That was particularly fascinating—hearing their hopes for the project and watching, given what we know now about how that ended up…I could talk about this show for hours. Incredible interviews and footage with Smithsonian scientists, researchers, staff, and a whole spectrum of other innovators.

Emily Nabasny inspects film elements from 1980s PBS series, Smithsonian World, inside the laboratory at Smithsonian Institution Archives. Photo courtesy of Emily Nabasny.

WF: Tell me more about your current role as Video Archives Technician at NMAAHC.

EN: After the Smithsonian World project, I moved to work with the six-person ‘Dream Team’ at NMAAHC. NMAAHC has four full-time media archiving staff members and two contractors, including myself, all working to catalog, preserve, conserve, and share the audiovisual collections. I assist with film rehousing and digitization projects, though my current main project is working with a video collection the museum acquired from author, director, producer, archivist, and founder of African Diaspora Images, Pearl Bowser. Pearl’s video collection is comprised of her own documentary work, as well as copies of ‘race films’ by Oscar Micheaux, films by African American filmmakers, documentaries about African American history, and recordings of local television station broadcasts. I have started by researching and digitizing her VHS collection, and then I will move to her U-matic format video collection. Other team members are working on digitizing and cataloging her audiocassettes.

WF: What’s been the most eye-opening part of your career to this point?

EN: When I was in school, I would have *never* expected to work in an art museum. It simply wasn’t part of my career vision. But, I was open to working with different types of media materials, and working on media-based artworks at HMSG and NMAfA was a constant learning experience because it is so different from archival materials. There are many aspects one must consider when working with media formats, and even more considerations when working with art and artists. When you’re pulling a media artwork piece out of storage for exhibition, there’s always the question: Does it still work? And, if it doesn’t work: What are we allowed to undertake as an intervention to get it working? The technological obsolescence aspect of whether or not a museum is able to exhibit an older media art piece was a fun challenge. It was thrilling to be part of those decisions in time-based media art conservation. I remember working with Briana at the Hirshhorn on the artwork At Hand by Ann Hamilton, whose audio files were stored on an outdated SATA hard drive, and we went on a wild chase trying to find the right combination of cables and adapters to get the files off the drive. At NMAfA, I was part of a conservation meeting with Sue Williamson about her work Can’t Remember, Can’t Forget, which is an interactive artwork that was originally exhibited on a computer from the 1990s. We talked with Sue about what was integral to the exhibition and meaning of her artwork, both technologically and aesthetically. ‘What is the art?’ is a fascinating question to consider when looking at media art, because its often more than viewers think.

WF: Do you have any career advice to folks interested in working in audiovisual preservation?

EN: I echo Pam Wintle’s comment in your last blog to be curious and remain open to new experiences. I’ve worked several jobs that I would have never thought I would, but I learned a lot and had great experiences. Being open to the new and unexpected is a big part of life and you never know where a different job or new collection might take you. After working at five different Smithsonian units, I can say each was different than I had expected. Every archive, every collection is unique. There will be institutional things you have to adapt to, collection elements to learn and consider, and constantly new technology to learn. There’s certainly no shortage of collections and incredible projects at the Smithsonian!

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating women’s stories in our second AVMPI Presents program. Join us for a screening of audiovisual materials from across the Smithsonian that represent both the spectrum of American women’s history and the diversity of our film and video collections.

Join us to hear more about Emily’s work, the Pearl Bowser Collection, and more!

Register via Zoom

Ascending Pikes Peak in a Locomobile

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 14:00:07 +0000

Two men set off to ascend a mountain located in Colorado called Pikes Peak. Their transportation was a vehicle called the Locomobile, and this trade catalog traces their journey on an August day over a century ago.

The trade catalog is titled Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901) by Locomobile Co. of America. It begins with a descriptive account of the journey, written by W. B. Felker, titled, “Up Pike’s Peak in a Locomobile.” Mr. Felker’s companion for the trip was Mr. C. A. Yont, an amateur photographer. Their goal was to drive a Locomobile to the summit of Pikes Peak at an altitude of over 14,000 feet.

Locomobile Co. of America, New York, NY. Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901), front cover.

Before we follow their journey, let’s learn a little about the vehicle they used. It was a steam vehicle called a Locomobile. Several testimonials written by satisfied customers are shared at the end of this catalog. A common theme found throughout these testimonials is the vehicle’s ability to handle hills, long stretches, and poor road conditions.

One testimonial, dated December 15, 1900, was written by Dr. W. B. French of Washington, D.C. According to that testimonial shared on page 22, Dr. French had ridden 5,880 miles in the Locomobile since February 21, 1899, averaging about 580 miles per month. The doctor commented, “This mileage includes many country runs adjacent to this city, over some of the most villainous roads that were ever made, but the ’Loco’ will go even over such roads if it is given steam and some little experience in handling.”

Throughout these testimonial pages, there are also images of Locomobiles in various locations. The image shown below illustrates three Locomobiles on the road leading across the dam at Crystal Springs Reservoir in California. Its caption in the catalog points out “the steepness of the road at the right leading up to the top of the dam.”

Locomobile Co. of America, New York, NY. Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901), page 19, three Locomobiles at Crystal Springs Reservoir.

Now let’s delve deeper into the journey of Mr. Felker and Mr. Yont as they ascended Pikes Peak in a Locomobile. Their preparation began on a Sunday, as they traveled 86 miles from Denver to Cascade where they filled their tanks to prepare for the following day’s adventure. Mr. Felker remarked that “some of the old-timers had considerable fun at our expense guessing how far up” they would go. They were also told that the wagon road had not been used much by wagons in the past two years and had gone “to ruin” since the cog railroad was built in 1891.

Locomobile Co. of America, New York, NY. Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901), page 3, beginning of account titled “Up Pike’s Peak in a Locomobile” by W. B. Felker.

Locomobile Co. of America, New York, NY. Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901), page 4, the two men on a portion of the “Old Stage Road” with the Locomobile.

Their ascent to the summit of Pikes Peak began at 6:00 am on August 12. After the first quarter of a mile, they reached a spot where the “road had been washed by the rushing waters into gullies deep enough to roll a barrel.” Straddling the gullies with their wheels, they continued on. However, they discovered that as a gully became wider, they “would drop into it.” It took three hours to ascend the first two miles. By that time, they decided to stop for a meal consisting of three sandwiches and a pickle. They reached the “Half-way House” at about 11:00 am and thought the worst was behind them.

Locomobile Co. of America, New York, NY. Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901), page 5, rest stop at the Half-way House.

But the lady in charge informed them they “might have some trouble at Windy Point and on the W.” Mr. Felker writes, “From where we stood that W looked about as savage a piece of scenery as a crooked piece of lightning.” That led to checking all the machinery of their vehicle, including every bolt and nut, before continuing their journey.

Soon after setting off, they reached a bridge where they “pretty nearly had a runaway…” Mr. Felker writes, “Yont was kicked by a log thrown up by the whirring wheels, and when the machine jumped I was straightened out like a flapping flag.” He continues by remarking that he had “seen some rather bogus bridges, but that beat me.”

As they continued along, they had the opportunity to marvel at the “Grand View,” illustrated below, which from his description appears to be exactly that. And another landmark was “Windy Point” for which Mr. Felker writes, “One knows when they get there.”

Locomobile Co. of America, New York, NY. Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901), page 6, a stop at “Grand View.”

The lady at the “Half-way House” had warned them of the “W” but it turned out to not be as “formidable” as they had feared. For an idea of how the “W” looks, Mr. Felker suggests turning a letter “W” sideways. Though he cautions that it does not convey how a person actually feels while “on one of the points of the W about 13,000 feet up in the air.”

Locomobile Co. of America, New York, NY. Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901), page 7, tending to the Locomobile on the “W.”

Locomobile Co. of America, New York, NY. Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901), page 8, snowbanks in August.

And then on that August day, about a mile from the summit, they encountered a snowstorm. After passing the storm, they realized they were hungry and also struggling with the air and high altitude. A horseback rider came along and offered to go ahead and find food for them, and with that assistance, they reached the summit. At the top, they paused for photos, food, and coffee.

Locomobile Co. of America, New York, NY. Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901), page 9, at the summit of Pike’s Peak on the Locomobile.

Their return trip back down turned out to be “perhaps more dangerous, but not such hard work.” Due to their tiredness and impatience to get to the bottom before dark, they took more chances. After passing the “Half-way House,” they continued their journey with the assistance of their “side-lights” as they made their way through the darkness. They discovered more bumps on the road than they had on the way up, and Mr. Felker wrote that their brake was so hot they “could smell the burning leather, and the metal parts could not be touched with the hand.”

According to Mr. Felker’s account, by 9:30 pm they reached Cascade and headed to bed as they “were too tired to stand around and brag much.” The next morning, the two men departed Cascade, traveled through Ute Pass to Manitou, ate breakfast in Colorado Springs, and reached Denver at 4:00.

Locomobile Co. of America, New York, NY. Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901), page 11, home in Denver.

Up Pike’s Peak and Elsewhere in a Locomobile (1901) and other Locomobile Co. of America trade catalogs are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Introducing the #FunnList

Deborah Shapiro — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 14:00:20 +0000

This Black History Month, we’re excited to introduce the #FunnList: a spotlight on Black women in science from Smithsonian history.

The Funn List builds off the Smithsonian Funk List, the brainchild and namesake of Vicki Funk (1947-2019). Now maintained by American Women’s History Initiative Digital Curator Liz Harmon, the Funk List is an ever-expanding data set documenting over five hundred Smithsonian women in science, past and present.

The vast majority of women on the Funk List are white. Ellis L. Yochelson and Mary Jarrett’s 1985 retrospective, 75 Years in the Natural History Building, crystallizes this disparity: “At the present time [in 1985], though other minority groups are represented, there are no American blacks on the scientific staff.” An understatement follows on the next page: “The historical record is not one to be particularly proud of.”

Despite institutional racism, Black women have fought to forge careers in the sciences at the Smithsonian since at least the mid-twentieth century. The #FunnList campaign from Smithsonian Institution Archives honors the unique stories of these scientists—starting with its namesake, Annette Jones Funn.

A #FunnList collage featuring, clockwise, from left: Annette Jones Funn; Lisa Stevens; Sophie Lutterlough; Margaret Collins.

The Funn in the #FunnList

The Funn List is named after Annette Jones Funn (1942-2016), a microbiologist with the Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center (SOSC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Funn spent the years 1966 and 1967 as a technician with the Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center. Founded a few years earlier, SOSC was responsible for cataloging, preserving, and distributing marine specimens for research worldwide.

The Oceanographic Sorting Center was headquartered south of the National Mall, in Washington, DC’s Navy Yard area. Funn’s work, however, took her even farther afield.

In September 1967, Funn joined an expedition of the Southeastern Pacific Biological Oceanographic Program (SEPBOP). The Anton Bruun’s Cruise 18B set sail from Callao, Peru, traveling through the Galapagos to Guayaquil, Ecuador. Along the way, Funn collected invertebrates and algae for SOSC, and preserved specimens gathered from midwater trawls.

Funn would go on to a decades-long career at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where she melded her microbiology expertise with a focus on public health. As part of her work in the FDA’s Office of Consumer Affairs, Funn served as a public health advisor for the Health and Human Services Secretary’s Health Promotion Initiative.

Funn’s community advocacy extended well beyond her professional duties. As an undergraduate at Virginia State University, she was appointed by Martin Luther King, Jr. to lead a “platoon” in a civil rights march held near the college. Later, she would hold leadership roles in a veritable bevy of local and national Black and women’s organizations: the National Council of Negro Women, the League of Women Voters, and the NAACP, to name a few.

Funn List Spotlights

Annette J. Funn | Margaret Collins | Margaret Santiago | Sophie Lutterlough | Lisa Stevens

Sophie Lutterlough at a Microscope, 1983. Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Further Reading:

“Concerned Black Women honors Annette Funn” by Tamara Ward, Southern Maryland News

Inspiring African American Women of Calvert County by Friends of Calvert Library

Join us for “Music HerStory: Women, Zines, and Punk”

Erin Rushing — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 14:00:39 +0000

February 28th, 7 pm ET
Register via Zoom

Zines are celebrations of self-expression. These unique documents often combine first-person narratives and frank opinion pieces with interviews, reviews, and musings on art, music, and culture. Popular today, zine use was propelled by the riot grrrl movement in the early 1990s. They connected like-minded readers and musicians through writing about women’s issues, perspectives, and experiences. Zines continue to promote community-building and creativity, especially among young women.

In this virtual panel discussion, we’ll explore the history of zines as a grassroots medium, the impact of the riot grrl movement on modern zine creators, and the role libraries and archives play in preserving this material.

Featuring:

Allison Wolfe, co-creator of Girl Germs, Bratmobile, and Riot Grrrl
Molly Neuman, co-creator of Girl Germs, Bratmobile, and Riot Grrrl
Osa Atoe, creator of Shotgun Seamstress
Michele Casto, librarian, People’s Archive, DC Public Library

Moderated by Meredith Holmgren, curator of Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change

Girl Germs and Riot Grrl zines, on display in Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change. Photo by Carolyn Thome, Smithsonian Exhibitions.

This program is part of the exhibition Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change, organized by Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. The exhibition, which is now on view in the National Museum of American History, received support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative.

Related Content:

Music HerStory: Zine Workshops, March 4^th. Details coming soon!
Bernice Johnson Reagon mini-comic created for Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change.

California Rare Books School Comes to Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Liz O'Brien — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 14:59:37 +0000

Interested in exploring books and archives dating back to the 13th century? Join our summer rare book school!

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, in collaboration with UCLA’s California Rare Book School (CalRBS), is excited to present seven (7), week-long, intensive rare book courses at the Smithsonian from August 14-18, 2023. Participants will benefit from an expert faculty and the wealth of special collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archival materials. All attendees will receive in-depth instruction over five consecutive days in specialized topics with authorities in their fields.

Courses and Instructors Include:

The Power of Display: Books as Transformative Tools in Exhibitions (Jennifer Cohlman Bracchi and Vanessa Haight Smith)
The Social and Material Lives of Comic Art, or, How Comics Get Around (Charles Hatfield)
Introduction to Audiovisual Preservation (Siobhan Hagan and Walter Forsberg)
Data Born in Literature: 600 Years of Special Collections Serving the Planet (Martin Kalfatovic)
The Nature of Science in Manuscript and Print (Lilla Vekerdy and Leslie Overstreet)
Introduction to Western Codicology (Ilya Dines)
Artist Books at the Smithsonian (Brad Freeman)

Select a course above to learn more! From medieval Western manuscripts to comic art, there is something for everyone.

CalRBS was founded in 2005 as a non-degree education program dedicated to providing the knowledge and skills required by collectors and professionals working in libraries, archives, museums, and rare book communities. Read more about CalRBS.

Researching Russia Leather

Katie Wagner — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 14:00:40 +0000

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ new exhibition, “Nature of the Book“, explores the use of natural materials in books from the hand-press era, from the mid-1400s through the mid-1800s. One of the materials the exhibition examines is leather, which was commonly used for book coverings.

One of the leather-bound books we highlight is Mark Catesby’s magnum opus, The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, published between 1729 and 1747. This lavishly illustrated two-volume set is the only known contemporaneous account of the flora and fauna of the American colonies.

Plate 37, “The Bahama Sparrow”. The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands (1729-1747).

Mark Catesby traveled to the American colonies in 1712 with his sister. During his stay he collected botanical seeds and specimens, returning home to England in 1719. He spent the next twenty years producing The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands. He sold the book via subscription, releasing it in eleven parts over nineteen years. He gave explicit instructions to wait for all of the parts to be complete before binding the parts in two volumes. Few owners were patient enough to wait for the Appendix before binding.

The original owner of the copy in the exhibition was Cromwell Mortimer, Secretary of the Royal Society. During the Hand Press era (1450-1850) books were printed but left unbound so that the purchaser could customize the binding, including covering materials and decorative endpapers. Cromwell Mortimer likely chose to have the volume bound in one of the most luxurious materials of the time, Russia leather, known as Yufte in Russia.

The cover of The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands with a close-up of the diamond shaped pattern

As the name suggests, this leather was imported from Russia via the Baltic Trade Routes. The leather has unique characteristics: a diamond shaped pattern, a reddish-brown color, and the aroma of birch oil. Russia leather is vegetable-tanned in the same manner as other leathers with some key differences.

Traditional vegetable tanning is the process of taking an animal hide, cleaning it thoroughly, soaking it in tannins (from tree bark, wood, galls, fruit, or other plant matter), drying it, and processing it to keep it flexible. In the case of Russia leather, willow bark is the traditional tannin used as it is found abundantly throughout the country. The other differences are in the processing of the leather. Birch oil, with its distinctive odor, was added at the end of the tanning process to keep the leather flexible. The diamond shaped pattern of the leather was originally imparted with sticks and later via a specially created grooved cylinder that was weighted and rolled across the leather in two different directions to create the pattern.

It can be difficult to distinguish Russia leather from diced leather. Additionally, the birch oil odor dissipates over time. However, we have several helpful clues that aid us in identifying the leather used on this binding. The first is the original 1955 catalog of the sale of the Ornithological Library of Dr. Evan Morton Evans. Our copy was purchased in that sale and is described on page 31 as being bound in “full old russia.”

The catalog including the sale of Cromwell Mortimer’s Catesby.

The second clue comes from the pictures and descriptions of Russia leather that were found in the Metta Catherina shipwreck, discovered in 1973. The ship set sail from Saint Petersburg to Genoa in 1786 with a cargo that included rolls of Russia leather when it sank off the coast of Devonshire. The rolls of Russia leather from the Metta Catharina remained preserved for over two hundred years. Some of the leather is now in research collections where the curators of the exhibition were able to examine a piece of it in person.

Russia leather from the Metta Catharina shipwreck at the Leather Conservation Centre, Northampton, England.

The third avenue we explored was the source species of the hide. Each species has a unique pore structure that is revealed when the leather is viewed under magnification. In the case of the Catesby binding the species appears to be calf. Peptide Mass Fingerprinting (PMF) is another option for identifying the species of origin of leather. While the accuracy rate is very high a sample of the leather is required for this testing, so we opted for the non-invasive pore structure method. Russia leather could be made from a variety of species including calf, reindeer, goat.

The story of Russia leather continues to be a source of fascination today. While the process was not a secret, re-creating Russia leather proved difficult. Tanneries in England, France and Germany attempted to re-create the leather, but the results were not as durable as the imported Russia leather. In the early 20^th century this leather became one of the symbols of the exiled Russian population after the 1917 Revolution, particularly in Paris. One of Coco Channel’s early perfumes, Cuir de Russie, evokes the scent of Russia leather. After the revolution, the technique was thought lost until 2016 when the Parisian luxury leather goods manufacturer, Hermès, partnered with a British tannery to successfully recreated Russia leather.

A Convenient Filing System for Late 19th Century Courthouses

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 14:00:27 +0000

As a new year begins, the idea of sorting or reorganizing files might be running through our minds. Without the use of computers, how were important records filed or accessed in the late 19th Century? This trade catalog provides a few hints, especially for workplaces such as courthouses and clerk’s offices.

The trade catalog is titled Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving, and Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles (circa 1888) by Pauly Jail Building & Mfg. Co. It includes illustrations and descriptions of these two filing devices along with testimonials from offices and courthouses who used the systems.

The two systems could be installed separately or combined to create a combination case. The front cover, below, shows a combination case of Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving and Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles installed at the Clerk’s Office of the Des Moines County Court House in Burlington, Iowa.

Pauly Jail Building & Mfg. Co., St. Louis, MO. Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving, and Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles (circa 1888), front cover/unnumbered page [1], combination case of Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving and Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles in the Clerk’s Office in Des Moines County Court House, Burlington, Iowa.

Printed on the last page of the catalog is an extract from an article in the Ohio State Journal dated July 14, 1887. It provides some background information on the development of Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving. From this extract, we learn that Mr. M. P. Wolfe was the patentee and developed the idea of the Roller Shelving while he was a recorder at the Montgomery County, Indiana Courthouse.

As described in the extract, the courthouse was being furnished “with bookcases, consisting of flat shelves, for the books to lie on.” Mr. Wolfe suggested the idea of rollers replacing the shelves. From his experience, this would make it easier to retrieve and re-shelve the large volumes. Following that suggestion, he experimented with his idea, especially in regard to friction. This led to the development of Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving.

Though the article mentions Mr. Wolfe as the patentee and developer of the idea, it also mentions Mr. Wundt as the “manufacturer and proprietor” of the system. A testimonial on the same page, dated July 3, 1888, by the County Commissioners of Barry County, MO, mentions File Receptacles patented by C. L. Wundt and Patent Roller Shelving patented by M. P. Wolfe.

Pauly Jail Building & Mfg. Co., St. Louis, MO. Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving, and Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles (circa 1888), unnumbered page [4], testimonials from satisfied customers and extract of an article from Ohio State Journal dated July 14, 1887.

Let’s explore these systems in a bit more detail. Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving, illustrated below (top left, “No. 5”) was intended for shelving large volumes of record books. The volumes were shelved flat, and rollers aided in gently and carefully “rolling” the books onto and off the shelves. This was meant to lessen wear and tear on the books and extend the life of their binding.

The casing for the roller shelves was constructed of flat and upright iron bars, cross bars, iron braces on the back to provide stability, and a cornice and base. This created tiers for the storage of books lying flat. The ends of the case were open for ventilation purposes and to allow access to air and light. Galvanized iron at the top of the rack, meant to keep away dust, completed the casing.

Pauly Jail Building & Mfg. Co., St. Louis, MO. Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving, and Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles (circa 1888), unnumbered page [2], various illustrations of Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving and Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles, including a combination case and details of the roller shelf system.

The standard arrangement consisted of tiers measuring 19 inches long, 13 inches deep, and 16 books high with space for a thickness of 4.5 inches for each book. However, it was possible to create shelving for other size books as well. The number of tiers depended on how much space was available in the room where the case was installed. There were also choices for the number of rollers on the shelving. Details of a double-track system, six-roller system, and eight-roller system are shown in the illustration above.

Now let’s explore Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles, shown below (top right and bottom right). A testimonial, dated May 19, 1888, written by staff of the courthouse in Vernon, Texas, describes, the File Receptacles as being useful for “arranging and safely keeping case papers, instruments of title, etc.” It consisted of many small, individual file boxes in a large case.

The case for the File Receptacles consisted “of galvanized iron with wrought iron bars placed at regular distances.” To hold the weight of the materials stored in the File Receptacles, iron bars were positioned both upright and across. The size of the case depended on the number of file boxes.

The individual file boxes were made of “I. C. tin” and each box measured 4.5 inches wide, 6 inches high, and 10 inches deep. For an extra cost, other sizes were available. Each box came with a card label to place on the front of the box for noting the contents of the box.

The case was available with or without ornamentation. The illustration below shows a case with ornamentation on the top right of the page while a case without ornamentation is shown on the bottom right of the page.

Pauly Jail Building & Mfg. Co., St. Louis, MO. Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving, and Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles (circa 1888), unnumbered page [3], Roller Shelving Car, Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles case with ornamentation, book rack with double track system and eight-roller system, and Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles case without ornamentation.

Another useful device illustrated in this catalog is the Roller Shelving Car (above, top left). This was handy when transporting a large number of volumes around an office but there was one important detail. It required a track to run on, as shown in the illustration. The measurements of the car could be custom-made to hold a desired number of books, as many as 70 or even more.

Several testimonials are shared in this catalog. Many are written by staff of courthouses and clerk’s offices. They comment on the amount of space saved when installing these devices, the convenience of handling items stored in these systems, and the ability to decrease wear and tear as books were retrieved and re-shelved.

J. W. Williams from the Clerk’s Office of the District Court in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana wrote on July 17, 1888: “The Roller Shelving is splendid! No Clerk’s office should be without it. The File Cases are very convenient and come fully up to my expectation, but the Roller Shelving is the one thing that cannot be dispensed with, nor substituted by anything else in the Clerk’s office.”

According to another testimonial, Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving was installed for 150 books in Bedford County Court in Liberty, Virginia. On June 18, 1887, Clerk R. S. Quarles shared praise by writing, “They are a great convenience and preserve the books from wear. I think the expense will be saved in a few years in the saving of rebinding books, etc.”

The File Cases were written about by staff from Houghton County, Michigan on June 25, 1887. They shared that “…the File Cases fill the bill in all particulars, and will enable us to preserve and protect our books and valuable legal papers in much better shape than we could by any other method.”

Wolfe’s Patent Roller Shelving, and Wundt’s Patent File Receptacles (circa 1888) by Pauly Jail Building & Mfg. Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Join us for “AVMPI Presents A Zoom With a View”

Erin Rushing — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 14:00:20 +0000

Every recording saved is a story rediscovered.

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives recently launched the Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI) to describe, preserve, and provide access to audiovisual collections across the Smithsonian. In this online program, we’ll introduce AVMPI, meet the media experts behind it, and preview some of the video material they’re working on.

Walter Forsberg, Curator of Recorded Media, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Leigh Gialanella, Digital Archivist, National Museum of American History – Archives Center
Blake McDowell, Media Archivist and Conservator, National Museum of African American History and Culture
Kira Sobers, Media Digitization Manager, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Dave Walker, Audiovisual Archivist, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Register via Zoom

Summer 2023 Internships Opportunities with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Erin Rushing — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 14:00:35 +0000

We’re excited to announce a new round of internships for Summer 2023. These opportunities provide hands-on experience in a range of subject areas and are open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Each unique project offers a chance to explore current topics in archives, libraries, and information science and learn from experienced Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff.

These internships include a variety of on-site and remote options, part-time and full-time. All include a stipend. The application deadline is February 13th, 2023.

Programs include:

Education: For students interested in museum education or similar fields, this intern will assist in expanding our resource-lending kit, Traveling Trunks.
Professional Development: For a current MSLIS student or recent grad, experience with collections management in our John Wesley Powell Library of Anthropology.
Summer Scholars: Two projects for undergraduates or grad students, including opportunities to work with art and artists’ files and other ephemera collections.

Learn more about academic appointments and related policies on our Internship and Fellowship page. Curious about the work of past interns? Read more about their experiences.

A Few of Our Most Popular Posts From 2022

Erin Rushing — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 14:00:06 +0000

It’s been a busy year! Indulge us as we take a trip down memory lane and highlight our top blog posts of 2022.

In no particular order, here are five of our most-read posts of the year:

An Interview with Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives by Liz O’Brien

We’re not the only ones who’ve enjoyed getting to know our new director, Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty, this year. Readers also appreciated this interview with Tamar by Public Affairs Manager Liz O’Brien where we learned where Tamar got her start in libraries and who she finds inspiring.

Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty stands outside the doors of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives offices.

Gilded Age Girls: Exploring the Travel Diaries of Sarah and Eleanor Hewitt by Jennifer Bracchi

Sarah and Eleanor Hewitt were remarkable women who left an extraordinary legacy with the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. This past March, to coincide with the exhibition Sarah and Eleanor Hewitt: Designing a Modern Museum, we launched a transcription project that offered an intimate look at the lives of the Hewitt sisters.

Digital Jigsaw Puzzles: National Library Week 2022 by Erin Rushing

Every now and then we fall apart. Or at least our images do. And audiences seem to get a kick out of putting them back together! Since 2020, we’ve created digital jigsaw puzzles based on images from our collections and they continue to be popular on our blog. This batch offered during National Library Week focused on materials available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives & Wikidata: Using Linked Open Data to Connect Smithsonian Information by Jackie Shieh

Our staff have made great strides in harnessing the power of linked open data to share Smithsonian resources. In the first post in a series about Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and Wikidata, Descriptive Data Management Librarian Jackie Shieh describes some of the opportunities and challenges.

Data graph showing network of organizations that are part of the Smithsonian or its constituent parts,

Mid-19th Century Reaction to a Laundry Invention by Alexia MacClain

Testimonials can be a powerful marketing tool. Even when you never say how your product works! Readers were intrigued to learn about the Twelvetree’s Washing Pamphlet (ca 1850) in our National Museum of American History Library, which lacked instructions, details, or illustrations of the miracle cleaning product it advertised.

A Christmas Carol Imagined by Arion Press and Ida Applebroog

Alexandra Reigle — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 14:00:37 +0000

The book, with an illustration by Ida Applebroog, and the slipcase. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Artwork by Ida Applebroog. San Francisco: Arion Press, 1993. Gift of Ronnyjane Goldsmith.

It is nearly impossible to go through a holiday season and not view some rendition of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, whether it be in writing, on the stage, or on your television. There have been countless interpretations, each with their own altercations. However, the core message of generosity, empathy, and repentance often remains the same, no matter the method A Christmas Carol is produced.

The American Art and Portrait Gallery Library (AAPG Library) received the 1993 Arion Press edition of A Christmas Carol in Dr. Ronnyjane Goldsmith’s donation of Arion Press books from her collection. Published on the occasion of the 150^th anniversary of A Christmas Carol, the Arion Press edition sought to pay homage to the classic through the art of Ida Applebroog. While Arion Press has often selected artists who have not had much experience with book arts, Applebroog is a multi-media artist who is well known for her series of artists’ books, particularly those with the subtitle “A Performance.” These books showcase her signature style of cartoon-like characters, often in dramatic scenes exploring larger social issues, framed by curtains as if they are actors on a stage. The AAPG Library holds several of Applebroog’s artists’ books in its artists’ books collection.

Ida Applebroog’s illustration of Tiny Tim and Bob Cratchit next to text of A Christmas Carol.

Applebroog’s simple but bold style is a stark contrast with earlier, more detailed, illustrations of Christmas Carol. However, Applebroog spent a great deal of time preparing her illustrations. According to the Arion Press prospectus for this book (also included in the donation!), the artist not only studied the illustrations of many different editions of the book at the New York Public Library, she also viewed Dickens’ original handwritten manuscript held at the Morgan Library. From this research, Applebroog found images that she felt best captured the story and recreated them in her own style: thick outlines, cartoonish characters, and framed like comic panels. Applebroog’s versions of iconic scenes, such Tiny Tim on the shoulders of his father or the haunting image of the door knocker with the face of Jacob Marley, are instantly recognizable without immediate context.

Mounted, standing prints of scenes from A Christmas Carol, in front of prints of a stage with curtains.

The limited edition includes an extra suite of 18 hand-painted prints of Applebroog’s illustrations, of which only 25 sets were made. In addition to the book’s illustrations, the set has 3 prints that create a backdrop with curtains, and all are printed on thick board and can stand upright. The reader can set the stage in any way they want, allowing them their chance to create their own interpretation. The inclusion of the backdrop with curtains not only ties directly with Applebroog’s “Performance” book illustrations, it also serves as an homage to the theatrical history of A Christmas Carol as well. While this collaboration of Dickens and Applebroog might seem unlikely at first, it isn’t difficult to see their similar interest in discussing the good and bad of mankind through their art.

For this edition, the fine press book has a festive green cloth binding with a matching slipcase. Applebroog created fifty drawings overall, including large illustrations, small vignettes, and initial letters. The text was handset and printed in black, green, and red inks. Applebroog’s illustrations were printed in brown and yellow inks from photopolymer plates. The AAPG Library has edition number 16 out of 200.

Beyond the many books on and by Ida Applebroog in the AAPG Library, the Archives of American Art has many materials pertaining to Applebroog, including an interview. The Smithsonian American Art Museum has a silkscreen print by Applebroog in their collection, which serves as another great example of her work.

Through the Loupe: A Staff Profile of Pamela Wintle, Living Legend/Film Archivist

Walter Forsberg — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 14:00:35 +0000

The first in a series of ongoing blog posts from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative, spotlighting the labor of Smithsonian media collections staff.

With millions of exceptional world-class collections across 21 museums and research units, it’s easy to overlook the most amazing part of the Smithsonian Institution—namely, the brilliant and dedicated staff and employees who make it all happen. Our new pan-institutional Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI) is a project with a long history of development, and one could justifiably argue that it all began back in 1976 when Pam Wintle became the first dedicated motion picture film archivist at the Institution. A true living legend, Wintle worked in the field of film preservation in Washington, D.C. since 1969 (!) and as a Film Archivist at the Smithsonian’s Human Studies Film Archive (HSFA) for 46 years (!!). While she is currently enjoying a well-deserved retirement which began this year, we couldn’t help but pull Pam back into the fold to speak about her career and her impactful work at the Institution.

Walter Forsberg: How did you first get interested in working with film collections?

Pam Wintle: My professional life has been universally magical. As a twelve-, maybe thirteen-, year old growing up in North Syracuse we went on a class field trip to George Eastman House and Museum in Rochester. I remember looking at the equipment and the photographs and being completely enchanted by them.

As I stood inside the house at a railing, looking down into Eastman’s atrium, I thought to myself: ‘I would love to live in a house like this.’ Afterwards, our class took another field trip to Albany, and I went to my first museum ever—the New York State Museum. Looking at dioramas and exhibits, again I thought: ‘Gee, I would love to work in a museum.’ I simply didn’t know these things existed. The same goes for the field of anthropology, which I didn’t know existed until I was in college. I sometimes thought I wanted to be a missionary in order to know other cultures. Putting these memories all together this morning, I had the realization that: I did it! Sure, I didn’t live at George Eastman House but, fast-forward to working at the Smithsonian as a new employee in the 1970s, and I went to a conference hosted by Kodak at the George Eastman House. As I stood in Eastman’s atrium and looked up I could almost see my twelve-year old self wishfully looking down. And, now I’m working in a museum, with cultures and collections from all over the world.’ I did it! It’s been a truly magical career.

WF: Your first job working with film was at the American Film Institute (AFI) in Washington, D.C., in an era when the AFI funded preservation activities?

PW: The AFI had an active preservation program in Washington, under Sam Kula and David Shepard. The emphasis was on 35mm nitrate feature films, hence Sam’s coining of the ‘nitrate won’t wait’ slogan. I believe I started there in 1969. I had just graduated from Ithaca College and moved to DC because I had a friend here. I saw an ad for an AFI position in the paper, and I initially interviewed with the office manager but never got a ‘call back,’ as they say. Being in the AFI offices I knew: ‘this is where I want to work.’ The walls were covered in big black and white enlarged movie stills. Growing up, my moviegoing experience consisted of Saturday matinees at the Hollywood Theatre in Mattydale, New York—which still exists. I also loved watching movies on TV, and when I saw my first foreign film in college—The Servant with Dirk Bogarde—I was totally blown away. Again, I had no idea these things existed! I just kept getting more and more sucked into the world of film, and its transformative ability to make me see things differently. It could open your mind and expand your world, and I just kept getting drawn more and more into it.

WF: So, you eventually succeeded in getting a job there?

PW: When David Shepard’s secretarial position became available and he found out that my favorite film was Bambi, that was it! He said, ‘I want her.’ David was incredible and working for him was like getting a master’s degree in film. Anything I wanted to learn, he was there ready to help me. Eventually, as most AFI activities moved to California, the preservation program and the theatre were the only things left in D.C. The preservation program offices relocated from the Kennedy Center to the Library of Congress, where the AFI collection was housed.

WF: When did you leave the AFI working with David Shepard?

PW: I guess I left the AFI around 1974, as the funding for its preservation program started to diminish. David had left prior and started working for Blackhawk Films (in Davenport, Iowa) overseeing a PBS series called Lowell Thomas Remembers—which revisited footage from Fox Movietone News collection, making a half-hour highlights TV program. I think they made programs for every year from 1916 to sometime in the 1960s. David knew I wasn’t fully-employed and asked if I would go out to Iowa and be his assistant, handling a lot of nitrate film as part of producing this TV program. That was about a five-month gig, and a wonderful experience. I edited a couple of those programs that were broadcast on PBS.

Pam Wintle amid the Human Studies Film Archives collections of more than 32,000 rolls of motion picture film (total footage, still t.b.d.!). Photo by Don Hurlbert.

WF: I’ve heard that you also worked as a film projectionist?

PW: Well, just as a casual one for the lunchtime screenings I ran while at AFI. But I did serve as projectionist on occasion for several dignitaries. My AFI colleague met dancer Rudolf Nureyev at a reception when he was in town. Knowing that Nureyev loved film, she asked: “What film have you never seen, that we could screen for you?” He said, “Intolerance”(D.W. Griffith, 1916). So, we held a private screening for Rudolf Nureyev with (AFI film preservationist) Bob Gitt’s 16mm copy. Bob trusted me well-enough to project his personal print that had been autographed by the film’s star, Miriam Cooper. I got to meet Nureyev, who was bigger to me than any movie star, and he even handed me a rose! I said to him, “I’m so pleased to be able to project this film for you, and I know D.W. Griffith would be equally pleased.” [Laughs] That inspired an enormous smile on his face, and my projection was flawless!

At the Smithsonian, I projected several films for the Dalai Lama, but I didn’t get to meet him. This was during the E. Richard Sorensen National Anthropological Film Center days of the late-1970s, and the Dalai Lama was coming to the Smithsonian. Secretary Ripley met with him, and we screened several film compilations of Tibetan footage that I edited.

WF: You also worked at the historic Circle Theatre, correct?

PW: Yes, I did for several years, which was on Pennsylvania Avenue between 21^st and 22^nd Street. It was the oldest continuously-run movie theater in Washington until it was torn down, maybe 20 years ago. I sold tickets two nights a week, and it paid my grocery bills. That job really gave me an appreciation for soundtracks and sound design because I was only able to hear the films from the ticket booth, not see them. When I eventually began my position at the Smithsonian’s National Anthropological Film Center, my sensitivity and awareness about the synchrony of sound and image were something that became central to the job.

WF: How did you come to start working at the Smithsonian in 1976?

PW: I first met ethnographic filmmaker John Marshall while attending something called the Summer Film Institute, held at Hampshire College and run by the University Film Study Association out of Boston. One night John, his ethnographic filmmaking colleague Timothy Asch, and I, were sitting on a balcony in Washington having drinks. The two of them were in town for an event and they started telling me about this new organization at the Smithsonian that was going to be created called, the National Anthropological Film Center [now the Human Studies Film Archive (HSFA)]. It sounded like a dream come true and exactly what I wanted to be doing. John said, ‘Well, let me write you a letter of recommendation,’ and I said, ‘OK.’ I still don’t know who he was describing in that glowing letter, [laughs] but the new Film Center’s director E. Richard Sorensen contacted me for an interview and that was it. I recall that they were interested in my AFI background as an archivist who had preservation experience. I think that was their missing piece that was needed. Rather than a filmmaker they really envisioned hiring somebody, who would look after the archival side of things that the filmmakers couldn’t or wouldn’t do.

Film Archivist Pam Wintle synchronizing picture and sound rolls on the Human Studies Film Archive Steenbeck flatbed. Photo courtesy of HSFA’s Media Archivist, Daisy Njoku.

WF: Your tenure at HSFA was so profound, but can you enumerate a few of your career highlights?

PW: Are you familiar with Henry Wilhelm? He’s an imaging conservation researcher who wrote a book on color film photography—it’s like the Bible, on the subject. Well, Henry credits us at HSFA as one of two archives in the world having the first cold storage facility for motion picture film. I can’t remember if ours predates the cold vaults at the Library Congress, but true ‘cold storage’ of (then, around 40 °F) is essential in extending the life of motion picture film. Now, we have a second, more recent sub-zero vault at the Museum Support Center in Suitland, and I consider those film storage facilities to be the second-proudest crowning achievement of my Smithsonian career.

WF: And the proudest one?

PW: That would be working to have the John Marshall Ju/’hoansi (Bushman) film and video collection (1950-2000), documenting the Ju/’hoansi people of Kalahari Desert in northeastern Namibia, inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Registry. I say that not because I did it alone, but because I was very much the driving force. We were only the third audiovisual collection be added to the Registry. It was an enormous, difficult, and laborious effort, but something really international and not just American-centric. This is a collection for the world, and the UNESCO’s interest in highlighting indigenous communities made the work to have the collection added to the Registry extremely gratifying. Karma Foley, and Jake Homiak, Daisy Njoku, and Richard Kurin were all Smithsonian collaborators that were also really invested in this effort.

WF: In the course of your career, you’ve mentored so many professionals now working in the audiovisual preservation field. Many of them have since become directors of their own institutional archives. Do you have any words of advice to young folks out there who are interested in getting started ‘in the biz’?

PW: Be curious, and be open because one never knows the shape of possibilities. And a good mentor is priceless. I had them as my good fortune and I love mentoring in return. I’d like to think I’ve been a decent one, at least! [Laughs]

A Dash Through the Snow on a Sleigh

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 14:00:36 +0000

Imagine riding through a landscape blanketed in snow. Whether it’s a family outing, a trip to deliver goods, or simply a pleasure ride, this early 20th Century sleigh catalog includes a few possibilities.

The trade catalog is titled Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907) by Sturtevant-Larrabee Co. Tucked inside its front pages is an accompanying Price List of Cutters and Sleighs, in effect July 1, 1907.

Sturtevant-Larrabee Co., Binghamton, NY. Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907), front cover.

Almost every page of this 76-page catalog illustrates a specific sleigh. Only a few pages are devoted to parts or general construction. Each sleigh is assigned a number. Along with that number, some are labeled with the type of sleigh, such as “Family Sleigh” or “Delivery Sleigh.”

Sturtevant-Larrabee Co., Binghamton, NY. Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907), title page.

Each illustration includes a description providing measurements and primarily focusing on trim and paint. In addition, one page at the back of the catalog shares general information on construction and materials of the sleighs. The sleighs were manufactured with “first-class, thoroughly-seasoned lumber” and, except for delivery sleighs, included spring backs and cushions stuffed with curled hair. Sleighs were trimmed with all-wool green or blue cloth, whipcord, or velour plush. Silk or mohair plush were also available.

The general information page also describes how each sleigh was painted. The method was to use one coat of primer, four or five coats of filler, two coats of a selected color, and one or two coats of rubbing varnish. Finally, it was “elaborately striped and finished with high-grade finishing varnish.”

Sturtevant-Larrabee Co., Binghamton, NY. Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907), page 75, general description of material used to construct the sleighs.

There were a variety of sleighs for customers to select. Some were designed for one or two people while others seated several people in multiple rows. There were also sleighs with a specific purpose, such as delivering goods, or sleighs intended for children.

An example of a children’s sleigh is the No. 41 Children’s Pony Sleigh. Shown below, it included only one seat row. It was trimmed with cloth, whipcord, or plush and included a velvet mat. Designed to be pulled by a medium-sized pony, the sleigh was painted in “Brewster green or fancy colors, two shades” with black moldings and green or carmine gear.

Sturtevant-Larrabee Co., Binghamton, NY. Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907), page 19, No. 41 Children’s Pony Sleigh.

Another type of sleigh was the family sleigh. The one pictured below is the No. 9 ½ New Family Sleigh. Trimmed with cloth or whipcord, it accommodated several people in two rows of seats. Its body was painted dark green while there was a choice of color for the gear, either green or carmine.

Sturtevant-Larrabee Co., Binghamton, NY. Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907), page 46, No. 9 ½ New Family Sleigh.

A large group might have selected the No. 19 Sleigh, as it accommodated passengers in three rows of seats. The body was painted black while the gear was available in carmine or dark green. It was trimmed with all-wool cloth or corduroy.

Sturtevant-Larrabee Co., Binghamton, NY. Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907), page 55, No. 19 Sleigh.

Some sleighs were fitted with tops. Perhaps this came in handy when snow was falling or simply to retain a bit of warmth in the wind. A top, consisting of 26-oz. rubber, is visible on the No. 20 Sleigh, illustrated below.

Sturtevant-Larrabee Co., Binghamton, NY. Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907), page 41, No. 20 Sleigh with top.

Besides pleasure sleighs, some sleighs were used for delivery purposes, such as the No. 12 Delivery Sleigh. Storage space was provided in the back behind the seat. It also included a drop tail gate. The body of the sleigh, painted olive brown, measured 35 ½ x 8 feet 4 inches and the “distance back of seat” measured 67 inches. It appears to include quite a bit of space to store packages, so perhaps it was used to deliver presents!

Sturtevant-Larrabee Co., Binghamton, NY. Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907), page 48, No. 12 Delivery Sleigh.

Throughout this catalog, every so often the description mentions a “new design for 1906.” One of these new designs, the No. 79 sleigh, is illustrated below. With its two rows of seats, it accommodated several people for a pleasant ride through the snow. Painted in two shades of either green or red with black molding and green or carmine gear, it also incorporated some decorative elements, such as the plumes on the front.

Sturtevant-Larrabee Co., Binghamton, NY. Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907), page 62, Sleigh No. 79 New Design for 1906.

Catalogue No. 43 (1906-1907) by Sturtevant-Larrabee Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Digital Jigsaw Puzzles: Holiday 2022 Edition

Erin Rushing — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 14:00:19 +0000

We’re celebrating new publications, exciting exhibitions, and the festive holiday season with another round of digital jigsaw puzzles. This collection of images highlights a few winter favorites as well as recent Smithsonian Libraries and Archives projects.

Play them right here on our blog or use the links to play full screen. Each puzzle is set to be 100 pieces but they are customizable to any skill set. Click the grid icon in the center to adjust the number of pieces.

Miss our previous puzzles? Find them here.

Plate 38, The natural history of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands (1771).

Just a few weeks ago, we opened our newest exhibition Nature of the Book. It explores the natural elements that help make some of our rarest books. One of the highlights is Mark Catesby’s The natural history of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands. A seminal work documenting species native to North America, Catesby’s book also provides excellent evidence of papermaking, book illustration, and bookbinding. “The Red Bird”, aka cardinal provides a festive pop of color.

Play online: https://jigex.com/NAEqn

Plate 38, The natural history of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands (1771).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Front cover, Sleigh Season 1903-04 (1903).

Sleigh bells ring and we are listening! The cover of this trade catalog from Jackson Sleigh Co. of Jackson, Michigan instantly transports us to a snowy scene in the early 20^th century. Each month on our blog, Alexia MacClain highlights vintage pieces from our Trade Literature Collection in the National Museum of American History Library.

Play online: https://jigex.com/bVqeM

Front cover, Sleigh Season 1903-04 (1903).

Jigsaw Puzzle

“American Holly”, Plate 266, North American Wild Flowers (1925).

In October, we announced our newest publication, Wild Flowers of North America: The Botanical Illustrations by Mary Vaux Walcott with Prestel Publishing. This gorgeous book would make a great gift for an art or nature lover on your list (hint hint!). But you can also explore the illustrations online via the Biodiversity Heritage Library, including these seasonally appropriate holly branches.

Play online: https://jigex.com/QM4ux

“American Holly”, Plate 266, North American Wild Flowers (1925).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Seven-foot Gingerbread Model of the Smithsonian Institution Building (December 1980).

We think the Smithsonian Institution Building, aka The Castle, is pretty sweet any time of year but particularly when it’s made of gingerbread. In this photo from our Smithsonian Institution Archives, Alice Donaldson, Patricia Mudrick, and David Mudrick add icing to their creation – a 7 foot gingerbread model of our beloved building. The photo was taken in December of 1980 by Jeffrey Wayne Tinsley, a long-time photographer at the Smithsonian.

Play online: https://jigex.com/SKZpB

Seven-foot Gingerbread Model of the Smithsonian Institution Building, 80-19953-28. Smithsonian Institution Archives Record Unit 371 Box 3 Folder January 1981.

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Des Rubans”, Gazette du bon ton (1913).

Some elegant gift-wrapping inspiration, courtesy of Gazette du Bon Ton (“Journal of Good Taste”). This French magazine was published in the early 20th century, founded by Lucien Vogel and distributed by Conde Nast. Its annual subscription rate was 100 francs a year, a high sum even then. The magazine featured top couture and art and was printed using the labor-intensive hand-stenciling technique of pochoir. Find digitized copies in our Digital Library.

Play online: https://jigex.com/m3USR

“Des Rubans”, Gazette du bon ton (1913).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Walcott’s Wild Flowers: An Interview with Pamela Henson

Liz O'Brien — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:00:22 +0000

Wild Flowers of North America: Botanical Illustrations by Mary Vaux Walcott features more than 250 exquisite reproductions of Walcott’s celebrated watercolors of wildflower life. Edited by Pamela Henson, this stunning volume is a collaboration between Prestel Publishing and the Smithsonian Institution. We invite you to hear personally from Pam in this interview.

L: How did you become interested in history and first start out in your career?

P: I love science and started out as a biology major, but I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in American studies from The George Washington University in the early 1970s. The George Washington University had a cooperative program with the Smithsonian, a precursor to its museum studies program today. During my master’s program, a group of us were hired by the Smithsonian to do a visitor behavior study at the National Museum of Natural History. I was hired as an “intermittent” (no fixed hours), not even part-time, temporary, GS-3 psychology aide. I learned a lot about how the public interacts with our exhibits, what works, what does not work. I then heard about an entry-level position with a new Smithsonian oral history project created by Secretary S. Dillon Ripley. I had done oral history interviews as part of my master’s thesis and was hired as the assistant, advancing all the way up to a GS-5! The project moved to Smithsonian Institution Archives and the historian was leaving, so shortly after that, I advanced to the historian position, and received a Ph.D. in history and philosophy of science from the University of Maryland. I’ve been in this position ever since, and I’ve loved it!

Institutional Historian Pamela Henson.

Describe your current role at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

I am the Institutional Historian for the Smithsonian, in the Institutional History Division, Strategic Programs and Initiatives, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. I have several major functions. I provide background information on the history of the Institution to Smithsonian management, as well as scholars, the general public, and students. I also record oral history interviews with Smithsonian staff.

Smithsonian people often stay here a long time. The first interviewee was Charles G. Abbot who worked at the Smithsonian from 1895 to 1973 – 78 years! We record the lives of a wide array of our community, pivotal people like the security force, conservators, and educators. We are just about to launch a Smithsonian-wide project with interviews online, to gather the memories and reflections of the whole Smithsonian community at our 175th anniversary.

I also write, lecture, prepare exhibits, and do social media for both scholarly and popular audiences. I enjoy the variety of tasks I do, from interviewing an aeronautics curator, to preparing an exhibition on women at the Smithsonian, to helping set up a program on the history of information systems at the Institution. I’ve been at the Smithsonian since 1973, and I still get asked questions I don’t know the answer to.

Tell me about Wild Flowers of North America. How did you first get involved with this project?

My first office was in the Arts and Industries Building and it had two framed prints of wild flowers on the wall. I saw similar ones in the Smithsonian Castle when I moved to Smithsonian Institution Archives which was located there. I asked around and found out they were by Mary Vaux Walcott, wife of Smithsonian Secretary Charles Doolittle Walcott.

With my background in history of science and interest in the history of women in science, I’ve studied several Smithsonian women botanists, including Agnes Chase, a grass expert. I also studied the history of scientific illustration. Chase began as an illustrator. I’ve done exhibits and written on illustration that included both Chase and Walcott, but their styles were very different. Walcott’s were so beautiful – were they botanical art or scientific illustration? So I studied Walcott more. While her drawings were much more beautiful than Chase’s, they were very accurate, only contained the wild flower, not the surrounding environment. Her goal was to create drawings that introduced these flowers, many unknown, to the scientific world. So I concluded she was more a scientific illustrator than a botanical artist.

Why is the story of Mary Vaux Walcott important, and what about her life or work stands out to you the most? Did you uncover anything surprising in your research for the book?

Walcott is an example of how access to education for women was still limited, even after women’s colleges were established. Her work also shows how the field of botany was much more welcoming to 19th century women than other areas of natural history. It exemplifies the ways women were able to enter science “from the peripheries” such as art, as shown by scholars Margaret Rossiter and Sally G. Kohlstedt. She did not need to work, but had this incredible devotion to the task of creating visual images of and sharing all of these inaccessible wild flowers from remote sites in the Canadian Rockies.

I knew she married late in life, but I had not realized how strongly both families opposed the marriage.

I was very impressed with how fearless and resilient she was throughout her life. When she no longer had family to scale the high peaks of Canada with her, she went on her own or with other Quaker women. And she was not afraid to completely change her life at 55 by marrying Walcott and moving to Washington.

Mary Vaux Walcott with camera. Smithsonian Institution Archives.

What are your favorite illustrations from the book?

I have a fondness for the first two I found in my office, a magnolia and a balsamroot. I like the curious ones, like the skunk cabbage; the really delicate ones like the Alberta primrose; as well as the ones that have such exuberance in their short lives, such as the saltmarsh gentian. And the diversity, the variety of ways plants have evolved to survive in almost any environment.

Alberta Primrose from North American Wild Flowers (1929).

What do you hope readers take away from Wild Flowers?

A greater appreciation of these plucky plants that exist briefly in very difficult environments and a concern that we don’t lose them to climate change. And an appreciation of a plucky women who found a way to make contributions to science even when she faced many obstacles.

Any final thoughts/observations?

It is always a fascinating journey to get to know another person’s life – how Walcott constructed it, the doors that were closed to her, the paths she followed. Her story provides many life lessons.

Tuning in for World Television Day

Walter Forsberg — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 14:08:01 +0000

To celebrate November 21 as World Television Day, staff from the Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI) have aggregated 100 of their favorite online Smithsonian collection items about TV. Take a look at our Spotlight on Smithsonian television collections.

Screenshot of Smithsonian Spotlight on Television

First designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, World Television Day celebrates the technology as “a symbol for communication and globalization in the contemporary world.”

While our new Smithsonian Spotlight prominently features several moving image collections from TV history—episodes of Black Journal, a rare interview with Selena, and mealtime footage aboard Apollo 11—this online exhibition’s selections lean heavily on artefactual television legacies. That’s because so many of the Smithsonian’s rich television programming collections in the format of videotapes and kinescope films have yet to be digitized. The AVMPI is excited to dedicate its efforts in the upcoming fiscal year to changing this oversight.

Edward R. Murrow interviews Cab and ‘Nuffie’ Calloway on Person to Person in 1956. National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Thanks to the generosity of the Smithsonian’s National Collections Program and the American Women’s History Initiative, the AVMPI is making television collections one of our project’s thematic foci for 2023. Television’s enormous impact traverses so many areas of American and global society that it makes TV an excellent lens through which we can look at social change, technological developments, and distinct cultures and traditions. In 2023, we will be digitizing and hope to make available the complete collection of 2-inch quadruplex videotapes of Hal and Halla Linker’s extensive travelogue television series, The Wild, the Weird, and the Wonderful, from the Human Studies Film Archive; we will create new scans of several episodes of the Edward R. Murrow-hosted Person to Person celebrity interview program broadcast on CBS in the 1950s and held by the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC); and, we will preserve all of the films and videos that form part of the Sally K. Ride collection at the National Air and Space Museum.

Last week, AVMPI Task Force members Bleakley McDowell (NMAAHC’s Senior Media Conservator) and Leigh Gialanella (National Museum of American History’s Digital Archivist), along with Audiovisual Archives Specialist Analiese Oetting, met at NMAAHC to scan several early 16mm kinescope TV recordings from the Allen Balcolm Du Mont collection and other works. These included a DuMont network commercial starring Norman Rockwell, which we hope to share with online audiences in the coming months, and a legendary but long-unseen Smithsonian exhibition film starring television comedy icons John Belushi and Gilda Radner.

Appearance by John Belushi in a Smithsonian exhibition film, ca. late-1970s. National Museum of American History, Archives Center.

Our own Smithsonian Institution Archives also hold rich television collections as well, for which preservation and digitization is already underway. Thanks to the extraordinary work of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Media Digitization Manager Kira Sobers and Preservation Coordinator Alison Reppert Gerber, the first two seasons of the 1980s SI co-produced series, Smithsonian World, will become available online in 2023. Co-produced by public television affiliate WETA and hosted by historian David McCullough, Smithsonian World ran for six seasons from 1984 until 1989 and is but one of the Institution’s forays into broadcast television that the AVMPI hopes to unlock for online audiences in the coming year.

Stay tuned!

Welcoming audiences to our ‘World’. Materials for Smithsonian World in Smithsonian Institution Archives.

A Few Options for Cooking in the 1860s

Alexia MacClain — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 13:05:56 +0000

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we might be thinking of delicious food. Or perhaps we are realizing how much time it will take to prepare such a meal. Modern kitchen appliances have made cooking easier but imagine what it was like to cook on a stove, such as one of these, in the 1860s.

This trade catalog is titled Catalogue of Stoves (1866) by Potter, Paris & Co. The company was established in 1848 and manufactured stoves and related accessories.

Potter, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Catalogue of Stoves (1866), title page.

Just prior to the publication of this catalog, the company built a new foundry during the Summer and Fall of 1865. It was called the Troy Stove Works and occupied 22 lots in Troy, New York. It was there that Potter, Paris & Co. manufactured their stoves.

Potter, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Catalogue of Stoves (1866), back cover, Troy Stove Works in Troy, NY.

It appears that Potter, Paris & Co. intended for this catalog to cover two years, as an introductory page includes a statement dated July 1866 explaining that the catalog “will probably be for two years, 1866 and 1867.” It also mentions that “separate cuts of any new stoves” during that time will be provided to their customers for insertion or pasting into the catalog.

Potter, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Catalogue of Stoves (1866), unnumbered page [2], statement about terms and prices.

As it turns out, the firm of Potter, Paris & Co. dissolved at the end of 1867. Burdett, Paris & Co. became the successor to Potter, Paris & Co. and continued manufacturing stoves at the Troy Stove Works. We learned that fact from another trade catalog titled Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868) by Burdett, Paris & Co. which was highlighted in a previous post.

But now, let’s examine a few stoves manufactured by Potter, Paris & Co. around the year 1866. Turning to page 5 of Catalogue of Stoves (1866), we spot the heading, “A Page of New Ideas.” This is where Potter, Paris & Co. presented two new inventions, both available on their stoves. These two ideas were the “New Patent Reservoir” and the “Patent Warming Oven.”

The reservoir was made of cast iron with the option of being enameled or galvanized. Its position “on a seat in rear of the back flues” allowed heat to pass “up in under the Reservoir before entering the exit pipe.” A damper controlled heat in the stove. If the damper was placed in a horizontal position, the heat was carried under the reservoir. If the damper was moved to a perpendicular position, the heat passed through the smoke pipe without heating the reservoir. This provided the option of either heating or not heating the reservoir which meant water in the reservoir could be kept warm or boiled. The New Patent Reservoir is shown below on a stove called “Our Mutual Friend.”

Potter, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Catalogue of Stoves (1866), page 7, “Our Mutual Friend” stove showing New Patent Reservoir.

The other new idea was the Patent Warming Oven. Measuring 9 to 12 inches high, it was made of “a Box of Sheet-Iron, which has neither top nor bottom, placed under the stove.” The floor under the stove was covered with zinc or sheet metal, and a rack or grate was positioned to keep food being warmed off the floor. As shown in the illustration below, the warming oven included double doors.

Potter, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Catalogue of Stoves (1866), page 5, New Patent Reservoir and Patent Warming Oven.

A variety of stoves, including ones of different sizes, are illustrated in this catalog. The stove named “Good Manners” which is shown below was intended for coal or wood. It was described as “next to the best” and included the same important features as “Our Mutual Friend” which is illustrated above, though not as large and without lined doors.

“Good Manners” was part of a series of stoves of which “Our Mutual Friend” was the largest and “Good Baker” was the smallest. The reservoir is shown in the illustration of the “Good Manners” stove below (right). The illustration includes arrows which “show the direction of the heat as it passes up in under the Reservoir, and thence back to the flue.”

Potter, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Catalogue of Stoves (1866), pages 8-9, “Good Manners” stove (right image shows the stove with reservoir).

The smallest stove in that series, “Good Baker,” is illustrated below. Intended for hard coal or wood, it was described as “a first rate cheap Stove” and “a good stove as well as cheap.” According to this catalog, its oven was almost as large as the stove itself.

Potter, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Catalogue of Stoves (1866), page 23, “Good Baker” stove.

The catalog also includes pages on accessories for the kitchen. Below are illustrations of some kettles and a few pieces of hollow ware, such as pots and a pan.

Potter, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Catalogue of Stoves (1866), page 65, hollow ware and kettles.

Catalogue of Stoves (1866) by Potter, Paris & Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Demystifying Information Literacy: From Buzzword to Classroom Resource

Bindi Chauhan — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 14:00:53 +0000

In the throes of my first year of pre-pandemic teaching, when I was fresh and green and hardly older (or taller!) than my students, the term Information Literacy meant something quite different to me, and surely to all of us, than it does now. Information Literacy was once a vague set of rules and tools that were scribbled aimlessly on a mental sticky note and stuck to the side of a metaphorical laptop – collecting dust in one’s periphery but never quite clearing into a sharp focus. Since then, the world has continued to turn at its promised pace as we have lived through a string of “unprecedented times” that I’m certain will be a truly riveting chapter in a history book one day. The utter bombardment of information and misinformation the public was forced to weed through, along with a growing culture of polarized media, and the breakdown of trust between news sources and the public, required us to start to think very critically about the information we were consuming.

Making sense of information became crucial in a tangible and immediate way. It could mean the difference between whether you keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy or not. It could determine if you sought medical care and what kind of care you sought. It could inform who you voted for, how you voted, and your trust in the voting system in general. On top of trying to think critically about the information I received myself, I was tasked with teaching my high schoolers how to make sense of it too as they experienced a seriously chaotic upheaval of their young lives. There was no real curriculum for this challenge that was tailored to students and digestible for a young audience. Information Literacy had been historically relegated to a quick lesson to be reviewed annually by English teachers through the groans and sighs of teenage opposition as they embarked on teaching the tenets of the classically dreaded 5-page research paper. The work I have been able to contribute to this summer is a direct solution to this very real, very problematic gap in Information Literacy tools for educators and students.

This summer, I have had the honor of working as an intern with the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Education Department to help create a digital series of collections that explore and explain key Information Literacy concepts and ideas. These collections have been carefully and lovingly curated specifically for K-12 educators and students. Through the efforts of myself, fellow intern Jason Cavallari, and our fearless, funny, and fierce leader Sara Cardello, we have been able to help fill that gap and build a comprehensive curriculum that provides a toolkit of skills, sources, tips, and tricks regarding Information Literacy. We used the Smithsonian’s own platform of Learning Lab to create beautiful, immersive, and interactive learning experiences that detailed the “ins and outs” of our topics, sourcing most of the images and content from our own galleries and collections at the Libraries and Archives.

Cover Page of Case Study: Internet and Media Sources collection.

The overarching theme of my contribution to this collection was maximizing its usability for educators. Though I am currently pursuing my Masters full-time at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and no longer breaking down Information Literacy to students, I wanted to make sure what were creating a true asset to those tasked with this undertaking. One of my first projects was to create a mechanism to elicit feedback on the usefulness of the tool as it currently stands and to disseminate this tool across teacher networks. Calling on my former Teach For America community in Eastern North Carolina, new and former colleagues, and local school teachers, we were able to gain some insight into how to enhance the collection for specific populations.

Next, I analyzed the collections and looked for “gaps” in the curriculum, viewing the collection through the lens of an educator who would want to use our resources to build a lesson around. We then built those collections to ensure that our series was well-rounded and robust. I figured the likelihood of highest engagement remained reliant upon this series being a “one stop shop” for those teaching Information Literacy. We wanted to ensure that individual work or group work could be done with the lessons we provide, that Information Literacy could be introduced in a day or that our materials could be used to build an entire unit on the subject, and that this series of collections became an all-inclusive toolkit that could be easily absorbed by all learners. I also sleuthed for connections between the content of our series, connecting dots and finding a flow for the collections to categorize them into groups. Our four major groups of collections revolve around the following topics: the Smithsonian’s role in increasing and diffusing knowledge, the many different types of sources and how to evaluate media and internet sources, core information literacy concepts, and information literacy in culture. I then supplemented these groupings by creating a case study for all of them that further dissected their teachings and promoted Smithsonian Libraries and Archives content.

Cover Page of Case Study: Bias & Fact vs. Opinion collection.

After my case studies were built, the majority of the remainder of my time was dedicated to creating an online course using the Moodle platform that pulled apart and restitched our content for an entirely different audience. The Moodle course is geared towards the life-long learner – an adult who is seeking to broaden their horizons on the topic, sharpen their information literacy tools, or simply just be introduced to Information Literacy as a whole.

In addition to helping fill this gap, I’m most proud to have worked on a project that strives for the true democratizing of information literacy education. Our tools and resources are accessible for all, despite disparities in school funding. They are free to anyone and everyone – always. This project was such a labor of love for me, beyond the fact that I had longed for a resource like this as an educator myself, but because I truly believe in the message behind information literacy and the power that it holds. Albert Einstein once said “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious”. The lifeblood of Information literacy is being passionately curious.

At the core of information literacy is this notion of critical thinking, of a certain sustained and genuine curiosity. Knowledge is constantly heralded as the greatest equalizer, and learning how to be curious about knowledge is the mobilizing agent in making changes towards equality and equity. Information Literacy goes far beyond newspapers and magazines and teaches so much more than just identifying a source or how to properly use it. Information literacy is powerful and liberating. Information literacy models and rewards critical thinking by teaching how to ask arresting questions about bias and about motive and about implicit and explicit messaging. It lays the groundwork for justice and truth seeking through cultivating this passionate curiosity. Information literacy gives students, and everyone for that matter, that bright and flickering spark of eager investigation that can be lovingly tended into a flame that stokes change-making. Information literacy tells young people that it is okay to challenge the information you’re being given, what the information is teaching you to believe, the system giving you this information, and systems themselves.

This internship could not have better combined my past experiences, current schooling, and (hopefully!) future career into the most niche and rewarding learning experience. I’m honored and overwhelmed with gratitude to have been a tiny cog for a brief period of time in the radical, revered, respected, and ever-moving-machine that is the Smithsonian Institution.

Further Reading:

Introducing Information Literacy Collections in Learning Lab

Wesley Chenault Named Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives and Programs

Liz O'Brien — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:00:21 +0000

Wesley Chenault has been appointed Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives and Programs of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. In this inaugural role, Chenault will oversee outreach, communications, education and exhibitions. He will support Smithsonian Libraries and Archives colleagues in developing new initiatives and programs and develop and implement strategic initiatives within the unit, pan-institutionally across the Smithsonian as well as cultivate strategic collaborations with community partners locally, nationally and globally. Chenault will collaborate with advancement leadership to build programs related to fundraising, donor relations and the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board, as well as event concept and management for advancement activities. His work will raise the research profile of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, increasing knowledge sharing among Smithsonian partners, peer research institutions and international communities beyond.

“I am thrilled to welcome Wesley Chenault to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives,” said Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty, director, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. “His creative leadership and wide-ranging experience will shape engagement and outreach for both longstanding partners and new and diverse audiences, ensuring a robust future and legacy for our newly-merged organization.”

Chenault holds over 20 years of experience in research settings, with a focus on rare and distinctive collections in museum, public and academic libraries. Most recently, he served as Director of the Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives at Cornell University, where he oversaw collections, programs and research services. His prior positions include work with the Herndon Home, the Atlanta History Center, Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History and Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries.

Wesley Chenault, Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives and Programs. Photo by Rachel Philipson.

“It is my honor to join the world’s largest museum library and archives system at this historic time, building upon the incredible and important work being done,” said Wesley Chenault. “I look forward to working collaboratively with the Advisory Board, the Smithsonian internally and our many communities and partners to broaden the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ scope and add to its success locally, nationally and globally.”

Chenault has broad experience in education, developing syllabi and advising on curriculum development, serving on dissertation committees and leading initiatives in research settings. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate students in universities, he has developed internship programs, administered research and travel grant programs and served in roles such as reviewer, consultant and grant staff for humanities agencies including the Georgia Humanities Council, National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. In 2020, he was a participant in “Teaching from Digital Archives at Home and Around the World,” a summer teachers’ institute sponsored by Hemispheres, an international outreach consortium at the University of Texas at Austin.

Chenault is a published scholar, with articles authored and co-authored in edited volumes, such as Educational Programs: Innovative Practices for Archives and Special Collections and Queer South Rising: Voices of Contested Place, and academic peer-reviewed journals and encyclopedias, among them New Georgia Encyclopedia and the Journal of Southern History. With Stacy Braukman, Chenault is co-author of Gay and Lesbian Atlanta, a pictorial history.

Chenault has exhibited widely as an individual and in collaborations. For the latter, he was a founding member of idea collective John Q, whose interests in public scholarship, interventions and memory have been featured in educational programming and exhibitions across the nation, from the GLBT Historical Society Museum & Archives in San Francisco to the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia in Atlanta. Outside of the collective, Chenault’s curatorial work spans his career from exhibitions at the Atlanta History Center to Cornell University, where he was a co-curator for the exhibition, Social Fabric: Land, Labor, and the World the Textile Industry Created, which opened Nov. 4, 2022.

Chenault holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Auburn University, a master’s degree in women’s studies from Georgia State University and a doctorate in American Studies from the University of New Mexico. A member of several library and museum organizations, he has certifications from the Archives Leadership Institute from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians from Harvard University.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Opens “Nature of the Book”

Liz O'Brien — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:00:43 +0000

Join us for a virtual tour on Tuesday, November 15th!

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives presents a new exhibition, “Nature of the Book,” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History November 11. “Nature of the Book” will be on display through March 17, 2024.

What makes a book? Throughout history, books were handwritten, printed, bound and decorated using a wide variety of materials from the natural world. From leather coverings and paper derived from plants to mineral pigments and innovative recipes for inks, the early book was a combination of natural materials in the hands of skilled artisans. Influenced by the scarcity and abundance of commodities, global trade and economics, thrift and fashion, books could vary greatly in terms of materials, construction and purpose.

Throughout history, books were handwritten, printed, bound, and decorated using a wide variety of materials from the natural world.

“Our research process involved teasing out the rich complexity of the history and materials used in hand bookbinding,” said Vanessa Haight Smith, head of preservation services at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and co-curator of “Nature of the Book.” “The exhibition gives us the opportunity to discuss that the use of natural materials and techniques haven’t followed a linear path; rather, they are intertwined and layered crossroads of global products and ideas.”

“Nature of the Book” explores books of the hand-press era (from the use of moveable type in Europe in about 1450 to the rise of mechanization in the 19th century) through the myriad natural materials—animal, vegetable and mineral—that went into their making. From essential ingredients like flax, leather, copper and lead, to the unexpected, like wasps and seaweed, the exhibition shows what the use of these materials can tell people about the book, touching on questions of use, process, global trade and economy.

The paperwasp’s habits of chewing wood fiber to create pulp for nests would eventually inspire thedevelopment of wood pulp paper in the 1800s. Jacob Christian Schäffer sought alternatives to linen rag paper. He published his findings, which included 82 handmade paper samples from a variety of local natural sources.

“‘Nature of the Book’ delves into the material components of books from the expected, such as parchment, paper and leather, to the unexpected including semi-precious gems, arsenic and cochineal insects,” said Katie Wagner, senior book conservator at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and co-curator of “Nature of the Book.” “This exhibition appeals to newcomers to the topic as well as to bibliophiles.”

On display will be Mark Catesby’s The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands (London, 1729–1747), Francisco Hernández’s Nova plantarum (Rome, 1651) bound in tawed pigskin leather, Hokusai’s Hokusai Manga (Japan, Late Edo period, 1780–1868), John Addington Symonds’ Wine, Women, and Song (London, 1884) in an exquisite jeweled binding and a gold illuminated partial Qurʾan (Qajar-period Iran, c. 1800s).

Pig farming provided a source for sturdy bookbinding leather in Germanic Europe. Pigskin was often tawed, not tanned, resulting in a whitish appearance. Though printed in Rome, this book was likely bound locally by its Austrian owner.

Bookbinding to etching, papermaking to hand-coloring, typesetting to marbling and watermarking to gold tooling, “Nature of the Book” invites visitors into a fascinating exploration of the craft, innovation and ingenuity of hand-press bookmaking of centuries past. It tells a story of local resources and resourcefulness as well as global influence—from Asia, the Middle East and North Africa—that was essential to the Western book that is commonplace today.

To celebrate the opening of this new exhibition, we’re taking you on a free, virtual tour! Register now to get a closer look with Katie Wagner and Vanessa Smith in our next online program, November 15th at 6pm ET.

“Nature of the Book” is made possible through the support of The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation and the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board.

It’s Alive! Arion Press’ Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus

Anne Evenhaugen — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 13:00:06 +0000

“It’s alive!” During the spooky season celebrated around Halloween, decorations and costumes of classic pop culture creatures abound, like Dracula, the Wolfman, and Frankenstein’s monster himself. Our modern conception of Frankenstein is a loveable zombie, tall and dopey with green skin and spiky hair, bolts and stitches. Originally published in 1818, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus actually tells the story of Dr. Victor Frankenstein and his ill-fated desire to create the “perfect being.” The author, Mary Shelley, explored the consequences of playing God, the corrupting influence of misdirected ambition, the possibilities and limitations of science. Frankenstein’s “Creature” has fascinated readers for over 200 years, and Shelley’s work has been published countless times since her lifetime.

Ship on the sea illustration. From Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Introduction by Todd Hosfelt, Artwork by Tim Hawkinson. San Francisco: Arion Press, 2019. Gift of Ronnyjane Goldsmith. Photo: Amanda Fiske.

The Smithsonian’s American Art and Portrait Gallery Library has recently acquired the 2019 rendition of Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, published by Arion Press in honor of the original book’s 200^th anniversary.

Arion Press specializes in handcrafted fine press books and is known for their collaborations with artists and authors. For Frankenstein, Arion teamed up with American sculptor Tim Hawkinson, working in the book form for the first time. The artist often uses common household or found materials in his inventive sculptural objects and kinetic machines. For this publication, Hawkinson devised a unique technique to create the accompanying images. Affixing a hypodermic needle to a fountain pen and creating a built-in inkwell that consisted of a soda bottle filled with ink, Hawkinson suspended the entire contraption from the ceiling of his studio. The large paper was pinned to a turntable on the wall, and each horizontal mark with the delicate tip of the needle and the turning of the paper on the turntable caused the ink to dribble in unexpected ways. Not only is this artistic technique unique, but this system was just unwieldy enough to seemingly have a mind if its own, an autonomous creation that evokes the novel. The hypodermic needle echoes how Dr. Frankenstein used syringes to bring his creation to life, and how they defied his expectations. The hundreds of straight and sketchy lines come together to create an eye-catching spooky, dreamy vibe that compliments the story.

The Smithsonian holds the deluxe edition of Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, presented in a wooden box carved in Hawkinson’s same sketchy lines with the image of a ship’s mast and rigging. Each chapter in the book has one of the nine prints created for this volume, giving the reader an image that compliments the narrative as it unfolds.

Wooden deluxe slipcase from Frankenstein.

Interestingly, Hawkinson’s drawings never show the Creature itself, furthering the interpretation that the Creature was perhaps not the true monster, and that it was Dr. Frankenstein himself whose ambition ignored the rules of nature, pushing the scientific boundaries until his own creation destroyed him. There is no correct answer, leaving the reader to speculate and draw their own conclusions.

Tim Hawkinson in action, with hypodermic needle + soda bottle fountain pen and Frankenstein drawings. Photo: Arion Press

You can read more about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and how she was inspired by the history of 19^th-century chemistry and electricity in the Body Electric in the Smithsonian Libraries online exhibition for Fantastic Worlds: Science and Fiction, 1780-1910. In addition, you can read more about Arion Press’ Frankenstein and their production process in their full prospectus on the Arion Press website. Other resources consulted include The Many Editions of Frankenstein, a blogpost from the University of North Georgia Press, October 26, 2018, and Pace Gallery’s information on artist Tim Hawkinson (both accessed 10/28/2022.)

This blogpost was co-written by Amanda Fiske, an intern through SAAM’s Advanced Level Program, and working with the AA/PG Library for the full academic year. She is currently a student in the Master’s in Library and Information Science program at the University of South Florida.

AVMPI: From Aquariums to Archives

Siobhan C. Hagan — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 13:00:24 +0000

During American Archives Month, we’re highlighting the work of our Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative in a series of posts. This is the third post in the series.

Still frame taken from Siobhan Hagan’s home movies of her father documenting the documentation of a trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore in 1992.

As a kid growing up in the Baltimore-Washington area, I frequently visited Smithsonian museums for field trips throughout my adolescence. I never fully realized how lucky I was until I moved away for several years and learned that many people don’t have access to free, world class museums at their doorsteps. And years later, I find my luck cup runneth over, now working at this renowned institution with some of the most inspiring colleagues and collections as the new AVMPI Coordinator (Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative).

It certainly has been a winding road that brought me here. The first thing I ever wanted to be was a dolphin trainer. This was inspired by many visits to the National Aquarium in Baltimore along with hours watching re-runs of the 1960s TV show “Flipper”. Eventually I realized it was more the TV part that intrigued me than marine mammals (although those are super cool too). So I studied film and video production in undergrad and worked in the entertainment industry after college, but it was nowhere near as fun or fulfilling as I had hoped. I applied to and was accepted into the NYU Moving Image Archiving and Preservation program, graduating in 2010 (alongside my AVMPI colleague Walter Forsberg!).

Since then, I have worked at a variety of organizations: large academic libraries, small special collections departments, aquariums (yes, I got to fulfill that childhood dream of caring for dolphins…at least videos of them), arthouse theaters, public libraries—and I even contracted with the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art for a few months inspecting and rehousing motion picture film materials. My passion is the preservation and access of regional audiovisual materials, local television, home movies, and community and personal archiving. In 2016 I merged these interests, along with my love for my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, to start up and run the nonprofit organization MARMIA (which stands for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Moving Image Archive). I have also been working full-time since 2018 at DC Public Library as the Memory Lab Network Project Manager, helping to build personal archiving capacity in public library spaces and programming across the United States.

In that job, I was able to work with incredibly diverse librarians, archivists, and memory workers who were determined to help their communities to preserve their individual histories. Though we all came from different corners of the country, we joined together to create a community of practice-based solutions for our shared problems. Now as the Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative Coordinator, I get to work with an incredibly diverse set of curators, archivists, librarians, conservators, and more to address the complex challenge of preserving the moving images and recorded sounds of the world’s largest museum, education, and research institution. While the mission may seem impossible alone, this new collaborative approach across many Smithsonian units will make the goals of AVMPI possible.

Video rack in the progress being built at the National Museum of American Indian, Cultural Resource Center.

My first tasks are to build-out the already robust audio and video preservation transfer suites in several units along with refining workflows to be as efficient and effective as possible for everyone involved. The most exciting part of the AVMPI project is the people: my future AVMPI teammates will utilize the transfer suites and workflows to increase access to Smithsonian collections for all: browsers online, in-person and virtual exhibits, curators, researchers, artists, and more. We also plan to make our workflows, tools, and lessons learned available online for open access to all. I am looking forward to when AVMPI will be able to share the amazing audiovisual media we have saved at the Smithsonian—hopefully there will be some footage of a dolphin or two.

Open Access Week and Smithsonian Research Online: An Update

Richard Naples — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Open Access Week is the perfect excuse to talk about a favorite topic of mine—making Smithsonian research more open! A couple years ago, I wrote a post about a Tableau dashboard released by Smithsonian Libraries and Archives that explores the Open Access status of publications from Smithsonian-affiliated authors. Since then, we have taken things a step further, using the same source data to enhance Smithsonian Research Online directly by including links to open access versions of Smithsonian journal articles thanks to Unpaywall’s API. This means we have added over 8,000 links to journal articles anyone can read regardless of affiliation.

Smithsonian Research Online is a Libraries and Archives program to track the research output of the Smithsonian. With nearly 100,000 records, the system spans the life of the Smithsonian, with an average of 2,500-3,000 new records added each year. One of our goals with Research Online is to make sure that this research is accessible and available to fulfill the mission of the institution—”the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”

For the past few years, we have been using Unpaywall’s openly available data about the open access status of journal articles. Their API includes a status designation for the different ways in which journal articles are accessible. As you may know, the traditional model of scholarly publication is that authors submit publications to a journal, and that journal will charge for access. Much of this cost burden has been borne by libraries in particular, as we want to make as much available as possible (naturally!). This is what “closed” means in this context—it’s in a journal you need to pay to access.

Beyond that, there are many ways in which a journal article can be “open.” This includes journals where the entirety is freely available (often referred to as “gold” open access), individual articles made available for free in an otherwise for-pay journal (deemed “hybrid” by Unpaywall if there is a specific license for availability assigned to the article, or “bronze” if no such license exists but it is still available without paywalls), and finally articles can be made available in a digital repository (“green” open access), where a version of an article is accessible to the public.

These colorful terms can be simplified into two camps: open or closed. Librarians know that users care less about the distinction than we do, but we really care about the distinction! It helps us assess where scholarly communication is going and helps us think about where to put our often-diminishing resources.

Beyond simply analyzing our content, in 2022 we took things a step further by integrating data from Unpaywall directly into our system. First, we looked at what data was available from Unpaywall. Their API provides links for each way a research article might be open access—whether it was in a journal that is open, or in a repository where a researcher shared it. They even include many that are both open from a publisher and also deposited in multiple repositories. (As of today, there is one article that is available openly from the journal but also deposited in 63 separate repositories! To each their own…) We took this data and determined that we needed a separate table in our database to handle links from our different data sources: Unpaywall, links we already had to our own digital repository, and links that come from the original ingest of metadata (via Zotero or our own internal webforms). With these multiple sources, we decided on a hierarchy of which link to include in our results. First, we wanted to link to our own copy of something in our repository. If that wasn’t available, we felt the next best link to add was from Unpaywall. Finally, if we had neither, we would go with the link provided, even if it wasn’t always a link to an open access copy. Thanks to our data developer Kristina Heinricy, this whole process of taking our publications, searching for them in Unpaywall, and getting back the multitude of possible links has been fully automated and integrated into our system. This has resulted in over 8,000 new links to fully open content being added to our records!

Many Smithsonian scholars are making their research open by publishing their papers in open access journals or making it publicly available in repositories, either because grant funding mandates it, they are dedicated to public access, or simply because an open access journal is the best journal for their research. Of course, the recent OSTP guidance making federally funded research immediately available plays no small part in this. Regardless of the intentions for publishing, the trend is undeniable. While embargo periods on sharing and the general lag in time for making articles available in repositories is evident in 2022 and some of 2021’s bars, this chart demonstrates that more Smithsonian research is available today than five years ago.

While we don’t capture the exact date and time when articles become open access, there is an inherent time delay between when something is published as open and when it becomes open through depositing it in a repository. We can visualize that time difference using an alluvial diagram. This one I made using RAWGraphs.io (with some tweaking in Illustrator). It helps to tease this out for a couple of reasons. First, we can distinguish things published open and things that end up open via repositories. But the interesting aspect to me is the overlap of items that are published as open and presumably will remain open that end up in a repository. It seems like an obvious redundancy. While it is not discouraged, I would much rather see more of the closed articles end up in repositories than open ones!

Now that we have this data, the future beckons! There are more ways this data could be put to work. One way might be to upgrade our user interface to point out which items are open and which are still behind paywalls. It should certainly relieve the labor of one-by-one evaluations of items. If the object is open, then maybe we don’t need to rush to deposit it in a repository as it is easily accessible already. I’ve pointed out some trends that I’ve seen, and some hopefully interesting insights. (You can see more about the program in our Annual Reports, too.)

What would you like to know about Open Access? Where would you like to see us take this?

Expressing Elegance in a Funeral Procession

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 13:00:47 +0000

The Trade Literature Collection gives us a small glimpse into the past. It includes catalogs on a variety of topics, including undertakers’ supplies. These catalogs illustrate coffins, grave guards, and even fashion for the deceased. One of these catalogs feature hearses for funerals from long ago.

The trade catalog is by Merts & Riddle and is untitled though the front cover points out they are “Coach and Hearse Builders.” Besides being untitled, the catalog is also undated. However, we believe it was published sometime in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

Merts & Riddle, Ravenna, OH. Untitled Merts & Riddle trade catalog, undated, front cover.

As we learned from the front cover, Merts & Riddle built both hearses and coaches, or carriages. The introductory page also mentions they had “many years’ experience” in that particular field. All of the hearses in this catalog are horse-drawn with glass sides making the coffin clearly visible to all who passed by.

Merts & Riddle, Ravenna, OH. Untitled Merts & Riddle trade catalog, undated, unnumbered page [1], introductory page.

According to the catalog, Merts & Riddle regularly kept their factory stocked. It mentions they always had “all finished, ready for shipment, thirty thousand dollars’ worth of Hearses, and as many coaches…” Specific prices are not included, though it indicates savings for the customer, specifically the ability to save $200-$500 on the cost of a hearse. Customers were encouraged to visit the factory, peruse the selection, and choose direct from available stock. Below is an illustration of the works, or factory, of Merts & Riddle in Ravenna, Ohio.

Merts & Riddle, Ravenna, OH. Untitled Merts & Riddle trade catalog, undated, back cover, Works of Merts & Riddle in Ravenna, Ohio.

The introductory page also mentions their aim, or goal. This was “constant improvement in style, durability, and elegance.” Many of the funeral cars pictured in this catalog are fitted with curtains around the glass as well as other decorative elements, such as urns or, like the hearse shown below, lamps and hand-carved pillars.

Merts & Riddle, Ravenna, OH. Untitled Merts & Riddle trade catalog, undated, unnumbered page [2], horse-drawn hearse.

Improved No. 132, shown below, was fitted with sides made of polished French-plate glass along with circular glass at the front and back of the hearse. Black Lambrequin curtains elegantly hung on the windows above where the coffin would be placed. These curtains were trimmed with gold bullion or worsted fringe and tassels.

This particular hearse fit a coffin measuring seven feet five inches long. A roller at the end of the hearse aided attendants in positioning the coffin. Inside the hearse, a hexagon-shaped rail with bouquet holders for flowers surrounded the coffin. Another hexagon-shaped rail adorned the top of the hearse along with six carved wood urns. A decorative, geometric pattern with what appears to be sun rays adorned the side of the hearse. The driver sat on a “dickey,” or exterior, seat.

Merts & Riddle, Ravenna, OH. Untitled Merts & Riddle trade catalog, undated, unnumbered page [3], Improved No. 132 horse-drawn hearse.

Hearse No. 216, shown below, was also built with French plate glass sides along with glass in the front and back. It included many of the same embellishments, such as wood carved urns, interior rails around the coffin, and black curtains finished with gold bullion fringe and tassels. However, this one was described as a “light” hearse. It weighed 950 to 1050 pounds in contrast to Improved No. 132 which weighed a bit more at 1100 to 1200 pounds.

Merts & Riddle, Ravenna, OH. Untitled Merts & Riddle trade catalog, undated, unnumbered page [7], No. 216 horse-drawn hearse.

Besides hearses, Merts & Riddle also built coaches, or carriages. One of these carriages, No. 236, is shown below. Perhaps it was used for the family of a loved one during a funeral procession to the cemetery. Its interior was decorated with green Morocco or green cloth and included a “silver toilet set” for its occupants to freshen up during travel. The windows were made of crystal plate or beveled-edge glass, and the carriage driver sat in an exterior “dickey seat” just like the hearse drivers.

Merts & Riddle, Ravenna, OH. Untitled Merts & Riddle trade catalog, undated, unnumbered page [13], No. 236 horse-drawn Coach.

This untitled and undated Merts & Riddle trade catalog, possibly published in the late 1800s or early 1900s, illustrating hearses and coaches is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

AVMPI: Curating a Diverse and Dynamic Audiovisual Collection

Walter Forsberg — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:00:25 +0000

During American Archives Month, we’re highlighting the work of our Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative in a series of posts. This is the second post in the series.

263,663!

293,586!

694,539?

Exactly how many audiovisual collection item films, videos, and audio recordings does the ‘Nation’s Attic’ hold? How can we ‘sunlight,’ ‘give voice to,’ digitize, preserve, make accessible, listen to, and otherwise watch them? Where did they come from? What do they mean?

Still image of a conservator from an unidentified Smithsonian television program. Courtesy of the author’s personal film collection.

These are a mere handful of the thrilling, confounding, and fundamental questions that face the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ new pan-institutional Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI) team and its institutional collaborators. As the AVMPI’s Curator of Recorded Media, I join the brilliant and entrepreneurial AVMPI project Coordinator Siobhan Hagan, along with five other soon-to-be-hired federal employees for the exciting and daunting opportunity to provide the American public some answers.

Despite how ‘new’ the Initiative may seem, our fearless Team Leader Alison Reppert Gerber has already won the Association of Moving Image Archivists’ prestigious Alan Stark Award for her 7+ years commitment to laying the groundwork for the Initiative. With generous and strategic fiscal resource commitments from the Smithsonian’s National Collections Program, unit-sponsorship from the Libraries and Archives, and as the product of tireless efforts by audiovisual media collections managers, archivists, conservators, curators, historians, and enthusiasts since the 1970s, the AVMPI is the result of dozens of Institutional staff and contractors across more than four decades.

Like Secretary Bunch, my Smithsonian mentor Dr. Rhea Combs, and many others in public service at the Smithsonian before me, I am fortunate to return to the Smithsonian for ‘Take 2’ after several years away. As a Media Archivist from 2014-2018 I helped to found the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s media digitization and conservation department, helped build the Oprah Winfrey Theatre’s cinema exhibition facilities, and co-chaired the Robert F. Smith Fund and its digitization programs. Since then, I have worked as Adjunct Faculty at New York University, as a Fulbright Specialist in Library Science in Mexico City, and as an archival producer for documentary film projects at the New York Times and National Film Board of Canada. In my role as AVMPI Curator of Recorded Media researching, selecting, prioritizing, and contextualizing the vast number of audiovisual media at the Smithsonian are primary goals.

Two-inch quadruplex videotapes line the shelves at the Human Studies Film Archive, Smithsonian Institution. Image courtesy of Daisy Njoku.

Collections materials held on certain ‘legacy’ analog formats, like the travelogue television programs held on the Hal and Halla Linker Film and Video Collection [HSFA 2002.16] two-inch quadruplex videotapes seen in the image above, are at specific risk of loss and are an immediate digitization priority for the AVMPI.

UNESCO believes that by 2025:

A number of factors will coalesce to make the digitisation of magnetic media increasingly difficult and prohibitively expensive: analogue video and audiotape, as well as early digital tape formats, will be effectively inaccessible due to the practical inability to maintain playback equipment, the gradual loss of experienced analogue-to-digital-transfer engineers, and the general degradation of the carriers themselves.

Other SI collections originally recorded on half-inch open reel magnetic videotape, like the substantial events documentation by Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage’s Ralph Rinzler in the 1970s, and by the Bernice Johnson Reagon-led Program in African American Culture Collection [NMAH-AC.0408] circa 1979-2004, fall into the same category.

Of course, sheer factory-line curatorial selections based on format obsolescence would be dull. In selecting and prioritizing material for preservation and digitization we hope to amplify stories about women, people of color, laborers, and changemakers, already present in Smithsonian collection holdings, yet buried due to their existence on inaccessible analog audiovisual formats. Other materials have simply not been fully-processed due to resource scarcity and we are excited to hopefully leverage AVMPI resources to digitize and make accessible such material as outer space films contained in the Sally K. Ride Papers [NASM.2014.0025], and oral histories about early twentieth-century African American cinema exhibitors and circuits in the US in the Pearl Bowser Collection [NMAAHC.2012.79].

Tapes and tapes and tapes and tapes. Image courtesy of Daisy Njoku.

Because those of us with first-hand working knowledge realize how seriously amazing the Smithsonian’s audiovisual media collections are, the AVMPI also seeks to prioritize preservation and digitization of material in support of ongoing exhibitions and new museums—like the American Women’s History Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino. We believe our institutional audiovisual collections should be the first choice for inclusion in topically relevant exhibitions and making them easily-accessible in digital form will enable more of that.

This past week, for example, we made a list of all baseball-themed media to complement the current “¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues: En los barrios y las grandes ligas” exhibition at the National Museum of American History and the “Baseball: America’s Homerun” exhibition set to open at the National Postal Museum next April 2023. Materials like the 1941 Harry Carney home movies of Duke’s band playing baseball contained in the Ruth Ellington Collection of Duke Ellington Material [NMAH.AC.0415], and oral histories from African American players in celebration of their contribution to our national pastime that form part of the Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters Oral History Collection [ACMA.009-01], are wonderful and rich recordings that deserve wider audiences than they have received to-date. After all, we like to think that’s the reason that the Smithsonian collected them in the first place.

Before I go on too long, I will add that questions and paradigms of pure intellectual curiosity pervaded curatorial discussions in our initial summer months of the 5-year AVMPI initiative:

What was the first documented film screening held at the Smithsonian? (One of the earliest documented film screenings in the Baird Auditorium took place during on July 16, 1914, consisting of: “illustrations of marine life below the surface of the sea at the Bahama Islands by means of moving pictures. The films were the first of their kind known to have been taken, and this was the first occasion of their public display, arranged through the courtesy of the Submarine Film Corporation.”Smithsonian Institution.Annual Report of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution for the year ending June 1915. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. (1915): 37.)
What other kinds of films, lectures, and performances (and documentation recordings thereof) occurred in the Baird Auditorium—which was the Institution’s primary auditorium for a major part of its history? (Check out a burgeoning Wikipedia entry about the Baird for some of those answers).
What were the first media collections items acquired by the Smithsonian? (Still working on that one…)
What exactly is the story behind that cool 16mm film fragment about the Smithsonian Institution from 1939 (voice-over: “Washington: the most beautiful city in the world…”) that filmmaker, Other Cinema curator, and motion picture living legend Craig Baldwin mysteriously mailed us?

The answer to this last puzzle will be addressed in a future post, and we encourage readers to check back with the Libraries and Archives site for all future AVMPI news, blogs, and digitized streaming collections.

The Road to Recovery for a Chinese Sutra

Yue Shu — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 13:00:10 +0000

In preparation for a Chinese Object Study Workshop hosted by the National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) in late August, I selected a sutra in the Freer and Sackler Library to illustrate the evolution in printing of Chinese books. The rolled sutra is Baoqieyin Dharani sutra (宝箧印陀罗尼经) and was printed in 975 CE, likely making it the oldest printed item in our library collections. It is 6.35 feet long and 1.2 feet wide and mounted on Xuan paper (rice paper). The sutra was originally stored in a brick in the Thunder Peak Pagoda in Hangzhou, China and was found in 1924 when the pagoda collapsed during a storm.

Baoqieyin Dharani sutra (宝箧印陀罗尼经) before conservation. Photo by Xiangmei Gu.

However, the sutra when it entered the library’s collection was in dire condition and urgently needed some conservation treatment to stabilize its condition and repair torn parts. NMAA’s East Asian paper conservator, Xiangmei Gu, voluntarily took on the task and did an excellent job to retore the sutra to its glory and made it possible to show it for the workshop.

Baoqieyin Dharani sutra (宝箧印陀罗尼经) after conservation. Photo by Xiangmei Gu.

The following series of pictures demonstrate the process of conservation carried out at NMAA’s Department of Scientific Research.

Before treatment:

Baoqieyin Dharani sutra (宝箧印陀罗尼经) before conservation. Photo by Xiangmei Gu.

Weights were deployed for preparation:

Baoqieyin Dharani sutra (宝箧印陀罗尼经) during conservation. Photo by Xiangmei Gu.

Rod was reattached:

Baoqieyin Dharani sutra (宝箧印陀罗尼经) during conservation. Photo by Xiangmei Gu.

Tears were patched:

Baoqieyin Dharani sutra (宝箧印陀罗尼经) during conservation. Photo by Xiangmei Gu.

Damp towels and Gore-Tex were used in preparation for flattening:

Baoqieyin Dharani sutra (宝箧印陀罗尼经) during conservation. Photo by Xiangmei Gu.

Weights were applied again in the flattening process:

Baoqieyin Dharani sutra (宝箧印陀罗尼经) during conservation. Photo by Xiangmei Gu.

The scroll after treatment:

Baoqieyin Dharani sutra (宝箧印陀罗尼经) after conservation treatment. Photo by Xiangmei Gu.

The library is grateful for Xiangmei Gu’s skillful conservation of this very important historical document. Without her work, this sutra in our collection would have remained on a shelf, too fragile to open.

It has been a long journey from the ruins of Hangzhou’s Buddhist pagoda to our library collection. The sutra’s journey to recovery from its devastated condition could only have been realized with the care of an expert whose training took many years.

Introducing the Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative

Alison Reppert Gerber — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 12:30:05 +0000

During American Archives Month, we’re highlighting the work of our Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative in a series of posts. This is the first post in the series.

Smithsonian Institution Archives, and now the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, have been working diligently for the past 7+ years to gather information, leverage existing resources, and demonstrate the need for holistic support for a new, pan-institutional initiative to care for and provide access to our audio, video, and film collections. I present to you now, the great unveiling of : The Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI)!

While this is an unveiling of sorts, I need to also acknowledge that my colleagues across the Smithsonian have been working for decades to preserve, digitize, and provide access to our diverse audiovisual collections. However, as many of us experience, resources ebb and flow throughout the years and priorities change—this greatly affects our ability to properly care for collections. One of the primary goals of AVMPI is to pool our resources and expertise into one central resource that focuses on preservation for all Smithsonian units.

¼-inch open reel audio tape being digitized on an Ampex ATR-2 deck at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. Image courtesy of Emily Niekrasz.

This initiative is supported by experts from around the Smithsonian, from archivists and conservators to directors and advancement staff. Currently, there are three structured teams supporting and overseeing AVMPI activities. First, our Advisory Committee consists of senior-level leaders who act as a link between AVMPI and the larger Smithsonian community to increase visibility, provide guidance for specific issues and challenges, and convey needs and advocate for resources to support the long-term goals of AVMPI. Second, our Task Force consists of subject matter experts who have direct input on AVMPI tasks and goals. They help to define workflows, design workspaces, and provide collection information to support preservation and accessibility. Lastly, our core team consists of seven new positions that will focus solely on AVMPI and our pan-institutional needs. We’ve already hired two of those core team members—Siobhan Hagan as our AVMPI Coordinator and Walter Forsberg as our Curator of Audiovisual Media. Make sure you check out their blog posts coming in October!

As it did for many, the pandemic affected our proposed timeline in ways we couldn’t have imagined. While it gave us time to reflect and make well-calculated decisions about goals, workflows, and resources from the safety of our homes, it did not give us the time to digitize our collections on-site. However, I’m happy to say that 2023 will be different! Here’s a peek at some of our plans for the next year:

Reimagining existing audiovisual preservation labs at the Smithsonian. AVMPI is working closely with other Smithsonian units to breathe new life into their current audiovisual digitization set-ups. Whether it’s adding equipment, performing maintenance, reworking rack set-ups (or a combination of all), we plan to station our new preservation specialists at these locations to begin digitizing collections.
Executing grant-funded projects. AVMPI has received funding from the American Women’s History Initiative to support the digitization, and caption services for remarkable and unique audio, video, and film media collections from six Smithsonian units. The project, entitled Witnessing Working Women: Digitizing SI’s Primary Source Audiovisual Recordings, will unlock institutional audiovisual collections chronicling stories of women within the American workforce.
Developing innovative and nimble workflows. Standardizing digital and physical workflows across the Smithsonian will be no easy feat! While all units do share some of the same systems, such as our digital asset management system (DAMS), each unit also has their own unique way of cataloging, treating, and providing access to their audiovisual assets. AVMPI will look to build new, cohesive workflows that are supported by those existing systems and resources.
Augmenting accessibility for audiovisual media and Smithsonian streaming content. AVMPI will foreground ‘best practices’ in accessibility for digital audiovisual assets through a ‘lead-by-example’ philosophy. We will prioritize captioning, transcription, and audio description to reach our hearing- and visually-impaired audiences, and we will work to develop clear guidelines for meeting accessibility standards required by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Creating authentic engagement opportunities that highlight SI pan-institutional audiovisual collections. The Smithsonian’s audio, video, and film collections represent the diversity of our world. However, the meaningful connections that exist between our individual unit collections have not been fully explored. In the coming year, AVMPI will not only increase online access to digitized collections but will build online exhibitions that explore these relationships. In addition, we hope to host or participate in several in-person screenings and receptions that will reach new audiences. Stay tuned for details!
Increasing staffing. We’re planning on hiring four more team members to support our goals—an audio preservation specialist, a video preservation specialist, and two media collections specialists.

As you can see, AVMPI has quite a lot of work to do, but we’re encouraged by the continued support of leadership and colleagues across the Smithsonian. I, personally, am ecstatic to have Walter and Siobhan onboard and can’t wait to see what this next year brings!

For more information, please visit: s.si.edu/AVPreservation

Smithsonian Collaborates With Prestel to Publish “Wild Flowers of North America”

Erin Rushing — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 13:00:44 +0000

What does it take to paint a wildflower that blooms for a single day in a deep forest? For Mary Vaux Walcott, it involved spending up to seventeen hours a day out of doors with her paintbox to capture the shape, movement, and colors of delicate petals and leaves. Originally published in 1925 as North American Wild Flowers in five volumes, Walcott’s sketches brought the diversity and beauty of native plants to the general public. Working with the publisher Prestel, we have selected some of the most stunning flower portraits from our own copies of Walcott’s original work and compiled them in this single volume. This new book, Wild Flowers of North America: Botanical Illustrations by Mary Vaux Walcott , also features biographical text written by institutional historian Pamela Henson.

Wild Flowers of North America: Botanical Illustrations by Mary Vaux Walcott (2022).

Walcott’s technique involved precise attention to detail, color, light, and perspective. Her art can also be appreciated as the work of a woman scientist battling the prejudices against her gender of the day. She was an intrepid explorer and skilled geologist at a time when women’s accomplishments were often overlooked or misattributed. She also had incredibly strong ties to the Smithsonian — North American Wild Flowers was first published as a fundraiser for the Institution.

Left: Portrait of Mary Vaux Walcott, SIA RU000095 [SIA_000095_B27F_019], Smithsonian Institution Archives. Right: “Carolina Jessamine”, Plate 220, North American Wild Flowers (1925).

Inspirational, informative, and a pleasure for the eyes, this bouquet of Walcott’s work is a lasting treasure of botanic and scientific artistry. Wild Flowers of North America: Botanical Illustrations by Mary Vaux Walcott is now available from Prestel and book retailers worldwide.

To celebrate the publication of this new book, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is pleased to host a virtual panel discussion about the life and work of Mary Vaux Walcott on Friday, October 28th. Join us for Mary Vaux Walcott: A Life in Bloom at 12 pm ET to learn more about her art, science, and legacy at the Smithsonian. See our event page for additional details and registration link.

Mary Vaux Walcott: A Life in Bloom, October 28th, 2022.

Further Reading:

Evenhaugen, Anne. “Mary Vaux Walcott and the Smithsonian Process” (2019).

Henson, Pamela. “Mary Vaux Walcott’s Wild Flowers” (2015).

Naples, Richard. “For Camping Month: How to Share a Tent With a Smithsonian Secretary” (2016).

Walcott, Mary Vaux. North American Wild Flowers (1925).

A journey through Newport, Rhode Island with the Victorian Society Summer School

Nilda Lopez — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 13:00:16 +0000

Imagine a beautiful seaside town view, of foaming waves crashing against the coast as the sun shines brightly and sailboats can be seen far in the distance. Heat shines down from a bright sun as you walk and come upon a large hedge leading to a large cast-iron gate. A bright gleaming marble structure blinds as a grandiose mansion comes into view. Not a dream but a visit back in time while walking the Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island.

View of The Breakers from the Cliff Walk Photo by Nilda Lopez

A previous blog post documented my exciting trip to London in 2019. Continuing in this vein to improve my scholarship, this June I gladly attended the Newport Victorian Society Summer School which was a tour of over 30 architectural houses and buildings, which were either privately owned, government buildings, or part of the historical societies of Newport, such as The Preservation Society of Newport County and the Newport Historical Society.

Cliff Walk – Photo by Nilda Lopez

While on this 10-day intensive course traversing across Rhode Island and environs, I saw various delights, several being McKim, Mead and White Gilded Age architectural feats. The firm’s founders Charles Follen McKim (1847-1909), William Rutherford Mead (1846-1928) and Stanford White (1853-1906) were renowned for their prowess in architectural design not only in Newport, but several buildings across New York State, New England and even Washington, D.C. (notably the White House in 1902).

Front of Marble House – Nilda Lopez

Utilized during the pandemic in filming HBO’s Gilded Age, Newport’s mansions are not only of interest now but were to the contemporary design enthusiasts as well. The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, and other “elephants” on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, not only serve as a nostalgic look at a wealthy past, but stand as testaments to American innovative design and a thirst for technological and artistic advancement.

A combination of a wealthy playground and a working man’s community, there was a dichotomy in Newport of the wealthy and the poor. The Gilded Age extends from 1870-1900, based on the rapid economic growth and industry in the North and West of the United States, also characterized as the “American Renaissance” (1876 to 1917). This period radiated with a sense of national self-confidence and a celebration of the historic ties to Greek democracy and humanism. It was an embrace of the American dream of “hard work ethic that created wealth beyond imaging”.

Back of the Entrance to the Newport Casino – Nilda Lopez

Many of the constructions built by McKim, Mead, and White not only served as homes but echoed the ostentation of the wealth of the community. Recently renovated and not regularly seen, is the interior of the theater of the Newport Casino where live bands and performances played on stage while the wealthy partied on the first floor and ticketed upper levels were for gawkers. Built from 1879-1881, it was a social club that included lawn and tennis courts alongside co-ed club rooms for reading and event spaces for socializing.

Empty Theater at the Newport Casino – Nilda Lopez

Our group greatly enjoyed the lectures held in an old barn — we were hosted on Salve Regina University Campus and with views of churches and buildings with stained glass windows by John La Farge (1835-1910) and Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933).

A noted highlight was a visit to Edith Wharton’s home at Land’s End. It was a great pleasure and an amazing opportunity to view these tremendous displays of stylistic American sensibilities: a mix-matching of period styles for the consumer’s delight, within interiors that create a sense of awe and magnificence or just make a home for a growing family in fabulous Gilded style.

Views of the landscape from the interior of the Land’s End – Nilda Lopez

Further reading:

Bell, Robert Anning. A lecture on stained glass (1922).

Benway, Ann M. A guidebook to Newport mansions of the Preservation Society of Newport County (1984).

Broderick, Mosette. Triumvirate : McKim, Mead & White : art, architecture, scandal and class in America’s Gilded Age (2010).

Cheek, Richard. Newport mansions : the Gilded Age [1982].

Craven, Wayne. Gilded mansions : grand architecture and high society (2009).

Foreman, John and Robbe Pierce Stimson. The Vanderbilts and the gilded age : architectural aspirations, 1879-1901 (1991)

John La Farge : an American master (1835-1910) [1989].

McAlester, Virginia and Lee. Great American houses and their architectural styles (1994).

New Comic Honors Civil Rights Singer Bernice Johnson Reagon on Her 80th Birthday

Meredith Holmgren — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 13:00:20 +0000

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, together with the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, are excited to announce the publication of a new comic mini-zine about the work of musician and activist Bernice Johnson Reagon.

Photographic portrait of Bernice Johnson Reagon, taken by Dane Penland, 1981. Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Bernice Johnson Reagon—along with Cordell Reagon, Rutha Harris, and Charles Neblett—founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Freedom Singers, an influential group of civil rights singers who operated in the 1960s. They toured the country, singing and raising support for civil rights causes in the U.S. South. Reagon would later cofound the Grammy-nominated African American women’s a capella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, which “educates, entertains, and empowers” through songs, stories, and American Sign Language. A multi-talented singer, songwriter, producer, activist, and educator, Bernice’s influence on artists and activists across the country has been felt for many decades. She turns 80 this month, on October 4^th, 2022.

Bernice Johnson Reagon (lower left-hand corner) with Sweet Honey in the Rock on the cover of Ms. magazine, 1993

Bernice’s ties to the Smithsonian are long and strong. She worked as a curator and director of the Program in Black American Culture at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Her Ph.D. dissertation work at Howard University informed Voices of the Civil Rights Movement, first published by Smithsonian Recordings and then reissued by Smithsonian Folkways. She has two solo albums on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, including Folk Songs: The South (1965) and Give Your Hands to Struggle (1975). She also produced and co-wrote liner notes for Wade in the Water (1996), a companion to her 1995 Peabody Award-winning radio series of the same name.

Bernice Johnson Reagon, Folk Songs: The South, Folkways Records, 1965.

Geared toward students and educators, this publication aims to introduce her work to a new generation of young people. This comic zine complements the current exhibition Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change, in which Bernice’s work as a civil rights leader and artistic visionary is highlighted. The comic, written and drawn by Evan Keeling, can be downloaded on the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives webpage. The development of this publication was generously supported by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee and produced in partnership with Smithsonian Exhibits.

Bernice Johnson Reagon comic by Evan Keeling. Click to enlarge.

Further Reading:

Bernice Johnson Reagon, “In Our Hands: Thoughts on Black Music”, Sing Out! magazine, January 1976. https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/maai3/protest/text3/inourhands.pdf
Interview with Bernice Johnson Reagon, Washington University in St. Louis, 1986. http://repository.wustl.edu/concern/videos/8p58pf97h
Michael Kernan, “Conveying History Through Song: Bernice Johnson Reagon adds cultural nuance and period flavor to rousing a cappella renditions”, Smithsonian Magazine, 1999. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/conveying-history-through-song-163368265/
Bernice Johnson Reagon: https://folklife.si.edu/legacy-honorees/bernice-johnson-reagon/smithsonian
“Bernice Johnson Reagon: Civil Rights Song Leader” https://folkways.si.edu/bernice-johnson-reagon-civil-rights-song-leader/african-american-struggle-protest-folk/music/article/smithsonian

Creating the Transcription Cleanup Tool

Phalisa Thrower — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 17:44:46 +0000

During my time in the Kathryn Turner Diversity and Technology Internship, I worked with my mentor to create a program/software that would take completed projects from the Smithsonian Transcription Center and clean up the data even further. However, I first had to begin with understanding what I was ‘cleaning up’. Within the Transcription Center are projects and themes, many from the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ collections are field books containing information such as day-by-day journaling, research data, or letters from the 19^th century. These projects and field books are typically handwritten and need to be transcribed so that their full text can be included and searched in other platforms, like the Smithsonian Collections Search Center and the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL).

Page of Specimen List from C. Hart Merriam’s Biological Survey of the San Francisco Mountain Region, 1889

To prevent leaving out any information, I, like other Transcription Center volunteers, was instructed to type out everything as I saw it – that’s where tags come in. Tags are used to show exactly what is written on the page when transcribing it. For example, a tag could be used when a phrase is underlined, inserted into the text, or to indicate an image or stamp on the page. I helped transcribe a few pages of the Freedman’s Bureau project in order to learn what these tags looked like and how they would be important for field books. After a while, the tags can make the transcription look messy, which is why it was necessary for us to develop the Transcription Cleanup tool.

A visual of the original and transcribed content in the Transcription Center.

Joel Richard, my mentor, and I coded the software to read through the downloaded, transcribed pages and remove all the tags that were used the most. Removing the tags is important because they can cause problems in the BHL search engine because the tags are not meaningful words for searching in BHL. Creating this software was something completely different from what I’ve done in school because I hadn’t yet completed any projects with real-world applications. Joel and I would meet virtually almost every day to discuss the next steps of the software and go over any questions I had.

One new thing that I learned is regular expressions, or regex. A regular expression is a sequence of characters that allows creation of patterns to help find, replace, and manage specific text. An example of a regex is a question mark, ?, which allows users to search for any optional character. For it to work, the question mark would have to be placed after the specified character, which applies to any regex character. A plus sign, +, would be used to search for one or more of a specified character. An example of a regex pattern is \[\[/?underlined?\]\], which would match an optional “/“ and “underline” with an optional “d”. I’d say regular expressions were the biggest part of the code we created because without them we wouldn’t have been able to efficiently remove the tags for this project.

Comparison of the original content vs. the output after running the Transcription Cleanup software

As a computer science student, being an intern for the Smithsonian was a great way for me to get my foot in the door. There was no pressure if I didn’t know something and needed a small lesson, and I could freely communicate with my mentor. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity to create, learn, and experience.

What the Doctor Ordered: The Crestmobile for House Calls

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 13:00:49 +0000

If you were sick at the turn of the 20th Century, a doctor might have visited you at home. This was called a house call. But to do this, doctors needed reliable transportation. What were their options? One option was the Crestmobile.

This trade catalog is titled Crestmobile is What the Doctor Needs (circa 1901) by Crest Mfg. Co. (MA). It is directed towards physicians and describes features, specifications, and advantages of the Crestmobile. The final page includes a letter describing one doctor’s experience with automobiles and how he transitioned from using a horse and carriage to steam vehicles and finally gasoline vehicles.

Crest Mfg. Co. (MA), Cambridgeport, MA. Crestmobile is What the Doctor Needs (circa 1901), unnumbered page 1, Crestmobile.

So, what were the advantages of an automobile over a horse and carriage? For one thing, speed. This was especially true in a medical emergency. A horse and carriage required extra time to harness the horses and prepare the carriage while a gasoline vehicle started instantly.

As the catalog points out, automobiles have the ability to cover more miles than a horse and carriage. It explains that a “horse is practically limited to from eighteen to twenty miles; with an automobile in the same time fifty or more miles can be made.” By covering more ground in a shorter time period, it allowed doctors to make more house calls which led to more time in the office providing care to other patients and completing office work.

Crest Mfg. Co. (MA), Cambridgeport, MA. Crestmobile is What the Doctor Needs (circa 1901), unnumbered page 2, advantages of the automobile and information about the Crestmobile.

Now let’s focus on the Crestmobile, in particular. The Crestmobile was a gasoline vehicle carrying all its machinery on the front axle area. According to this catalog, the machinery weighed less than 100 pounds. Its lightness was important, especially when driving on rough roads. In addition, the location of its machinery at the front of the vehicle made it easier to access for maintenance purposes. The gasoline tank was located under the seat and “easily removed.” Specific measurements for the Crestmobile are included in this catalog, such as, “body, 42 x 60 ins.; length over all, 90 ins.; width over all, 51 ins.”

The catalog mentions that the Crestmobile created “no noise, heat, or vibration.” It got 35-40 miles per gallon and was fitted with side steering. The driver’s left hand steered the carriage while the right hand operated the speed regulator.

For a doctor who most likely carried a medical bag and other supplies to treat patients, the vehicle provided ample space to store these items. It also came with the option of a top for the vehicle. The first page of this catalog shows the Crestmobile as an open-air vehicle with no top, but if desired a top could be supplied.

Crest Mfg. Co. (MA), Cambridgeport, MA. Crestmobile is What the Doctor Needs (circa 1901), unnumbered page 3, features and specifications of the Crestmobile.

Another handy feature was the option to build a “house,” or garage, to store the Crestmobile. The “house” was shipped in sections and then bolted together on location. As the catalog points out, this was a cost savings. It most likely cost more to build a stable or board a horse than to build a “house” for the Crestmobile.

But what did doctors at the turn of the 20th Century think of the various types of automobiles versus a horse and carriage? We can learn a bit from a letter included in this catalog. Printed in the Boston Transcript on January 26, 1901, describing a Boston doctor’s experiences, it is titled, “A Doctor’s Experience. How He Took to Automobiles in Place of Horses—He Used Steam First, but Gave it up for Gasoline.”

Crest Mfg. Co. (MA), Cambridgeport, MA. Crestmobile is What the Doctor Needs (circa 1901), unnumbered page 4, letter describing a doctor’s experience with transportation in Boston Transcript dated January 26, 1901.

The letter explains how the doctor transitioned from using a horse and carriage to automobiles, first steam and then gasoline. In his experience, the automobile did the work of two or more horses without the extra worry of a horse becoming tired.

When he switched to a steam vehicle, he found that it required a good deal of maintenance and care even while making house calls. For example, on a house call tending to a patient, he might become distracted when hearing the sound of escaping steam from his vehicle.

However, when he switched to a gasoline vehicle, he found that he could take care of the general maintenance of the vehicle himself. Gasoline vehicles seemed to be faster and more capable of traveling over longer distances as opposed to steam vehicles. He even took one trip in a gasoline vehicle covering over 70 miles in one day.

The letter ends with an important acknowledgement. This particular doctor found the steam carriage of that time period to be “first rate for pleasure driving in the parks or for speeding over smooth roads, but that for business and cross-country trips gasoline is the thing.” But he acknowledged that not everyone may have the same experience as he did.

Crestmobile is What the Doctor Needs (circa 1901) and other trade catalogs by Crest Mfg. Co. (MA) is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Reimaging a Classic: the Arion Press Edition of “The World Is Round”

Alexandra Reigle — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 13:00:25 +0000

Full box set of the 1986 Arion Press edition of The World Is Round including the box, the book, a companion book The World Is Not Flat, and a balloon.

Recently, the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library received a generous donation of Arion Press books from the collection of Dr. Ronnyjane Goldsmith. The Arion Press, founded in 1963, blends literature and art in creative and unexpected ways.

One title from this collection is Gertrude Stein’s The World Is Round, illustrated by Clement Hurd. Gertrude Stein was well known as an author, poet, and art collector who was part of the modernist movement. While there was doubt children would understand a story written by an author who had only written for adults so far, Stein was contacted by the publisher Young Scott Books at the urging of author Margaret Brown Wise (author of Goodnight Moon) to write a children’s book. Coincidentally, Stein had been working on a children’s book and readily accepted. From the beginning, Stein insisted on selecting and working closely with the illustrator so that the entirety of the book, not just the text, matched her vision. Ultimately, Stein selected Clement Hurd, the future illustrator of Goodnight Moon.

Originally published in 1939, The World Is Round follows a young girl named Rose and her exploration of the world around her and her place in it. The character of Rose was based on the daughter of one of Stein’s neighbors who she was particularly close with. Written much like a poem, the text is short and somewhat enigmatic, coupled with whimsical illustrations throughout. Stein insisted that the pages be pink (a reference to the main character Rose) and that the illustrations and words be printed in blue ink (Stein’s favorite color), which was not an easy feat for the publisher. Stein had a very clear image of what Rose should look like and worked with Hurd as he illustrated the protagonist and her perspective of the world. The reception of the book was mixed, as some critics believed it was too advanced for most children, while others believed it was expertly written in a form that children could relate to. You can see a copy from the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University Library on their site.

The World Is Round was reissued in 1966 by Young Scott Books. Since Gertrude Stein had passed in 1946, Hurd was the primary creative lead for this reissue. For the 1966 edition, Hurd decided to revisit his illustrations with a better understanding of the story and years of experience. Perhaps the most drastic change was a new image of Rose, which he believed was more relatable to a larger audience. This time the paper was white, black ink was used for the words and illustrations, and pink ink was used primarily to enhance the illustrations.

The round shape of the book plays on the title, and the pink-red color of the cover and the blue text are an homage to Gertrude Stein’s original requests.

Hurd then worked with Arion Press to create a new edition that was released in 1986. Arion Press is known to produce beautifully crafted and imaginative editions of classic books that play with illustration, literary content, and the book’s physical form. This edition included the book, a companion book, and a balloon, all housed in a box. This time around, Clement Hurd made some more alterations to his illustrations, using his wood and linoleum blocks from the 1966 edition and transformed them into photo-engravings. The book used white paper, and illustrations were printed in blue ink and the text was printed in black. Playing on the title, the physical book is in the shape of a circle and comes with a balloon printed with the book’s title. While pink was not used for the illustrations or the paper, various tones of pink were used for the cover of the books and the box. Despite the alterations to Stein’s original design ideas, the continued use of pink in the various editions serve as a clear homage to her wishes and creative input.

The Arion Press edition used white paper, blue ink for the illustrations, and black ink for the text.

A companion book, titled The World Is Not Flat, is included in the box and is a fantastic addition to this edition. The small square-shaped book was written by Edith Thacher Hurd, a children’s book author and Clement Hurd’s wife, and details the history of the book, providing insight into the creation of the different variations. Included are letters between Stein and Hurd, which allows the reader to better understand their working relationship and how they navigated this collaboration.

The World Is Round was the 18th title published by the Arion Press (view their catalog for a full list). The American Art and Portrait Gallery Library has two copies of this edition out of the 400 copies printed. Come and view this title (unfortunately, we can’t blow up the balloon for the full experience) as well as many other artfully made Arion Press publications at the AAPG Library!

An Operation of Its Own: Brigitte Blachere and Programming within the Smithsonian Associates

Maia Johnston — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 13:00:32 +0000

Nothing about the Smithsonian Institution can be described as small, especially the impact of its staff. As an intern with the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Summer Scholars’ Program in the Institutional History Division, I had the opportunity to learn more about staff at the Smithsonian Associates. Over the course of two months, I explored the dedication and inspiration behind the programs produced by Associates through processing a series of oral history interviews.

In 2013, director Barbara S. Tuceling sat down with her staff to record and recognize the groundbreaking work of Smithsonian Associates’ employees. In an interview on September 5, Tuceling asked Brigitte Blachere to discuss programming within the educational unit. Blachere revealed the enlightening and entertaining opportunities she had provided youth and families for 23 years.

Brigitte Blachere began her career with the Smithsonian Associates as a program manager in July 1999. She participated in and produced a variety of programs, including the Smithsonian Kite Festival, Smithsonian Sleepovers, and Smithsonian Summer Camp.

Kite Carnival on the National Mall, 1967. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Acc. 11-008, Image no. OPA-1022.

Founded by the Smithsonian Associates in 1967, the Smithsonian Kite Festival was one of the first kite festivals in the United States to cast flying competitions. In her oral history interview, Blachere distinguished it as the “grandaddy” kite festival because of its “longstanding grandeur.” Despite its breezy appeal, the festival was often overlooked or underbooked due to scheduling conflicts with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It was Blachere who enveloped the kites into the National Cherry Blossom Festival to designate its importance to the Smithsonian. Even though the kite festival is no longer connected to the Smithsonian, it has been adopted by the National Cherry Blossom Festival and continues today.

Blachere implemented the treasured Smithsonian Sleepovers following the release of the film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009). This event was originally held in the National Museum of Natural History, where guests could camp in their sleeping bags and experience a behind-the-scenes look at the museum, crafts, and guest speakers. Blachere examined how the sleepovers “evolved over time” into an “exploration of extremes [with] a guided journey of the museums.” Once the sleepovers dazzled the public, there was an explosion of interest throughout the Smithsonian and all over the world. The programs have expanded their overnight explorations to include the National Museum of American History, the National Air and Space Museum, and the National Portrait Gallery.

Promotional photograph for the Smithsonian Associates’ Night at the Museum programs from 2020. This photograph depicts a sleepover setup at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center.

Currently, Blachere manages the Smithsonian Summer Camp for children. Beginning in the late 1960s, the camp conjured connections to the vast grounds and museums on the National Mall. Blachere inherited the program in 1999 and considered it to be an “operation of its own” because of the mass public interest. Recognizing the need for before-and-after camp care for working families, she was determined to supply activities for every grade level. The Smithsonian Summer Camp continues to thrive under her leadership, operating in-person and virtually.

Throughout my investigation of Blachere’s work, I found myself drawn to the accessibility of the programs and the ways they have welcomed the public and complemented the Smithsonian Institution’s mission for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.” It is this openness, this passion for the people, and this commitment to the craft that has inspired me in my own work. With ample experience working in a public library and hosting programs for the public, I am no stranger to the complexities of it all. Brigitte Blachere’s achievements have not been lost on me, and their resolve is a reminder I will carry with me in my pursuit of a master’s degree in library science.

Related Resources

History of the Smithsonian Associated Oral History Interviews, Record Unit 9634, Smithsonian Institution Archives

Library Descriptive Data Unleashed in SVDE: Making Data More Meaningful

Jackie Shieh — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 20:00:31 +0000

Previously, we have shared one stream of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ linked data experiments, Wikidata, which is based on a Wiki platform. In this post, we share another linked data experiment that focuses on the traditional bibliographic data (the library catalog) transformation with the Shared Virtual Discovery Environment (SVDE) BIBFRAME project.

Linked open data is often considered synonymous with the semantic web, where structured data interconnects with structured data web query tools (such as SPARQL). Then, the data or information can be represented in different visualizations —data graphs, charts, bars, maps, timelines, etc. Cultural heritage organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution, and specifically the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, have been working diligently to adapt their internal data to meet In an effort to reap the benefits of linked open data, we’ve moved towards complete conversion of our existing library catalog data to this format, and come away with an exciting initial result.

The international library community has been setting policies and encouraging best practices to accommodate bibliographic description, moving away from self-contained “document style” records, to providing descriptive data in which statements about a resource (an object, a thing) are assembled more flexibly. How data gets assembled and reassembled will be based on user preferences and needs. New connections can easily be made among resources. Author A published Title A. Title A has Illustrator A. Illustrator A published Title B. etc., etc.

The international Shared Virtual Discovery Environment (SVDE) project gave the Libraries and Archives the opportunity to model our library catalog records to realize these goals. The entity-relationship description, and the hallmark of this data model, is data accompanied with URIs (an identifier following a HTTP prefix). In this post, we will share the journey of how the SVDE platform aligned Smithsonian Libraries and Archives catalog records in compliance with structured data standards, allowing them to be exposed directly onto the open web.

Enriching Horizon Bibliographic Data

The Libraries and Archives’ current bibliographic data hosting service is Horizon, an older integrated library system no longer supported by research and development. Its system infrastructures are barely keeping in step with the library’s basic operations. Its ability to handle innovative approaches to data representation and visualization are no longer adequate. Because of this, our library data lacks the ability to connect natively with external sources. Library staff have been investigating its replacement for several years.

Realizing that the academic, research, and national library community are moving toward a linked open data environment for library data, a group of Libraries and Archives staff embarked on a series of linked data modeling experiments. Encouraged by progress from other libraries, the Smithsonian team began projects to enhance and transform the library’s catalog of bibliographic data to the BIBFRAME model beginning in 2019.

The task at hand was to expand names (corporate bodies, persons, families) and LCSH (Library of Congress Subject Headings) to a form that facilitates the use of identifiers, in addition to publishing library data on the web. Then, incorporating FAST Headings (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) to enable grouping of topics, chronology, geographic names, etc. These preparatory activities paved the way for the library’s linked open data journey. Months into the project, a small number of catalog records received minimal enhanced treatment, approximately ten thousand titles over a two-year period. With the support of an internal fund, the library’s bibliographic linked open data project was scaled up to nearly 2 million records. Library data were moved out of siloes and exposed to the open web with help from the SVDE initiative. This allowed us to leverage the technology and expert knowledge of the well-established SVDE team along with scores of member libraries’ collections and structured data expertise to move the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives toward interoperability. This helps us achieve the strategic goals set forth by Secretary Lonnie Bunch.

Share-VDE (SVDE) Initiative

In 2016, the research and development team of Casalini Libri, an international bibliographic and authority data provider, the @Cult, a provider for library systems, Stanford University Library, and a group of academic, research and national libraries from North America and Europe worked to realize a linked open data vision. The resulting SVDE is a library-driven initiative to create “the cleanest, most reconciled pool of collective data shared across collections” and to shape the future of bibliographic linked open data developments.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ bibliographic and authority records were “dropped off” for SVDE teams to transform to a linked open data format using the standard BIBFRAME 2.0. This included extracting heading strings to resolve identifiers in a web format (prefix with HTTP), then conducting live queries via SVDE API tools on open access resources. This journey through the 24 processes for library bibliographic data successfully moved document-type records to entity-relationship data structure. This achieves the promises of the SVDE initiative to increase library collections discoverability by enriching library data with URIs, allowing wider and more direct interactions with linked data in the SVDE cluster knowledge database (known as Sapientia), and to keep pace with semantic web applications and developments.

The previous improvements to library bibliographic data done by Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff were greatly enhanced by the SVDE project. Over a two-year period, staff were only able to add linked open data processes to a little over ten thousand bibliographic records. The SVDE team completed close to 2 million bibliographic records in a short period of time. In addition, our library data is now in the SVDE Entity Discovery Portal and Linked Data Management System

Four deliverables for participating libraries, from presentation at Library of Congress’ Digital Future and You (2018)

So, what do we mean when we say transitioning document-type catalog records to entity-relationship structured data? Let’s look at an example, the celebrated work, North American wild flowers, by Mary Vaux Walcott, wife of our fourth Secretary, Charles Doolittle Walcott.

SIRIS (Smithsonian Institution Research Information System) catalog record for North American Wild Flowers.

Descriptive statements of entity relationships parse each field to separate components. When a name (for a person, geographic, topics, etc.) URI is available, SVDE will link the text string to its corresponding URI, as seen in the table below.

Entity-Relationship data model

The SVE Entity Discovery Portal interface (UI) offers users a clean front-end design for simple and advanced search options with seamless viewing of the entity pages embedded links, including data from external services (such as images from Wikimedia Commons, description from Wikidata, articles from Wikipedia, and others). Pages include language preference for navigation.

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Catalog BETA: https://smithsonian.svde.org

When comparing the search “Mary Vaux Walcott”: the library’s current catalog presents a document-style description that lacks interactivity to external resources. While in the SVDE Entity Discovery Portal, you will notice the entity-relationship based data model embedded external information from Wiki services. Wikidata description and Wikipedia article describing author, Mary Vaux Walcott, comprised as part of the search output seamlessly. Additional links to external sources, like identification of an entity, contributor, publisher, etc., are clearly represented.

Person search: “Mary Vaux Walcott”, links to external resources, including available data format for download

The related subject links for the book North American wild flowers cover diverse types, including genre/form of the publication. Opening up the Library of Congress Subject Headings creates greater opportunity for users to connect to other similar types of material or topics.

Library of Congress Subject Heading is decomposed to genre, date, and place

To continue data quality and assurance, SVDE is designing an entity editor for library staff to manage and curate information. SVDE’s back-end technology prepared the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives data for indexing, clustering, searching and representation. Their work helps data providers like the Smithsonian reap the benefits of linked data and connect library collections on the web in a user-friendly and informative manner.

In the next few months, Libraries and Archives expects to receive the enhanced bibliographic records with URIs in our traditional MARC format, as well as the transformed format in BIBFRAME RDF. We will have opportunities to further investigate how the new data formats can help realize the potential of descriptive data for visualization, in fulfilling our goals, and in connecting library collections with users and data consumers. We are edging forward excitedly in the semantic world for publishing and research.

Further Reading: 

Linked open data, what is it?
Library of Congress BIBFRAME
Share VDE (Virtual Discovery Environment) Initiative Wiki page
Share-VDE Presentation at the Library of Congress’ Digital Future and You (2018):

“Highlights of the NMAAHC Library Collection” Opens at National Museum of African American History and Culture

Erin Rushing — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 13:00:21 +0000

This September, the National Museum of African American History and Culture celebrates its sixth anniversary. When it first opened, our National Museum of African American History and Culture Library, housed on the second floor, displayed a noteworthy selection of highlights from its collection. The library has just unveiled a new exhibit featuring another set of books and materials significant to the African American story. Items in Highlights of the NMAAHC Library Collection span over a hundred years and a variety of formats – from an 1886 biography of Harriet Tubman to a 2009 artists’ book celebrating the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

Cover and title page of Harriet, The Moses of Her People (1886).

Shauna Collier, head of the library and curator of the exhibit, was inspired to pull together this particular set of collection items partly by the pandemic. During online presentations and virtual trainings, these were some of the materials she found herself referencing most, and ones she particularly missed sharing with researchers in person. They may not fit neatly into a theme, but each has an important story to tell. Collier also wanted to highlight the contributions of donors to the library. Ten of the eleven featured items were donated to the collection. For example, Oscar Micheaux’s The Story of Dorothy Stanfield (1946) was the gift of film historian and director Pearl Bowser. The Mind of the Negro (1926) by Carter Woodson was a gift from Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch when he was the museum’s inaugural director.

The Story of Dorothy Stanfield (1946)

Each work on display is important in its own unique way. The Anthology of Rap (2010) highlights a vibrant contemporary subject and evolving area of study. Father Henson’s Story of His Own Life (1858) directly influenced Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin—the Uncle Tom character in her book was based on Josiah Henson’s life. Oscar Micheaux’s 1920 film Within Our Gates is one of many collected to support our research community. It is a powerful response to The Birth of a Nation, D.W. Griffith’s 1915 racist film about the Civil War.

An exciting feature of the exhibit is the incorporation of the Hi App, an innovative gallery guide that encourages in-person visitors to use their mobile devices to connect with additional online content. While browsing the library selections, visitors can also explore blog posts, museum objects, and digitized books to broaden their experience.

Shauna Collier with the exhibit she curated, Highlights of the NMAAHC Library Collection.

Highlights of the NMAAHC Library Collection will be on display on the second floor of the National Museum of African American History and Culture until April of 2023.

Meet Artist Atlanta Constance Sampson and Her Lifelong “Obsession”

Isabella Buzynski — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 13:00:08 +0000

This post was contributed by Isabella Buzynski, 2022 Summer Scholars intern with the American Art and Portrait Gallery (AA/PG) Library. Isabella is currently attending the University of Michigan School of Information for the Master of Science in Information program.

This summer, I had the great pleasure of interning under the mentorship of Alexandra Reigle at the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library. I have continued an ongoing project to process and integrate the Art Students League of New York papers into the library’s existing Art and Artist File collection, comprising over 150,000 files of ephemeral materials on art, artists, art institutions, collectors, and special subjects. Day-to-day, this consists of pulling batches of Artist Files, deciding what items should be added to each, removing dozens of staples, stamping the items, making a mess, and then putting them all back on the shelf for researchers to consult. I have learned first-hand how the decisions that archivists and librarians make shape the historical record and have gained an expedited education in American art through the exhibition materials, news articles, and letters that I encounter. I also encountered some incredible stories, including that of Atlanta C. Sampson’s ninety-year career as an artist.

Born in 1896 on a small farm between Lyle, Minnesota, and Toeterville, Iowa, Sampson painted for most of her long life in relative obscurity. She was “discovered” in 1987 when Owen Ryan, a marketing executive, came across one of her paintings in the window of a New York delicatessen. Ryan was introduced to Sampson, sitting inside at one of the booths, and eventually took her up on an invitation to see the hundreds of paintings that filled her tiny one-room apartment on the Lower East Side to the brim. He was dazzled by the beauty of her work and touched by the determination of the 91-year-old-woman who had labored uncomplainingly through decades of want in pursuit of her passion. “God created me to be an artist,” she told Ryan, “It was just as necessary as eating or sleeping for me to paint. I had to do it. It was an obsession all my life.” At that time, thirty years after moving to New York City to become a full-time artist, Sampson was preparing to move back to Toeterville having never realized her dream of putting on a one woman show. Ryan decided to champion her cause, organizing her first solo show at the National Arts Club in Manhattan.

A postcard from the Unionhurst Gallery in Toeterville, Iowa, which was established by Sampson’s nephew, Frank Langrock. The front features an image of Atlanta Sampson wearing big pink glasses and is captioned “A Nineties Woman in Her Nineties.” The back of the postcard includes a color reproduction of one of Sampson’s watercolors depicting a bouquet of flowers. The inside of the postcard reads: “Original Paintings by Atlanta Constance Sampson, Box 144, Toeterville, Iowa 50481. ‘A Nineties Woman in Her Nineties.’ Mediums include: Watercolor, Ink and Pencil, Chalk, Abstract Oils. Over eight decades of Art Production.”

“True Colors: The Paintings of Atlanta Constance Sampson, 1896 – Present” opened on May 24, 1988, and was an immediate success. It elicited excellent reviews from respected art critics and interviews with CBS, CNN, and NBC. In the years between her first solo show and her death at the age of 98, Sampson’s work was exhibited in various U.S. museums, auctioned at Christie’s, and installed in a permanent collection at Unionhurst Gallery in Toeterville. On her 96th birthday, she was honored for her contribution to the arts with a private reception and exhibition at the Russell Building Rotunda on Capitol Hill. Newspapers invariably referred to her story, one of exceptional struggle and satisfying payoff, as an art-world “fairytale.” But when I read through the Atlanta C. Sampson file, I was less intrigued by her seven years of relative fame than by her nine decades of tireless work. It seems there was never a moment when she wasn’t absorbed with her art.

An invitation to the reception and private viewing of Atlanta Sampson’s works held in The Mansfield Room at The Capitol on September 30, 1992. The accompanying exhibition was held in the Rotunda of The Russell Senate Office Building from September 30-October 2, 1992 and was sponsored by Senators Charles Grassley, David Durenberger, Paul Wellstone, Donald W. Riegle, Jr., Carl Levin, Paul Simon, Alan Dixon, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and Tom Harkin.

After graduating from the University of Minnesota Art Education Department in 1918, Sampson moved to Detroit where she worked as an art teacher during the day and spent her evenings taking art classes. During the 1930s and 1940s, she exhibited frequently in regional exhibits held at the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Scarab Club, among other smaller art galleries. She entered her watercolors in competitions against other instructors from the Wayne University art department and Detroit Public Schools, winning second and third prizes. Her paintings were occasionally reproduced by the Detroit News and Free Press. During this time, in addition to her earlier still lifes of flowers and landscapes, Sampson began depicting urban scenes of Detroit’s industrial worksites, jazz clubs, and markets. She experimented with watercolor techniques and abstraction.

Sampson’s “Market Scene” was reproduced in the Detroit Free Press as “one of the strongest paintings” shown at the fifth annual exhibition by art instructors of the Detroit Public Schools, which was held at the Scarab Club from October through November 8th, 1940. Sampson is listed as a substitute teacher, which likely allowed her more time for painting than full-time teaching. Source: The Detroit Free Press, October 20, 1940, p. 55.

By 1946, Sampson was exhibiting and selling her watercolors regularly at the Detroit Artists Market and began exhibiting her work with the Detroit Watercolor Society, which was founded that same year. During a time when women were often excluded from male-dominated arts and social clubs, she was an active member of the Detroit Society of Women Painters and Sculptors and on at least one occasion exhibited at Women’s City Club, which was at that time one of the largest women’s clubs in the world. From 1948 through 1952, Sampson exhibited and won prizes at the Chicago International Watercolor Competition.

Despite these successes, by the late 1940s Sampson was becoming restless, feeling that she did not have enough time to devote to her art while also working as a teacher. She decided to retire from teaching and, sometime around 1954 (sources vary along with Sampson’s memory), she arrived in New York City to become a full-time starving artist at the age of 56. She knew no one in the city, and supported herself through office work supplemented by occasional freelance gigs designing fabric and wallpaper prints. She studied in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and in New York City under the famous artist Hans Hofmann, who encouraged her to continue painting and honing her craft. Taking this advice, in the 1960s she enrolled in classes at the Art Students League of New York, studying with Professors Dorfman, Stamos, Thomas, Fogarty, and Klonis. Likely influenced by these professors and her exposure to the thriving abstract expressionism movement in New York City, Sampson began experimenting with colorful abstract compositions. One of these works, “Light Fantasy with Red,” was later selected to become part of the permanent collection at the Art Students League.

Although Sampson’s work was modern, she was often turned away from galleries because of her age. A woman in her 70s, she could not compete against les enfants terribles, young artists like Robert Rauschenberg who were charming the art world with their youth and irreverence. She sold few of her paintings and, unable to afford tuition, was forced to take a hiatus from her studies. Sampson lied about her age to get typing jobs to pay for art materials and when the funds ran out she painted on paper bags and the backsides of used canvases. Continuing to work part-time to sustain herself, she returned to the Art Students League in the late 1970s. In 1981 and again in 1982, she won Merit Scholarships at the League that allowed her to paint full-time for two years. I imagine this was an exciting time for Sampson, always yearning for more time to devote to her “obsession.”

Sampson’s watercolor of cranes was discovered by Owen Ryan in 1987 and the rest, as they say, is history. Her story and her paintings, now scattered across the country in public and private collections, are her legacy—there’s even a lovely song dedicated to Atlanta C. Sampson. After all, I am struck by how little we can ever know about her, by how much is absent from the Artist File. That said, I hope her story moves you like it moved me. As I say goodbye (for now!) to the AA/PG LIbrary to finish my degree and continue pursuing a career in archives, I am inspired by Sampson to never wait around for miracles, but to create opportunities to always do what I love.

Sources:

Atlanta C. Sampson, Art & Artist Files, Smithsonian American Art and Portrait Gallery Library, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, Washington, D.C.

The Detroit News:

“Variety of Talent Marks Women Painters Show,” March 17, 1935, Arts Section, 17.
Florence Davies, “Michigan Artists’ Show Opens With Boom in Sales,” November 12, 1935, 9.
“Wayne Art Awards Announced at Show,” May 22, 1938, General News, 16.
“Water Color in Michigan Show,” December 7, 1941, Sports Section, 13.
Florence Davies, “Full Program Ahead,” May 19, 1946, Home and Society, 19.
Florence Davies, “Tenth Annual at Wayne,” May 26, 1946, Home and Society, 19.
Florence Davies, “Art Lovers Hail Market,” October 13, 1946, Home and Society, 21.
“Women Painters Plan Exhibition,” April 3, 1947, 34.
Florence Davies, “Michigan Water Colors,” June 29, 1947, Home and Society, 17.
Joy Hakanson, “A Full Art Calendar,” January 11, 1948, Home and Society, 17.
Joy Hakanson, “Thinking Caps in Order,” February 15, 1948, Home and Society, 22.
Joy Hakanson, “Design for Building,” April 18, 1948, Home and Society, 22.
“Art Notes,” March 27, 1949, Home and Society, 18.
Joy Hakanson, “Detroit Masterpieces,” April 24, 1949, Home and Society, 22.
Joy Hakanson, “Quartet Shares Artists Market Show,” January 22, 1950, Home and Society, 16.
“Women’s Annual,” April 16, 1950, Home and Society, 22.

The Detroit Free Press:

“State Art Show Starts Tonight,” November 12, 1935, 8.
“Art Educators Exhibit,” October 20, 1940, 55.
“Teachers Take Turn as Art Exhibitors,” October 5, 1941, 55.
“Show Discloses Arresting Talent,” October 4, 1942, 57.
“Artists’ Market Show,” May 19, 1946, 18.
May 26, 1946, 18.
Arthur Dorazio, “Art Notes,” September 30, 1951, 22.

The Iowa Courier:

Jennifer Jacobs, “Artist remains in spotlight at age 98,” September 19, 1994.

The New York Times:

Gregory Jaynes, “An Artist at 91: Her First Show Outside the Deli,” April 20, 1988, B1.
Michael T. Kaufman, “Amazement, Wonder and Meaning of Beauty,” November 18, 1992, B4.
William Grimes, “Atlanta C. Sampson, Artist 98; Had Her First Solo Show at 91,” May 24, 1995, D19.

Introducing “Smithson to Smithsonian”

Emily J. Niekrasz — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 13:00:36 +0000

Today, on the Smithsonian’s birthday, we are pleased to celebrate the launch of a new, refreshed, and greatly expanded web exhibition, Smithson to Smithsonian.

Explore Smithson to Smithsonian today!

The Smithsonian looked a little different when it celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1996. Then, there were only 16 museums (now there’re 21), and the Smithsonian had just launched its first website. Like so many other cultural heritage organizations, the Smithsonian Institution Archives was new to the digital age. Still, staff dove headfirst into the world of online exhibitions with From Smithson to Smithsonian: The Birth of an Institution. A collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, the Smithsonian Institution Archives, and the Architectural History and Historic Preservation Division, the online exhibition traced the life of Smithsonian founding donor James Smithson, his bequest to the United States, and the Institution’s founding. You can still view it today in all of its pixelated, ‘90s glory.

Introduction page of the online exhibition From Smithson to Smithsonian (1996).

Over the last 25 years, we have learned a lot more about our mysterious founder. In 2007, historian Heather Ewing, the lead researcher and writer of this new exhibition, published The Lost World of James Smithson: Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian. Based on years of research in archives across Europe and the United States, it reconstructed Smithson’s life through the diaries and correspondence of his network of scientific colleagues, friends, and family. In 2020, retired curator Steven Turner illuminated Smithson’s accomplishments in chemistry and mineralogy, taking us inside an 18th-century laboratory with his book, The Science of James Smithson: Discoveries from the Smithsonian Founder. And most recently, Archives conservator William Bennett took a deep dive into the Hungerford Deed through a new web exhibition, which builds on Ewing’s work to shed light on Smithson’s motivations for donating his fortune to a country he had never even visited.

During this time Libraries and Archives staff has also worked to make Smithsonian history more accessible—from curating online exhibitions and writing blog posts to making records more discoverable to researchers.

The new iteration of Smithson to Smithsonian highlights this new research. The first three sections explore James Smithson’s early life, scientific contributions, and his bequest to found the Smithsonian. You can watch a demonstration of an 18th-century blowpipe, see the booklet Smithson used to write his extraordinary will, and learn about the origins of Smithson’s money—the 104,960 gold sovereign coins that started the Smithsonian.

The next four sections trace Smithsonian history over the decades, featuring people, objects, and major events from its founding in 1846 until 2022. Did you know the National Weather Service started as a Smithsonian project? Or that the Smithsonian initially turned down the offer of the first airplane, the Wright Flyer? And had you heard that a great fire at the Smithsonian Castle destroyed Smithson’s personal effects? Dive in to discover these stories and so much more.

Where the final two sections of the 1996 exhibition focused on the legacies of the Institution’s first two Secretaries, this new web exhibition guides visitors through Smithsonian history by featuring lesser-known groundbreakers, like Barry Hampton, a Black mail clerk who confronted discrimination and earned the role of curatorial aide, and Mary Jane Rathbun, the first woman to serve as a full-time curator at the Museum.

Today, scientists, artists, historians, and community members use the Smithsonian’s collections in so many incredible ways. Who knows what the next 25 years will bring? As we look ahead, we reflect on Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III’s words on the significance of understanding our institutional history.

Only by recognizing the ways in which this Institution and its leaders both lived up to and fell short of their own standards can we become the Smithsonian of Henry’s and Ripley’s highest aspirations: a place of accessibility, of innovation, of relevance, of richness and meaning. As we reflect on 175 years of history, our great strength is our willingness to engage fully with our past, build on our achievements and evolve to meet the lofty goals we have always set for ourselves.

Join us on August 31 at 5 PM ET for a discussion with Smithsonian staff who are working to restore, highlight, and amplify cultural heritage from historically marginalized communities. This program is the second in a series related to launch of Smithson to Smithsonian. The first program, a presentation and discussion about the legacy of James Smithson with Ewing, Turner, and librarian Leslie Overstreet, is now available on our YouTube channel.

Join us on August 31 at 5 PM ET for our next program, Smithson to Smithsonian: Expanding Our Story

Explore Smithson to Smithsonian today!

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is especially grateful to the Smithsonian at 175 committee for their generous support of this web exhibition.

Related Resources

The Smithsonian at 175

How to “Save Waste and Win the War” with Sherer-Gillett Grocery Counters

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 13:00:46 +0000

Can a particular kind of retail furniture help grocers save money and prevent food waste? In a World War I era trade catalog, Sherer-Gillett Co. promotes a piece of furniture designed for grocers to install in their stores. It was called the Sherer Counter, a bulk food storage system described as a way to cut down on waste and help with the war effort.

Let’s take a closer look at how Sherer-Gillett Co. encouraged the use of this counter for grocery stores. As shown below, the front cover of this catalog includes a quote by the U.S. Food Administration encouraging people to buy food with thought.

Sherer-Gillett Co., Chicago, IL. “Buy Food by the Pound-Not by the Package” (1918), front cover.

Then as we open this 1918 catalog, we are greeted with a quote by Sherer-Gillett Co. It also appears to be the title of the catalog. It reads, “buy food by the pound-not by the package.” This leads us to believe that Sherer-Gillett Co. encouraged the purchasing of food in bulk.

Sherer-Gillett Co., Chicago, IL. “Buy Food by the Pound-Not by the Package” (1918), unnumbered page [1].

Next, we move on to the foreword. There, we learn this catalog was sent “to those who are ‘carrying on’ in food conservation.” Printed in 1918 during World War I, the catalog encouraged people by remarking, “it is pleasant to find that one’s daily vocation is in line with winning the war.”

Sherer-Gillett Co., Chicago, IL. “Buy Food by the Pound-Not by the Package” (1918), page 2, Foreword.

In these introductory pages, we discover this catalog appears to be focused on preventing food from being wasted and saving money for both the customer and grocer. To accomplish this, Sherer-Gillett Co. suggested food be sold and bought in bulk. The catalog mentions that food was frequently bought by the package but suggests dry goods might be suitable to sell by the pound. Some examples include cereals, dried fruits, crackers, cookies, beans, peas, and other similar types of food. However, the catalog also acknowledges the fact that some products, such as liquids and perishable foods, are more easily bought by the package.

Sherer-Gillett Co., Chicago, IL. “Buy Food by the Pound-Not by the Package” (1918), page 5, general information regarding the Sherer Counter and buying food by the pound.

To help grocers and shop owners sell food by the pound, Sherer-Gillett Co. offered a piece of furniture called the Sherer Counter. The Sherer Counter was a grocery counter comprised of 31 bins with glass-front drawers used for the storage of various types of food while keeping everything fresh and clean. The Sherer Counter is illustrated at the bottom of the advertisement below.

Sherer-Gillett Co., Chicago, IL. “Buy Food by the Pound-Not by the Package” (1918), page 8, advertisement for Sherer Counter “Save Waste and Win the War!”

To encourage the installation of the Sherer Counter, Sherer-Gillett Co. introduced a publicity campaign in collaboration with the Knight Co. of Chicago. Advertisements ran in grocer trade journals, and some are included in this catalog. These particular advertisements included a catchy title with a related illustration and an image of the Sherer Counter. These ads also encouraged the reader to request more information.

The purpose of the advertising campaign was to direct people’s attention to the idea of “saving” and encourage the use of the Sherer Counter for doing that very thing. According to this catalog, installing the Sherer Counter “helps save waste for the Dealer and the Consumer, and so—for the Nation. And if for the Nation, it helps win the war!”

Sherer-Gillett Co., Chicago, IL. “Buy Food by the Pound-Not by the Package” (1918), inside back cover, list of advantages of Sherer Counter.

One advertisement begins with the phrase, “Don’t Spill the Beans!” It shows a trail of beans leading from a bag on the floor to a counter where beans are being weighed on a scale. As the beans are weighed, more beans are spilling onto the floor. This advertisement points out that if the grocer installed a Sherer Counter, the beans would be stored in “close-to-the-scale, tight-fitting, glass-front drawers” which might prevent beans from spilling onto the floor while being transferred from bag to scale.

Sherer-Gillett Co., Chicago, IL. “Buy Food by the Pound-Not by the Package” (1918), page 9, advertisement for Sherer Counter “Don’t Spill the Beans!”

Another advertisement weighs in on the idea of losing profit as food is spilled on the floor and wasted. The ad is titled “Why Sweep Out Your Profits?” and its illustration shows a pile of food that presumably fell onto the floor of a grocery store. The text reminds the grocer that keeping dry goods in boxes, barrels, and bags far away from the counter and scale leads to spillage and waste. In contrast, it suggests that a Sherer Counter which keeps food in specific bins near the scale cuts down on waste, thereby preventing lost profits.

Sherer-Gillett Co., Chicago, IL. “Buy Food by the Pound-Not by the Package” (1918), page 11, advertisement for Sherer Counter “Why Sweep Out Your Profits?”

Besides savings, profit, and preventing waste, another focus of the publicity campaign appears to have been cleanliness. An advertisement shown below and titled “No Waste Here!” illustrates a dog cleaning a food dish spotlessly clean from any crumbs. In this same advertisement, the Sherer Counter is described as a way to keep 31 types of food “immaculately clean-perfectly safe!” in its individual food bins.

Sherer-Gillett Co., Chicago, IL. “Buy Food by the Pound-Not by the Package” (1918), page 13, advertisement for Sherer Counter “No Waste Here!”

This trade catalog, “Buy Food by the Pound-Not by the Package” (1918) by Sherer-Gillett Co., is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

How I Spent My Summer: Interning as a Virtual Web Archivist

Israa Abbas — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 13:00:09 +0000

As a current graduate student studying for my Master’s in Library and Information Science, I have a passion for digital archives and information organization. Throughout my own research, I have identified the importance of digital preservation and access to information and data. For my internship I worked with the Smithsonian Institution Archives Digital Services staff as part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Summer Scholars Internship Program.

When I first started this internship, I had the objective of learning more about the process of digital archiving and storing data. I had minimal knowledge of web archiving services and tools. This internship has broadened my knowledge beyond web archiving services while learning the importance of using various tools in order to improve the process. Learning ways to improve the collection and organization of stored data are important for correctly preserving the metadata and digital assets. My goals for this internship were to increase my knowledge in Dublin Core metadata schema, learn how to use web archiving services, and organize metadata. During my internship, I have learned new vocabulary along the way throughout the steps of the web archival process.

The workflow of metadata needs to be organized and precise. The collection that I have mainly worked on is the Smithsonian Institution Websites collection, which consists of Institution websites that have been crawled. Information also is updated within the Smithsonian Institution registry. The registry is an internal document that helps with tracking the Smithsonian websites and social media accounts. Over time, it is important to update this information due to the frequent change in contents on the web pages.

The main web archiving service we use is Archive-It, which is owned by the Internet Archive. It captures and preserves online electronic resources with a focus on access. Throughout my internship, I also was exposed to other web archiving services and tools, including Webrecorder, Conifer, Browsertrix, and Netlytic, to assist with the archival process to provide accurate crawls of each web browser.

There are many web and social media archiving terms I have learned:

Seed: a URL to be crawled.
Scope: an extent that the crawler will travel to discover and archive new materials captured.
Crawler: collects majority of the contents in the data found from the web.
Capture: the process of copying digital information into a repository for storage, preservation, and access purposes.
Brozzler: crawling technology capturing dynamic contents.
Quality Assurance: review of the crawled site compared to the live site.
Accession: unique number assigned to specific group of archival materials.
WARCs: international format standard that combines multiple digital resources into an archival container file.
Host Lists: captured information of each host (storage of web content) site that has been crawled.

The use of the Open Archival Information System (OAIS) reference model has broadened my perspective of how each Archives’ team member works on their preservation workflows as web pages change constantly, such as managing the metadata, curating, and storing the information, and then providing access to the information for both staff and the public.

Throughout the archiving process, Dublin Core, a metadata standard for a wide range of networks and resources, is used to fill out descriptive elements within the Archive-It records to enhance the search and retrieval of archival collections. Creating an online listing of the Smithsonian Institution Websites is a way to have an available electronic bibliographic database that describes the content that each website and social media store. Since social media is very tricky to archive due to the dynamic content being showcased, using multiple tools to capture the data is important because it makes the web crawling process easier. Whenever any technical issue occurs there is always room to search for other alternatives to assist in the process that may seem to be the most appropriate based on a particular archival project.

This is an example of a crawl that has been added through using Archive-It. Parameters include limiting the size and how long it should run:

Screencapture of Archive-It Run Crawl parameters.

This is one of the examples of a previously crawled Smithsonian website with Archive-It for the National Air and Space Museum from January 3, 2013. Notice the images, web page layout, and logo on the website compared to the next crawl.

Screencapture of National Air and Space Museum website from 2013.

On June 15, 2022, I crawled this website. See that the newly posted images captured at the time and the logo are updated. Having this information digitally archived is important to have a way to look back at Smithsonian websites and to have them historically documented for the future.

Screencapture of National Air and Space Museum website in June 2022.

When I went to American Library Association Annual Conference 2022 in Washington D.C., I stopped by the Archives’ office. It was wonderful to meet the team in person and take a tour with my supervisor. I was able to meet with the digital archivists to see firsthand some of the archival processing being done on the website collections that I learned how to capture as part of my internship.

Did I mention I saw boxes of floppy disks waiting to be copied and pallets full of boxes of Smithsonian collections waiting to be processed? Fascinating, right?

My visit to the Collections area at the Archives.

Throughout this internship, I have gained a real-world perspective of digital archival works. This experience has prepared me for the aspect of the digital archive workplace. My passion for digital archives has increased and opened my mind to possibilities to advance my technical and archival skills. Working virtually with the digital services staff has been an adventurous learning experience. Although I have gained real-world skills in web and social media archiving, digital curation, metadata, and digital preservation, I always still have the desire to expand my knowledge further.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives & Wikidata: Smithsonian Research Online

Richard Naples — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 17:32:59 +0000

This is the fifth part of a series sharing Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ work with linked open data and Wikidata. For background and overview of current projects, see the first several posts in the series.

Failure

When pursuing data projects, sometimes failure is the most successful outcome you can have. Perceived “stumbling blocks” you may encounter can profoundly teach you about your data, your projects, and what it is you need to course correct (as well as how much resource you may be lacking!). Our Smithsonian Research Online experience with Wikidata is a perfect example of one such learning opportunity.

Linked data

As research information management professionals, our team is knee-deep in the types of data that Wikidata was built for. The Smithsonian Research Online program at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has collected and managed data about the research published by scholars at the Smithsonian Institution for almost fifteen years. We now are just shy of 100,000 research outputs ranging from journal articles, book chapters, and books, to guest lectures, blog posts, and even a few patents. Along the way, we have identified over 150,000 distinct agent names found within this bibliographic corpus and have maintained a minimal ability to associate those names to individual persons. But the workflows and the technical support needed to maintain them are both taxing. So, when the opportunity arose to learn about the wiki-world and its promise for helping us with authority control, the Project for Cooperative Cataloging Pilot naturally interested us.

Selection of Research Output statistics from Smithsonian Research Online.

Tools

Bibliographic data in Wikidata is so important that many tools have been developed to help move us forward. Aside from the myriad existing projects and bots importing bibliographic datasets into Wikidata, the Scholia project is a notable example of how bibliographic data, once in Wikidata, can show off amazing stuff. In fact, they use the Smithsonian as one of their examples for organizations. As Scholia relies heavily on Wikidata’s bibliographic content, linking the publications to their authors becomes a key component of enriching this data. One tool for doing so is the Author Disambiguator. The importation of metadata from sources like Crossref is easy enough, but it takes some brain power to make sure that the author named in the paper is a specific person with an item in Wikidata. That is where the author disambiguator comes in: it allows someone to run a fuzzy search on a name and then groups results in a way that most likely indicate the same name. From there, it is a matter of replacing the statement on a publication’s Wikidata item that holds the name string with a statement that actually associates and connects the publication to the author’s item itself in Wikidata.

Of course, none of our work could be done without tools like SPARQL query service, QuickStatements, OpenRefine, and more. We used each tool extensively. The SPARQL query service allowed us to evaluate what was in Wikidata already. For example, when working with organizational data about the Smithsonian, we needed to see what belonged to the Smithsonian, and SPARQL allowed us to visually graph the entities. We could also use Listeria to generate tables with the core properties we were looking to ensure were correct in Wikidata. OpenRefine’s reconciliation service was something we used often to process our data about organizations and people. Finally, QuickStatments made easier work of ingesting more than a few records at a time.

What we hope to do with this (Failure Continued…)

When we set out on our ambitious collaboration with the Project for Cooperative Cataloging, we hoped to start by cleaning up Smithsonian organizations, then add Smithsonian authors, and finally populating with Smithsonian publications—a big project with even bigger questions.

We accomplished a lot of these tasks. First, we made sure that the organizations in Wikidata for the Smithsonian were represented, had authoritative data about them including external identifiers, and that they were properly related to the Smithsonian itself—an element of belonging that can be difficult to maintain in Wikidata. However, the actual process of fully modeling organizations and buildings posed more challenges than we anticipated. After all—what is a museum? Is it an organization that occupies a building? Or is a museum a building that holds exhibitions?

In some cases, the distinction between building and organization was clear—we have two museums (the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery) that occupy one building (the Old Patent Office Building, now known as the Donald W. Reynolds Center). But what do we do with the ones that were treated as both a building and an organization? This posed real challenges, especially as the Smithsonian now has two new museums that are a decade away from finding a home in an actual building. So, the inception date for these museums is often quite different from the opening date, and statements are not consistent across our museums. This can make using the data challenging since you cannot easily query things based on a consistent set of properties. Additionally, the matter has yet to be settled within the Wikidata community, where there are arguments for and against establishing separate entities for items which currently conflate buildings and organizations, especially when the building does not have its own unique name. Solving this problem is not as easy as creating those separate items ourselves, as other Wikidata editors who disagree with the practice may merge our newly created items back into one conflated entity. We continue to refine our approach.

Next, we made sure that our researchers had entries in Wikidata. Happily, we found that most already had them, thanks to past projects between the Smithsonian and Wikidata. However, the project posed a challenge: Who should we focus on? Many staff members across the Smithsonian coauthor publications even if their primary job duties do not include research. There are countless fellows, post-docs, pre-docs, interns, contractors, and affiliated agency staff who do work and publish at the Smithsonian. Finally, there are plenty of researchers who have an affiliation with the Smithsonian even if they are not employed or located here. Do we represent this information in Wikidata? If so, how far back do we go? (Or do we even try to be retrospective?) This was a decision we needed to make, joining the many other decisions we were presented with along the way, resulting in a bit of decision fatigue. We did have a logical set of data, though—we have an existing linked data project in the form of our VIVO implementation, Smithsonian Profiles. At the very least, we made sure the people in our profiles were also in Wikidata, with some core properties to at least associate them with the Smithsonian.

The area we failed in accomplishing was how to ensure that publications from these researchers were properly included in Wikidata and properly attributed to the person. For example, we did queries in our system for the researchers in Smithsonian Research Online who had the highest number of co-authorships, and began to run the Author Disambiguator to associate each author’s Wikidata entry with the publications that had that author’s name as a name string. What this does is find a name string in the author name string property statement for a publication, lets you determine if it is a known author with a Wikidata entry, and then it removes the name string from the author name string property and adds the correct Wikidata item for the author in the author property statement. This truly links the publication’s Wikidata item to the author’s Wikidata item, thus creating a much richer knowledge graph and enabling things like Scholia to work. Even with the increased efficiency of using the Author Disambiguator, a project to associate thousands of researchers with thousands of publications still requires a lot more staff time than we had available to pursue.

Screencapture of Smithsonian researchers represented in Wikidata Query.

Ambiguity solved by Wikibase?

We may not have perfected our data representation in Wikidata, but what it offered us instead was a robust introduction to data modeling and figuring out the potentials of the Wikibase software in generating linked data. Now that we have some representation of our researchers within Wikidata (and at least know the fundamentals of how this works), our next experiment is to take those researchers and create a local wiki ecosystem that can connect to Wikidata, but still offer us the ability to control the exact set of data points we want to add for each researcher—which would help us immensely when we need to deal with two researchers sharing the same name, or when researchers have multiple names in the literature—whether from different abbreviations, naming conventions, or changes in names. One of the persistent challenges for bibliographic data is associating and teasing apart ambiguous names. One author can have their name listed in many different versions – especially if their name changes from marriage, gender transition, or even from variations in citation style abbreviations. (Not to mention how names in publishing are often shoehorned into western conventions, as explored for Vietnamese names in this Twitter thread.) On the other hand, you can have multiple people with the same name (even at the same institution!). Having a platform like Wikibase could allow us to maintain those distinctions, and then relate our data to the appropriate person’s record.

The potential strength of Wikibase lies in the flexibility it offers to accommodate local modeling of data. In the case of Smithsonian organizational data and the relationship among our different museums, research centers, and other units, having a locally installed Wikibase gives us complete control over how we model our data while still linking with rich external sources of information. Wikidata is a revolutionary experiment in democratizing data. The benefits of removing gatekeepers to data are many, and we are excited to see the fruits of this. Yet it is clear we aren’t quite ready to fully commit to tearing down that gate. We still need (at the very least) a garden border, so we can tend our own data the way we see fit. Can Wikibase provide that service for us? We shall see.

A Journey With StoryMaps

Maria del Carmen Sánchez García — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 15:00:18 +0000

As a Master of Library and Information Science student at the University of Southern Mississippi School of Library and Information Science, I have learned that Information Literacy is a critical skill for the 21st century. Understanding the current challenges in administering extensive quantities of information, and using information through a critical lens, is paramount for the demands of the modern information society.

This summer (June 2022), I interned with the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Education Department, which has a program on Information Literacy. As part of the program, they are building Information Literacy Collections in Smithsonian Learning Lab. My first project was to write a StoryMap using ArcGIS StoryMaps builder’s digital application. Different Smithsonian units are telling diverse stories utilizing this application, and my work was to narrate a story about the Information Literacy Collections available in Learning Lab.

Screen capture of Information Literacy StoryMap.

I started my story by defining what Information Literacy is and moved on to highlighting how the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives disseminates information. Then, I continued developing three significant concepts in the Smithsonian Learning Lab collections: how to avoid plagiarism and use authoritative citations, how to evaluate and select information, and what scholarly research is. My story ended by looking toward the future, emphasizing other types of literacies such as civic literacy, environmental literacy, and social justice literacy. I concluded by stressing why Information Literacy matters: to prevent mis- and disinformation and empower individuals to be more informed citizens.

The collections in Smithsonian Learning Lab were my focal sources of information, which I had to select, analyze and synthesize for the story. Choosing images from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives image collections became enjoyable but more difficult than imagined. I hope this StoryMap provides an overview of the importance of Information Literacy for learners and educators and shows the numerous resources available in the Smithsonian Learning Lab.

After finishing my first project with a good feeling of accomplishment, I embarked on my second project: another StoryMap focused on the online series Women in America: Extra and Ordinary. The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives hosts this collection of twenty-four extraordinary women to honor their contributions. This StoryMap will highlight the stories of Elleanor Eldridge, Senda Berenson Abbott, Georgia “Tiny” Broadwick, Sophie Lutterlough, Mary Edwards Walker, Zitkala-Sa, Anna Way Wong, and Lydia Mendoza. In this story, I included songs featured in the digital collection. The outcome is an interactive story that will help us remember the passion of these women and their fights against discrimination.

Screen capture of Women in America StoryMap, coming soon.

Alongside these two StoryMaps, I worked on a third project, starting a bibliographic list on Information Literacy. The purpose of this list is to provide a selection of resources and materials on Information Literacy and Critical Information Literacy (CIL). It includes freely available resources within the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives; for example, What is a Primary Source?, databases, books, articles, websites, digital evaluating resources, guidelines, frameworks, journals, literacy toolkits, and resources on civic, social and environmental literacy. Crafting this list helped me understand the scope of information literacy and how vital it is to inform critical thinking since we live in a world with unfettered access to unverified information. I learned that museums focus on visual literacy, and the article Growing Literacy Skills with Visual Thinking Strategies on Virtual Art Museum Tours is a noteworthy reading. This list is under review, but there are some resources that I encourage you to explore, such as Civic Online Reasoning, on how to evaluate online information.

My time here has been stimulating. I am impressed by the many resources and educational opportunities the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives offers; hence, I am very thankful for this thrilling experience. Above all, I have learned new skills and improved others, but most importantly, I engaged with insightful colleagues who helped me do better constantly.

Join us for “Smithson to Smithsonian: The Legacy of James Smithson” on July 27th

Erin Rushing — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 13:00:55 +0000

Over the course of 175 years, the Smithsonian has grown to encompass 21 museums and nearly a dozen research centers—becoming a global organization working across history, culture, and science. How a stranger’s legacy became the world’s largest museum and research complex is a story full of surprising twists and turns of fate. What do we know about the Smithsonian’s mysterious founder, a man who left his fortune to the United States, a country he never visited?

To celebrate the launch of our 175th-anniversary online exhibition, Smithson to Smithsonian, we’ll explore the life and legacy of founder James Smithson with a panel of experts.

Smithson to Smithsonian: The Legacy of James Smithson

Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 5:00 pm
Zoom Webinar

Featuring:

Heather Ewing, Author of The Lost World of James Smithson: Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian and Associate Dean, New York Studio School
Leslie Overstreet, Curator of Natural-History Rare Books, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Richard Stamm, Curator of Smithsonian Castle Collection, Smithsonian Institution
Steven Turner, Author of The Science of James Smithson and Curator Emeritus, National Museum of American History

Register now via Zoom

This program is part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Institution’s founding.

Pedalling Through Time With Davis Sewing Machine Co.

Alexia MacClain — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 13:00:28 +0000

Recently, I stumbled across a trade catalog that made me pause. As I looked at its vibrantly illustrated front cover, I thought of relaxing, summer days at the beach. It shows a bicyclist riding along the shoreline, a dog following closely behind, and boats in the distance. I also noticed one more thing. The name of the company refers to sewing machines while the front cover illustrates a bicycle. That observation sparked my curiosity to explore the pages within this catalog.

The catalog is titled Dayton Bicycles (1896) by Davis Sewing Machine Co. With a name referencing sewing machines, it might come as a surprise that the company also manufactured bicycles. According to this catalog, the Davis Sewing Machine Co. presented the Dayton Bicycle to the public early in the season of 1895, one year prior to this catalog.

Davis Sewing Machine Co., Dayton, OH. Dayton Bicycles (1896), front cover.

It mentions that the Dayton Bicycle was not “the product of a new and untried establishment.” Instead, the production of this bicycle resulted from “a careful and comprehensive study” of both the methods and requirements necessary for manufacturing bicycles.

It also highlights that Davis Sewing Machine Co. had already been manufacturing machinery for more than 25 years. Based on the name of the company, the machinery being referred to is presumably the sewing machine. The Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library also includes some of their sewing machine catalogs.

Davis Sewing Machine Co., Dayton, OH. Dayton Bicycles (1896), title page.

This particular catalog includes several pages providing technical information and details regarding the construction and manufacture of the 1896 Dayton Bicycle. Besides images of these models, it also elaborates on specific parts of the bicycle.

The Dayton Bicycle itself was described as having “graceful lines and beautiful design” and “combining extreme strength with perfect symmetry.” Scattered throughout the pages of this catalog are a variety of illustrations showing the bicycle in action with individuals riding in such places as the beach, park, or city.

Davis Sewing Machine Co., Dayton, OH. Dayton Bicycles (1896), “The Dayton on Fifth Avenue, New York City.”

A feature of the Dayton Bicycle was its wood rims, which according to this catalog, were constructed to prevent warping, splitting, or pulling apart at the joint. Reinforced with three layers of wood, it used both a dovetail joint and lapped joint. More details and an illustration are shown below. The rims were finished in either natural wood or stained.

Davis Sewing Machine Co., Dayton, OH. Dayton Bicycles (1896), Front Fork, Wheels, and Wood Rims of bicycle.

Bicyclists had a variety of handlebars to choose from, such as the plain raised handlebar and several designed for racing. The adjustable handlebar is shown below left (top image and number 7 at the bottom). This feature allowed the rider to adjust the handlebars to a variety of positions, including a drop or raised position. Adjustable handlebars were available in widths of 15, 16, 17, or 18 inches.

As for pedals, the 1896 Dayton Bicycle was outfitted with either the Grothe Pedal or Brandenburg Pedal. The various styles for these pedals are illustrated below (right), including one for racing.

Davis Sewing Machine Co., Dayton, OH. Dayton Bicycles (1896), Adjustable Handle Bar and Styles of Handlebars (left page) and Pedals (right page).

Moving further along, the catalog provides illustrations of several 1896 models. One of these is the Model C-Ladies’ Bicycle. Weighing 23 to 25 pounds, it was built with a frame measuring 20, 22, or 24 inches.

Davis Sewing Machine Co., Dayton, OH. Dayton Bicycles (1896), Model C-Ladies’ Bicycle.

The Model H-Track Racer, shown below, was described as “the most rigid racing wheel on earth, absolutely no give under the hardest sprint.” Weighing 20 to 21 pounds with a 25-inch frame, it was designed for use on only tracks and not meant for riding on the road.

Davis Sewing Machine Co., Dayton, OH. Dayton Bicycles (1896), Model H-Track Racer.

Other models include the Roadster and Tandem bicycles. The Model M-Single-Steering Tandem, built to accommodate two riders, is shown below (right). Weighing 40 pounds, its frame was available as a 23- or 25-inch bicycle. The Dayton Racing Tandem is shown below (left) and described as possessing graceful lines and a stiff frame. It is shown being ridden in what appears to be a race.

Davis Sewing Machine Co., Dayton, OH. Dayton Bicycles (1896), “The Dayton Racing Tandem at the National Capital” (left page) and Model M-Single-Steering Tandem (right page).

Just like the catalog begins, the back cover shows another vibrant illustration. This one is titled “An Elopement” and depicts a couple taking off on a Tandem, presumably a Dayton Tandem. Far in the distance, a horse and carriage speeds down the road towards them.

Davis Sewing Machine Co., Dayton, OH. Dayton Bicycles (1896), back cover.

Dayton Bicycles (1896) and other trade catalogs by Davis Sewing Machine Co., including sewing machine catalogs, are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives at the Smithsonian National Education Summit

Sara Cardello — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 13:00:04 +0000

Join the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives at the Smithsonian National Education Summit on July 27^th-28th, 2022. This is a free, two-day, online and in-person program hosted by the Smithsonian for educators, librarians, media specialists, and policymakers nationwide.

We will be participating in two events. The first is a webinar, Of Source Not!, on July 27^th at 1 pm EST. Join this session to hear from our head of education, Sara Cardello, our historian, Pam Henson, and a past Neville-Pribram Educator, Mike Skomba, as they share the importance of primary sources, including oral histories, how to break them down, and what to watch out for.

Of Source Not!, on July 27^th at 1 pm EST featuring Mike Skomba, Sara Cardello, and Pam Henson.

The second way to interact with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ materials while attending the summit is through our behind-the-scenes video, From Nursery Rhymes to Punk Rock. This is an all-access backstage pass to our new exhibition, Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change, which explores the rich contributions of American women across a wide range of musical genres.

From Nursery Rhymes to Punk Rock video will introduce the Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change exhibition to educators.

The overarching theme for the summit is Together We Thrive: Creating Our Shared Future Through Education. Beyond the Libraries and Archives contributions, there is a wide variety of outstanding programming to check out. Learn more about it from the Undersecretary for Education, Dr. Monique Chism here and take a second to register for the event here. See you there!

Smithsonian National Education Summit on July 27th-28th.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Unveil “Music HerStory”

Liz O'Brien — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 14:51:28 +0000

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage open a new exhibition, “Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History June 22. “Music HerStory” will be on display through Feb. 20, 2024.

An exhibition case from “Music HerStory”, now open in the National Museum of American History.

Women’s leadership in music and social change is central to the American story. From people’s earliest musical encounters to the formation of complex social identities, the American musical landscape would not be what it is today without the countless contributions of women changemakers, groundbreakers and tradition-bearers. “Music HerStory” explores these contributions through unique media collections from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, the Center for Folklife and Culture Heritage and around the Smithsonian.

The exhibition, presented in both Spanish and English, will feature Ella Jenkins, an award-winning musician whose songbooks have taught children about a diversity of cultures and languages for over 50 years; Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the “Godmother of Rock ’n’ Roll” and a pioneer of spiritual music; Lucy McKim Garrison, an abolitionist musicologist who documented African American music in the 1800s; Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last sovereign monarch of Hawaiʻi, who was a gifted and prolific composer; and singers Dolly Parton, Kitty Wells and Loretta Lynn, who shaped the country music genre.

“With more than 16,000 musical instruments, 100,000 pages of sheet music, 80,000 recorded music tracks, hundreds of books and hundreds of musical activities annually, the Smithsonian is among the world’s largest museums of music,” said Meredith Holmgren, curator of American women’s music and this exhibition. “And yet, many of these musical resources remain unknown to the public. This is especially true for our music collections that relate to women’s history. Women have made incredible contributions to the history of music and social change. We are delighted to bring many of these stories to life in the exhibition.”

“Music HerStory” tells the powerful stories of women who used music to challenge gender stereotypes; bring forth revolutionary self-expression; reimagine political and social change; push boundaries for the labor movement, women’s health and education; and deliver victories for temperance and suffrage activism. Objects on display include the Jean Ritchie’s dulcimer made by George Pickow (Viper, Kentucky, 1951), Elizabeth Cotten’s Folksongs and Instrumentals with Guitar (Folkways Records, 1958), Lydia Mendoza’s La Gloria de Texas (Arhoolie Records, 1980), Gustavus D. Pike’s The Jubilee Singers, and Their Campaign for Twenty Thousand Dollars (Boston and New York, 1873) and riot grrrl zines of the 1990s.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe performs at the 1967 Newport Folk Festival. Photo by Diana Jo Davies. Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the “Godmother of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” rose to prominence in the 1930s as a pioneer of mixing “secular sounds,” such as electric guitar, with sacred lyrics.

“We are thrilled to present women movers and shakers who forever altered the course of American music,” said Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty, director of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. “We honor their drive, their creativity, their advocacy and their achievement, painting a portrait of their long-standing influence through Smithsonian collections.”

From Mother Goose to Girl Power, Prohibition to the civil rights movement, women have made their voices heard in the story of American music. Through rare and unique books, photographs, albums and recordings, “Music HerStory” captures their innovative contributions and courageous spirit.

Support

“Music HerStory” received support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative. Special thanks to The Arhoolie Foundation and the DC Public Library.

Programs

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and the Smithsonian’s American Women’s History Initiative co-present “Folkways @ Folklife: Alice Gerrard and Leyla McCalla,” an event in conjunction with the exhibition, Friday, June 24, at 7 p.m. on the Rinzler Stage at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. Visit the event page for more details.

Additional public programs accompanying the exhibition will engage diverse audiences from K–12 to adult, including workshops, lectures and hands-on sessions.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives at ALA 2022

Erin Rushing — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 12:50:03 +0000

Will you be in Washington, DC for the American Libraries Association Annual Conference and Exhibition this June? If so, we look forward to meeting you! The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives will offer several opportunities for conference attendees to get to know our services, staff, and collections. Whether it’s during a tour of one of our locations or at a conference session, we hope to connect with you.

Tours
Before and after the conference, we’re offering tours of four of our locations in downtown DC – Smithsonian Institution Archives, American Art/Portrait Gallery Library, the Joseph F. Cullman Library of Natural History, and the National Museum of Natural History Library.

In addition, we’re offering special curator-led visits to our newest exhibition, Music HerStory, which opens June 22^nd. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the role of American women in music history with Meredith Holmgren, Curator of American Women’s Music, and see the exhibit without the crowds!

Space for each tour is limited and registration is required. Learn more and sign up here: https://s.si.edu/sla-ala-tours

Conference Sessions and Posters
Several Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff members will be speaking in sessions, sharing their work and experiences. Check the ALA Conference Scheduler as sessions are updated.

APALA President’s Program: Change in and Barriers to Library Leadership for Asian and Pacific American Library Workers: A Panel Discussion, Saturday, 10 am.

Our anthropology librarian Amanda Landis will participate in this session hosted by the Asian Pacific American Library Association. This panel discussion will center on the voices of AAPI library leaders and their challenges and opportunities in the profession at large, and how to rethink about new opportunities going forward. Based on an IMLS funded project called, “Path to Leadership,” the discussion will focus on the experiences of forum participants and how they envision change in the profession at large and its leadership going forward. This session is co-sponsored by the Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA).

Core President’s Program: Dear Librarians, No more trauma, no more pain: Reclaiming Our Value and Choosing To Win featuring Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty. Saturday, 4 pm.

Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty will challenge attendees to recenter their emotional investment in the hierarchical conflicts among themselves and honestly engage with the realities of contemporary library work and how our work as librarians is viewed by society at large. In an era of unprecedented turnover, global health crisis, and crushing student debt, it is not a surprise that the Great Resignation is hitting libraries hard. Cynicism continues to take root more than solidarity and solution-focused outcomes. The punishing consequences to library workers are dangerous and systemic. This professional climate in LIS not only demands new library leadership competencies, behaviors, and ideologies but also requires librarians to courageously implement radical accountability to develop frameworks for understanding how to deescalate traumatic work experiences in libraries to prioritize elevating experiences of fairness and respect.

Library of Congress Open House
Last but not least, we are thrilled to participate in this year’s Library of Congress Open House for ALA Attendees on Saturday, June 25^th. Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff will be on hand to tell you more about our 21 branch libraries and institutional archives as well as the services and programs we offer. Plus, there will be giveaways and a raffle.

A Diary Hidden in a 19th Century Trade Catalog

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 13:00:16 +0000

At first glance, this trade catalog appears to be typical. It provides general information for steamship travelers. But as I turned to the last few pages, I stumbled across something unexpected. It includes a handwritten diary of a passenger.

The trade catalog is titled Over the Ocean on the Guion Line Steamship “Arizona” with Captain Samuel Brooks: A Souvenir of the Voyage (1892) by John H. Gould. It is shelved with other Northern Pacific Railway Co. catalogs in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Northern Pacific Railway Co., St. Paul, MN. Over the Ocean on the Guion Line Steamship “Arizona” with Captain Samuel Brooks: A Souvenir of the Voyage (1892) by John H. Gould, unnumbered page [9], title page.

According to this catalog, the Steamship “Arizona” was part of the Guion Line and built in 1879 by the shipbuilder, John Elder & Co. of Glasgow. Based on bits of information throughout the catalog, it appears that the ship’s route was Liverpool-Queenstown-New York, and as mentioned in the title of the catalog, the captain was Samuel Brooks. The “Arizona” accommodated 200 passengers in First Cabin, 60 in Second Cabin, and 800 in Steerage.

Besides serving as a souvenir or keepsake for passengers, this catalog also provided practical information. Passengers might have consulted it prior to their trip but also used it as a guidebook during the voyage. A section titled “Hints for Ocean Travelers” includes a variety of information regarding passports, baggage, appropriate clothing, health considerations, mail, and customs.

On page 17, it mentions the importance of reserving rooms early because as it explains, “the good staterooms are secured weeks and even months ahead.” It also describes the difference between inside and outside rooms. Outside rooms were lighted by a porthole and had the advantages of fresh air and ocean views while inside rooms had a skylight from the deck above.

A variety of advertisements for hotels, railroad lines, and even cameras are found among its pages. Perhaps a passenger noticed the advertisements below when making hotel reservations for New York City.

Northern Pacific Railway Co., St. Paul, MN. Over the Ocean on the Guion Line Steamship “Arizona” with Captain Samuel Brooks: A Souvenir of the Voyage (1892) by John H. Gould, page 1, hotel advertisements for Plaza Hotel, Windsor Hotel, Grand Union Hotel, and Hoffman House in New York, NY.

Other practical information includes the process for securing seating accommodations in the saloon. On pages 19-20, it explains that seats for the tables in the saloon were assigned after the ship left the dock. Depending on the particular steamship line, passengers were urged to contact the purser, chief steward, or second steward to reserve their seats as soon as possible.

Throughout the booklet, there are also bits of lighthearted advice and suggestions to keep in mind. One section is titled “Some ‘Don’ts’ for Passengers,” and on page 40 it mentions keeping a diary, suggesting:

“Don’t forget to ‘keep a diary;’ the leading publishers may be after it one of these days, and a blank is provided in this book.”

Northern Pacific Railway Co., St. Paul, MN. Over the Ocean on the Guion Line Steamship “Arizona” with Captain Samuel Brooks: A Souvenir of the Voyage (1892) by John H. Gould, page 40, “Some ‘Don’ts’ for Passengers” and “Sample Questions Asked the Captain.”

And indeed, one passenger kept a diary on the blank pages provided at the end of the catalog. That passenger’s voyage began on Saturday 10/15. Though the year is not recorded, it most likely took place in October 1892, as the booklet was published that year. The diary’s author appears to have departed from Liverpool in “pouring rain” for a two-week voyage.

Sunday 10/16 was described as a “clear day” and they “got to Queenstown about 8 am-beautiful harbor…” The third day, Monday 10/17, was “a pleasant day though somewhat overcast slight-sprinkle of rain…” The writer notes that they spent time sitting outdoors and reading on deck.

Earlier in the catalog, reading was suggested as a possible activity for passengers. However, the “Hints for Ocean Travelers” section cautions them by warning, “it is surprising how soon one gets tired of a novel on shipboard.” Other suggestions for activities included card playing, checkers, dominoes, knitting, crocheting, and storytelling.

That same day, the writer also mentions passing a ship in the distance. Perhaps the handy chart, shown below, was used to identify the ship. According to this catalog, each transatlantic passenger steamship line could be identified by their house flag, the colors on the ship’s funnels, and their night signal.

Northern Pacific Railway Co., St. Paul, MN. Over the Ocean on the Guion Line Steamship “Arizona” with Captain Samuel Brooks: A Souvenir of the Voyage (1892) by John H. Gould, pages 48-49, Chart of Transatlantic Passenger Steamship Lines describing Colors of Funnels, House Flags, and Night Signals.

For example, the funnels on ships for the Guion Line, of which Steamship “Arizona” belonged, were black with a red band and black top. The Guion Line’s house flag was blue with a six-point black star in the center of a white diamond. Illustrations of these funnels and house flags are provided on the back cover of this booklet, as shown below.

Northern Pacific Railway Co., St. Paul, MN. Over the Ocean on the Guion Line Steamship “Arizona” with Captain Samuel Brooks: A Souvenir of the Voyage (1892) by John H. Gould, back cover, Transatlantic Passenger Steamship Lines’ Funnels and House Flags.

Returning to the diary entries, we discover that a “wind change” occurred on the fourth day, Tuesday 10/18. The sea was rough that day, and passengers had to occasionally hold onto the rail. The diary also describes a rather unfortunate incident. A passenger on deck “was reading + suddenly she was pitched across the deck up + all the book going into the sea.” Luckily, it sounds as if only the book went into the water.

Northern Pacific Railway Co., St. Paul, MN. Over the Ocean on the Guion Line Steamship “Arizona” with Captain Samuel Brooks: A Souvenir of the Voyage (1892) by John H. Gould, page 64, handwritten diary entries dated Tuesday 10/18, Wednesday 10/19, and Thursday 10/20.

The next day does not sound much better as the entry for Wednesday 10/19 begins, “This was a hard day…” Apparently, they went out on deck but soon moved indoors when they encountered “heavy seas.” The writer explains that this caused them to go inside “where as the tossing got worse every one became weary + worn with the motion…”

Thursday 10/20 turned out to be a sunny morning “though every one feels weary + almost worse than yesterday tho the sea is smoother…” Unfortunately, the smooth seas did not last long because the entry explains that after lunch, it began to rain causing them to go inside as it “got very rough again.”

The following day, Friday, appears to have been yet another difficult day. The entry ends with the statement, “boat pitching + rolling water dashing all over her decks no one outside.” Saturday, was described as “cloudy and still rough sea but not so bad as yesterday” while Sunday turned out to be “a bright sunny day for which we are thankful…” Sunday’s entry ends with, “sea smoother but strong head wind + spray.”

The final diary entry is Monday which was the tenth day of the voyage. That day is described as “Clear” and mentions that most people went out onto the deck. It also notes, “we suppose we shall get in tomorrow…”

Over the Ocean on the Guion Line Steamship “Arizona” with Captain Samuel Brooks: A Souvenir of the Voyage (1892) by John H. Gould and other trade catalogs by Northern Pacific Railway Co. are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

The Long Life of a Dead Rhinoceros

Jason Cavallari — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 13:00:11 +0000

Dr. Jason Cavallari is an intern with the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives in pursuit of a certificate in Digital Humanities from George Mason University. He is also an administrator and lecturer in history at Boston College.

Try to imagine what a rhinoceros looks like. Regardless of whether or not you’ve ever personally seen one, you’ve likely seen enough photographs or television shows to know what a rhinoceros looks like. You’re probably picturing a large four-legged animal with gray, tough skin, and a prominent horn on its snout.

Something that looks like this:

“Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), near Narayani River, Chitwan Community Forest buffer zone, Nepal” by Charles J. Sharp, Sharp Photography. CC BY-SA 4.0

Now, imagine that you’ve never seen a rhinoceros, and I tried to describe to you what a rhinoceros looks like. Based on my description, how accurate do you think the image of the rhinoceros in your head would be? If I asked you to draw what you’re imagining, what would it look like? And what if we sent that drawing to a bunch of other people who have never seen a rhinoceros?

This is precisely what happened when the artist and engraver Albrecht Dürer drew what he imagined a rhinoceros to look like when he first read a description in 1515. In the early 16th century, as Europeans had started to explore the world beyond the Mediterranean Sea, they came in contact with a great many creatures that few, if any, Europeans had ever heard of. Manuel I, the King of Portugal, had recently established Portugal’s first colony in India and offered an Indian rhinoceros to Pope Leo X as a gift. This is the rhinoceros that captured Dürer’s imagination. Unfortunately, the rhinoceros died on its way to Rome, so little remains of the actual animal except for the brief description and sketch that Dürer used to create his famous woodcut.

Take a look at Dürer’s rendition of the rhinoceros:

“The Rhinoceros” (1515) by Albrecht Dürer. Courtesy of National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.

Close observers will notice that Dürer’s rhinoceros broadly resembles what an actual rhinoceros looks like. Notice, however, that Dürer took a number of liberties with his rendition. The skin of the rhinoceros looks like European plate armor; while rhino skin may be described as “scaly,” it’s not actually made of scales like the legs depicted here; and there is an extra small horn on the rhino’s back along with a saw-toothed ridge on the rhino’s hindquarters.

If Dürer had been a nobody, the story might have ended there. However, Dürer was a very well-known artist, having been under the patronage of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. As a consequence, Dürer’s rhinoceros became the most recognizable image of a rhinoceros in Europe for almost three hundred years!

Dürer’s rhino was so influential that early scientific texts took it as understood that Dürer was correct in his depiction of the animal. Consequently, whenever an illustration of a rhino was needed, publishers either copied, imitated, or reprinted Dürer’s famous image. For example, the Swiss doctor Conrad Gessner published his Historia animalium in 1551, the first-ever zoological inventory that attempted to catalog all known animals. In it we find the following illustration of a rhinoceros:

“De Rhinocerote” from Historia animalium (1551) by Conrad Gessner.

Look familiar? A scientific work published almost 40 years after Dürer’s engraving used the exact same image as an accurate depiction of a rhinoceros. And Gessner wasn’t the only one to make this mistake. In 1598, Italian writer Filippo Pigafetta included Dürer’s rhino in his translation of Regnum Congo, a description of the Kingdom of the Congo in Africa. And in 1650, the Polish scholar Jan Jonston (Joannes Jonstonus) used Dürer’s rhino in his natural history book Historiae naturalis de quadrupedibus libri – 135 years after the original image!

Illustration of animals, including rhino, from Regnum Congo (1598) by Filippo Pigafetta.

Tab XXXVIII, Historiae naturalis de quadrupetibus libri (circa 1650-1653) by Joannes Jonstonus.

How did such an inaccurate representation become the standard image of a rhinoceros for so long? Well, it wasn’t until the middle of the 18th century that more Europeans began to be able to observe exotic animals directly and report their findings. The first time many Europeans had an opportunity to see a rhinoceros was when the Indian rhino Clara toured all over the continent from 1741-1758. Furthermore, scientists and explorers fueled by the intellectual curiosity of the 18th-century Enlightenment began to rely more on the benefits of direct observation than on hearsay and tradition. Some even took direct aim at Dürer’s famous image in pointing out its erroneous information, like the German explorer Peter Kolbe in the 1727 Dutch edition of his book, Naauwkeurige beschryving van de Kaap de Goede Hoop (An Accurate Description of the Cape of Good Hope):

Two rhino illustrations from Naauwkeurige beschryving van de Kaap de Goede Hoop (An Accurate Description of the Cape of Good Hope) (1727) by Peter Kolbe.

Today, Dürer’s rhinoceros is more of an intellectual curiosity than it is considered an accurate depiction of a rhinoceros. Still, it continues to have an influence on the arts and has left an indelible mark on our culture – artists from Salvador Dalí to author Umberto Eco have used Dürer’s rhinoceros as an inspiration for their artworks and ideas. It just goes to show that misinformation can have an extremely long life – much like a rhinoceros that died over 500 years ago.

Related Resources:

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Information Literacy Collections on Learning Lab: https://learninglab.si.edu/org/librariesarchives?

Truitt, James, “Monoceros: What Conrad Gessner’s discussion of the unicorn tells us about natural history in Renaissance Europe” (2017).

Zoology images in Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Image Gallery: https://library.si.edu/topic/zoology/images

Talk Story: Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

Mitch Toda — Wed, 25 May 2022 13:00:19 +0000

1996 marked the 150th anniversary of the Smithsonian Institution. It was also in that year that the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) published Asian Pacific American Resources at the Smithsonian. This resource brochure was meant to aid teachers, students, and researchers by providing them with information on Smithsonian collections, databases, publications, fellowships, internships, and more that were of significance to Asian Pacific Americans. The OPA also produced similar brochures on African and African American, Latino, and Native American resources.

Cover, “Asian Pacific American Resources at the Smithsonian Institution” (1996).

The next year, in 1997, the Smithsonian Institution established an advisory group, headed by the Norman Mineta (former U.S. Congressman and the 14th Secretary of Transportation) and tasked to research, examine, and report on the Smithsonian’s progress in covering the nation’s diverse Asian Pacific American communities. The Asian Pacific American National Advisory Group’s final report was released in June 1998 and called for the creation of an Asian Pacific American studies program, now known as the Asian Pacific American Center, at the Smithsonian.

The Program for Asian Pacific American Studies was established thereafter that same year with Franklin S. Odo as the founding director. Its mission from its creation until today is to be a resource to “enrich the American Story with the voices of Asian Pacific Americans.”

Franklin Odo, Director, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program, 1997-2010, at the press preview for “From Bento to Mixed Plate: Americans of Japanese Ancestry in Multicultural Hawai’i” exhibition in the Arts and Industries Building, May 20, 1999, by Richard W. Strauss, Color negative, Accession 11-009: Smithsonian Photographic Services, Photographic Collection, 1971-2006, Smithsonian Institution Archives, neg. no. 99-1132-03.

One of its earliest actions was to organize, along with the Smithsonian Center for Museums Studies, now known as the Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access, a program for museum professionals: “Diversity, Leadership, and Museums: The Representation of Asian Pacific American Communities.” It was held at the Japanese American National Museum and explored diversity issues in museums, examined current issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans in the museum profession, and emphasized problem-solving strategies, team-building techniques, and communication skills.

The office was later known as the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program, and, in 2012, it became the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Over the years the Center has presented innovative, community-centered museum experiences through the United States and the world. Through their work with communities, their exhibitions, educational programs, digital storytelling, culture labs, and public programs, the Center presents the history, art, and culture of Asian Pacific Americans.

Wat Thai Temple dance being performed at the 2010 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Photo by John Naman. Image no. SFF2010_JN_6-27_0019. Courtesy of the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections.

After Odo retired in 2010, Konrad Ng was director from 2011 to 2015. Ng was followed by Lisa Sasaki who started her tenure as director in November 2016. In March 2021, Sasaki was appointed interim director for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and Dr. Theodore S. Gonzalves, curator of Asian Pacific American history at the National Museum of American History was appointed interim director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Yao-Fen You is the current interim director.

The month of May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and I would like to share the following statement from Dr. Gonzalves:

As we mark another commemoration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we have to acknowledge how this time feels different. A global pandemic has shaken our communities to the core, revealing long-standing and often unacknowledged inequalities. Our families in Atlanta, Indianapolis, and throughout the nation continue to shoulder the pain of losing loved ones to violence and harassment. Please remember to take time to support each other as we try to make sense of these times. Usually, these month-long events in May have been wonderful ways to gather up our voices to celebrate achievements. We would share songs, food, ritual, and stories. And while this year we grieve, let us also strive to find the humanity in each other. We wish to see the fullness of who we have been, who we are, and who we can still be. We are more than what has been done to us. We bear witness to and participate in calls for racial equality, justice, and much-needed kindness and healing. Our Asian American and Pacific Islander traditions demonstrate unity and care for each other. On behalf of everyone at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, I invite you to live out these ideals with us not only in May, but throughout the year.

In the past few years, the Center has invited audiences to explore its care package of poems, meditations, and more in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and its repercussions.

Related Resources

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
Learning Together During challenging Times, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
We are not a stereotype: Breaking Down Asian Pacific American Bias, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
Our Stories: Presenting and Preserving Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Stories, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

Related Collections

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center related collections at the Smithsonian Institution Archives
Asian American Pacific Islander collections – Smithsonian Transcription Center
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage in the Collections – Smithsonian Institution

Festival participants perform traditional hula on the Hula Stage at the 1989 Festival of American Folklife on the National Mall., Image no. 89-18694. Courtesy of the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives & Wikidata: Adding Artist Files to Wikidata

Anne Evenhaugen — Wed, 18 May 2022 13:00:16 +0000

This is the fourth part of a series sharing Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ work with linked open data and Wikidata. For background and overview of current projects, see the first several posts in the series. This post was written in collaboration with Nilda Lopez, Reference Librarian at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Library, and a valued team member of the Artist Files Wikidata Pilot Project.

Marion Cunningham Art & Artist File, Smithsonian American Art and Portrait Gallery Library collection.

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Art and Artist Files collection is a dynamic and valuable resource for art historical research. In total, the Smithsonian has hundreds of thousands of physical files, containing millions of ephemeral items: newspaper clippings, press releases, brochures, invitations, and so much more. The files hold information on artists, art collectives, and galleries, but in formats that would normally have been tossed out, being too small to catalog and shelve in a library in the usual way. Because these special items fall between the cracks of typical library and research organizational practices, libraries that collect these materials are coming up with innovative ways to make their contents discoverable to a wider world. Which made them a wonderful collection to experiment with as a part of our Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Wikidata pilot projects!

Using our existing “home grown” database that documents the Smithsonian’s Artist Files from across the libraries, the goal was to incorporate our data into a more collaborative and accessible view of the collections to allow staff and our users to know we had research files on specific artists. In a linked open environment, we were curious if we could not only provide better access to our staff as well as researchers outside of the Smithsonian, but in the future to also track their locations and growth in a more holistic approach. This resulted in WikiProject PCC Wikidata Pilot Artists Files – Wikidata.

Example of using Open Refine to clean data

From our large dataset of nearly 60,000 artists’ names, our pilot project was derived from two Smithsonian art-related databases: the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library (AAPG)’s Art and Artist Files and the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s artist database. This cross-reference resulted in 3797 artists in our pilot dataset, which was the perfect number for the team to learn to reconcile, edit and add descriptive data to Wikidata itself. With this set of artists’ names, we played with different workflows and tools, and this post gives a sense of the steps in our final pilot project.

Reconciling and Wikidata with Open Refine

Data analysis is essential for ensuring information accuracy and quality, and reconciliation is usually the first vital step in the data analysis process. Our plan was to reconcile our pilot list of artists with Wikidata, to see who already existed! To do this, we used Open Refine, a free, open software that can “clean” messy data and connects your data points to many different sources. Within Open Refine, we searched our artists’ names and life dates to see if they already existed in Wikidata, as well as several other repositories, such as Library of Congress Authority Identifier, Virtual International Authority File, and the Getty’s Union List of Artists. Like all entities in Wikidata, those artists that were already in the system were represented by a unique identifier called a “Q ID” or Q number. You can read more about the structured system of Wikidata on the website Minding your Ps and Qs.

Open Refine allows one to connect their data to several external sources

In addition to matching our artists with those in Wikidata, we also created a “wish list” of data points contributed by other institutions that we wanted to extract, properties like an artist’s place of birth or death, or what other museums own their artwork. Open Refine let us export all these data points into a spreadsheet to work on our later steps.

Data prep for NEW Artist Name Wikidata Creation

Our reconciling process matched a larger number of our artists to Wikidata, but many were not found in our initial search. What to do about those artists?

Several discussions helped finalize a list of core criteria properties we felt should be in all new Wikidata entries for artists in our Wikidata project, and how they’d best fit into its existing structured system of properties. When we found that we had a need that was not yet represented in Wikidata, we worked with the wiki community to create one that could be used by any institution with similar resources: a new property to note an artist has an artist file about them at a particular library. And as we created new Q numbers for artists, to better track our pilot progress we included a special identifier to show these names were on our pilot project focus list.

After a painstaking research process to confirm data points, these were then uploaded via Open Refine into Wikidata, creating brand new Q numbers for our artists, and helping build out the linked open world of art research information.

Adding our Core Properties into existing Wikidata entries via QUICKSTATEMENTS

Because we were able to match our artists’ names to many already in Wikidata, we had a much smaller batch to create from scratch. However, that also meant only the newly-minted artist Q numbers had those core properties that our team wanted to include. To fill in the rest, we used an easy, free tool called QuickStatements that allows anyone to bulk-upload new statements to Wikidata items.

QuickStatements allowed for easy updates to existing wikidata entities

After learning and experimenting, and a lot of work, the team’s combined efforts successfully connected all 3797 artists’ names in the pilot to Wikidata! We created a workflow that could be used in the future, and all gained skills and a better sense of just how linked open data can be harnessed to open up our research resources. We hope this experience will benefit the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives in the larger project to enact our own Wikibase, a collaborative knowledge base to manage all of our own Smithsonian Ps and Qs.

Artist Alma Thomas’ Wikidata page, showing entries for Artist Files at different institutions: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4733608

Cementing Your Home Plans in 1909

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 11 May 2022 13:00:36 +0000

When it comes to building a new home, there are so many things to consider. Should it be multi-level or one floor? Will it have a basement? Do you want bedrooms on both floors or only on the second floor? What type of building material will be used? The questions might seem endless. If you were building a house in 1909, in particular one made from cement, this catalog of designs might have provided some inspiration.

The trade catalog is titled Cement Houses and How to Build Them (1909) by Wm. A. Radford and published by Radford Architectural Co. The topic of this catalog can be gleaned from its title, but its preface includes a bit more detail. It explains that the aim of this catalog, or “text book” as it is referred to in the preface, is “to present the subject simply and in a manner that will be of practical use to the man who intends to build a moderate cost house.”

Radford Architectural Co., Chicago, IL. Cement Houses and How to Build Them by Wm. A. Radford, 1909, front cover.

The first half of the catalog shares detailed information on constructing a cement house. This includes descriptions of different types of cement, explanations of waterproofing, and things to consider when building walls, foundations, steps, and much more. There is even a section on using concrete for farm buildings. The second half of the catalog illustrates a variety of house designs, each one made from cement.

Radford Architectural Co., Chicago, IL. Cement Houses and How to Build Them by Wm. A. Radford, 1909, title page.

Why build a house from cement? This 1909 catalog suggests several reasons. It mentions the durability and adaptability of cement for construction. It describes cement as an alternative to wood mentioning a shortage of timber and lumber and the fact that wood might not always be plentiful. It also points out, “We do this with no intent to belittle other standard materials, for there is room for all.”

Radford Architectural Co. did not build the actual homes. Instead, they provided designs of the houses. It was the responsibility of the prospective homeowner to locate a builder and contractor. The catalog mentions that these designs were drawn by architects “who have made a special study of cement house construction.”

Radford Architectural Co., Chicago, IL. Cement Houses and How to Build Them by Wm. A. Radford, 1909, page 82, Design No. 8206 showing perspective view of two-floor house with floor plans.

For $10 to $15, a prospective homeowner in 1909 could request plans of any design in the catalog. Besides blue printed plans, the company also provided specifications describing construction details. Due to regional differences for building materials, they did not provide a “Bill of Material” or cost for building the house.

The plans comprised:

Floor plans of each floor, showing shape and size of all rooms, halls, and closets and position of plumbing fixtures with measurements
Foundation and cellar plans, showing shape and size of walls, piers, footings, posts, etc. along with windows, doors, chimneys, partitions, etc.
For intricate roofs, a roof plan showing valleys, gutters, hips, ridges, etc.
Four elevations, showing shape and size of doors, windows, porches, cornices, etc., every exterior detail, and wall sections with height of ceilings, roof, etc.
Interior details, such as door and window casings, moldings, doors, rails, etc.

Radford Architectural Co., Chicago, IL. Cement Houses and How to Build Them by Wm. A. Radford, 1909, unnumbered page, Drafting Room of Radford Architectural Co.

The catalog illustrates both perspective views and floor plans for a variety of houses. Design No. 8207 is a two-floor home with front and back porches. The front door opens directly into the living room which has a cozy nook at the back with two seats. One seat appears to be a window seat overlooking the side yard. To the left of the living room is the dining room with access to the kitchen directly behind it. A door in the kitchen opens onto the back porch.

Stairs leading to the second floor are located at the back of the living room adjacent to the nook. Once upstairs, there is a hall with a bathroom and two bedrooms.

Radford Architectural Co., Chicago, IL. Cement Houses and How to Build Them by Wm. A. Radford, 1909, page 84, Design No. 8207 showing perspective view of two floor house with floor plans.

Design No. 8295 is a one floor home with a full-length front porch. The front door opens into the living room with the dining room to its right. The kitchen is at the back of the house behind the dining room. The living room provides a passageway to enter the left side of the house where two bedrooms are located. A bathroom is situated between the front and back bedroom. Nestled between the kitchen and back bedroom is a back porch that can be accessed via a door in the kitchen.

Radford Architectural Co., Chicago, IL. Cement Houses and How to Build Them by Wm. A. Radford, 1909, page 150, Design No. 8295 showing perspective view of one floor house with floor plan.

Design No. 8020 is a two-floor home with a full-length front porch and basement. Entering the house, occupants find themselves in a vestibule. Directly behind the vestibule is the recreation hall with a fireplace.

The recreation hall provides several options to reach the rest of the house. One option leads into the parlor which is located to the left of the recreation hall. The parlor leads into the dining room directly behind it which then leads to the pantry at the back of the house. The pantry has a door to the kitchen on its right.

Another option is to follow the passageway at the back of the recreation hall into the kitchen. The kitchen has an exterior door to access the back porch as well as stairs leading to the basement.

The recreation hall also includes a stairway to the second floor. Once upstairs, there is a central hall with entrances to four bedrooms and a bathroom.

Radford Architectural Co., Chicago, IL. Cement Houses and How to Build Them by Wm. A. Radford, 1909, page 114, Design No. 8020 showing perspective view of two floor house with floor plans.

Cement Houses and How to Build Them (1909) by Wm. A. Radford and other trade catalogs by Radford Architectural Co. are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Curious about other designs by Radford Architectural Co.? Check out this post highlighting designs for stores and flat buildings.

Meet Serena Katherine “Violet” Dandridge, Suffragist and Scientific Illustrator

Dr. Elizabeth Harmon — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 13:00:42 +0000

Serena Katherine “Violet” Dandridge (1878-1956) was one of the Smithsonian’s first female scientific illustrators and a supporter of women’s suffrage. Dandridge grew up in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1896 to study art. Sometime in the first decade of the twentieth century, she began working with zoologists at the Smithsonian, particularly Mary Jane Rathbun and Austin Hobart Clark, to produce drawings and paintings of specimens for publication and exhibition.

Portrait of Serena Katherine ‘Violet’ Dandridge, Bedinger and Dandridge Family Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Dandridge has long been a person of interest to staff working at the Smithsonian Institution Archives and the National Museum of Natural History. From Curators’ Annual Reports, we know that for a month in August 1911, Dandridge and Mary Jane Rathbun traveled to South Harpswell, Maine and Woodshole, Massachusetts to research the colors of marine animals for an upcoming museum exhibition. Incidentally, the two returned to the Smithsonian with a large collection of specimens.

Eventually, Dandridge moved home to West Virginia, but she continued working as an illustrator. From correspondence between Dandridge and Austin Hobart Clark we know that Dandridge truly valued her work with the Smithsonian. And records from Duke University’s David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library also reveal the importance that Dandridge placed on her career. In a letter from those archives, dated February 24, 1914, Dandridge wrote to her parents from a hospital asking them to limit her hospitalization (for bouts of “nervousness”) to two weeks so that she could continue with her work:

[I]t is not wise from my business’ point of view to keep me here more than the two weeks. You see my chief business asset has got to be reliability, they must feel they can trust me and that I have good sense or they won’t continue to give me this new and original work. I know you and mother would be the last people to do anything that would interfere with my getting good work particularly now that I’ve gotten them up to the point of sending fishes out of the museum to me.

But her concerns went beyond her own work. During her hospitalization, according to the superintendent, Dandridge refused to eat, because “she wishe[d] to die on account of man’s injustice to woman.” Duke’s archives further show that Dandridge supported women’s rights through the suffrage movement. From their records, we learn that Dandridge subscribed to The Suffragist, gave money to the West Virginia Equal Suffrage Association, and arranged for a National American Woman Suffrage Association speaker to visit her hometown. And in 1915, The Washington Post listed “Miss Violet Dandridge” as a registered delegate from West Virginia at the Annual Convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.

Today, this history of Violet Dandridge’s investment in her work as a scientific illustrator and a suffragist, told in her own words, helps us construct a more complete picture of what it meant to many women to pursue careers and basic rights in the early twentieth century. This history also establishes Dandridge as an important early contributor to scientific research at the Smithsonian. A search for “Violet Dandridge” in early twentieth century Smithsonian reports and bulletins yields a rich set of results that include many drawings by Dandridge and thanks for her skills. To see the lasting impact that Dandridge has had on Smithsonian history, search for her name in the digital collections made available by the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

United States National Museum Bulletin, no. 82, part 1. (1915), pg 130.

For more information regarding other women in science who contributed to the suffrage movement, you can take a look at some previous Smithsonian Institution Archives blog posts that have highlighted women in science who fought for the right to vote. Entomologist and medical doctor, Evelyn Groesbeeck Mitchell, joined the National Woman American Suffrage Association. And Mary Agnes Chase, a botanist specializing in grasses at the United States Department of Agriculture and the Smithsonian, actively participated in National Woman’s Party protests.

Related Collections

United States National Museum, Curators’ Annual Reports, Record Unit 158, Smithsonian Institution Archives
Bedinger and Dandridge Family Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Related Resources

“New Suffragist Host: National Association Arrives as Rival Delegates Depart,” The Washington Post, Dec 13, 1915, page 3.

A 19th Century Encyclopedia Gets a Modern Makeover

Erin Rushing — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 13:00:01 +0000

Between 1849 and 1851, Johan George Heck published his encyclopedia Bilder-Atlas zum Conversations-Lexicon and the work continues to offer valuable insight into life in the 19th-century. With over 12,000 individual illustrations on over 500 engraved plates, the book beautifully depicts a wide range of subjects in scientific and cultural fields. Much like our very own Smithsonian Institution, it covered topics from art to zoology. Today, a new digital edition helps brings its knowledge to 21st-century viewers.

Title page, Bilder-Atlas zum Conversations-Lexicon, Abt. 1 (1849).

Even before Heck’s Bilder-Atlas was fully published, work began on an English version. This iteration, Iconographic Encyclopaedia of Science, Literature, and Art was translated and edited by Spencer Fullerton Baird and published between 1851 and 1852. Though noted as the “Professor of Natural Sciences at Dickinson College” on the title page, by the time the book was finished Baird had joined the Smithsonian as assistant to the first Secretary, Joseph Henry.

Title page, Iconographic Encyclopaedia of Science, Literature, and Art, Atlas Volume 1 (1851).

Baird put considerable effort into translating Heck’s original work and reorganized the text based on his experience with natural history publications. He also added tables of contents and indexes for easier searching. Baird hoped to provide what any good encyclopedia should – solid information on many subjects for a popular audience. Topics included math, astronomy, geology, botany, zoology, history, ethnology, military science, architecture, mythology, and fine art. Contained in Spencer Baird’s extensive papers in the Smithsonian Institution Archives are his manuscript notes for the publication. Below is a look at Baird’s draft for the Botany chapter.

Baird’s manuscript notes on Botany section, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7002, Spencer Fullerton Baird Papers. Series 7, Box 51, Folder 1.

The illustrations in Iconographic Encyclopaedia were printed using the original steel plates from Heck’s Bilder-Atlas and still included German labels. Historian of Science Eugene Ferguson called them “unusually sharp and attractive” and even today they resemble a fine assortment of 19th century clip art. All told, the final publication comprised four volumes of text with two atlas volumes of plates.

Military Sciences, Taf 16, Iconographic Encyclopaedia of Science, Literature, and Art, Atlas Volume 2 (1851).

Sample sections of the Iconographic Encylopaedia were well-received. An early review in the New York Daily Tribune declared it would “prove a contribution of great value and importance to the interests of knowledge in this country”. According to a brief article in Scientific American, the encyclopedia would be available to subscribers at a rate of $1 per month for about 25 months. With the cost of binding, the total set was estimated to cost $26-30 dollars. That’s roughly $1,000 in today’s currency (or the cost of a nice laptop, based on various inflation calculators).

The publication fell right in line with Baird’s philosophy for museums and ultimately the Smithsonian. The Institution was in its infancy at the time, with regular debates about where to focus its efforts. Joseph Henry believed the Institution should prioritize research and international exchanges. Others, including Baird, believed the Institution should be a force for the democratization of information through museums and public education. Baird would have a long and successful career at the Smithsonian, realizing some of his plans and earning the title of its second Secretary in 1878.

Taf 3g, Iconographic Encyclopaedia of Science, Literature, and Art, Atlas Volume 1 (1851).

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has two complete sets of the first edition of Icononographic Encyclopaedia. The set in the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History belonged to Baird himself. The set in the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library, gift of the Hewitt sisters, has been digitized and is available in our Digital Library, the Biodiversity Heritage Library, and the Internet Archive.

We love how our digitized collections find renewed life on screens around the world and thanks to a recent project by Nicholas Rougeux, Iconographic Encyclopaedia is now even more accessible. Using our images from the Internet Archive, Rougeux has transformed the static pages of a 19th-century book into an interactive resource. Users can browse across all four volumes by topic and manipulate the plates to highlight individual figures.

Screenshot of Nicholas Rougeux’s digital edition of Iconographic Encyclopaedia (2022).

Just as Baird improved upon Heck’s work with indexes and tables of contents, Rougeux has made the content even easier to navigate for the 21st-century reader. We look forward to seeing how information from this iconic publication continues to transform in the future.

Further Reading:

Heck, Johan George, Bilder-Atlas zum Conversations-Lexicon, Leipzig, 1849-1851.

Heck, Johan George, Iconographic Encyclopaedia of Science, Literature, and ArtIconographic Encyclopaedia of Science, Literature, and Art ..translated from the German, with additions, and edited by Spencer F. Baird. New York, 1851-1852.

Ferguson, Eugene S. “Contributions to Bibliography in the History of Technology” (Part II), Technology and Culture, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Spring, 1962), pp. 167-174.

“Iconographic Encyclopeedia of Science, Literature and Art“. Scientific American (0036-8733), 5. (number 15.), p. 117.

“Spencer Fullerton Baird, 1823-1887”, Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Spencer Fullerton Baird Papers, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7002.

Digital Jigsaw Puzzles: National Library Week 2022

Erin Rushing — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 13:00:27 +0000

To celebrate National Library Week and a new spring season, we’ve put together another round of digital jigsaw puzzles. This time we’re featuring a variety of soothing natural history-related scenes.

Play them right here on our blog or use the links to play full screen. Each puzzle is set at about 100 pieces but they are customizable to any skill set. Click the grid icon in the center to adjust the number of pieces. For this batch, all of the images are freely available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library, a consortium effort to digitize biodiversity literature, based at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

Miss our previous puzzles? Find them here.

“Sea Dragons”, Marvels of the Universe (1911).

Marvels of the universe: a popular work on the marvels of the heavens, the earth, plant life, animal life, the mighty deep was first published by Hutchinson and Company as a periodical between 1911-1912 “in about 24 fortnightly parts”. These Sea Dragons were noted as “Painted by Seppings Wright.”

Play online: https://jigex.com/joCHo

“Sea Dragons”, Marvels of the Universe (1911).

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Erycynids”, Animate Creation (1885).

Animate Creation is an adaptation of Reverend John George Wood’s natural history publication Our Living World. This version, published in 60 parts by S. Hess, was specifically revised for an American audience and incorporated material from several sources, including the Smithsonian’s Spencer F. Baird and Robert Ridgway. This plate of butterflies was likely reproduced from a lithograph by L. Prang & Co.

Play online: https://jigex.com/nXFZn

“Erycynids”, Animate Creation (1885).

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Landschnecken”, Brehms Tierleben (1876-1879).

Brehms Tierleben is a zoological encyclopedia first published in the 1860s. Alfred Edmund Brehm (1829–1884) was a German zoologist who commonly wrote articles for popular scientific magazines. Brehm was commissioned to produce a 10-volume encyclopedia, which was published by the Bibliographisches Institut from 1864-69. This second edition included new illustrations by Gustav Mützel, the brothers August and Friedrich Specht and others.

Play online: https://jigex.com/HJmoG

“Landschnecken”, Brehms Tierleben (1876-1879).

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Sea Anemones”, The World of the Sea [1869].

The World of the Sea [1869] is an English translation by Rev. H. Martyn Hart of Alfred Moquin-Tandon’s Le Mon de le Mer. This particular copy was owned by Smithsonian Curator of Mollusks William Healey Dall.

Play online: https://jigex.com/aRFwE

“Sea Anemones”, The World of the Sea [1869].

Jigsaw Puzzle

“The Laurel Tree of Carolina”, The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands (1734-1747).

Mark Catesby’s 1729-47 work “The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands” is the first major illustrated publication on the flora and fauna of North America. The work contains 220 plates painted, etched, and hand-colored by Catesby himself. It was published in eleven parts and was one of the most expensive publications of the eighteenth century.

Play online: https://jigex.com/3iSKJ

“The Laurel Tree of Carolina”, The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands (1734-1747).

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Great Spotted Woodpeckers”, Birds in flight (1922).

British bird artist Roland Green contributed the illustrations to “Birds in Flight” (1922), including this pair of woodpeckers. The book was written by William Plane Pycraft, an ornithologist and comparative anatomist who worked for decades in the Zoological Department of the British Museum.

Play online: https://jigex.com/3fZv2

“Great Spotted Woodpeckers”, Birds in flight (1922).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Sea slug illustration, Notes and description of specimens collected on the Philippine Expedition of the Steamer Albatross, circa 1908.

This colorful nudibranch is the work of artist Kumataro Ito. Ito accompanied Paul Bartsch, an assistant curator of the Smithsonian’s division of mollusks, when he set sail aboard the USS Albatross on a trip throughout the Philippines in 1907.

Play online: https://jigex.com/EHoSf

Sea slug illustration, Notes and description of specimens collected on the Philippine Expedition of the Steamer Albatross, circa 1908.

Jigsaw Puzzle

Book Pockets and Date Guides: The Intricacies of a Paper-Based Library System

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:00:07 +0000

Before we had online circulation systems, barcodes on books, and automated due date reminders, libraries used paper-based systems for everyday tasks. This required book cards, book pockets, charging trays, and the “ca-chunk” sound of a library date stamp.

The Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library holds a variety of Library Bureau catalogs. These trade catalogs illustrate everything from large pieces of furniture, such as card catalogs and shelving, to smaller supplies, like book cards and date stamps. One of these is titled Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918) by Library Bureau.

Library Bureau, Cambridge, MA. Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918), title page.

Just like today, early 20th century libraries recognized the importance of an accurate and quick method for tracking borrowed materials. As this trade catalog states on page 17, “The system should be so simple in operation that the business at the charging desk may be transacted rapidly, in order to avoid undue detention of borrowers and the accumulation of crowds during the busy hours of the day.”

Library staff often multi-task. Among other duties, they handle questions, concerns, and needs of several library users while also discharging and charging books. The Browne System, which is described on the page below, appears to take that into account. It includes a suggestion for temporarily checking-out a book so the library user does not have to wait while the full process is completed.

Library Bureau, Cambridge, MA. Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918), page 19, explanation of the “Plan of Use” for Browne System and L. B. Simplified charging system.

So how did the Browne System work? It required that every book had a book card. The book card included bibliographic information, such as title, author, and call number. This information was typically noted at the top of the card, as shown in the illustration below. Depending on the style, book cards were available in six colors, including white, buff, blue, salmon, fawn, or green.

Library Bureau, Cambridge, MA. Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918), page 23, book or charging cards.

The book card was inserted into a book pocket which was pasted inside the back cover of the book. As illustrated below, book pockets came in a variety of designs and sizes. If desired, a library could choose to have their rules and regulations printed on the book pocket. This provided a convenient way to remind borrowers of their responsibilities and share rules of the library, such as limits on number of borrowed books, renewals, and overdue fines.

Library Bureau, Cambridge, MA. Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918), page 24, book or card pockets.

In addition, some libraries might have pasted a separate date slip inside the book for stamping due dates. Some date slips included information about overdue fines. The date slip, shown below (bottom left), includes space for the title, author, and call number followed by boxes for stamping due dates. According to the catalog, this date slip should be pasted to the “right-hand edge of the last fly leaf of the book, opposite the back cover.”

Library Bureau, Cambridge, MA. Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918), page 22, date slips.

When a library user wished to check-out a book, library staff removed the book card from its book pocket and placed it inside the borrower’s pocket. Examples of borrower’s pockets with spaces for borrower’s number, name, and address are shown below. The borrower’s pocket held book cards of all books, arranged numerically by call number, currently checked out to that user. The due date for the book was stamped on either the book pocket or the separate date slip inside the book to remind the user when it was due.

Library Bureau, Cambridge, MA. Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918), page 25, book or card pockets that can be used as borrower’s pockets.

The borrower’s pocket was placed in a charging tray behind a date guide corresponding to the due date of the book(s). The library had the option of also stamping the due date on the book card, but that was not necessary if the borrower’s pocket was placed behind the correct date guide. Various styles of guides for charging systems are illustrated below, including numerical guides for tracking due dates and alphabetical guides for filing unused borrower’s pockets.

Library Bureau, Cambridge, MA. Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918), page 27, guides for charging systems.

When a book was returned, library staff referred to the due date stamped on the book pocket or date slip of the book. They retrieved the borrower’s pocket from behind that date in the charging tray. Next, the book card was removed from the borrower’s pocket and inserted into the book pocket of the returned book. At this point, the book was checked-in and ready to re-shelve. The borrower’s pocket was filed in alphabetical order in a tray to make it available the next time the user wished to borrow a book.

Library Bureau, Cambridge, MA. Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918), page 26, charging trays and sorting trays with numerical and alphabetical guides.

But what if a user returned a book and immediately wanted to check-out another book? The returned book might not have been checked-in yet. Being mindful of the user’s time, staff had an option to temporarily check-out a book.

The Browne System suggested removing the book card from the book pocket of the book the patron wanted to check-out and placing it inside the returned book. This provided a temporary check-out. Later, as time allowed, the check-in process of the returned book was completed by removing the book card from the borrower’s pocket and placing it in the pocket of the returned book.

To complete the check-out of the other book, the book card was removed from the returned book, inserted into the borrower’s pocket, and filed in the charging tray behind the correct due date. This way, the user did not have to wait while the full process was completed.

All of these supplies and many more were manufactured at the factories of Library Bureau in Ilion, NY, Cambridge, MA, and Chicago, IL. At the time this catalog was printed, those factories were devoted to steel working, woodworking, and a combination of card and woodworking. This provided a way for libraries to order standard equipment and supplies.

Library Bureau, Cambridge, MA. Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918), unnumbered page [2], Principal factories of Library Bureau.

Library Supplies, Catalog no. L 1018 (1918) by Library Bureau is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Interested in more library equipment and charging systems? Take a look at a past post highlighting more library equipment and a system from 1899 that might have been used during epidemics.

Looking Forward with “Women at Work”

Annalise Nakoneczny — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 13:00:32 +0000

Last month, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives hosted Women at Work, which celebrated the lives and work of women both past and present, as well as challenged attendees to advocate for change for women in the workplace. This program, sponsored by Deloitte, featured stories of diverse women throughout history to inspire participants. This was followed by a discussion with a panel of incredible women who are leaders in their respective fields.

As the country continues to face down a global pandemic, the program recognized the continuing trend of limited access for women in the workplace. Host Gabriella Kahn pointed out that there has been a long tradition of women being allowed in the workplace in the midst of great need; however, once the crisis has passed, women are kicked out of these positions. The presentation provided several examples of this from throughout history. Many of the stories shared during the program can be found in our Women in America: Extra and Ordinary educational resources. Some are also featured in the FUTURES exhibition at the Arts and Industries building through early July.

Panelists for “Women at Work”. From left to right: Dr. Jedidah Isler, Jennifer Klein, Beth Meagher, Julie Su, moderator Ellen Stofan.

During the panel discussion, Beth Meagher, the Vice Chair of the Federal Health Sector at Deloitte, commented on the importance of recognition and resilience for women in the workplace. She asked the vital question, “How do you assert yourself in a way that you are able to really capture the impact of what you’re doing and also be collaborative?”

Dr. Jedidah Isler, the Assistant Director of STEM Opportunity and Engagement for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, was struck by the boundless courage of the women who paved the way, particularly with Sophie Lutterlough and her “insatiable curiosity.” Speaking of the fact that Sophie was underemployed for 14 years because of racist hiring practices in the Smithsonian at the time, she remarked, “It seemed eerily familiar to the stories of many women, particularly women of color, who are underemployed or kept from jobs which their expertise should allow them to employ. But her persistence and courage to ask for what she wanted and to start where she could are a testimony to her personal fortitude. I think it’s our job as policymakers and decision-makers to ensure that the structural barriers that led to her underemployment are faced and removed so subsequent generations don’t have to face that similar thing.”

For Jennifer Klein, Director of the White House Gender Policy Council, the only silver lining to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic has been paying attention to the plight of workers in professions that have been largely female-dominated, such as care workers: “For the first time, this country is more focused on the caregivers who have been historically women of color and have been historically undervalued, underpaid, with lower wages and fewer benefits.” The first national gender strategy that the Biden Harris administration has created examines the intersection between gender and other forms of discrimination. Joining the conversation about care workers, Julie Su, Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Labor, pointed out, “We’ve seen women leave the workforce in great numbers during the pandemic due to the lack of affordable care, and at the same time, we cannot make that about decreasing the wages and the quality of childcare workers.”

The Great Resignation, so on the forefront of the social consciousness, was another topic of discussion during the panel. Ms. Meagher astutely pointed out, “The Great Resignation is in some ways the Great Reimagination.” So much change and upheaval allow room for employees to rethink who they want to work for and what they want to do. Hybrid work is transforming the modern workplace, and Deloitte is one of many organizations trying to think through flexibility.

Ms. Klein observed that care work is at the center of the Great Resignation and that women have been overrepresented in sectors where we have seen job loss, such as retail and hospitality. Dr. Isler also weighed in on this issue, reminding the participants that resignation is not always a voluntary thing. Especially for women in science and technology, contract and temporary positions, typically filled by women of color, are often the first to go in an economic crisis. In her words, “We constantly have to be thinking about the layers and the overlapping barriers that folks are facing, and that this Great Resignation, as we call it, does not look or feel the same across the board.”

Likewise, Ms. Klein stated that if you want to address the pay gap, you have to address all areas. The gender strategy that she and her team are working to implement outlines a comprehensive government-wide approach to promoting gender equity and equality. It includes ten strategic priorities that are intentionally broad in scope, from economic security, gender-based violence, and health education to climate change, science and technology, democracy, and participation in leadership. The purpose of these priorities is to allow the Council to go deep and fully understand these issues—they are inherently linked and must be tackled in concert.

With the legacy of past women to guide and the wisdom of present women to lead, the future of the working woman is in good hands. In the words of Dr. Isler, “Girls, girls of color, LGBTQ+ women, and women with disabilities all come here with curiosity and excitement and questions about the world. It is our job to make sure they can answer those questions without undue barriers.”

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives & Wikidata: Chinese Ancestor Portrait Project

Keala Richard — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 13:00:05 +0000

This is the third part of a series sharing Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ work with linked open data and Wikidata. For background and overview of current projects, see the first two posts in the series.

As part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives participation in the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) Wikidata Pilot Project Wikiproject , we established the Chinese Ancestor Portrait Project (CAPP). Through this initiative, we set out to create Wikidata for 90 Chinese ancestor portraits in the collections of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the National Museum of Asian Art. You can see a list of these ancestor portraits on the PCC Wikdata Pilot Project page. One thing we wanted to do as part of our CAPP project was upload the images for these ancestor portraits.

S1991.63 Hongtaiji, Emperor Taizong (1592–1643), Meditating with a Buddhist Rosary, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, National Museum of Asian Art.

Initially, our primary issue was Creative Commons licensing for digital images of the paintings. Wikimedia Commons only accepts freely licensed content or content that is in the public domain. While the Smithsonian is in the process of marking materials without copyright and other restrictions with a CC0 license in support of our Open Access initiative, not all collections have been fully researched and updated. Many of the ancestor portraits have not yet been assigned a CC0 license. However, some of the images for these paintings were previously uploaded onto Google Arts and Culture, and many Wikipedians had already grabbed those images and uploaded them to Wikimedia commons. Our solution was to work with the image set that was cleared by the National Museum of Asian Art for CC0, as well as the previously uploaded images, and then describe the paintings we could not use with a set of core and extended Wikidata properties.

Step 1: Creating sitter Wikidata item identifiers (Q#s) and pages

We began by creating Wikidata pages for the people represented in our portraits, or sitters. Early in the process, members of the Wikidata team decided on a core-properties to be used for sitters. These core properties, known as P numbers, correspond to basic biographical data that help to describe the people represented in our paintings.

Screenshot showing core property fields of portrait sitters and artists

We grabbed as many extended properties as we could find through our research. This included additional biographical information about familial relationships, birth, death, location, accomplishments, rankings, etc.

Screenshot showing extended property fields of portrait sitters and artists.

Step 2: Creating Painting Q#s/pages

The next step was to create Wikidata pages for the paintings themselves. This establishes them as separate independent entities, using an entirely different set of core and extended properties related to artwork. Information was taken from public-facing Smithsonian sites like the National Museum of Asian Art collections website and the Smithsonian Collections Search website. These properties are common descriptors for museum catalogs and curatorial notes, creating a shared vocabulary across institutions.

Screenshot showing core and extended property fields of paintings.

Step 3: Uploading to Wikimedia commons

Example 1: Previously uploaded portraits

Once the team had created Wikidata pages for each of the sitters and each of the paintings, I started by using painting titles and sitter names to comb through Wikimedia Commons. Once found, I used the Template:Artwork to augment existing data in the item summary on the commons page. The template includes much of the same information as our core properties and allows us to redirect searchers to our own catalog for better images and more information. This is particularly important because these portraits were often wrongly attributed to other collections outside of the Smithsonian.

Screenshot showing blank Template:Artwork

Screenshot showing template with information from Collection Search Center notation

Notice that the inclusion of the Wikidata Q# for the sitter (Q|296367) populates a hyperlink to the Wikidata sitter page!

Example 2: Uploading new images to Wikimedia Commons

First, I needed to grab the hi-res images from the public-facing Smithsonian collections sites. Again, I only uploaded those images that already had a CC0 license. Using the Commons “Upload File” tab, I would upload them image, and then enter in the corresponding web address for the image, as well as any available artist information and the CC0 license.

The next step was to add basic description information. I kept the description short, usually including the title, time period, medium and accession number.

Screenshot showing basic descriptive date for image in Wikimedia Commons.

The following page asks for optional metadata using Wikidata P#s. Again, I referred to the core and extended properties we established for the painting Q#s. Wikimedia commons links this structured metadata back to Wikidata, pulling relevant Q# values where applicable. Users need only search for the value in the box provided.

The last step was to edit the summary info box on the resulting commons page for the image using template:artwork again. You can view the sample completed page here.

Step 4: Linking the Pages

After the Commons page is created, I linked the Commons images to both the paintings Q#s and the sitter Q#s through Wikidata. In both pages, I added the statement Image and searched for the title of the uploaded file. This can sometimes pull a lot of different images, especially since we were dealing with many important and well-known historical figures who have multiple likenesses in existence. It was best to actually save and input the exact file name. The result of adding the image to these pages is that it links the Wikidata page to the Commons page, and allows searchability through either portal. Ideally, rather than having to enter this data by hand, it would be better if future updates to these platforms could pull the structured data in from Wikidata and populate it in the Wikimedia Commons.

The end result of this project is that all of these pages “talk to each other” because of structured data and provide new discovery access points for objects in Smithsonian collections. By its very nature, new and improved access and discovery mechanisms are possible, connecting objects (works and persons) found in the Smithsonian collections and beyond. In searching through English (and sometimes Chinese) language Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons you can now find the portraits, sitters, and their descriptive metadata. More importantly, we provide the accession numbers and links to our Smithsonian-hosted collections sites to help researchers find and use our collections.

Join Us for Adopt-A-Book Events in April

William Bennett — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 13:00:14 +0000

Mark your calendar for this year’s Adopt-a-Book events! Join us on April 20^th and April 26^th, 2022 for a closer look at our collections and the opportunity to support their preservation and acquisition.

Each year, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives (formerly Smithsonian Libraries) staff organize Adopt-a-Book events where items are “put up for adoption,” and interested supporters can adopt an item by way of a donation. The adopted item serves as an emblem of their commitment to that backing. Many who choose to adopt an item pick a book or archival document that speaks to their personal interests, like a dedicated home baker who might adopt a historical cookbook, or an avid gardener who might choose an illustrated botanical catalog.

In the past, events have been held in person, and attendees were able to see the items available to be adopted up close and to hear about the books directly from Smithsonian staff. Last year, in a virtual format, the Smithsonian Institution Archives joined the events for the first time, bringing our collections from the Smithsonian’s history to Adopt-a-Book audiences.

The Smithsonian Institution Archives is taking the lead for 2022’s virtual events! With that role, we are also expanding the types of items up for adoption. Our archival collections (and our library collections, for that matter) don’t hold just books—and not just paper-based items, either. This year we are excited to include photographic collections and audiovisual materials alongside field journals, correspondence, and botanical illustrations from the Archives, as well as a variety of books from eight library locations.

Adopt-a-Book Salons Save the Date graphic, featuring Adelia Gates botanical illustration, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7312.

One of the items I am most excited to feature from the Archives is a drawing from the architectural records of the Smithsonian. Done on translucent paper by the architectural firm Babb, Cook & Willard, the drawing was used to sketch out design elements of an elevator in Scottish-American steel tycoon and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie’s turn-of-the-century New York City mansion, now the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. The elevator depicted was among the first of its kind in New York residences and is now kept in the collections of the National Museum of American History. The drawing is also interesting because of a large ink spill that obscures part of the detail, which has caused large losses and widespread embrittlement of the paper. We don’t know how the ink got spilled over the drawing, but it’s fascinating to imagine Carnegie consulting the elevator’s details at his desk and becoming distracted or startled—knocking over his inkpot in the process!

The large area of loss, or missing drawing, in this elevator diagram appears to have been caused by an ink spill. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 637. Image courtesy of William Bennett.

Some of the items available for adoption have been previously featured on The Bigger Picture. Check out our related resources below for links to posts describing those collections!

We are excited to host two different evening opportunities for members of the public to learn more about our collections and have an opportunity to adopt something that catches their eye. The breadth and depth of the Libraries and Archives collections will be on display, and we will celebrate the ways that they intersect and complement each other as they tell the story of the United States and of the larger world. Come join us!

Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 5:30 PM
Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at 5:30 PM

Related Resources

“Navigating Treatment of the Dawson Map” by William Bennett, The Bigger Picture, Smithsonian Institution Archives
“Aww: Cute Baby Animals and Other Field Book Surprises” by Mignonette (Mig) Dooley Johnson, The Bigger Picture, Smithsonian Institution Archives
“To Post-it or Not to Post-it” by Kirsten Tyree, The Bigger Picture, Smithsonian Institution Archives
“The National Park that Never Was” by William Bennett, The Bigger Picture, Smithsonian Institution Archives

Mid-19th Century Reaction to a Laundry Invention

Alexia MacClain — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:00:48 +0000

Today the task of laundry is simple. We load machines with clothes, add laundry detergent and softener, and check settings. But essentially, the modern washing machine and dryer do the job for us. However, in the mid-19th century, long before our modern appliances, it was not so easy. Laundry was time-consuming and labor-intensive, so perhaps this pamphlet describing a “really wonderful invention” sounded intriguing.

It proposed a method “to accomplish a large family wash before breakfast” without machines and without rubbing. The folded pamphlet is titled Twelvetree’s Washing Pamphlet (ca 1850) by H. Twelvetree, and as we can reason from one of the testimonials found within, H. Twelvetree was most likely Harper Twelvetree (or Twelvetrees).

It does not provide step-by-step instructions, details, or illustrations to describe this new method for washing clothes. Instead, it provides only general information about the plan along with testimonials and references of those who tried it. We might call this folded pamphlet an advertising circular, as it encourages mid-19th century readers to inquire for more information and to obtain the details from H. Twelvetree.

H. Twelvetree, New York, NY. Twelvetree’s Washing Pamphlet (ca 1850), front cover/unnumbered page [1], general information about washing plan.

Since this particular item does not share that detailed information, we might be wondering a few things. What can this advertising circular reveal about the plan itself? How can a “large family wash” be accomplished before breakfast in the mid-19th century? And what did people at the time think of this idea?

Twelvetree’s Washing Pamphlet (ca 1850) explains that this method was discovered by Professor Leibig who, for a sum of money, gave permission for the proprietor, H. Twelvetree, to use it. The washing plan combined “economy of time and money, with safety and simplicity.” Ordinary individuals, high officials, and institutions were already using it. There is also a mention that the washing plan had been tested by hundreds of editors of newspapers and periodicals, including some who are listed as references in the list below.

H. Twelvetree, New York, NY. Twelvetree’s Washing Pamphlet (ca 1850), page 4, list of references including newspaper editors and clergymen.

The pamphlet shares a few basic components of the plan. It required no rubbing, no machines, and no extra washing utensils. Previous knowledge was not necessary. It required water, but the substance used for washing was cheaper than soap. It did not include acid, turpentine, or camphene. It did not have an unwelcome odor. And, as the pamphlet claims, it would not injure those performing the wash or destroy the fabric being washed.

There are also two pages of testimonials which provide more information, particularly in regards to how people felt about using this new method. Similar emotions and feelings are found throughout the testimonials. Several mention their initial hesitation or skepticism but then share their surprise, delight, and satisfaction with the results. They mention advantages for their households, such as labor-saving and time-saving benefits in addition to the plan’s ability to efficiently and thoroughly wash clothes.

One of the testimonials is an excerpt from The Fairfax [Va.] News printed on November 24, 1849. It mentions an advertisement from the previous week in which they announced their trial of “a new plan of washing by Harper Twelvetree.” It continues by stating:

“The trial has now been made, and we are glad to say it is true. Our “gude wife,” who always opposed the idea of its being true, and who would not listen to a trial being made for a moment until we made the experiment, says, by following these directions, all the labor of rubbing is dispensed with, boiling the clothes thirty minutes only being substituted for it, and the article is washed in a much neater manner than it can be done in the usual way…”

H. Twelvetree, New York, NY. Twelvetree’s Washing Pamphlet (ca 1850), page 3, testimonials of those who used “Mr. Twelvetree’s Washing Directions.”

The main purpose for this new idea might have been to wash clothes, but as some of the people found, there was a hidden benefit as well. On the first page, the pamphlet briefly suggests saving both soap and labor by re-using the same water for cleaning the house. Even though it does not go into great detail, we learn a bit more from a testimonial on the next page.

On March 13, 1850, Clementina Collier of Albany writes about an unexpected result of accidentally spilling water that had already been prepared with the ingredient to wash clothes. Due to this accident, Clementina Collier learned “that part of the floor on which the water was spilled looked much whiter than usual.” The testimonial continues:

“This induced me to try your plan for flooring, and I found it to succeed so well that I now have all my housecleaning done that way. It saves soap and the labor of scrubbing, and makes the wood of a better color. My plan is, after I have washed my clothes, to save the water, which then answers the purposes for flooring, wainscoting, &c…”

H. Twelvetree, New York, NY. Twelvetree’s Washing Pamphlet (ca 1850), page 2, testimonials of those who used “Mr. Twelvetree’s Washing Directions.”

This particular item might not describe the laundry method in great detail, but as an advertising circular, its purpose was to arouse curiosity in the hopes that people would want to learn more. It certainly inspired our curiosity and sent us on a hunt to learn more about Twelvetree’s washing tools. We found this image of a “Twelvetrees’ Villa Washer” from Cook’s Handbook for London (1881) from the University of Michigan’s collections.

Advertisement for Twelvetrees’ Villa Washer, Cook’s Handbook of London (1881). Courtesy of University of Michigan.

Twelvetree’s Washing Pamphlet (ca 1850) by H. Twelvetree is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Interested in learning more about laundry in the 19th Century? A past blog post highlighting a Thomas Bradford & Co. trade catalog provides a glimpse into washing machines and related equipment in 1878.

Turning a Quarantine Into a Journey With Xavier de Maistre

Anne Evenhaugen — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 13:00:14 +0000

Porthole of “Journey Round My Room” by Xavier de Maistre, photographs and special edition box by Ross Anderson, Arion Press, 2007

In a love letter to his apartment, Xavier de Maistre writes of his walls, windows, and furniture in Journey Round My Room, as if he would rather be there than anywhere else in the world. Joyful descriptions of the objects and activities in his room, such as the “quiet pleasure conveyed to his soul” during the act of dusting a painting, or the ruminations on his bed and its “agreeable colors” (rose and white) that add “not a little to the pleasure” of lying in it. As he alights his focus on particular objects, he recounts stories and memories they evoke, such as an entire chapter dedicated to just his traveling coat, “made of the warmest and softest stuff I could meet with. It envelops me entirely from head to foot, and when I am in my arm-chair, with my hands in my pockets, I am very like the statue of Vishnu one sees in the pagodas of India.”

A journey of 42 days, Chapter III, “Journey Round My Room” by Xavier de Maistre, photographs and special edition box by Ross Anderson, Arion Press, 2007

De Maistre’s work is nearly 200 pages of such contented observations of his small space. As the world has spent more than two years enmeshed in the COVID-19 pandemic in periods of isolation in our homes, Journey Round My Room may feel like a familiar experience in 2022. However, this work was written in 1790, during the time of the French Revolution, by a soldier sentenced to house arrest for 42 days, a literal quarantine.

A young soldier, de Maistre engaged in an illegal duel, and as punishment, was placed under house arrest in Turin, seeing only the servant who brought his meals (and dressed him and made his bed—quite decadent.) It was during this confinement to just his own room that de Maistre wrote this love letter to his surroundings. Likely an attempt to thwart boredom and unhappiness at his situation, his writings were a whimsical travel diary of his close quarters, published by his brother in 1794 as Voyage Autour de ma Chambre.

“Rooms” inside the shadowbox model of the special edition cover, “Journey Round My Room” by Xavier de Maistre, photographs and box by Ross Anderson, Arion Press, 2007

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has a beautiful copy of the 2007 Arion Press edition of Journey Round My Room, as a part of the recent gift to the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library from collector Dr. Ronnyjane Goldsmith. The book is bound in pink and white cloth, a nod to the “agreeable” rose-colored surroundings of de Maistre himself. Ross Anderson contributed more than a dozen ghostly photographs of a generic room, using a low-resolution cell phone, and printed in gray tones on translucent paper.

Of particular note for the Smithsonian’s copy is the limited special edition’s housing—a 3-dimensional apartment for the viewer to “journey” through, via portholes along the sides. Similar to a shadowbox, inside is a small white model, and each peephole allows a restricted viewing of the tiniest doors, windows, and walls of de Maistre’s imagined rooms. The cover forms the “ceiling”, made of translucent plexiglass that allows diffused light to make interesting shadows on the halls and doorways. Only 30 of the edition with this special box were created, designed by Anderson, himself an architect. The work adds to the Smithsonian’s collection of American fine press publications and is an amazing example of creativity in bookbinding.

Box and bound book, “Journey Round My Room”by Xavier de Maistre, photographs and special edition box by Ross Anderson, Arion Press, 2007

De Maistre’s reflections during a period of solitude provide a timely addition to our own, a strangely prescient reminder to take joy in simple observations, and that there are many ways to travel, not the least of which is through one’s imagination.

The Hewitt Sisters’ Diaries: Conservation and Digitization Behind-the-Scenes

Katie Wagner — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 13:00:24 +0000

This post was written by Katie Wagner, Senior Book Conservator, David Holbert, Digital Imaging Specialist, and Jacqueline E. Chapman, Head, Digital Library and Digitization. Learn more about the diaries of the Hewitt Sisters in a previous post by Jennifer Cohlman Bracchi.

In February 2020 the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives was awarded an American Women’s History Initiative grant to conserve and stabilize the 23 diaries kept by the Hewitt sisters during their travels. These diaries would eventually be featured in the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum’s exhibition, Sarah and Eleanor Hewitt: Designing a Modern Museum.

To support their long-term preservation, research use, and future exhibition, the diaries would be stabilized and rehoused by a contractor focused exclusively on this detailed conservation work. Afterwards, the items would be digitized by our Digitization team to provide broad access and to prevent unnecessary handling of the fragile objects.

Left: A Hewitt Sisters’ diary binder, displayed closed prior to treatment. Right: A Hewitt Sisters’ diary binder, displayed open prior to treatment

What started as an exciting and straightforward project for a contractor to work on-site alongside our Preservation team, became a more challenging operation when just a month later pandemic safety protocols came into place.

To complicate matters, prior to the pandemic, six of the 23 volumes had already been sent from their usual location at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library in New York City, to our Book Conservation Lab (BCL) in Landover, MD in preparation for the exhibition. With the closure of our on-site facilities during the pandemic, retrieving and relocating the remaining volumes to the BCL was not immediately possible.

The decision was made to hire two contractors, one near the Landover location and one in New York, to conserve the diaries in their own studios, prioritizing the six diaries needed for the exhibition. The complex physical nature of these diaries demanded an innovative approach to rehousing them to maintain the integrity of the original format.

Left: An example of ephemera found in one of the diaries, prior to treatment. Right: A calling card found in a diary, prior to treatment

Most of the diaries were housed in commercial two-ring binders covered in leather that had degraded over time. Covers were detached, and in some cases, missing. The diaries included many scraps of ephemera from acidic newspaper clippings to calling cards, to sketches. The inclusion of these items caused some of the binders to become overfilled leading to detached pages.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives conservators worked closely with the contractors to ensure that both the pages and the ephemeral pieces maintained their original order for research purposes, preserving both the physical pages and pieces as well as the intellectual content and associations between the ephemera and the diary pages.

Each page of each diary was placed in Mylar L-sleeves and bound in a post-binding. This allowed us to retain the original order and for researchers to readily access the volumes without having to touch the fragile pages directly. The ephemeral pieces were flattened and stored separately (as many were too large for binding once unfolded) and all the elements of the original binding were housed in an acid-free double tray box.

Left: The six Hewitt Sisters’ Diaries after treatment, in new clamshell box housing, with 6 thumb drives of the photos and documentation of the conservation process. Right: An example of some of the ephemera from the diaries flattened and in mylar sleeves after treatment in a four-flap enclosure

After treatment, the diaries were ready for their time under the cameras and care of our Digitization team at our Imaging Center (IC) located in the same building as our BCL. A new challenge arose: digitization could not begin until November 29^th, and the diaries needed to be back at the Cooper Hewitt by December 17^th. With special permission from our Emergency Operations Group, and with numerous safety protocols in place, Digital Imaging Specialist David Holbert returned to the IC to complete this phase of the project. With extensive treatment photos and notes from the contract conservator, we were able to prepare for the imaging process in advance.

David Holbert in the process of digitizing the diaries at the Imaging Center

Due to their rarity and fragility, the diaries were digitized on ‘copy stand’ equipment, with a camera attached to a motorized column that can be raised and lowered. The majority of the pages were approximately the same size (6” x 4”). This allowed for an efficient workflow, with limited adjustments to the camera position. Once the correct height on the column was set for a captured image to meet resolution requirements, and in proper focus, the camera could remain at the same location for imaging each diary page.

Capturing the front and back of each page, while monitoring for focus, went quickly. But, because the pages were unnumbered, extra care needed to be taken to ensure that the original order was maintained during this work. The careful removal and re-insertion of each fragile page out of and into their protective Mylar L-sleeves proved to be the most time-consuming part of the process.

A treated diary mid-imaging, showing the new post binding and mylar sleeves.

The oversized ephemera, pre-flattened and also housed in Mylar sleeves, were set aside and imaged separately after completing the more standardized diary pages. More camera adjustments were needed for this work, with ephemeral pieces of varying size.

The image capture process took roughly 80 hours and was completed in time for the diaries to make their return trip to New York for final exhibition preparations and installation. However, the images still required post-production work before they could be uploaded for online viewing. The images needed to be cropped, the RAW files processed into TIFFs, and page-level metadata applied to each image.

Importantly, because the original placement of these ephemeral pieces within each diary had been recorded in the conservation process, the digital surrogates of the diaries are able to reflect the original order and appearance of the diaries rather than their current housing. The digital images of each piece of ephemera were able to be inserted where the physical ephemeral pieces were originally found in each diary.

Post-production work and uploading the diaries’ digital surrogates to the Internet Archive and our Digital Library took another approximately 40 hours. All six diaries were available online by December 21^st, and can be viewed in our Digital Library. In total, the diaries amounted to 1,816 images.

A thumbnail view of a selection of digitized pages from Hewitt Sisters’ Diary U.S. v.1 in our Digital Library

With these first six diaries now complete, we now turn to the remaining 17 which will go through a similar workflow for conservation and digitization. In the meantime, we are able to celebrate the opening of the Cooper Hewitt Museum’s exhibition where pages from the diaries are now safely on display.

A view of the book-viewer experience of Hewitt Sisters’ Diary U.S. v.4 in our Digital Library.

Additionally, we have uploaded three of the diaries from this first batch of six to the Smithsonian Transcription Center where volunpeers (volunteer transcribers) will lend their skills and time to augmenting these images by providing searchable text, rendering them even more accessible. We look forward to sharing more diaries as the project continues, and hearing from readers, researchers, and volunpeers about their own travels through the sisters’ diaries, as we together unlock their contents and illuminate Sarah and Eleanor’s lives in their own words.

Gilded Age Girls: Exploring the Travel Diaries of Sarah and Eleanor Hewitt

Jen Cohlman Bracchi — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 12:52:11 +0000

Curious what might life have really been like for two wealthy, unattached New York City sisters at the turn of the 20^th century? Fictional sisters Ada and Agnes from HBO’s new series, The Gilded Age, could have been inspired in part by real sisters, Sarah (1859-1930) and Eleanor (1864-1924) Hewitt. Also known as “Sallie” and “Nellie”, without them the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, and its library, would not exist. A new exhibition celebrating this remarkable duo, Sarah and Eleanor Hewitt: Designing a Modern Museum, includes select pages from their never-before-seen travel diaries. Even better than seeing those few pages in person, now you can travel right alongside these two intrepid women from the comfort of your own home through six recently digitized volumes of their diaries. Plus, you can help transcribe their contents to make them even more accessible to researchers around the world!

Diaries of Sarah and Eleanor Hewitt, on display in Sarah and Eleanor Hewitt: Designing a Modern Museum.

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is the only Smithsonian unit founded by women. Granddaughters of industrialist and philanthropist, Peter Cooper (1791-1883), Sarah and Eleanor were pioneering women of significant means who shared their grandfather’s spirit of contributing to the greater good of American society through education. In 1895, the Hewitt sisters created the first museum of decorative arts and design in the United States—the Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration. They also started a night school that worked closely with the museum’s collection, establishing an active space for design education that helped shape the American aesthetic.

Left: Photograph of Sarah Cooper Hewitt. Collection of Edward Parmee. Right: Portrait of Eleanor Garnier Hewitt. Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Bequest of Erksine Hewitt, 1938-57-737.

Sarah and Eleanor’s museum became what is now Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Since becoming a part of the Smithsonian in 1968, Cooper Hewitt has told the story of its founders, yet a key component remained locked away in twenty-three diaries held in the library. Due to their extremely fragile condition, access to the diaries was restricted and their contents were unknown. To help reveal what Sarah and Eleanor documented, in 2020, Cooper Hewitt Museum and Smithsonian Libraries and Archives received a joint Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative award to support the conservation and digitization of Sarah and Eleanor’s travel diaries to make them truly accessible for the first time.

Open page from Travel diaries of Eleanor Garnier Hewitt and Sarah Cooper Hewitt U.S. v. 1.

These small notebooks contain over four thousand pages of hand-written and typed notes mostly by Eleanor, recording their travels across Europe, the United States, and Mexico from 1913 to 1924. The Hewitt sisters kept detailed notes of their journeys to cities, towns, and villages as well as detailed descriptions and illustrations of architecture and gardens they visited along the way. Text entries are interspersed with sketches of buildings and objects, alongside inserted ephemera including newspaper clippings, note cards, hand-written correspondence, and maps. It was during these travels that the sisters amassed what became the core of the museum’s collection.

Now, with the support of Smithsonian’s Transcription Center, we invite you to not only explore these diaries, but also to help unlock their content for researchers, historians, and visitors worldwide by making them keyword searchable. As with all Transcription Center projects, we’re looking for digital volunteers to help transcribe the contents of these unique diaries to help increase their accessibility and usability.

The three diaries available in the Transcription Center are focused on the Hewitts’ travels in the U.S., including sketches and photos taken along the way:

There is no telling what these diaries might reveal and how others might use this information now that they can finally be seen!

Screenshot of digitized pages from Travel diaries of Eleanor Garnier Hewitt and Sarah Cooper Hewitt U.S. v. 3.

Stay tuned for our next blog post highlighting the extensive conservation treatment and digitization process of the diaries.

Further Reading:

Masinter, Margery and Matthew Kennedy, “Meet the Hewitts” blog series, CooperHewitt.org (2013-2019).

Naples, Richard. “Designing Women: The Hewitt Sisters and the Remaking of a Modern Museum“, blog.library.si.edu (October 2015).

Fannie Farmer Knew Her Pies

Erin Rushing — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 12:00:39 +0000

Cover, The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book (c.1918).

Fannie Merritt Farmer, who was born in 1857, suffered a paralytic stroke in her teenage years that stalled her dreams of a formal education. After she regained the ability to walk, she worked as a governess and developed an interest in nutrition and cooking. At the age of 30, Farmer enrolled at the Boston Cooking School, a philanthropic endeavor to help young women learn a socially acceptable trade at a time when there were limited options. Farmer did so well that she joined the staff upon graduation and became principal just two years later.

Farmer first published The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book in 1896 and it would become a household staple for over a hundred years. The book includes recipes of course, but also nutritional information on common ingredients, tips about party-planning, housekeeping advice, and even health and safety information. Farmer wanted to share recipes but was also the science behind them, explaining cooking processes and including more precise measurements than many previous cookbooks. She hoped her book would “awaken an interest through its condensed scientific knowledge which will lead to deeper thought and broader study of what we eat”. Farmer was an early Alton Brown!

This 1919 edition, from the collection of the National Museum of American History Library, is thought to be the last one written solely by Fannie Farmer herself. It features more than 130 illustrations of recipes, table decorations, and utensils. Our copy was previously owned by Florence E. Sparks, who added some of her own handwritten recipes on the endpages and tucked loose recipes inside. This copy was adopted through our Adopt-a-Book program by Clarice J. Peters in 2016 which supported the book’s digitization.

In honor of Pi Day (March 14^th, i.e. 3/14), our staff tried two different recipes, both with tasty results. Read on for pie inspiration from Fannie Farmer and The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book. Or dig into the book online to find your next dish!

Lemon Meringue Pie
Tested by Anne Evenhaugen

Left: Lemon Meringue Pie. Right: Lemon Pie IV recipe from The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book (c.1918).

Baker’s Note: We chose to make Lemon Pie IV (page 470) with the associated Meringue II (page 480). It didn’t require many ingredients—eggs, sugar, and lemon. We cut a few corners, for example, instead of following one of Fannie’s “paste” recipes, we used store-bought crust dough. And instead of beating our eggs for our meringue with a “silver fork,” we used our stand mixer! But otherwise, we followed the recipe nearly to the letter, with a moderate oven (that is 375 F for the modern reader!). The verdict of our family was that Farmer’s recipe was delicious. Even the person who normally doesn’t like lemon meringue said it was great–not too sweet! I would make this again since it was so easy, and both kids helped.

Lemon Pie IV

Ingredients:

3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
Grated rind of ½ lemon

Directions:

Beat eggs slightly, add sugar, lemon juice, grated rind, and water.
Bake in one crust in moderate (375 F.) oven
Cool slightly, cover with Meringue II (see below).
Return to oven to bake meringue (about 8 minutes)

Meringue II

Ingredients:

Whites from 3 eggs
½ teaspoon lemon extract or 1/3 teaspoon vanilla
7 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

Beat whites until stiff.
Add four tablespoons of sugar gradually and beat vigorously.
Fold in remaining sugar and add flavoring

Blueberry Pie
Tested by Erin Rushing

Left: Blueberry Pie. Right: Blueberry Pie recipe from The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book (c.1918).

Baker’s Note: The hardest part of this recipe was managing the crust. Farmer recommends using “Plain Paste” (page 463), which was a bit tricker than the name implies. Unable to find lard at the grocery store, I substituted shortening. I opted not to wash my butter despite Farmer’s recommendation and just used unsalted. Finally, the lamination process of folding and rolling the butter to incorporate it was a floury disaster for me. I ended up chucking all of the ingredients into a food processor and the end result was just fine. Also worth noting: Farmer suggests a “deep plate” for the filling, but this filled a standard pie plate (not deep dish) perfectly. The grapes were an unusual addition but no tasters could tell they were there!

Plain Paste (Pie Dough)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lard (or shortening)
¼ cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
Cold water (about 4-6 tablespoons)

Directions:

Mix salt with flour.
Cut in lard/shortening, either with pastry cutter, fingers, or using food processor.
Add water, a tablespoon at a time, until ingredients form dough.
Cut in butter using preferred method until evenly distributed.
Turn out onto floured surface. Divide into half. Form two balls and then roll out to size, using one ball to create lattice pieces if desired.

Blueberry Pie:

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups berries
6 green grapes, cut into small pieces (optional)
Flour (about 1 tablespoon)
½ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Line a pie plate with Plain Paste (or your preferred pie crust).
Slightly dredge berries and grapes with flour. Pour into crust.
Cover with top crust or decorate with strips.
Bake 45-50 minutes in a moderate oven (375 F.)
Allow to cool completely, several hours or overnight, before cutting.

Further Reading:

Eschner, Kat. “Fannie Farmer Was the Original Rachael Ray”, Smithsonian.com (August 23, 2017).

Farmer, Fannie Merritt. The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book (1919).

“Farmer, Fannie Merritt, 1857-1915”, Feeding America: the Historic American Cookbook Project. Michigan State University Libraries.

The Bamboo Expert Who Rediscovered a Missing Grass

Erin Rushing — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 14:00:58 +0000

Argentine grass expert Dr. Cleofé E. Calderón (1929-2007) collected species, published descriptions of rare and unusual plants, and led workshops that helped shape the field of bamboo taxonomy. Affiliated with the Smithsonian for much of her agrostology career, Dr. Calderón’s legacy can be traced in collections across the Institution, including publications, field books, and photos in Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

Visiting Argentine botanist Cleofé E. Calderón with plant specimens and microscope. Detail of digital contact sheet. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Acc. 11-008 [OPA-90]

Dr. Calderón was a botanist from the University of Buenos Aires who came to the Smithsonian Institution to study bamboo. In the 1960s she visited Washington, D.C. and stopped by the U.S. National Herbarium in the Department of Botany at the National Museum of Natural History. The connections she made during that visit led to a close working relationship with Curator of Grasses, Dr. Thomas R. Soderstrom.

Dr. Tom Soderstrom and Dr. Cleofé Calderón, 1975, by Kjell Sandved, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Acc. 95-013, Image No. SIA2013-04116.

With support from several Smithsonian offices and the National Geographic Society, Dr. Calderón traveled worldwide to research and collect specimens. Her work had a special focus on Central and South America, particularly Brazil. In 1976, she and colleagues spent ten weeks studying and collecting bamboo in the Mata Atlântica forest of eastern Brazil, an area known for its plant diversity. It was during this trip that Dr. Calderón made one of her most important botanical discoveries–observing and collecting Anomochloa, a genus of grass that scientists had not seen living since the 19th century.

Specimen of Anomochloa marantoidea Brongn collected by Cleofé E. Calderon in Brazil in 1976. National Museum of Natural History.

Dr. Calderón’s field books in our Smithsonian Institution Archives help us understand what she saw during her travels. These 17 field books created between 1967 and 1981 provide context for the many specimens she observed and collected. Her detailed notes were part of her thorough documentation process, which also included capturing photographs with two cameras. Dr. Calderón recorded taxonomic names of specimens, temperatures, altitude/elevation, flowering, and inflorescence. In 2019, Smithsonian Transcription Center volunteers helped transcribe Dr. Calderón’s field books to make them even more useful to modern researchers.

During her work with the National Museum of Natural History, Dr. Calderón contributed about 1,000 plant specimens to the U.S. National Herbarium and was known for her thoroughness and high-quality pressings. Many have been digitized and are available through the Smithsonian’s Collection Search Center. According to her obituary in Bamboo Science and Culture, her specimens “are of great significance to grass systematics due to both their quality and the large number of novelties represented among them.”

Field book of Cleofé E. Calderon. “Brasil 1976, 2”. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Acc. 12-005.
Left: cover; right: April 21, 1976 entry.

Dr. Calderón also shared her research by co-authoring a number of publications, including two titles in the Smithsonian Contributions to Botany series, available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Both “Morphological and Anatomical Considerations of the Grass Subfamily Bambusoideae Based on the New Genus Maclurolyra” (1973) and “The Genera of Bambusoideae (Poaceae) of the American Continent: Keys and Comments” (1980) were written with long-time collaborator Thomas Soderstrom.

Cover, “The Genera of Bambusoideae (Poaceae) of the American Continent: Keys and Comments” (1980).

Dr. Cleofé Calderón left the field of botany in 1985 and began working for a bibliographic service. By then, she had named 18 grass and bamboo species. In addition, one genus of ornamental grass, Calderonella, was named in her honor by Soderstrom and Henry F. Decker. Her specimens, field books, and publications continue to lend valuable insight to modern researchers.

Further Reading:

Calderón, Cleofé E. Cleofé E. Calderón Field Books, 1967-1981 and undated. Smithsonian Institution Archives SIA Acc. 12-005.

Calderón, Cleofé E. and Thomas R. Soderstrom. “The Genera of Bambusoideae (Poaceae) of the American Continent: Keys and Comments” , Smithsonian Contributions to Botany, No. 44 (1980).

Calderón, Cleofé E. and Thomas R. Soderstrom. “Morphological and Anatomical Considerations of the Grass Subfamily Bambusoideae Based on the New Genus Maclurolyra” Smithsonian Contributions to Botany, No. 11 (1973).

“Cleofé E. Calderón (1929-2007)”, Bamboo Science and Culture: The Journal of the American Bamboo Society 21(1): 1-8 (2008).

Soderstrom, Thomas R. and Henry F. Decker “Calderonella, a New Genus of Grasses, and Its Relationships to the Centostecoid Genera”, Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, v. 60 (1973).

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives & Wikidata: Plans Become Projects

Jackie Shieh — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 16:18:22 +0000

This post is part of our Smithsonian Libraries and Archives & Wikidata series.

Over the past two years, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has embarked on a linked data journey along with many other libraries in the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) Wikidata pilot project. From October 2020 to August 2021, the Libraries Wikidata team experimented with creating and maintaining name authority in a completely new way, including plans to install a decentralized Wikidata instance (Wikibase) that would meet the Smithsonian policies and best practices. This is the second part in the Wikidata blog post series, be sure to read our previous post for additional information.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Wiki initiation commenced with a Wikidata workshop held in November 2019 with Andrew Lih, currently the Wikimedian-In-Residence for the American Women’s History Initiative. The outgrowth of the workshop was a name reconciling project using carefully curated name data. During the pandemic, this process was expanded to include additional staff and two name datasets: 1) the Art and Artist Files database and 2) a portion of Smithsonian American Art Museum’s artist names from its database.

Wiki Platform

For the last two years, the Libraries’ Wiki project has mainly focused on Wikidata and Wikibase, and briefly experimented with Wikimedia Commons for images as part of the Smithsonian’s PCC Wikidata Pilot Projects (Oct 2020- Sep 2021).

Wikidata

Wikidata, launched in 2012, is a global and open knowledge repository of structured data that serves as a hub for linking resources. This linked open data information cloud attracts and integrates authority data from many libraries. Wikidata quickly became the authority knowledgebase of choice in libraries and commercial institutions for names for people, places, etc. Its structured data gives many developers a way to create tools to query and present findings on trending topics, such as the resources which impact or are impacted by the pandemic, COVID-19 (http://coviwd.org)

Wikidata has become a high-demand library authority identifier clearing house. The PCC Policy Committee recognized the platform could play a role in its effort to transform authority control into identity management. In September 2020, called for a pilot among the PCC member libraries. The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives assembled a team to participate in October 2020 as telework projects during the pandemic.

The Wikidata team prioritized the following goals in order to create cohesive processes for names (identity) management for the Smithsonian’s collections,

The creation and curation of names for CPF (corporate bodies, persons and families), collections, and publications for the Institution.
Adopting replicable workflows to SI units that would work beyond the Libraries and Archives’ cataloging or metadata professionals.
Increasing professional curiosity toward descriptive data and what it could offer to users as a service.
Transitioning to a localized deployment of a Wikidata model (in Wikibase) that meets Smithsonian policy and best practices guidelines.
Encouraging ingenious API tools development to feature Smithsonian collections.
Forming collaborative efforts with colleagues within and beyond the SI walls.

The five projects from the Libraries and Archives’ Wikidata team for the PCC Wikidata Pilot Project are as follows:

1) African ethnic groups
Reconcile, edit and/or add African ethnic group names (ca. 250) currently used in local subject headings by the Warren M. Robbins Library of the National Museum of African Art.

2) Artist files
Reconcile, edit and/or add the artists descriptive data matched in two SI artists databases (the Libraries and Archives’ Art and Artists Files and Smithsonian American Art Museum’s artists databases), which amounted to 3797 artists.

3) Chinese ancestors portraits (primarily royal family members of the Qing Dynasty of Manchu ethnic group)
Review and augment for accuracy Wikidata statements for 90 names matched to the Freer and Sackler Galleries collection of Chinese Ancestors portraits.

Chinese ancestors portraits organized by date of birth in Chinese scripts, on Histropedia site: http://tinyurl.com/CAPPtimeline.

4) Dibner scientists portraits
Reconcile, edit and/or add the scientists and artists featured in the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology’s collection of portraits included on the Scientific Identity website.

Graph showing scientists’ publications available in Wikisource, an open wiki library for digitized texts.

5) Smithsonian researchers and their publications from the Smithsonian Research Online (SRO)
Reconcile, enhance and/or add names for the notable curatorial and research staff from the Smithsonian Profiles website and review the representation of Smithsonian in Wikidata.

People related to the Smithsonian through employment, affiliation, and membership, (past and present) with images.

Each project identified the specific aspects, focus, and workflows documented on the Smithsonian PCC Wikidata Pilot Page. The project team met weekly; subgroups met bi-weekly on a regular basis or as needed. A team conducted a few samplers to showcase contributions to the overall Smithsonian collections in the Wikidata landscape. These queries were gathered and put together as a dashboard highlighting various characteristics of each individual project in table forms, maps, and graphs.

Wikibase

Wikibase, an extension of MediaWiki, is the software that powers Wikidata. It offers a suite of open source software for creating a collaborative knowledge base. It also allows for localized configuration and an option to federate with other Wikibase installations and Wikidata at-large.

Several institutions have established substantive workflows for deploying a decentralized Wikidata utilizing Wikibase software. Examples include Rhizome’s Artbase, the Digital archive of artists’ publishing (DAAP), the Enslaved.org, Linked Jazz, DNB’s GND, FactGrid, Luxembourg’s Shared Authority File, and Europeana Eagle, etc.

Members of the Libraries and Archives’ team were exposed to the richness and potential of structured data describing the collections that they are passionate about. In addition, participating staff gained new technological skills and new approaches to information organization in a linked and open repository like Wikidata. And they are excited about the potential for deployment of a local Wikibase instance that enables us to better address Smithsonian internal policies and formulate best practices and guidelines for our workflow.

At the writing of this post, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has been piloting a Wikibase instance, investigating limited functionalities. To date, the team has created over 200 properties and close to 1590 items, currently only accessible to Smithsonian staff.

The substantial work of the Libraries and Archives’ Wikidata team has been recognized by colleagues around the world. Our team members are part of a larger community helping to shape developments and features of Wikidata and Wikibase. For instance, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives was one of the first organizations that the WikiLibrary Manifesto, spearheaded by the German National Library, invited to sign the initiative. Throughout Fiscal Year 2021, the Wikidata team conducted several presentations illustrating the potential of Wikidata as a viable tool for our collections.

In an effort to further unveil our collections through digital solutions, the Wikidata team is devising future plans to continue wikifying entities for the collections in a localized Wikibase to accommodate Smithsonian policy and best practices, without sacrificing discovery and reuse of Smithsonian data!

National Museum of Natural History researcher Victoria Funk (1947-2019) co-authorship network, https://w.wiki/4LQv

Further Reading:

Barbara Fischer. Authority Control meets Wikibase (2019): https://wiki.dnb.de/display/GND/Authority+Control+meets+Wikibase.
French National Entities file (FNE): project overview (2019): https://www.transition-bibliographique.fr/fne/french-national-entities-file/
Wikibase site showcases variety of implementations: https://wikiba.se/showcase/

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Wikidata Team presentations:

Discovery Services Forum on June 23: http://bit.ly/DISC2021Forum0623
LD4 20201 Conference: https://sched.co/joA8
Smithsonian Collections Information Management Committee: http://bit.ly/CIMC202109LibWD

Unveiling 1915 Spring Fashion Through Mail Order

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 14:00:21 +0000

Today in the 21st Century, we have several options for shopping. Two options that might immediately come to mind are visiting stores to shop in person or ordering online from home. But one nearly forgotten option is the mail order catalog. With the availability of the internet, we might not receive these as frequently as in the past, but browsing the Trade Literature Collection reveals mail ordering has been around for quite some time.

Generally, when consumers purchase something via mail order, they complete an order blank, or form. The form is typically found inside the catalog. On the order form, they list items, quantity, and specific details relating to the products they want to order. Some catalogs also include a pre-addressed envelope, like the envelope found within John Wanamaker’s Fall & Winter Catalog 1915-16 (1915-1916) highlighted in a past post. Pre-addressed envelopes make it convenient for customers to mail their order form with payment to the company. Another post highlighting a Herr, Thomas & Co. 1907 catalog explores the general mail order process in a bit more detail.

Now let’s examine a mail order catalog, paying close attention to item descriptions and specific details customers might have needed to complete an order form in 1915. This catalog is titled Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) by John Wanamaker.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), front cover.

The clothing section appears to primarily focus on women’s apparel and accessories. Several pages illustrate items for girls and young women, such as a sports suit, pictured below left. This was a two-piece set with matching skirt and coat, both made from homespun mixture. Its flared skirt fastened on the side and included two pockets, as did the coat which was embellished with a high waist belt. The collar of the coat could be worn open, as shown below, or buttoned high.

Keeping the mail order process in mind, let’s study the product description to locate details that a mail order customer might have needed to complete an order form. One of these details is the item or product number used to identify a specific item. We see that this particular sports suit is identified as 143W1.

Most likely, customers also specified on the order form their preference for fabric, design, or color of the article of clothing. This particular suit was available in homespun mixture, as shown in the illustration, but the description notes other options were also available, including black and white check and navy blue or black serge. Sizes appear to be listed by ages such as 14, 16, 18, and 20 years. We will take a closer look at sizes when we turn to another page in the catalog.

One more thing a mail order shopper might have noticed is the weight of the item when packed. This sports suit weighed four pounds packed. Perhaps, this was useful for customers to estimate cost of shipping.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page facing page 32, Sports Clothes for Girls and Young Women.

Another page in this Wanamaker catalog also features suits for girls and young women. One of these, shown below right, is described as “a faithful copy of a Jeanne Lanvin suit very recently received by us.” Identified as item/product 143W6, it was a two-piece set consisting of skirt and coat, available in navy blue, Belgian blue, or sand color poplin or black and white check.

The coat featured a belt which appears to begin at the sides, or as the catalog explains, “The belt in front comes from a panel effect on the sides.” This panel effect included two button-trimmed patch pockets on either side, level with the belt. In addition, the coat had two upper front pockets on either side. Other decorative elements were buttoned cuffs trimmed with pieces of poplin fabric and the collar which could be worn open or buttoned high at the neck.

The full skirt was designed with a back gathered in tucks on either side. Though not visible in the illustration below, the description of the skirt mentions a corded belt and pockets to match the coat.

As mentioned earlier, clothing sizes appear to correspond to years, such as 14, 16, 18, and 20 years. This particular page, shown below, includes a size chart. The chart listed sizes, which were labeled as “Young Women – Years,” along with corresponding measurements. This assisted the 1915 mail order shopper in choosing the proper size to place on the order form.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 27, Suits for Girls and Young Women.

Moving on, we turn to a page illustrating women’s skirts. The skirt identified as item/product 300W75, below left, was described as a “new suspender skirt of velvet corduroy.” Customers had the option of choosing three colors to place on their order form: white, rose, or Belgian blue.

This suspender skirt was fashioned with a high waist and row of buttons down the front and embellished with a wide belt threaded through loops and fastened in the front by two buttons. It conveniently included pouch pockets on either side.

Its wide suspenders crisscrossed in the back, as shown in the miniature sketch below (far left). For customers ordering via mail from home, these miniature sketches provided the ability to view various angles of the clothing.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 21, “New Fashions” in Women’s Skirts.

Just like 21st Century online shopping, mail order shopping over 100 years ago included specific descriptions tailored to help consumers make decisions from home. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) by John Wanamaker is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Explore the Past with a Learning Tool of the Future

Erin Rushing — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 14:00:30 +0000

When the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building reopened in November 2021, it launched FUTURES, an ambitious, interactive exploration of what lies ahead for humanity. This building-wide exhibition is on view until July 7^th, 2022 and highlights artworks, technologies, and ideas that look towards the future. Included in the exhibition is “Women in America: Extra and Ordinary”, an innovative classroom tool developed by Sara Cardello, our Head of Education. Stories from this resource will also be featured in our next online program, Women at Work on February 15^th, 2022.

“Women in America: Extra and Ordinary” is part of our Traveling Trunks program. Intended for educators and students, the trunks are immersive, multimedia library kits that connect Smithsonian Libraries and Archives collections with other Smithsonian content around a common theme. The “Women in America: Extra and Ordinary” theme features twenty-four women who lived in America from 1785-2013. Their stories are extraordinary while honoring the strength of the everyday.

“Women in America: Extra and Ordinary” Traveling Trunk in FUTURES.

In the “Futures that Unite” section of the FUTURES exhibition, you’ll find our “Women in America: Extra and Ordinary” Traveling Trunk, including eight selected stories that celebrate women in science. Each woman is represented by a card. Touching a card to a nearby speaker brings a woman’s story to life with a biographical description. Touching the accompanying cassette tape plays a related song from Smithsonian Folkways.

“Women in America: Extra and Ordinary” interactive cards and cassette.

The stories of our past are powerful tools. They can be reminders of our successes and cautions of our failures. Entirely too often our history has been written by and for a single perspective, marginalizing women and people of color. This display helps honor eight lesser-known women in STEM and continue their legacy. You might encounter Eloise Berry, the first female scientist for the Forest. You may hear from Sophie Lutterlough, who rose from an elevator operator to working in the Entomology department in the National Museum of Natural History. Or you may be awed by Chien-Shiung Wu, a nuclear physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project to develop the first nuclear weapons.

Graphic of Sophie Lutterlough from “Women in America: Extra and Ordinary”.

Our Traveling Trunk program is not currently lending to schools due to the ongoing pandemic. This spotlight in FUTURES allows us to engage with visitors from around the world, sharing these lesser-known stories of women in science from our collections. We hope visitors experience and learn from the extraordinary stories of women, both extra and ordinary.

Interested in hearing more about these remarkable women? Join us on February 15^th for our free, online program, Women at Work. Our director, Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty will explore their legacies as part of a broader conversation about women in STEM.

“Women in America: Extra and Ordinary” received support from the American Women’s History Initiative.

Color Our Collections for 2022

Erin Rushing — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 13:52:57 +0000

Calling all coloring enthusiasts! #ColorOurCollections is back for 2022 and we have ten new coloring pages just for you. Whether you want to bring polychromatic glory to old black-and-white photos or scribble in vintage fashion plates, you’ll find a little something for everyone in our new packet. Download it now!

During Color Our Collections, organized by the New York Academy of Medicine, cultural institutions from around the world provide inspiration and free coloring sheets for artists of all ages. At-home artists can share their creations on social media by tagging the organization and using the hashtag #ColorOurCollections. Our coloring book uses images that are freely available in our Digital Library, Biodiversity Heritage Library, and Smithsonian Institution Archives collections.

Curious about the stories behind the pictures? Here’s the scoop on the first two pages.

Coloring page featuring Robert Ridgway Bird Head Drawings #189, #197, #209, #222. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7167. Download the full coloring book.

Robert Ridgway Bird Head Drawings #189, #197, #209, #222.
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Record Unit 7167.

These little birdies were illustrated by Robert Ridgway and Henry W. Elliott for publications by Spencer Baird, Dr. Thomas M. Brewer, and Ridgway. A bird expert mentored by Baird, Ridgway was appointed ornithologist on the staff of the United States National Museum in 1874 and earned a role as curator by 1880. Ridgway became a prolific author and illustrator of bird books and developed several guides to help fellow natural history writers accurately depict color.

Coloring page featuring “Equus marinus monstrus” from Monstrorum historia (1642). Download the full coloring book.

Ulisse Aldrovandi
“Equus marinus monstrus”
Vlyssis Aldrouandi patricii Bononiensis Monstrorum historia
Bononiae : Typis Nicolai Tebaldini, MDCXLII [1642]

This lively merhorse is one of several fantastic beasts in Ulisse Aldrovandi’s Monstrorum historia (1642). The work features illustrations of mythological creatures as well as reported genetic anomalies. Monstrorum historia was gifted to the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology by Dr. J. Bruce Beckwith along with 800 works related to teratology. It’s featured in our current exhibition, Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect.

You’ll rarely hear us say this but in this instance it’s true: We hope you enjoy coloring in our books! Share your creations via social media and tag us (@SILibraries on Twitter and Instagram). We can’t wait to see what vibrant combinations you come up with.

Cover of Color Our Collections 2022 coloring book. Download the full coloring book.

An Interview with Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Liz O'Brien — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 14:00:38 +0000

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives recently welcomed Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty as our inaugural director. Join us as we get to know the new leader of our organization!

1.) What is your earliest memory of either libraries or archives?    

I have fond memories of both libraries and archives. When I was a little, libraries played a very important role in my life and that of my family. My mother loved books and saw libraries as a treasure trove of information – and most importantly, they were free. She was a single mom. We were poor and could not afford a lot of books. I was fortunate that we owned a set of encyclopedias – quite rare for being an African American little girl growing up on the West Side of Chicago. No one else I knew had a set.

I remember my mother taking me to the Chicago Public Library to complete a school report on Benjamin Franklin, and also running around looking at books as my brother attended Black Panther meetings in one of the Library’s community rooms.

Therefore, my family saw libraries as an important benefit to us as American citizens. Later on, my mother fell on hard times, and we were homeless for about a year. We were shuffled from shelter to shelter, and from good neighbors to church members, but there were times in between when we slept at the Chicago Public Library for heat, or when the lights got turned off, or to get cool in the heat of summer. Because of this I experienced firsthand that libraries serve a lot of functions in society. I always say that libraries helped raise me.

My first memory of archives and special collections is quite different. My brush with archival research came when I was a sophomore in high school. As a Chicago Public School requirement, every high school sophomore had to enter the Chicago History Fair. Students had to present a history project using Chicago area archival collections and other primary sources. Along with my Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center partner, Leslie Casimir, we had to consult the collections of the Chicago Historical Society (now Chicago History Museum) in order to research the Aragon Ballroom. I wore gloves and they brought out big archival drawings for my project. So that was a different experience for me; I didn’t understand why I had to put on gloves, or formally check in, or show my ID. It was a completely different process than using regular materials. I also observed the reading room as beautiful, and it all felt very important and ceremonious – with “esteemed” white men pictured on the wall. I remember thinking, “Wow – this is like attending church!”

Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty stands outside the doors of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives offices.

2.) Tell me about your background in your own words. What attracted you to the field of libraries and archives as a career?  

The path to my career was a challenging process. My mother wanted me to be a successful Black woman which in her eyes was to have a respectful career in which I made lots of money. She wanted me to be a doctor, and then when it turned out I was no good at calculus she said, “Well, I guess you need to be a lawyer.” She never really embraced or wholly understood my library career.

However, when I was in high school and college I worked in libraries for extra money and started getting closer and closer to them. I always felt there were smart people in libraries, people who liked to read and were interested in different esoteric things like me – and then I learned about special collections. I realized from my Chicago Historical Society experience that there were curators in libraries. I eased into the profession by working odd and temporary LIS jobs, and then the jobs kept becoming more and more permanent with greater responsibilities. Working as a special collections assistant in Princeton University Library’s Rare Book and Manuscript reading room is what sealed the deal for me for library school. For a time, I did not reveal to my family what I was getting a master’s degree in.

3.) What does being the inaugural director of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives mean to you? What excites you most about leading a museum libraries and archives system?  

I’m still grappling with it being real because I never thought I would find myself in this space. The job is very important to me, but what is most important to me is the staff. I want to be an advocate for the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff, getting them resources and achieving job satisfaction to make us a viable organization at the Smithsonian.

I want the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives to be very much in the 21st century and to be called one of the best research libraries in America and a global resource. I am in awe of all the work that has happened before me, from Director Emerita Nancy E. Gwinn and Deputy Director Emerita Mary Augusta Thomas of the (former) Smithsonian Libraries to Director Emerita Anne Van Camp of the (former separate entity) Smithsonian Institution Archives. There is a big opportunity to create something new – a new culture, new ways for people to see what is in our collections. I didn’t even know that archives used to be a separate department from libraries at the Smithsonian. I am fortunate to be here for the integration. It’s exciting to see on Twitter posts from the Archives – that the Smithsonian has archives for itself. The history of the Smithsonian Institution is fascinating.

Additionally, I am excited about the many relationships and collaborations we can continue to build, especially in our pan-Institutional role and among locations within all the Smithsonian’s museums. I previously worked for a museum library at the Whitney Museum of American Art. When people visit an art exhibit and see the paintings on the walls, sometimes they don’t think of the research that goes on behind each art piece or object. I think the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives expands on that charge, that we not only inform the work of the museum curators and researchers but also provide information globally to many different parties; our mission is paramount within the Smithsonian Institution. Every day I am amazed by a new partnership I learn of, such as the Biodiversity Heritage Library or our Adopt-a-Book Program. It’s almost like an amusement park of libraries.

4.) Why do you believe that libraries and archives are important to the Smithsonian?  

We are the keepers of history for the entire organization. We have an important mission to provide resources for the research that curators, scholars, and scientists need. Every museum object has a story to tell, but that story may be documented within our archives or put into better context by our library research material. I also believe that we are called upon for a bigger, global mission to provide documentation to society. We have a lot in our collections that speaks to what it is to be America and American. I see us as playing a much bigger role more similar or parallel to the Library of Congress – on that top level. We are America’s library.

5.) Where do you foresee libraries and archives going as organizations, especially in respect to the last two years of the pandemic?  

There is no doubt that the pandemic has affected everyone. I consider it to be a trauma that everyone has undergone. We thought the pandemic was going to last a few weeks and now it has been around 700 days that Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff have not been able to be fully on-site. We are going to need to take some time to recover and reflect. There are some things we have realized during the pandemic that we will keep: we have learned how to work from home and going into continued telework means we will have more flexibility to do our jobs while also paying attention to our domestic lives. We further see the importance of digital assets and scholarship and how much that means to users who cannot visit us in person. Going forward, we will continue to ask and prioritize: how do we deliver more of our wonderful collections into the homes of people all over the world who cannot visit our libraries or our archives?

6.) What is the most notable item you have seen in your archival work?

I will talk about my collective experience, as I cannot pick a favorite. Being able to see the papers of someone you have admired your entire life is incredible. When I was in graduate school at Simmons University, I got to work at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. Working with Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.’s diaries and actually touching letters from John F. Kennedy was a moving experience. I worked with the Henry James papers when I was at Harvard University, and the Bancroft copy of the Gettysburg Address while at Cornell University. I handled the F. Scott Fitzgerald papers when I was at Princeton University and during my lunch break, I would call up the collection just to read the letters he wrote to his daughter.

Another emotional moment was when I was at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library. I got to go to James Baldwin’s sister’s house to appraise his collection and I was thinking, “Oh my goodness, these are the papers of James Baldwin and I’m touching them and I even get to see his doodles.” It’s documentation that a person’s life existed and that this memory, these words, this documentation is going to continue on for years, for generations – long after I am gone.

7.) Who do you look up to for inspiration or mentorship?  

I have a lot of mentors and think everyone should have more than one. It is just like your friends: you have some you call for fun and others you go to for more serious questions. It is the same way with mentors. I have had peer mentors who were on the same level professionally, but we like to be a sounding board for one another. I had mentors when I was an early-career librarian who helped guide me through the profession.

My best mentor, Mark A. Greene, passed away in 2017. Along with Dennis Meissner, he is the creator of MPLP: “More Product, Less Process.” That was a huge movement in archives. Mark always embraced my path as who I am. Sometimes you get mentors who try to mold and shape you into who they are. He never did that with me, and he somehow knew that I would be an administrator one day when I didn’t know that myself. Mark still inspires me.

Jeannette Bastian is another great mentor. She was one of my professors at Simmons University who taught me about collective memory in archives and bringing out marginalized voices in the collections we take care of. I am inspired by Dorothy Berry, digital collections program manager at Harvard University’s Houghton Library and years my junior, who is doing incredible, innovative work with archives. Wesley Chenault, director of the Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives at Cornell University, is another; there are just so many inspiring people and stories out there!

8.) What energizes you outside of work?

I collect antiques – mainly a lot of African antiques. I like things that are handmade by artisans. Just over the weekend I picked up a handmade basket. I like wood; there’s something so organic about it. I collect a lot of wood bowls, baskets, and masks.

Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty getting to know our collections during a recent visit to the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library.

9.) What is your favorite travel spot and why?  

One of the things I am trying to work on is traveling more for pleasure. I have tended to always travel for business, so if I was attending a professional conference somewhere, that would also be my vacation destination. I teach at California Rare Book School at UCLA, so Los Angeles is a place I would visit regularly.

I am trying to work on going somewhere without there having to be a conference attached. A lot of this comes down to money, too – I never really had the money just to take a vacation, but when I did it was always Vermont. I would go to Vermont because of the woodturners and glass blowers that live in the state. There are many antique shops and inimitable craftsmen in Vermont. London is on my bucket list; I have been to Ireland and had a great time. Though I want to do more personal traveling, I know that wherever I end up, I am always going to go to a library or an archive.

10.) What is one food you cannot resist?  

Sushi! In college, my minor was Japanese. I joined a Japanese culture club for those who loved everything Japanese. They introduced me to sushi, and I have been hooked ever since. I eat octopus, squid, eel, and sea urchin – the hardcore stuff, not just the rolls! I also love avocados. I am a sucker for French fries and anything made with potatoes in general – baked or mashed. I also love pasta. But sushi is the one thing I must have at least once a week.

11.) Do you have a motto or personal mantra?  

I have a new one every year. Some have come from my mother and are very old-school, like “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” which was said by President Theodore Roosevelt. At the same time, my mother would always say, “You can’t have your cake and eat it, too.” When I was a child I would think, “Of course you can have your cake and then eat it, so what do you mean?” I figured out later that, quite literally, if you eat it, then you don’t have your cake anymore. So it’s just these running cliches that go on in my head. “Know who your friends are” – that kind of thing.

12.) What do you like to read? Any favorite books?

I am just going to be truthful here: I like magazines and journals. I don’t read fiction; I haven’t been into fiction since I was a lot younger, reading Beverly Cleary and authors like that. As I get older, I really like periodicals and I subscribe to several foreign magazines, in subjects such as art and architecture. I especially love art magazines in particular – I get a magazine that’s about ceramics, and one about woodturning. So that’s what I enjoy reading, and I know people don’t talk about that a lot, but I’ve never been one who is reading the latest on The New York Times bestseller list. I love bookstores – especially independent ones – and I always go in to look at the periodicals, like Vogue magazines from Japan. I also read library science or museum studies related books. I’m reading one by Jeannette Bastian, Decolonizing the Caribbean Record: An Archives Reader. I will read specific chapters of books and reflect, and then pick them up again later for another chapter – even after a year.

13.) Which Smithsonian museum are you most drawn to?

My favorite two Smithsonian museums are right across from each other – the National Museum of Asian Art and the National Museum of African Art – due to my interests in Japan and both African and Asian art. I also like the National Museum of the American Indian, and just recently briefly visited the National Museum of Natural History for the first time.

I look forward to visiting the National Air and Space Museum. When I have been in DC in the past, I had a limited amount of time. The Smithsonian is so vast that I would always want to visit the African and Asian art museums, and run over to the National Museum of African American History and Culture once it in opened in 2016. You could easily spend two days in any one of the Smithsonian’s museums.

Significant Collection of Arion Press Publications Comes to Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Anne Evenhaugen — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:00:56 +0000

Cover with authentic embedded buffalo nickel, American Buffalo by David Mamet, illustrated by Michael McCurdy. Arion Press, 1992

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is pleased to announce a significant acquisition of fine press books published by the Arion Press in San Francisco. Thanks to a gift from Dr. Ronnyjane Goldsmith, over a hundred titles will soon be added to the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library.

Arion Press was founded in 1974, but tends much older roots of the former type foundries and presses it has grown from, such as the Grabhorn Press and Mackenzie & Harris. Since its inception, Arion has become one of the most sought-after and noteworthy presses in the United States.

Arion’s publications are handcrafted with fine paper, with hand-cast and handset type, each book individually bound and sewn. With this attention to detail and fine materials, each book is published in editions of only a few hundred copies, many with even smaller deluxe runs.

“Clara and baby” illustration by Kara Walker, in Porgy and Bess, Arion Press, 2013

A uniquely interesting aspect of Arion’s work is the collaboration with fine artists, particularly international and American artists who are not generally known for book illustration. Each book is planned and crafted with the artist making a significant contribution to the final design and production, often resulting in interesting uses of materials, bindings and housing, and wholly new illustrations. These artists include Bruce Conner, Richard Diebenkorn, Julie Mehretu, Martin Puryear, Laurie Simmons, Kiki Smith, Wayne Thiebaud, and Kara Walker—many artists whose works are collected at the Smithsonian’s art museums.

Illustration in The World is Round by Gertrude Stein, illustrated by Clement Hurd. Arion Press, 1986

Arion’s collaborations develop in myriad ways, with the publisher seeking artists and recommending texts, or authors writing new works to engage with a particular artist, or the artists themselves bringing ideas of inspiring texts to illustrate. Many of the artists who have worked with Arion have expressed their joy in the partnership. American artist Jim Dine noted “My association with…Arion Press is so great I want it to go on as long as I live.”[1] Dine has had his work incorporated in at least nine Arion publications, five of which are now in the collection of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

Stitched cover of Sampler by Emily Dickinson, illustrated by Kiki Smith. Arion Press, 2007

The collection was donated in 2021 by author and entrepreneur Dr. Ronnyjane Goldsmith. Goldsmith began collecting Arion Press publications more than 20 years prior, when she first encountered the Constitution of the United States of America, Arion’s 1987 collaboration with the Library of Congress in celebration of the U.S. Bicentennial. She ultimately bought three copies of Arion’s Constitution, and became a subscriber to the Press, receiving every book they produced during the period. Over time, she sought out previously published works from dealers to complete her collection, with just two dozen left to collect at the time of donation. Dr. Goldsmith has also sponsored a subscription for the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives to continue to receive Arion Press’ new publications in their series. As a collector, Dr. Goldsmith has kept the books in immaculate condition, each with original wrappings, letters, and prospectuses.

Dr. Goldsmith’s gift to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives includes 103 unique titles from Arion’s official titles in their catalogue, in addition to examples of a title in multiple edition types, such as variant or deluxe, or with associated suites of prints.

Signed colophon with sketch. Kaddish, White Shroud and Black Shroud by Allen Ginsburg. Arion Press, 1992

The gift of such a significant number of Arion publications adds depth and dimension to the Smithsonian’s already robust collection of American fine print and art history. With the gift, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has one of the most complete public collections of Arion’s work in the Washington D.C. area.

[1] “Marrying the Elements of a Handmade Volume Becomes a Fine Art.” 1984. New York Times, Oct 28, 5.

Banner image of printed cotton colorful flags: cover of Porgy and Bess, Arion Press, 2013.

Upcoming Event: Women at Work

Erin Rushing — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:00:20 +0000

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating and disproportionate effect on working women, especially those of color and in the LGBTQ+ community. But even before the pandemic “overtook the globe in early 2020, inequities were holding women back in the workplace.” Yet women have still managed to contribute to America’s most defining moments and will certainly help tackle the biggest challenges we face, whether it’s the ongoing pandemic or the climate crisis. How can we learn from the past to better inform our future? How can we eliminate barriers for women to create a more equitable society for everyone?

In the second program in our Women’s History with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives series, sponsored by Deloitte, historian Hannah Byrne and Director Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty will share little-known stories from our library and archival collections of historical women at work in STEAM, who, in many cases, dealt with other critical moments in history. Then, Under Secretary for Science and Research Ellen Stofan will moderate a panel of leaders from the Biden administration and Deloitte to discuss their experiences and understanding of the modern situation of women at work and how we can continue to make progress for women.

Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 5 pm ET
Register for this program

“Women at Work” panelists include:

Jedidah Isler, PhD, Assistant Director, STEM Opportunity & Engagement, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Jennifer Klein, JD, Co-Chair and Executive Director of the White House Gender Policy Council
Beth Meagher, US Federal Health Sector Leader, Deloitte
Julie Su, JD, Deputy Secretary, US Department of Labor
Moderated by Ellen Stofan, PhD, Under Secretary for Science and Research, Smithsonian Institution

Registration
The event will be hosted as a Zoom webinar, and registration is required. Register here.

How to Join the Live Event
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom containing information about joining the program.

This program will be recorded and made available following the event. You will find it on this page and on our YouTube channel.

Top, from left to right: Sophie Lutterlough, Jackie Cochran, and Louise Daniel Hutchinson. Bottom, from left to right: Adela Gomez, Alixa Naff, and Chien-Shiung Wu.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives & Wikidata: Using Linked Open Data to Connect Smithsonian Information

Jackie Shieh — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:00:02 +0000

This post is part of our Smithsonian Libraries and Archives & Wikidata series.

Libraries have created and curated metadata that describes their collections for a very long time. It is the very essence of the cataloging and metadata profession. This past year, because of the pandemic, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives initiated a unit-wide pilot project to explore if and how a linked open data platform offered by Wikimedia Foundation could reconceptualize how authority control could be transitioned to identity management.

Propelled by the basic principles prescribed by Tim Berners-Lee, library staff laid the groundwork to transition from a text-centric to a data-centric orientation in 2019. This involves changing bibliographic description to structured data, based on a linked open data standard and preparing the Libraries and Archives’ MARC data, the current standard used for machine-readable cataloging records, for transformation to RDF triples. RDF, or Resource Description Framework, uses URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers) for objects and property in a structured way. This allows for the creation of rich networks of meaningful data and takes us from the flat world of the textual into a new world of possibilities with linked data.

When news surfaced about the wikifying of the German National Library’s (DNB) GND and the French National Library’s (BnF) FNE authority data, we began investigating Wiki projects as another option for a library linked open data project for name authority data. DNB and BnF have both moved their authority workflow out of their respective integrated library systems and into an open system, by means of a Wiki platform named Wikibase, a powerful MediaWiki software extension. The DNB and BnF Wikibase models performed as a potentially open and global knowledge repository similar to Wikidata. It seemed like their process was replicable for the Smithsonian environment.

Could our library authority data in MARC 21, an early 20^th century standard, transition to an open platform that could stand the test of time, such as Wikidata? Our authority data in Horizon (our integrated library system) is well-curated and maintained. However, many of the obstacles to name authority creation for Smithsonian persons in the MARC 21 environment still hinge on the system infrastructure and authority training requirements from the Library of Congress. In addition, authority data is siloed in Horizon and not easily shared, even within the Institution itself.

Many of the authorized names in Horizon represent entities present in collections maintained by other Smithsonian units, namely the databases of the Institution’s various archives, museums, and galleries. Each of these units manages their own name datasets for their carefully curated collections. Each has its own conventions on how names are constructed, based on the standards in the respective communities that the datasets serve. At present, there is no database at the Smithsonian that serves as a central database for CPF (corporate bodies, persons, and families) agents. This situation increases the difficulty for data reconciliation without human intervention. Too often, when human assistance gets involved, inefficiency sets in, and the quantity of work overwhelms the quality of the database.

Screenshot of a data graph showing network of organizations that are part of the Smithsonian or its constituent parts, from Wikidata.

What if library staff could facilitate the reconciliation of names in all of these Smithsonian databases? With the support of the Discovery Services and Libraries and Archives’ leadership, the telework environment gave library staff an opportunity to embark on an open data project to test this assumption. The project would be similar to those of the DNB and BnF, through the development of a central Wikibase in which units can retain their own preferred name forms tied to a single record for each entity. The Smithsonian currently has no central hosting system for agents/names, which makes connecting names with collections across units so much harder. Though, the Smithsonian has a discovery system for collection metadata. The model presented by Wikidata, which boasts a great number of volunteers (over 12K registered editors worldwide) and an extremely active API developer community generating numerous powerful applications, might serve as the ideal platform to experiment with new approaches in descriptive content for SI collections.

Tune into the second part of this series where we’ll share an overview of the Wikidata projects with the PCC Wikidata Pilot that the Libraries Wikidata team worked on.

Further Reading:

Barbara Fischer. Authority Control meets Wikibase (2019) https://wiki.dnb.de/display/GND/Authority+Control+meets+Wikibase.
French National Entities file (FNE): project overview (2019) https://www.transition-bibliographique.fr/fne/french-national-entities-file/
Wikibase site showcases variety of implementations. https://wikiba.se/showcase/

Libraries Wikidata Team presentations:

Discovery Services Forum on June 23: http://bit.ly/DISC2021Forum0623
LD4 20201 Conference: https://sched.co/joA8
Smithsonian Collections Information Management Committee: http://bit.ly/CIMC202109LibWD

19th Century Furniture Options for Style and Storage

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 13:58:52 +0000

Every dwelling has its own unique qualities. How do you make your space reflect your personality? The furniture, decorations, and wall hangings all combine to make it feel like home. Let’s flip through the pages of a trade catalog and discover the possibilities of furnishing a home long ago.

The trade catalog is titled Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of Hat Racks, Ladies’ Desks, Hanging Racks, Book Shelves, Fancy Stands, &c. (Undated) by Lazier Brothers of Cleveland, Ohio. This piece is undated but we believe it was published sometime in the 1800s. The catalog includes a variety of furniture. There are pieces that musicians might find useful, pieces for those who like to write, those who like to read, and much more.

Lazier Brothers, Cleveland, OH. Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of Hat Racks, Ladies’ Desks, Hanging Racks, Book Shelves, Fancy Stands, &c., [Undated], front cover.

As you walk through your front door, what would you want nearby? Maybe a piece of furniture that is decorative but also functional. Perhaps a place to hang your coat or hat, a place to sit, or somewhere to put down your bag. The No. 38 Hall Rack appears to provide those very things. Illustrated below left, it was rather tall, standing at seven feet in height and measuring 32 inches in width.

For those rainy days, it included an umbrella rack, complete with an iron pan and six solid brass pins, most likely to hold umbrellas upright. It also came with a built-in seat. On either side of the German Plate Glass towards the top, there were several hooks. These might have provided spots for hanging hats or coats. The Hall Rack was available in solid walnut, antique oak, or imitation mahogany finish.

Lazier Brothers, Cleveland, OH. Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of Hat Racks, Ladies’ Desks, Hanging Racks, Book Shelves, Fancy Stands, &c., [Undated], page 3, No. 38 and No. 26 Hall Racks.

As we step farther inside, we might discover a desk for writing correspondence or conducting personal business. The No. 57 Ladies’ Desk, shown below left, was made of antique oak or imitation mahogany. It included a large drawer for storing items along with a cloth cover on top and what appears to be a railing along the back of the desk. This might have been a convenient feature to prevent papers from falling off the edge.

In a musician’s home, a music stand was most likely essential. The No. 56 Music Stand, illustrated below right, was almost three feet tall, measuring 31 inches in height with a 12 x 18 top. It featured two pockets for storing sheet music or other papers. Made of antique oak or imitation mahogany with a polished finish, it was described in the catalog as “new and handsome.”

Lazier Brothers, Cleveland, OH. Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of Hat Racks, Ladies’ Desks, Hanging Racks, Book Shelves, Fancy Stands, &c., [Undated], page 6, No. 57 Ladies’ Desk and No. 56 Music Stand.

How about furniture to display treasured objects? Several stands are illustrated in this catalog. Some of the stands are uniquely shaped, like the No. 17 Clover Leaf Stand (below left). Its clover leaf-shaped top was unfinished. This provided the option of draping a decorative piece of fabric over its top. And just as the name suggests, the No. 46 Flower Stand with a round top (below middle) might have displayed a vase with freshly cut flowers.

Lazier Brothers, Cleveland, OH. Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of Hat Racks, Ladies’ Desks, Hanging Racks, Book Shelves, Fancy Stands, &c., [Undated], page 13, No. 17 Clover Leaf Stand, No. 46 Flower Stand, and No. 47 Extra Fine Stand.

For displaying figurines, picture frames, or other keepsakes, the No. 13 Corner Whatnot (below left) might have been chosen. This particular piece consisted of five shelves and measured five feet in height, but there was also an option for a slightly shorter one, as the No. 14 Corner Whatnot was four feet tall with four shelves.

Lazier Brothers, Cleveland, OH. Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of Hat Racks, Ladies’ Desks, Hanging Racks, Book Shelves, Fancy Stands, &c., [Undated], page 16, No. 13 Corner Whatnot and No. 24 Corner Bracket.

Much more is illustrated in this catalog including bookshelves, pedestals, footrests, and clock shelves. There are even choices for towel racks, as shown below. Some, like the No. 25 Towel Rack (below, top left), included a Glass and incorporated decorative elements while the No. 48 Standing Towel Rack (below, top right) was simply a Towel Rack.

Lazier Brothers, Cleveland, OH. Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of Hat Racks, Ladies’ Desks, Hanging Racks, Book Shelves, Fancy Stands, &c., [Undated], page 21, No. 21 and No. 25 Towel Racks, No. 48 Standing Towel Rack, and No. 73 Heavy Towel Roller.

Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of Hat Racks, Ladies’ Desks, Hanging Racks, Book Shelves, Fancy Stands, &c. (Undated) by Lazier Brothers is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Go West! Then Back to the Future.

Michael T. Skomba — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 14:00:12 +0000

History is full of narratives and those narratives have a history. As a high school history teacher, I went into my Neville-Pribram Mid-Career Educator fellowship with a motivation to help my students better understand where popular history narratives come from so they can better predict where they are going. Look to the past to predict the future? Easy peasy, right?

Michael Skomba, 2019 Neville-Pribram Mid-Career Educator Award Recipient.

As a mostly world history and big history teacher studying at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library, I naturally flocked to the 1893 The Book of the Fair by Hubert Howe Bancroft. The Book was a popular recounting and survey of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, a non-critical celebration of American achievement. During my fellowship, I corresponded with a Bancroft authority, Dr. Travis Ross of Yale University, who I believe said it the best and I kept going back to his analogy with my students; the Book was analogous to a popular Netflix show as they were both “algorithmically perfected to maximize the market for an expensive work.”

I have been trained to teach in the discipline of Big History. French Historian Fernand Braudel believed that the most useful historical questions and analysis come from studying the “deep currents” of history; this translates to the study of ordinary people rather than just icons and focusing on transdisciplinary thinking as opposed to solely highlighting political and military history. A source such as The Book of the Fair allowed for a popular history that flipped geographic scales and meshed with a big history mindset. A big history pedagogical approach focuses on a cohesive cosmological, geological, and human narrative that goes so deep below the waves that they make Jacques Cousteau look like a vacationer snorkeling with his kids.

Cover of The Book of the Fair (1893).

The 2019 fellowship at the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library forced a timely self-interrogation for the impending ‘real history’ conversations. As anyone who has picked up a newspaper or turned on a TV in the past couple of years can tell you, the culture wars have come to history class. As a teacher, I have spent barbeques and holiday parties being asked by those on both sides of the aisle if I am teaching the ‘real history.’ I have been prepared for these fleeting moments on the axis of good conversation and self-actualization by staying out of the “waves.” It revealed that despite my global lens, I needed to zoom in and refocus. My American history lens was more of an implicit kaleidoscope– I had been stuck in the waves of American “Mythistory.” I had not yet gotten the memo about the revisionist thinking about the history of the American West. I had lived and taught in the Eastern Navajo Nation. I had spent time telling the Diné Code Talker’s story. Regardless, some of the old American West tropes remained hidden in my psyche, lodged somewhere between Clint Eastwood and ideas of pristine western wildernesses. Ironically, it took a figuratively global text written about the literal World’s Fair of 1893 to make this problem crystalize. For this academic adventure, we go below the waves to examine one man who told the story of the genesis of the American West. After I was encouraged to investigate the source of the Book, Hubert Howe Bancroft revealed our worthy problem. Bancroft achieved the unthinkable at the time by writing an affordable and all-encompassing history of the American West titled The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, but the dilemma lies in his integrated perspectives on race, gender, and class.

Anyone who has spent time with young people could probably tell you that the idea of a mid-nineteenth century mutton-chopped historian is not breaking into the TikTok top views. So how do I code this problem to appeal and engage young learners? Short Answer: “What is the California Dream?”

The Typical Classroom Conversations Around This Lesson:

“What does Bancroft have to do with the California Dream, Mr. Skomba?”

“Bancroft is known as the first to write a comprehensive history of California and the American West. He moved to San Francisco shortly after the Gold Rush and made his fortune in selling, writing, and publishing books. He lived his California Dream and established the mythistory of California for others seeking fortune and new opportunities. From the Gold Rush to YouTube influencers today, he incubated the mythistory of California…”

Photo of Hubert Howe Bancroft, UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library.

My original intent was to use The Book of the Fair to place America in the late Industrial Revolution, a natural connection to our study of the Anthropocene. I even called on additional rare natural history texts to complement. As I scanned the delicate pages with the expert advice of Cooper-Hewitt Head Librarian and research miracle-maker Jennifer Cohlman Bracchi, we found the Book to be a zeitgeist piece, a monolithic feel-good source about the American Coming of Age (The feels of Ted Lasso Season 1 with a hint of Tiger King Season 1 showmanship). Regardless, it gave me a bird’s eye view of Bancroft’s world.

Bird’s Eye View from The Book of the Fair (1893).

With the library’s resources at my fingertips, I graduated from The Book of the Fair to studying Bancroft’s magnum opus, the previously mentioned The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft. The Works was notably criticized for Bancroft’s use of the ‘German Method’, the collection was highly debated because he tasked his subordinates with writing his historical volumes without credit or citation of the actual authors. In a twist of fate, he was even roasted by fellow historians for using this method at the 1893 World’s Fair.

Bancroft built his publishing empire and compiled the stories of the biggest names in the American West. He democratized endless volumes of knowledge, turning books into an empire, á la a Jeff Bezos of the 19th century, sans the rocketship, but sharing the inclination to wear a cowboy hat. Historian John Walton Caughey praised Bancroft when he stated “A prodigious historian he certainly was; generations hence he may loom up as the most significant figure that the West has produced.” Historian of modern California Kevin Starr equally praised Bancroft’s effort when he said “The fundamental genius of Hubert Howe Bancroft lies in the fact that he envisioned such a comprehensive history, assembled its materials, set researchers and writers to work, and produced, published, and marketed History with a Capital H he had emblazoned over the entrance of the History Building be built on Market Street”. Bancroft’s Works was an enormous feat and would be the students’ first introduction to Bancroft– it was our American West Nuremberg Chronicles. Our American West Wikipedia.

“So he did a good thing, Mr. Skomba?”

“He added to our collective understanding. A good thing indeed.”

As Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie so eloquently put it, there’s “danger in a single story.” Out of the volumes that have been confirmed as being authored by Bancroft, two of them deal with ‘Popular Tribunals.’ This is the second piece of the case study. Scholarship in the past decade by Dr. Lisa Arellano suggests that Bancroft uses the two volumes on Popular Tribunals to valorize what essentially equates to a lynch mob. Such executions are American schema via our spaghetti westerns. It was not until I interfaced with the scholarship that I could see the pattern of the tribunals. They were not Popular Tribunals but rather “Popular Lynch Mobs.” They preyed on non-white Californians and carried out outlaw executions with little to no factual evidence.

Furthermore, a third title that was also confirmed to have been written by Bancroft titled Literary Industries, includes derogatory comments on women in the literary industry:

“Several women were also employed upon these voyages. I know not why it is, but almost every attempt to employ female talent in connection with these industries has proved a signal failure. I have to-day nothing to show for thousands of dollars paid out for the futile attempts of female writers…If she have genius, let her stay at home, write from her effervescent brain, and sell the product to the highest bidder.”

Women, most notably Francis Fuller Victor (who is credited for writing the The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft: History of Oregon: Vol. II, 1848-1888) after Bancroft’s death) dictated, edited, and flatout wrote Bancroft’s Works.

“Can we trust his history, Mr. Skomba?”

“People are complex.”

Upon his death, Mr. Bancroft donated his library (the largest on the West Coast) to the University of California. The library at the University of California-Berkeley still bears his name. A copy of Mr. Bancroft’s correspondence with Andrew Carnegie can be found in the New York Public Library Brooke Russell Astor rare books reading room. He notes his agreement with Carnegie’s drive for philanthropy and endorses donating to worthy causes. His envoys to Mexico City or Europe were driven by his desire to build his repository of Western sources for posterity.

“So he was generous, Mr. Skomba?”

“Would you donate your life’s work?”

I originally wrote off the valorization of Popular Tribunals as a base intersection of dime novels and academia. History is not convenient–stereoscopic historical research shows us other secondary sources bring the race theory dilemma into focus. In Gilman M. Ostrander’s 1958 article titled ‘Turner and the German Germ Theory’ Ostrander quotes from Bancroft’s fourth and final self-authored volume of Works titled ‘Essays and Miscellany’ in order to compare him to the notorious Frontier Thesis presented by Fredrick Jackson Turner:

Unlike Turner’s essay, this earlier account by Bancroft was overtly, in fact jubilantly, race-conscious, as well as altogether carefree in its generalization… Both men were influenced alike by the intellectual currents of a day when Americans were possessed of boundless confidence in the race, the nation, the section and the individual, and when the inherent superiority of the Anglo-Saxon or the Germanic or the Teutonic or the Aryan race was a common intellectual assumption of the day.

“So he was a racist, Mr. Skomba?”

“He was a complicated historical figure worth studying. What did we learn in the process?”

With Bancroft, complexities abound. I believe that the most meaningful historical thinking happens in these messy edges of uncertainty and uncomfortableness. Discerning whether to deconstruct or assign value to historical narratives is a spiraling skill for both teachers and students. My intentions that drove this curriculum were never focused on making the students experts on H.H. Bancroft but rather equipping critical consumers of established history. I did not want or need my students to be experts on Bancroft’s biography. Instead, Bancroft’s case study gave us a worthy problem- a vehicle instead of a destination. I want them to test every claim they interact with, analyze context, and find out who wrote their textbooks. My time as a Neville-Pribram Fellow at Smithsonian Libraries (now Smithsonian Libraries and Archives) gave me the space and the energy to take off the practitioner hat to dive beneath the waves and spend time swimming in the deep currents. Doing such work might be as bumpy as the 19th century Wagon Trains, but once educators master the trail, they can help students predict what’s next.

The next great democratizer of information-the next H.H. Bancroft-just might be sitting in the second row of your classroom. I might have already taught her:

Further Reading:

Arellano, Lisa. Vigilantes and Lynch Mobs: Narratives of Community and Nation (2012).

Bancroft, Hubert Howe, The Book of the Fair (1893).

Bancroft, Hubert Howe. Literary Industries: Chasing a Vanishing West (2013).

Bancroft, Hubert Howe, The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft (1882).

Caughey, John Walton. “Hubert Howe Bancroft, Historian of Western America.” The American Historical Review 50, no. 3 (1945): 461–70.

Johnson, Rossiter. A history of the World’s Columbian exposition held in Chicago in 1893 (1897-1898).

McNeill, William H. “Mythistory, or Truth, Myth, History, and Historians“, The American Historical Review, Volume 91, Issue 1, February 1986, Pages 1–10.

Morgan, Lewis H. Review: [Untitled], The North American Review 122, no. 251 (1876): 265–308.

Ostrander, Gilman M. “Turner and the Germ Theory.” Agricultural History 32, no. 4 (1958): 258–61.

Summer 2022 Internships Opportunities with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Erin Rushing — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 14:00:37 +0000

We’re excited to announce a new round of internships for Summer 2022. These opportunities provide hands-on experience in a range of subject areas and are open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Each unique project offers a chance to explore current topics in archives, libraries, and information science and learn from experienced Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff.

Most are virtual/remote opportunities, but one project includes on-site work in our American Art and Portrait Gallery Library. All include a stipend. The application deadline is February 13th, 2022.

Programs include:

Education: For students interested in museum education or similar fields, this intern will assist in creating educational resources from our collections.
Kathryn Turner Diversity and Technology Internship: A special opportunity for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Professional Development: For a current MSLIS student or recent grad, experience evaluating and working with Library of Congress Subject Headings.
Summer Scholars: Three projects for both undergraduates and grad students, including opportunities to work with art and artists files, web and social media archiving, and oral histories.

Learn more about academic appointments and related policies on our Internship and Fellowship page. Curious about the work of past interns? Read more about their experiences.

ICYMI: Five Most Popular Posts of 2021

Erin Rushing — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 14:00:01 +0000

There was plenty of news in 2021 and most of it was, well, not great. So, you’ll be forgiven if you overlooked an article or two on this very blog. In case you missed them, here are five of our most popular blog posts of the past year. This assortment highlights interesting collection items as well as the important work of our staff. As we say goodbye (and good riddance?) to 2021, we invite you to cuddle up by the fireplace and catch up.

Sleuthing Captain America’s Shield

Did you know that our Ask A Librarian service answers hundreds of questions from Smithsonian researchers and the general public throughout the year? Recently, an inquiry about a fictional scenario had staff investigating real-life Smithsonian policy. Alan Katz explains “Can they do that with Captain America’s shield?”.

Shield used by Chris Evans as Captain America in Captain America:The Winter Soldier, National Museum of American History 2018.0107.01.

Libraries Then and Now: The Ideas We Share

Our monthly trade literature feature often brings back fond memories via vintage catalogs, and this post really got librarians and library users right in the feels. Alexia MacClain explores borrower cards, date stamps, and other classic supplies from Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899).

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 79, Lever Dater, Self-Inking Library Dater, and Self-Inkers.

Digital Jigsaw Puzzles: January Edition

Our series of digital jigsaw puzzles, all based on images in our collections, have been popular throughout the pandemic. We kicked off 2021 with an assorted set of snowy scenes and bright patterns, as satisfying to put together today as they were a year ago.

Exploring Bias and Library of Congress Subject Headings

Subject headings are important tools for library classification. But the terms used can sometimes leave gaps or become outdated, particularly when it comes to topics of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Intern River Freemont describes their experience researching and drafting proposals to update Library of Congress Subject Headings with the goal of improving accuracy and inclusivity.

People working in Card Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. [Between 1900 and 1920] [Photograph]. Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/97513719/.

Introducing Information Literacy Collections in Learning Lab

Launched in August to coincide with the Smithsonian’s 175th anniversary, our newest resources in Smithsonian Learning Lab are dedicated to improving information literacy. Sara Cardello discusses this series of interactive, online collections that are intended to help users think critically about how they identify, find, evaluate, and use information effectively.

Giftable Adopt-a-Books for the Holiday Season

Erin Rushing — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:00:10 +0000

Did you know you can honor friends and family, enable important research, and skip the mall this holiday season? Adopting an item from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is a unique way to celebrate your loved ones while providing essential funding to support our work. Whether your gift funds the preservation of volumes from hundreds of years ago, the purchase of new titles for our collection, or increased accessibility to items on our shelves, your adoption enables all that we do.

While you can’t wrap up your adopted books and put them under the tree, your purchase will be honored with a digital bookplate and the warm feeling of knowing you’ve helped further critical work at the Smithsonian Institution. From our list of adoptable items, we think you’ll find something for just about everyone on your list.

For the Green Thumb:

Biggle orchard book: fruit and orchard gleanings from bough to basket
By Jacob Biggle. Philadelphia: W. Atkinson Co., 1911.

Cover, Biggle orchard book: fruit and orchard gleanings from bough to basket (1911).

This pocket-sized book is part of the Biggle Farm Library, a collection of volumes that cover a gamut of agricultural topics from gardening to beekeeping to raising pigs and horses. The author, Jacob Biggle, states that his book “aims to tell the inquiring reader just what he or she needs to know—no more, no less.” The book starts with advice about the proper planning and siting of an orchard where he advises putting on “your thinking cap” and taking your time. He also covers planting and pruning trees, pest and weed control, picking, and packing fruit for market.

For the Interior Design Enthusiast:

Ceramica Industrial “El Aguila, S.A.” : hecho en Mexico
By Ceramica Industrial “El Aguila, S.A.”. México, D.F. : Ceramica Industrial “El Aguila, S.A.”, [1941].

“Paños”, Ceramica Industrial “El Aguila, S.A.” : hecho en Mexico, [1941].

This catalog is from the Mexican “Eagle Industrial Ceramic Co.” With beautiful full-color chromolithographic illustrations of the tiles, it demonstrates the various uses of their designs for fountains, seating, open spaces, and other decorative design applications, as well as samples of individual tile patterns. It includes examples of classic Arabesque, Moorish, and Mediterranean majolica tile designs. The forward and introduction discuss the history and tradition of tiles and their use in Mexico, describing them as “the combination of bricks and glass…the tiles of old Europe came to our land with colors of the skies, clouds, seas, and suns…they stand tall today in our homes and parks.”

For the Amateur Chef:

Marion Harland’s cook book of tried and tested recipes
By Marion Harland (1830-1922). Chicago, IL: L.W. Walter Co., 1907.

Cover, Marion Harland’s cook book of tried and tested recipes (1907).

There were few writers of the 19th century as prolific or variegated as Mary Virginia Tehune, who was best known by her nom de plume Marion Harland. Her dozens of fiction books appealed to women readers throughout America through idealized domesticity, sensational yet tasteful romance. But her non-fiction books, covering all aspects of the care of the home, made her a literal household name, with her volumes resting on many homemakers’ shelves for ready reference. The Smithsonian Libraries Research Annex’s copy is one such example, annotated in several hands from the early 20th century describing planned meals, clarifying techniques, and the annotators’ special twist on Harland’s recipes.

For the Art Lover:

Zhongguo shao shu min zu fu nu tou shi [Chinese minority women headdresses]
By He, Hongyi . [S.l.]: s.n., 200?.

Tu nationality illustration, Zhongguo shao shu min zu fu nu tou shi (200?).

Chinese folk papercuts are usually treated as anonymous art, differentiated only by local styles. The study of these papercuts may be able to tell us something about local minority art and culture in China and studying the artists can help understand regional styles and the subject matter. The author and artist of this book, Hongyi He, is a professor at the School of Literature and Journalism of South-Central University for Nationalities and the director of the Folk Literature and Foreign Literature Department. She is also an accomplished folk artist with awards from the Chinese Folk Artists Association

Beginning in 2009 as an initiative centered on preserving rare volumes, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Adopt-a-Book program has grown into a thriving circle of supporters and staff passionate about the power and legacy held by books. Book adoptions directly support the purchase of new, relevant materials to further important research and programs, facilitate increased access to our collection, and fund the preservation of items in our collection. Curious about the full impact of our Adopt-a-Book program? Explore “The Lasting Impact of Your Book Adoption”.

Holiday Cooking with Hannah Glasse

Erin Rushing — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:00:21 +0000

The holiday season has kitchens humming around the world, whether it’s churning out a favorite cookie recipe or prepping a celebratory meal with loved ones. In the 1700s, kitchens in England regularly consulted Hannah Glasse’s The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy for tried-and-true recipes. Among Glasse’s readers was a food lover near and dear to our hearts: Smithsonian founder James Smithson. Whether he knew it or not, Smithson had a bit in common with Glasse. Both were the illegitimate children of privileged Northumberland fathers, and each would leave a lasting cultural legacy.

Smithson’s copy of The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy can be found in our Joseph F. Cullman 3^rd Natural History Library. This edition, printed in 1770, is one of 124 titles from Smithson’s private book collection which came to the Institution with his personal belongings. Our copy contains several notes in Smithson’s own hand. Of special interest to us is the list of recipes noted on the back pastedown, such as “Scotch Collops”, which may have been Smithson’s favorites.

Rear pastedown, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (1770).

When it was first published in 1747, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy was not originally attributed to Glasse but rather simply to “a Lady”. What set Glasse’s work apart from other “cookery” books of the time was the intended audience. Glasse hoped to reach cooks of the “lower sort” not well-trained chefs in grand houses. She purposely avoids instruction in the “high polite style” and eschews contemporary French terms in favor of more recognizable phrases, like “little pieces of bacon” instead of “lardoons”, with an emphasis on practicality and frugality.

Title page, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (1770).

Though many of the recipes were first printed in other sources, Glasse’s work is notable for compiling so many recipe options and methods, and in some cases simplifying instruction. According to Anne Willen’s account in Great cooks and their recipes, Glasse’s book became one of the most successful publications of the 18^th century – reproduced in over 20 editions by 1800. But despite the book’s popularity, Glasse filed for bankruptcy in 1754. She did write at least two additional books, but little is known about the end of her life. She died in 1770.

Thanks to our Adopt-a-Book program and generous donor John H. Dick, our copy of The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy has received conservation treatment, been fully digitized, and is available online. Senior book conservator Katie Wagner describes the book and her experience working with it in this YouTube video:

Flipping the digital pages will leave you absolutely in awe of not only the time and effort that went into an average Georgian-era meal but also the odd preparations and food pairings that might confuse a modern palate. Eels, rabbits, and pigeons were popular sources of protein. And from oysters to walnuts, there were few foods that Georgian Era cooks were afraid to pickle. Glasse’s 1747 edition is thought to contain the first published recipe for curry written in English, previously highlighted on the blog by Daria Wingreen. Daria also experimented with Glasse’s gingerbread (cookies), which might have been a favorite of James Smithson himself.

Left: Page 86. Right: Page 260. The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (1770).

‘Tis the season to fire up the stove and oven, so we couldn’t resist sharing this vintage cookbook without giving a new recipe a try. Here is a tasty recipe for “apple frazes” from The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. Frazes are a sort of eggy pancake – perfect for your holiday brunch. The ingredient “sack” refers to a fortified wine, which is similar to sherry. While Glasse recommends topping them with sugar, our testers (aged 9 and 12) preferred dousing them in maple syrup. They would also pair well with a cup of coffee brewed using James Smithson’s own “improved method”.

“To Make Apple Frazes”. Page 159, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (1770).

Apple Frazes
Makes about six

Ingredients:

A few tablespoons butter, divided
1 large apple, cored and cut into thick circular slices
3 whole eggs, plus two yolks
½ c. cream
½ c. flour
1 tsp. sherry
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ c. sugar

Instructions:

Fry the apples in about 1 tbs of butter, until brown and softened.
Beat eggs and combine with the rest of the ingredients, including about a tablespoon melted butter.
Pour a small amount of batter (less than ½ c.) into pan. Place apple slice on top. Pour additional batter over pancake to cover apple. Flip when almost cooked through.
Serve warm with a sprinkling of sugar or maple syrup.

Further Reading:

Glasse, Hannah. The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (1770).

Sherman, Sandra. “Hannah Glasse”, Culinary biographies : a dictionary of the world’s great historic chefs, cookbook authors and collectors, farmers, gourmets, home economists, nutritionists, restaurateurs, philosophers, physicians, scientists, writers, . . . (2006).

Turner, Steven. “A Coffee Break with James Smithson” (2021).

Willen, Anne. Great cooks and their recipes (1992).

Wingreen, Daria. “Cooking from the Collections: James Smithson’s Gingerbread and more” , (2011).

Wingreen, Daria. “Smithson’s Cookbook: English Curry” (2012).

The Varied and Artistic Uses of Decorative Tissue Paper

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 14:00:34 +0000

That time of year is upon us. The season when we see lots of gift bags stuffed with brightly colored tissue paper. The simple act of fluffing a piece of tissue paper and placing it in a bag seems to brighten any present. But how about using tissue paper to create art? This trade catalog from over a century ago might spark our creativity.

The catalog is titled Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914) by Dennison Mfg. Co. In 1914, at the time this catalog was printed, there were Dennison stores or offices throughout the United States and in Canada, London, Berlin, and Buenos Aires.

Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, MA. Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914), title page.

Dennison Mfg. Co. sold crepe paper, decorated paper, and tissue paper among other things. Their tissue paper was available in 134 shades and colors. They also sold crepe paper, including decorated crepe paper in a variety of holiday, seasonal, or floral designs and patterns. Besides decorations, these materials could be used for creating art. Personal instruction for such things as making flowers out of crepe and tissue paper was provided at their stores in the Art Departments.

Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, MA. Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914), pages 6-7, Dennison’s decorated crepe paper.

As the catalog mentions on page 3, it is “primarily a book of suggestions.” The ideas for using crepe and tissue paper are numerous, everything from party, fair, and parade decorations to costumes to creating artwork.

To add a festive touch, a host in the early 20th Century might have created party favors or fashioned crepe or tissue paper flowers to decorate a serving dish. The choices are many and varied. Perhaps a rope basket with daisies along the handle, serving cups decorated with carnation petals or orchids, a basket trimmed with violets, or a Jonquil serving cup, all illustrated below. Handmade party favors might have included hats, crowns, hair ornaments, or even a child’s wand, also shown below.

Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, MA. Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914), page 42, Serving cups and baskets decorated with crepe and tissue paper.

Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, MA. Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914), page 60, crepe and tissue paper party favors.

Another creative use of crepe or tissue paper is artwork. Pictures or scenes, such as these winter and natural landscape ones below, can be made out of paper. The catalog suggests starting with a background and then layering paper on top of each other. The sky might be created by layering shades of blue paper, lighter shades over darker shades, and adding white irregularly shaped paper for the clouds. The examples below show the progression of layering crepe or tissue paper to create a landscape picture or the possibilities of making a more elaborate still life creation.

Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, MA. Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914), page 63, winter and natural landscape pictures created from crepe and tissue paper.

Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, MA. Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914), page 64, still life pictures created from crepe and tissue paper.

When thinking about art and tissue paper, creating paper flowers might come to mind. This early 20th Century catalog or “book of suggestions” incudes a section for just that type of craft. It first advises that one should be familiar with the appearance of the specific flower in nature before creating it out of crepe or tissue paper. But it also adds that the unique taste and judgement of each person is important.

The section begins with general directions before proceeding to specific directions and patterns for particular flowers. It also includes a few pages showing “Flower Materials.” These are things such as leaves, vines and sprays, calyx, seed cups, flower centers, wire, and even ready-cut daisy petals. The catalog mentions that using some of these supplies when making paper flowers will save time and energy.

Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, MA. Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914), pages 86-87, flower materials, including rose leaves, single leaves, vines and sprays, wire, cut sprays or calyx, culots or seed cups, flower centers, and ready-cut daisy petals.

The General Directions, shown below, begin with a lesson on the “RIGHT AND WRONG SIDE to Crepe Paper.” According to these directions, the “right side” is the side of the roll when folded in. It suggests tracing the patterns onto tissue paper or carbon paper and then transferring them to cardboard. Next, the cardboard pattern can be laid on the desired tissue paper to draw around it. It continues with more instructions, like how to wind a stem or wire a petal.

Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, MA. Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914), pages 74-75, general directions for making crepe and tissue paper flowers and pattern/instructions for making paper tulips.

Instructions for a variety of flowers are included. A few examples are shown below with their patterns. This includes the poppy, poinsettia, violet, narcissus, and daisy. The directions for making daisies do not include a pattern. Instead, it mentions that Dennison sold ready-cut petals, as described earlier. They also sold kits for making particular flowers complete with all the necessary supplies such as petals, stamens, leaves, wire, and paper.

Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, MA. Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914), pages 82-83, instructions for making crepe and tissue paper flowers, including the poppy, poinsettia, violet, narcissus, and daisy.

Art and Decoration in Dennison’s Crepe and Tissue Paper, 22nd Edition (1913, Reprinted 1914) by Dennison Mfg. Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

A Coffee Break with James Smithson

Steven Turner — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:00:00 +0000

We’re looking forward to hosting Steven Turner, author of The Science of James Smithson, for our Annual Dibner Lecture on December 1st, 2021. Turner will explore a few lesser-known tales of Smithson’s work in a talk entitled “What Was James Smithson Doing in the Kitchen & Classroom?” Ahead of his lecture, Turner shares his recreation of Smithson’s coffee recipe.

In 1823, James Smithson wrote a short article about a novel method he’d developed for making coffee. The article, first published in the Thomson’s Annals of Philosophy, Vol. XXII, was reproduced in Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections in 1881. Smithson maintained that this method had several advantages. It was economical, since it extracted all the flavor in the coffee beans, without letting any escape. And it didn’t require any special equipment so, he wrote, it would prove “of no small conveniency to travelers who have neither kettle, nor coffee-pot.” Finally, after the coffee was filtered it could be put back in a clean jar and kept warm in the boiling water. As long as it remained sealed, the coffee inside would not lose its flavor. It would remain hot and “ready at the very instant called for.”

First part of Smithson’s coffee recipe, “An Improved Method of Making Coffee”, as published in Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections (1881).

Technically, this method of making coffee is an infusion, and it resembles the coffee produced with a modern French Press. However, in Smithson’s method the water is not quite so hot and it stays in contact with the coffee for much longer – so it extracts different compounds than other methods and the coffee tends to be milder and less bitter.

How to make “Smithson’s Coffee”

Ingredients:

1/4 to 1/3 cup roasted coffee beans
About 2 cups of water

Method:

Grind coffee beans in a mortar and pestle (medium to course grind). A coffee grinder also works.
Combine coffee and water in a glass bottle and then seal with a cork. Leave the cork slightly loose.
Place the bottle in a pan of water and bring to a boil. Tighten the cork once the water in the bottle gets hot.
Leave the bottle in the boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the coffee looks done.
Remove the bottle from the water, filter the coffee and enjoy.

Kitchen Essentials from Centuries Past

Alexia MacClain — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 14:00:42 +0000

What comes to mind when you think of Thanksgiving? Family gatherings, time with friends, relaxing, traveling, or maybe a delicious meal? Those meals require work, and today we have the luxury of modern kitchen appliances. But imagine the time it took to prepare a meal in the 19th Century. This 1868 trade catalog gives us a small glimpse into possible kitchens of the past.

The trade catalog is titled Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868) by Burdett, Paris & Co. Their products were manufactured at the Troy Stove Works in Troy, New York. On the front cover, we discover a clue about the company’s history. It tells us that Burdett, Paris & Co. were successors to another company named Potter, Paris & Co.

Burdett, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868), front cover.

Burdett, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868), unnumbered page [1], title page.

As we turn the page, we learn more from a circular, or letter, dated January 30^th, 1868. It was written by Potter, Paris & Co. The firm of Potter, Paris & Co. was dissolved at the end of 1867 at which time Mr. George C. Burdett of Burdett, Son & Co. bought “the interest of Mr. Potter.” The new company became known as Burdett, Paris & Co. and planned to continue the business “with all the facilities of the old house, having bought their Foundry, Stock and Patterns.”

Burdett, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868), unnumbered page [2], Notice to Customers with circular written by Potter, Paris & Co. and Terms and Prices written by Burdett, Paris & Co.

The letter continues by explaining that the new store would be located at 253 River Street, just a few doors away from where Potter, Paris & Co. had been located. Products were manufactured at Troy Stove Works. An image of the works is shown on the back cover of this catalog. According to that page, the foundry had been erected just a few years earlier, in the fall of 1865.

Burdett, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868), back cover, Troy Stove Works.

Now, having learned a little about the company, let’s explore some of their stoves. One stove was called “Our Old Home.” Its fuel was coal or wood. It included a quite convenient feature. The roasting arrangement, shown below, made it easier for the cook to baste. Meat was suspended from a movable self-supporting rack which could be pulled out. A dripping pan, attached to a movable crane, was positioned below the rack and could also be pulled out. This allowed the cook to baste meat when it was outside of the oven. The meat could also be placed on or removed from the rack when outside of the oven.

Burdett, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868), unnumbered page [11], “Our Old Home” stove showing meat using the roasting arrangement.

Another stove is named the “Good-Baker.” Shown below, it included “all the real substantial and popular features of ‘Our Old Home’” but was smaller in size and less expensive. The “Good-Baker” used coal or wood for fuel.

Burdett, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868), page 18, “Good-Baker” stove.

Flipping a few pages further along, we come across a stove called the “Golden-West.” The catalog explains that it was made “for the Soft Coal of the Western States.” It was identical in size to “Our Old Home” and, as described in the catalog, “made with only a little less care and finish.” Its fuel was either soft coal, as already mentioned, or wood.

Burdett, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868), page 24, “Golden-West” stove.

Burdett, Paris & Co. also manufactured other items such as hollow ware, tea kettles, and, as shown below, waffle irons. Another product shown below was the Dial. Described as “entirely new,” it was a combination furnace and flat-heater with covers for heating irons. It was capable of heating four irons.

Burdett, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868), page 64, Waffle Irons and Dial.

As mentioned earlier, Burdett, Paris & Co. were successors to the firm of Potter, Paris & Co. The National Museum of American History Library also holds a trade catalog by Potter, Paris & Co. It is titled Catalogue of Stoves (1866), and as noted below on its front cover, it covered the years of 1866-1867.

Potter, Paris & Co., Troy, NY. Catalogue of Stoves (1866), front cover.

Both trade catalogs, Illustrated Catalogue of Stoves & Hollow Ware (1868) by Burdett, Paris & Co. and Catalogue of Stoves (1866) by Potter, Paris & Co., are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Upcoming Event: What Was James Smithson Doing in the Kitchen & Classroom?

Erin Rushing — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 14:00:07 +0000

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives invites you to join us for our 2021 Dibner Library Lecture, featuring Steven Turner, “What Was James Smithson Doing in the Kitchen & Classroom?”

Wednesday, December 1st at 5 pm ET
Register Now

James Smithson was an 18th century English chemist, geologist, and mineralogist – and also the founder of the Smithsonian Institution. Most of what we know about Smithson’s science comes from his twenty-six published articles, which Steven Turner studied in his recent book, The Science of James Smithson (Smithsonian Books, 2020). Turner argues persuasively that Smithson was much more accomplished than previously thought. And he shows that Smithson made important contributions to a wide range of scientific fields, including: chemistry, mineralogy, geology, botany, electricity, and even meteorology.

One of the surprises of Turner’s study was the extent to which Smithson’s scientific writings also offer clues about his personal interests and beliefs. In this year’s Dibner Library Lecture, Turner will dig deeper into some of the lesser-known tales of Smithson’s work, like how Smithson’s interest in cooking helped him solve a scientific puzzle. He’ll also discuss the unexpected story of Smithson’s interest in scientific education – a lifelong interest that may have led to the founding of the Smithsonian.

About the Speaker:
Steven Turner is a historian of science and for 32 years was curator of Physical Sciences at the Smithsonian Institution. His research interests include the history of physics, the history of chemistry, and the uses of scientific instruments. For many years he edited the science history journal Rittenhouse, and he contributed to numerous exhibits and web projects. Towards the end of his career, he became interested in the English chemist, James Smithson, the founder of the Smithsonian Institution. Because Smithson’s scientific writings are famously difficult to follow, in addition to conventional historical research, Turner made extensive use of replications of Smithson’s experiments, many of them with the same tools and natural materials that Smithson would have used – which sometimes yielded surprising insights. Turner’s book, The Science of James Smithson, was published in the fall of 2020.

Registration
Register for this program via Zoom. You’ll also get an opportunity to opt in to receive emails from us, including invitations to future programs.

This program will be recorded and made available following the event. You will find it on the event page and on our YouTube channel.

This program is part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Institution’s founding.

Some Archival Career Advice

Jennifer Wright — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 13:00:28 +0000

In honor of American Archives Month, we’re highlighting career tips from archivist Jennifer Wright. Jennifer leads the Archives and Information Management Team within our Smithsonian Institution Archives.

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives receives dozens of inquiries every year from students and recent graduates about the archives profession and how to become an archivist. Since this is such a popular topic, we decided to make our responses to the most common questions available to a wider audience. While the responses below are intended to address the archival profession in general, they ultimately reflect my own experiences and those of my immediate colleagues.

Records storage at the Smithsonian Institution Archives.

What does an archivist do?

Archivists perform a wide variety of tasks. In a smaller archives, a few individuals may do everything while, in a larger archives, archivists may specialize in specific aspects of the work. Traditionally, an archivist works with donors or the staff of its parent institution to acquire new collections; organizes and rehouses collections (also known as processing); describes collections and writes finding aids; and assists researchers in using the collections. Some archivists specialize in the acquisition, management, description, and preservation of born-digital files, web-based content, photographic materials, or audiovisual recordings. Other aspects of the job may include records management, digitization, metadata creation, public outreach, research, writing, or teaching.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy learning about a wide variety of topics within the collections I process. I also enjoy going behind the scenes and exploring our museums and research centers from the inside out.

What qualities are employers looking for in an archivist?

Many employers will be looking for applicants who can work both independently and on a team; demonstrate strong research and writing skills; exhibit attention to detail; are creative problem solvers; and show a natural curiosity. Many positions will require data management, digitization, and digital preservation in addition to working with digital files for the purposes of appraisal and reference. A solid background in basic technical skills will be essential. Some employers may also be looking for knowledge of a particular topic related to their collection, such as local history or aviation. Intern, volunteer, or other hands-on experience will often be a critical factor in deciding which applicant to hire. The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives offers several internship programs each year, as do other archival repositories around the Institution.

Diskettes from the Smithsonian’s Office of Facilities Engineering and Operations.

What degree do you need to be an archivist?

Many, but not all, employers will require a Master of Library Science, a Master of Library and Information Science, “or equivalent.” A Master of Library Science was once a common degree for new archivists, but as traditional library school programs have evolved, many universities have renamed the degree (often combining the terms “library” and “information”) or have created a separate degree for the archives, records, and information management (sometimes called a Master of Information Studies). A very limited number of universities have even created a degree specifically for archival studies. Employers generally recognize that these degrees tend to be similar. When deciding on a graduate school, look at the courses that are included in the curriculum, not just the title of the degree offered. Other common graduate degrees held by archivists include public history and museum studies. Some positions may only require an undergraduate degree, but a graduate degree will likely be “preferred.”

The Smithsonian Institution Archives’ Collections Vault of Historic Photography with John Dillaber, Staff Digital Imaging Specialist, by Ken Rahaim.

What other subjects are helpful in your job?

The research and writing skills gained through history, English, and other liberal arts classes are helpful. A second language can also be useful in a setting where non-English documents are found in collections. Archival collections can deal with any topic though, so there is no way to tell which subjects may be useful later. Some employers may require archivists to have a background in a specific subject matter while others will be looking at professional skills first and assume the subject matter will be learned on the job. Furthermore, workshops or introductory courses in information technology skills such as database design, programming, or data forensics could be assets in many different settings.

What recommendations do you have for a future archivist?

Whether you are just beginning your archival training or will be looking for a job soon, periodically check the job listings. Take note of the requirements and preferred qualifications for positions that interest you. More than any advice, these listings will give you a good idea of what skills and knowledge you need to acquire in order to reach your ultimate goals. Also, do not limit yourself to a specialty. Taking specialized courses will make you competitive for certain types of jobs, but be sure to take fundamental courses in all aspects of archival work to meet the minimum requirements for the largest number of jobs. In addition, whenever possible, take courses from adjunct professors who also work in an archives. From these professors, you will often learn how to make decisions about priorities in settings where budget and staff are limited.

Be sure to take advantage of the numerous online resources available to new and future archivists, many of which are free to access. Professional organizations such as the Society of American Archivists, ARMA International (for records management, information management, and information governance), the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators (NAGARA), the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM), and the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) are all great places to begin.

Tracing Anthropologist Zelia Nuttall Through Smithsonian Collections

Erin Rushing — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 13:00:51 +0000

Anthropologist Zelia Maria Magdalena Nuttall was an expert in Mesoamerican people and artifacts. A remarkable Mexican American scholar, she helped change the conversation around pre-Columbian cultures. Many of her publications are held in the collections of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and traces of her work can be found in repositories around the Institution.

Nuttall was born in San Francisco in 1857 to a family with both wealth and deep Mexican ties. Her father, Robert Nuttall, was an Irish physician. Her mother, Maria Magdalena Parrott, was born in Mexico, the daughter of a diplomat banker. It is said that Zelia first became intrigued with Mesoamerican civilizations when her mother gifted her a copy of The Antiquities of Mexico, a beautiful facsimile of ancient codices compiled by Lord Gainsborough. Though her family eventually left California for Europe, Nuttall’s natural curiosity was complemented by a solid education by private tutors, and she was fluent in both Spanish and German.

Portrait of Zelia Nuttall holding a fan. Courtesy University of California, Berkeley, Bancroft Library.

Nuttall took her second trip to Mexico in 1884, accompanied by family. She collected small terra cotta heads near Teotihuacan, which would become the subjects of her first article, published in The American Journal of Archaeology and of the History of the Fine Arts in 1886. Contemporary anthropologists had not given them much attention, considering them puzzling novelties. But Nuttall marveled at the diversity of them, praised their craftsmanship, and attempted to classify and explain them.

Shortly after, she became acquainted with Frederick Ward Putnam of the Peabody Museum of Harvard and was offered the role of Special Assistant in Mexican Archeology. She published several articles and books towards the end of the 19th century, including Ancient Mexican feather work at the Columbian historical exposition at Madrid (1895) (available online via the Library of Congress). In 1901, she published a lengthy comparison of cultures and religions in The fundamental principles of Old and New World Civilizations (available online via Brigham Young University). The book, supported by Putnam, suggested that since many cultures around the world shared similarities, perhaps ancient European and Asian civilizations interacted with ancient Americans. Though later discredited, the concept did help adjust perceptions of Mesoamerican cultures, often considered unrefined, and place them on the same level as the Egyptians and Greeks.

“Feather Piece: Head-Dress (Standard) Preserved at Ethnographical Museum, Vienna”, Ancient Mexican feather work at the Columbian historical exposition at Madrid (1895).

One of Nuttall’s most notable works is her namesake Codex Nuttall, a translation and facsimile of a 13th century Mixtec folding screen book. Nuttall traveled to England to research the original, then owned Robert Curzon, 14th Baron Zouche and now in the collections of the British Museum. The codex had previously been dismissed, thought to be a children’s book or one of little consequence, but Nuttall found it to be the “most superb example of an Ancient Mexican historical manuscript” she had ever seen. Nuttall translated the codex, realizing that one side tells the history of important Mixtec centers and the other side recording the genealogy, marriages, and political accomplishments of the ruler Eight Deer Jaguar Claw.

Seeing the presentation copy of the Codex Nuttall in our John Wesley Powell Library of Anthropology you can’t help but admire Nuttall’s attention to detail in her reproduction. In the facsimile, Nuttall recreates the experience of the original folded manuscript. Though the original was no longer protected by sturdy end pieces, she suspected they had been at one time and designed parchment covers for her version in “strict accordance with native methods”.

Codex Nuttall (1902), opened to show folding screen shape.

In 1903, Nuttall published another facsimile and translation, this time of the “Magliabecchi manuscript” in The book of the life of the Ancient Mexicans (see the University of Virginia’s copy online). The source manuscript, once owned by Antonio Magliabecchi, was created sometime during the 16th century, likely by Indigenous scribes at the behest of Spanish clergy, to recreate an even earlier codex. Nuttall first encountered it in 1890 at the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze in Florence while searching for Mesoamerican works in European libraries. According to her preface, transcribing and researching the manuscript led Nuttall to important discoveries of the Ancient Mexican Calendar System which “changed the current views held on the subject”.

Page 3, The book of the life of the Ancient Mexicans (1903).

Though archaeology was often a part of Nuttall’s work, it wasn’t until 1910 that she endeavored to lead an official dig. She had researched the history of La Isla de Sacrificios, a small island near Veracruz, where Bernal Diaz had reportedly witnessed ceremonial sacrifices in the 1500s. Nuttall made a quick visit, during which she unearthed pottery and the partial walls of a structure. She reported her findings to the Mexican government and requested permission to return for a more comprehensive excavation but was stymied by Leopoldo Batres, the Inspector of Monuments. Weeks later Bartres visited La Isla de Sacrifios himself and claimed the discovery as his own. Nuttall detailed her experience in American Anthropologist and Batres issued a pretty scathing (and a bit sexist) rebuttal. In La Isla de Sacrificios, la Señora Zelia Nuttall de Pinard y Leopoldo Batres (1910), available in our Digital Library, Batres disputes her claims and suggests Nuttall suffered from “el histerismo femenino” (female hysteria).

Cover, La Isla de Sacrificios, la Señora Zelia Nuttall de Pinard y Leopoldo Batres (1910).

Nuttall was part of an extensive network of anthropologists, archaeologists, and other scientists throughout her career. She was a member of the Archeological Institute of America, the American Philosophical Society and among the first women to represent the United States in the International Congress of Americanists. Nuttall’s correspondence with colleagues and other papers are held by several archival repositories at the Smithsonian. The National Anthropological Archives holds manuscript materials related to the Codex Nuttall and other aspects of Nuttall’s work. Nuttall’s letters to George Hubbard Pepper, an anthropologist with the Bureau of American Ethnology and the National Museum of the American Indian, are held by National Museum of the American Indian. The Archives of American Gardens has photos of Nuttall’s gardens at her home in Mexico, Casa Alvarado. Our own Smithsonian Institution Archives includes letters from Nuttall to curator George Brown Goode following up on the possible publication of her aforementioned article on Ancient Mexican feather work.

Casa Alvarado: Garden Club of America members at lunch in the garden of this former home of scholar Zelia Nuttall. Lantern slide by Edward Van Altena. Courtesy Archives of American Gardens, Smithsonian Gardens.

Items collected by Nuttall have also found a home at the Smithsonian. The National Museum of Natural History’s Botany collections include samples of Chenopodium berlandieri or lamb’s quarters, collected near Mexico City. The National Museum of the American Indian holds Mixtec artifacts collected by Nuttall, including skirts, sashes, and beads.

Nuttall died in 1933, with a number of professional titles, accomplishments, and historical discoveries to her name. The bibliography in her obituary in American Anthropologist lists over 70 publications. Through her work, she examined and explained Mesoamerican civilization and uncovered Indigenous art, technology, and culture previously lost to colonial forces.

Further Reading from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives:

Batres, Leopoldo. La Isla de Sacrificios, la Señora Zelia Nuttall de Pinard y Leopoldo Batres (1910).

Chiñas, Beverly Newbold. “Zelia Maria Magdalena Nuttall”, Women anthropologists: a biographical dictionary (1988).

Gainsborough, Edward. The Antiquities of Mexico (1831-1848).

Nuttall, Zelia. Ancient Mexican feather work at the Columbian historical exposition at Madrid (1895).

Nuttall, Zelia. The book of the life of the Ancient Mexicans (1903).

Nuttall, Zelia. Codex Nuttall (1902).

Nuttall, Zelia. The fundamental principles of Old and New World Civilizations (1901).

Other Resources:

McNeill, Leila. “The Archaeologist Who Helped Mexico Find Glory in Its Indigenous Past”, Smithsonian.com (November 5, 2018).

Nuttall, Zelia. “The Terracotta Heads of Teotihuacan”. The American Journal of Archaeology and of the History of the Fine Arts, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Apr. – Jun., 1886), pp. 157-178.

Nuttall, Zelia. “The Island of Sacrificios”, American Anthropologist, 12 (1910): 257-295.

Tozzer, Alfred M. “Zelia Nuttall”. American Anthropologist, 35 (1933): 475-482.

Digital Jigsaw Puzzles: Fall 2021 Edition

Erin Rushing — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 13:00:43 +0000

Ready to fall into another round of digital jigsaw puzzles? We’ve put together, or rather, taken apart five new puzzles based on images in our collections.

Play them right here on our blog or use the links to play full screen. Each puzzle is set at about 100 pieces but they are customizable to any skill set. Click the grid icon in the center to adjust the number of pieces. All of the images are available in our Digital Library, Image Gallery, Biodiversity Heritage Library or Smithsonian Institution Archives Collections. Feel free to explore and make your own!

Miss our previous puzzles? Find them here.

Cover, Aero Travelers (1909).

Aero Travelers is one of hundreds of pieces of aeronautical-themed sheet music collected by Bella C. Landauer (1874–1960). Landauer took an interest in aviation when her son became a pilot and scoured music shops to amass her collection. Landauer is featured with other notable enthusiasts who helped us build our collections in our current exhibition, Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect.

Play online: https://jigex.com/jLM64

Cover, Aero Travelers (1909).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Portrait of Robert Ridgway (1850-1929) in His Office, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Image No. SIA_000095_B27E_010, detail.

Robert Ridgway was a bird expert mentored by Smithsonian Secretary Spencer Fullerton Baird. In 1874, Ridgway was appointed ornithologist on the staff of the United States National Museum. He was appointed Curator of the Department of Ornithology in 1880. This photo gives us a peek inside Ridgway’s book-filled office in the South Tower of the Smithsonian Institution Building, or Castle. Ridgway himself was a prolific author and illustrator of bird books and developed several guides to help fellow natural history writers accurately depict color.

Play online: https://jigex.com/LdUNG

Portrait of Robert Ridgway (1850-1929) in His Office, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Image No. SIA_000095_B27E_010, detail.

Jigsaw Puzzle

Tafel XXVII, Die Nordamerikanische Vogelwelt (1891).

Speaking of Ridgway, our next piece of puzzle art is courtesy of the ornithologist himself. This illustration of Spiza americana, or the dickcissel, was drawn by Ridgway and featured in the book Die Nordamerikanische Vogelwelt. Written by Henry Nehrling, it was a guide to American birds published in German in 1891. The dickcissel is a small, sparrow-sized bird found in grasslands and prairies.

Play online:https://jigex.com/aoRGQ

Tafel XXVII, Die Nordamerikanische Vogelwelt (1891).

Jigsaw Puzzle

First page, The absurd A.B.C (1874).

Generations of young people have been captivated by Walter Crane. Crane was one of the most influential book illustrators of the 19th century, creating iconic versions of “Beauty and the Beast”, “The Frog Prince”, “The Sleeping Beauty” and more. This illustration from the first page of The absurd A.B.C. borrows bits from several well-known nursery rhymes. Find more of Crane’s work in our Digital Library.

Play online:https://jigex.com/EcCnw

First page, The absurd A.B.C (1874).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Plate I, Zur Farbenlehre (1810).

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe challenged Isaac Newton’s views on color, arguing that color was not simply a scientific measurement, but a subjective experience perceived differently by each viewer. His contribution was the first systematic study on the physiological effects of color. Goethe’s views were widely adopted by artists. Although Goethe is best known for his poetry and prose, he considered Zur Farbenlehre (Theory of Colors) his most important work. Learn more about the science of color in our online exhibition, Color in a New Light.

Play online:https://jigex.com/zdXRE

Plate I, Zur Farbenlehre (1810).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Early 20th Century Chocolate and the Machines That Made It

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 12:33:53 +0000

October might bring to mind costumes, pumpkins, treats, and candy. But have you ever wondered how all that chocolate is made? What types of machines are used? Let’s travel back to the early 20th Century to learn more about some of those chocolate-making machines.

This trade catalog is titled Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915) by Samuel Carey. It includes machines for various steps in the chocolate-making process, such as roasters, melangeurs, mixers, refiners, coating machines, and more.

Samuel Carey, Brooklyn, NY. Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915), front cover.

Samuel Carey, Brooklyn, NY. Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915), title page.

At the time this catalog was printed, the factory for Samuel Carey was located in Glendale, Brooklyn, New York while their office was located in New York City. This particular catalog includes an exterior image of the factory in Glendale and an interior image of the factory’s erecting floor, both shown below. Let’s flip through this catalog to learn a bit about a few of the machines built at this factory.

Samuel Carey, Brooklyn, NY. Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915), unnumbered page [3], exterior view of Glendale Factory.

Samuel Carey, Brooklyn, NY. Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915), unnumbered page [5], interior view of factory’s erecting floor.

One machine was the Cocoa Bean Roaster. According to this catalog, there were several ideas in regard to roasting cocoa beans. It explains that some at that time felt slow roasting was best “to maintain the flavor of the cocoa” while others preferred rapid roasting. There were also preferences on whether steam should be allowed to escape or not during the roasting process. Samuel Carey built roasters that were capable of both rapid or slow roasting and the ability to control the escape of steam for either moist or dry roasting.

The Model Cocoa Bean Roaster which produced a moderate output is shown below. Due to the arrangement of the agitators within the drum of this machine, the batch was “constantly and thoroughly mixed.” This, as explained in the catalog, produced a uniform roast of the cocoa beans. It was also possible to test the beans at any time during the process.

Samuel Carey, Brooklyn, NY. Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915), page 8, Model Cocoa Bean Roaster.

The 60 Inch Revolving Bed Melangeur accomplished the job of heavy paste mixing. As the catalog explained, its purpose was “to amalgamate the Cocoa Liquor and sugar together in such a form as to be received by the Finisher.” This particular melangeur (below left) included granite rolls and a granite bed. A handy feature was its deep pan. The inner, or revolving pan, extended upwards to within about 1 inch of the outer shell. This created a deep pan to prevent materials within the pan from spilling over the edge and creating waste. Underneath the pan was a large coil of pipe for heating.

Samuel Carey, Brooklyn, NY. Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915), page 28, Melangeurs.

Though this catalog recommended the Revolving Bed Melangeur for paste mixing, Samuel Carey also sold the Chocolate Paste Mixing Machine, illustrated below. It had the ability to create a heavy paste and was available in two sizes, a capacity of either 500 pounds or 1000 pounds.

Samuel Carey, Brooklyn, NY. Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915), page 34, Chocolate Paste Mixing Machine.

Another section in this catalog refers to the process of refining and developing. It explains, that by these terms, they mean amalgamating, smoothing, and eliminating moisture which is especially important for confection with a finish, stroke, or ornament. One of the machines used for this process was the Nine Foot Coating Refiner, illustrated below. It had a capacity of 6500 pounds per batch.

Samuel Carey, Brooklyn, NY. Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915), page 48, Nine Foot Coating Refiner.

As explained on the page shown below, the company of Samuel Carey worked in collaboration with Mr. Smith to build the Smithstroke Patented Coating Machine. The goal was to build a coating machine that would produce the same type of product previously done by hand. The machine was completely automatic, from the beginning, when material was placed on it, to the end, when goods arrived in the hands of the packer who prepared the chocolates for shipping. Shown below are several photographic reproductions of chocolates that were made on the Smithstroke.

Samuel Carey, Brooklyn, NY. Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915), page 69, photographic reproductions of chocolates made on Smithstroke Patented Coating Machine.

Samuel Carey Chocolate Machinery (circa 1915) by Samuel Carey is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Looking for more candy-related literature? Take a look at this blog post about W. Hillyer Ragsdale’s correspondence courses from 1922 which taught students how to make and sell candy.

Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty Named Director of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Liz O'Brien — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 13:12:11 +0000

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is pleased to announce Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty as our new director, effective November 6. An expert in the stewardship, interpretation, and acquisition of collections, Evangelestia-Dougherty brings a rich background driving public outreach and cultivating robust print and digital collections across diverse subject matters.

Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty, newly appointed Director of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. (Photo courtesy of Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty.)

Evangelestia-Dougherty will bring strategic leadership to the recently integrated Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, which is responsible for nearly 3 million library volumes and over 44,000 cubic feet of archival materials chronicling the history of the Smithsonian. She will oversee 137 employees, a national advisory board of 15 members, an annual budget of over $16 million, and 22 library branches and reading rooms located in Washington, D.C., New York City, Maryland, Virginia, and the Republic of Panama.

“The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives organization provides invaluable services that underpin the research, scholarship, and programs of the Smithsonian,” said Lonnie Bunch, the Secretary of the Smithsonian. “Tamar’s expertise and leadership will accelerate our digital presence and help us reach new audiences while continuing to support our world-class scholarship.”

“All work at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives arises from the central purpose of scholarship, intellectual curiosity, and continuous engagement,” Evangelestia-Dougherty said. “As director, I look forward to inspiring our audiences, sustaining the success of our staff, and reflecting the mission of the Smithsonian Institution through my leadership.”

Evangelestia-Dougherty has a proven track record of strengthening collections and digital initiatives. She is currently an associate university librarian at Cornell University where she initiated Cornell RAD, a new research hub for rare and distinctive collections. She is also a faculty member of the UCLA California Rare Book School. As director of collections and services at New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture from 2013 to 2014, Evangelestia-Dougherty led collection and programmatic development of five curatorial divisions. At the University of Chicago’s Black Metropolis Research Consortium, she served as executive director from 2011 to 2013 and as consulting archivist from 2007 to 2011. There, she successfully led initiatives to discover and make accessible archives related to the African American diaspora. In addition to her extensive work with rare and distinctive collections, Evangelestia-Dougherty is a published author and public speaker who has presented nationally on topics of inclusivity and equity in bibliography, administration, and primary-source literacy. She currently serves on the boards of Digital Scriptorium and the American Printing History Association.

Evangelestia-Dougherty holds a Master of Science in information science from Simmons University’s School of Library and Information Science in Boston and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Houston.

Evangelestia-Dougherty succeeds Nancy Gwinn, who was the director of Smithsonian Libraries from 1997 to 2019, and Tammy Peters, who was the interim director of Smithsonian Institution Archives after the retirement of Anne Van Camp in 2018. Scott Miller, the Smithsonian’s Chief Scientist, has served as the interim director of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives since 2020.

Smithsonian Libraries merged with Smithsonian Institution Archives in 2020.

Upcoming Event: At Home with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives – Magnificent Obsessions

Erin Rushing — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 13:00:40 +0000

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives invites you to join our next free, online webinar: “At Home with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives: Magnificent Obsessions” on Tuesday, October 5^th at 5 pm ET.

Without obsessed collectors gathering their favorites over the years, much of our cultural heritage would be lost. Often it’s the small details of a child’s worn book, a treasured cookbook, or a guide to the World’s Fair that contemporary scholars use to understand the full picture of history.

Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect, currently on view in the National Museum of American History, tells the captivating stories of the book collectors whose diverse interests and passions helped shape—and continue to contribute to—the libraries of the Smithsonian. Through rare books, manuscripts, and other intriguing items from across the varied libraries, the exhibition highlights the personal motivations and enduring impact of book collectors who were compelled to share their “magnificent obsessions” with the nation.

Join curators Mary Augusta Thomas and Stephen Van Dyk as they share the stories of some of these fascinating collectors and incredible objects, as well as behind-the-scenes insights into the process of developing Magnificent Obsessions.

Please join us on Tuesday, October 5 at 5 PM ET. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the program.

Optional auto-generated captions will be available during the program. We will be recording the program and will also be live streaming on Facebook for a broader audience.

Register here.

In Memory of Anthony John Mourek, a Magnificent Collector

Library and archive collections have been a part of the Smithsonian since its beginnings. This program, which will highlight the history of several important collections, is part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Institution’s founding.

New School Year, New Clothes, 1915 Style

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 13:00:06 +0000

The beginning of a school year brings many new things. New classes, new supplies, and perhaps new clothing. What did school outfits look like over one hundred years ago? Let’s take a trip back in time to the year 1915 to find out.

Trade catalogs provide a window into the past, sharing clues of what was available to consumers at a specific time. This particular trade catalog is titled Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) by John Wanamaker. At first glance it appears to primarily focus on women’s clothing, but with a closer look you will find a few pages illustrating children’s clothing.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), front cover.

One page illustrates girls’ dresses. Several gingham dresses along with a party dress are pictured, but one dress is described as a “practical school dress.” It is worn by the girl carrying a doll (below, upper left). The dress was plaid with a pleated skirt and wide belt. Its front panel was trimmed with white braid and crochet buttons. Other decorative elements included a velvet bow at the neck and dotted Swiss collar and cuffs, both with scalloped edges. Sizes ranged from 6 to 14 years.

For a fancy occasion, the “party dress of white voile” might have appealed to a young girl. Shown below (to the right of the school dress), the party dress included lace trimmings along the collar, sleeves, and skirt which was pleated. To complete the outfit, a decorative pastel bow was attached to the side at the waist. It was available in sizes 6 to 14.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 39, young girls’ dresses.

Now let’s take a look at girls’ school and “best” coats. Shown below (upper left), the “practical coat for school wear” was available in black and white check, navy blue, or Copenhagen blue serge for sizes 6 to 14 years. Decorative details included slashed pockets and turned back cuffs with a wide belt buttoning on the side.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 37, Girls’ School and “Best” Coats.

Another page illustrated school boys’ outfits, such as Norfolk suits. One of these Norfolk suits is illustrated below (bottom left). The suit had three patch pockets and came with extra knickers. It was available in brown, gray, or tan mixtures and for sizes 7 to 18 years. A matching hat was available in gray, brown, or tan tweed or cheviot. For those rainy days, the tan raincoat and hat, illustrated below (bottom right) may have come in handy.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 95, School Boys’ Outfits.

John Wanamaker also sold playtime clothing for younger children who might not yet be school age. This included a worsted sweater available in rose, white, or Copenhagen blue for sizes 1 to 6 years (below, bottom, second from left)

Several dresses were also available. A bloomer dress with separate bloomers is shown below (top middle). Made of checked gingham and trimmed with plain gingham, it was available in pink and white or blue and white checks. Sizes ranged from 2 to 6 years.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 45, Girls’ Playtime Dresses.

Besides suits for school age boys, this catalog also includes suits for younger boys. A Middy suit is shown below (middle, labeled VV31W). Made of blue chambray, it was trimmed with white pique at the collar and cuffs and included a pocket. It was available in sizes 2 to 5 years.

For those sunny days, the Child’s Sun Hat (below, middle left) might have been especially useful. For ages 2 to 4 years, it was available in pink and white or blue and white check. Its button-on crown was a convenient feature, especially for cleaning.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 42, Boys’ Wash Suits, Child’s rompers, and Child’s hat.

Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) by John Wanamaker is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Adventures in Advancement and Advocacy

Martha Ball — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 13:29:37 +0000

This post was contributed by Martha Ball, who has served as the Advancement Intern during the Summer of 2021. Martha is currently pursuing her M.S. in Library and Information Science at Simmons University, where she is concentrating in Archives Management. Martha’s internship was part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ 50th Anniversary Internship program, with funding provided by the Secretary of the Smithsonian and the Smithsonian National Board.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advancement Intern Martha Ball. Summer 2021.

During my undergraduate studies in Washington, D.C., I was fortunate to be surrounded by world-class museums and cultural heritage institutions, often meeting my art history class at the National Portrait Gallery or partaking in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on weekends. As a visitor and eventually as an employee of such places of learning, I began focusing on the people who brought the collections and organizations as a whole to life. I often linger to read the donor wall in the lobby, take each visitor pamphlet no matter how personally applicable, and compare archives visitation policies. My inferences have informed my career as I now seek to learn what connects supporters to an institution, and how to strengthen this relationship to propel both parties into a future of increased impact.

I was first introduced to the concept of an advocate within the School of Library and Information Science at Simmons University. An advocate in terms of a library, archive, or museum is a supporter invested in the work of an organization, who shares our impact with others to organically spread the word. Smithsonian Libraries and Archives advocates are especially strong, as our supporters have connected with our mission so closely that they choose to focus on our organization out of the wide-ranging Smithsonian portfolio.

This opportunity to work with the Advancement staff at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has connected my interests, empowering me to explore what makes an advocate. My projects have focused on the channel of supporters, from inspiring interested audiences to become involved to sharing a purposeful path for them to engage further with the Libraries and Archives’ work. I have focused on new audiences by creating a plan to develop the Libraries and Archives relationship with virtual program attendees, allowing Libraries and Archives to share future events and opportunities that fit these guests’ unique interests. Planning and writing stewardship materials, including acknowledgments and our donor newsletter, has encouraged me to understand how to connect with and excite existing donors, building on a relationship that for some has spanned decades. The Stewards of the Hungerford Deed and an upcoming email welcome series are two projects that have particularly expanded my understanding of advocates and advancement as a whole.

One of my central projects was to design and execute the Stewards of the Hungerford Deed campaign. This giving opportunity celebrates the discovery of the Hungerford Deed, which illuminates the history of James Smithson. The unrestricted gift Stewards make is especially important for advocates, as they can support all that the Libraries and Archives does rather than trying to pick between various initiatives. Donors are able to commemorate the special 175^th anniversary of the Smithsonian while helping to propel the Libraries and Archives into our shared future. Crafting this campaign, which included five appeals and a post on this very blog, helped actualize my ideas of connecting supporters to a special giving opportunity, developing my understanding of which themes spark action.

The first email announcing the Stewards of the Hungerford Deed opportunity, inviting subscribers to join in unrestricted support of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

The email welcome series is another way to connect intrigued audiences with a purposeful path of involvement with the Libraries and Archives. My research on welcome emails revealed that authentic tone and inspiring exploration of our resources were key to connecting with our community. After deciding the purpose behind our communications, I wrote six emails in total, each featuring highlights from the wealth of engaging content developed by expert staff. For example, to illustrate how our conservators preserve rare materials to be enjoyed by future generations, I featured an excellent video series about Adopt-a-Book. It is my hope that subscribers’ ideas about the Libraries and Archives’ work will expand as they learn the reach of our impact.

An early draft of an email header to begin the fifth email of a welcome series for new subscribers. The goal of this email is to connect Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ immersive exhibitions work today with that in the past, and with the ideas sparked for the future. The background image is “Star Exhibit at Cooper-Hewitt Museum, 1976”. Smithsonian Institution Archives, 95-20305.

My time with the Advancement department has been insightful and energizing, as I have learned from my colleagues’ expertise, tested my hypotheses, and most importantly, engaged with the dedicated community of Libraries and Archives supporters. These interactions have gone from motivating my visits to museums, libraries, and archives to being integral to my daily work and career, and I look forward to seeing where my curiosity takes me next.

Spotlight on Jessie G. Beach, Smithsonian Department of Paleobiology Staff Member

Lezlie Hernandez — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 13:00:21 +0000

This post was written by Lezlie Hernandez, a Summer 2021 intern at the Smithsonian Institution Archives, sponsored by the American Women’s History Initiative. Her project focused on researching the history of Smithsonian women in science.

Jessie G. Beach (1887-1954) worked as a museum aid for the Smithsonian’s Department of Paleobiology at the United States National Museum (now called the National Museum of Natural History) for over 30 years. Beach attended Baylor University but earned both her BS and MA from George Washington University. After graduating, Beach began working at the Smithsonian as a typist in 1918, and on October 16, 1920, she was promoted to a museum aid and stayed in that position until her death in 1954. In her work, she completed a wide range of tasks that included labeling specimens, caring for exhibits, and assisting researchers with their manuscripts.

Jessie G. Beach worked with hydrozoan and specimens in the Department of Paleobiology. Fossilized Cnidaria Hydrozoa, S. Jones, 1942, Department of Botany Collections, Catalog # USNM PAL 498530.

Much of Beach’s involvement with the Smithsonian can be traced through the Annual reports of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution and the Report on the Progress and Condition of the U.S. National Museum. As Beach gained more experience, she took on more challenging duties.

Excerpt from Report on the progress and condition of the U.S. National Museum for the year ending June 30,1923, page 88, describing a trip by Jessie G. Beach. Biodiversity Heritage Library, Contributed by New York Botanical Garden, LuEsther T. Mertz Library.

In 1922, she traveled abroad to consult museum workers on best cataloguing practices. On this trip, she visited France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, England, and Scotland.
In 1940, she typed labels and numbered specimens from the biologic series of Paleozoic invertebrates, including the gastropod, sponge, and hydrozoan specimens.
In 1945, she aided the head curator with updating many museum exhibitions. She cleaned and rearranged the exhibits. She also replaced and added labels of explanation to items.
In 1950, she worked with the bryozoan specimens.

Beach was well known across the Department of Paleobiology. She was an aid for various department heads, including Charles E. Reeser, Ray Smith Bassler, and William F. Foshag. Beach assisted many researchers with their personal manuscripts. This was the case with Ferdinand Canu and Ray Smith Bassler with their work, Bryozoa of the Philippine Region published in 1929. In the introduction, they wrote, “The authors are greatly indebted to Miss Jessie G. Beach of the division of paleontology…” With her 36 years of experience, I would agree with the authors. We are greatly indebted to Jessie G. Beach for all her wonderful contributions to paleontology and the Smithsonian.

Excerpt from “Bryozoa of the Philippine Region”, Bulletin – United States National Museum no. 100 v. 9 (1929), page 2, thanking Jessie G. Beach.

Introducing Information Literacy Collections in Learning Lab

Sara Cardello — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 12:14:04 +0000

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives wants to help you gain a better understanding of information literacy and further your skills in this crucial area. In an age where there are myriad sources of information, unending news coverage, and a vast, often unregulated digital world, how can you tell which sources to trust for reliable information? We’ve just launched a series of interactive, online collections on Smithsonian Learning Lab that are dedicated to helping users think critically about how they identify, find, evaluate, and use information effectively.

Information Literacy collections available on Learning Lab.

As we’ve arrived at the Smithsonian’s 175th anniversary, we felt this was the perfect time to kick off this series of collections. While we reflect on nearly two centuries as a trusted source, we invite you to examine how and why the Smithsonian has this reputable status and use it as a case study to help you consider what makes a source trustworthy.

Education and trust with the public have been at the heart of what the Smithsonian does from the start. Founding donor James Smithson wrote in his will that the Smithsonian Institution would be a place for “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” For 175 years, the Smithsonian has worked to fulfill that mandate and become a reliable repository of history, facts, and information in the United States and around the world. Here are some interesting tidbits from the Smithsonian Institution Archives that provide insight into this development:

George Brown Goode, director of the United States National Museum (later known as the Arts and Industries Building) from 1881 to 1896 and a leader in museum theory and practice, believed that “inherent in its mandate was the notion that the Smithsonian had a broad responsibility for the use of knowledge for the public good.” He worked with Secretary Spencer Baird to transform the Smithsonian from a random collection to a trusted institution for exemplary objects, records, research, and education. Together, they, along with many other researchers and staff, established the legitimacy of the Smithsonian as a long-lasting, reliable resource.

Photograph of George Brown Goode. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 9, Folder: 28B.

Gaining the public’s trust would come through transparency, like making things such as datasets and annual reports accessible to anyone. But beyond that, the intention was to support Smithsonian’s mission to increase and diffuse knowledge. From the outset, one of the Smithsonian’s primary purposes was to build access to knowledge through the mutual exchange of scholarly publications. In 1849, the Smithsonian and its fledgling library created the International Exchange Service to share resources between peer scientific and literary societies. By publishing lists of correspondents, the participating learned societies, and the periodicals received, the Smithsonian also gave other libraries around the world valuable information to assist their collection building. In 1867, the Smithsonian began to facilitate the distribution of United States government publications to foreign countries. In the 1880s, several international agreements were made to exchange official publications, and the Smithsonian received its first federal appropriation for these international exchanges.

Deliveries to the International Exchange Service. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 30A, Folder: 21.

Throughout the years, the Smithsonian has continued increasing knowledge, especially by acquiring powerful historical, cultural, artistic, and scientific collections. But while it was there, ever amassing, how was it shared? How did the Smithsonian prioritize diffusing the knowledge that had been so thoughtfully collected, explored, and investigated?

The answer: in many ways. But probably the strongest way the Institution shared knowledge and built trust with the public was by making it free for all to access. Since the day the doors opened through today, nearly all that the Smithsonian has to offer can be explored free of charge. This may not always be in the confines of the museums, proper. For example, in the late 1800s William Temple Hornaday, the taxidermist for the United States National Museum and the first director of the National Zoological Park, kept animals behind the Smithsonian Institution Building (Smithsonian Castle) as models for taxidermy. Below you can see a school group visiting the new Zoo in 1899. Hornaday’s exhibit and display on the vanishing American bison were both popular with the public and started a national discussion on conservation.

School children viewing the first bison at the National Zoo. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 98-015, Box 2, Folder October 1989.

Through extraordinary objects and specimens that document our history, diversity, values, and help address scientific issues; unparalleled professionals who provide fact-based research; open access to a vast array of resources; cutting-edge technology-based outreach, in-person programming, and crowdsourcing; and taking leading roles in complex conversations, the Smithsonian has served the public as a trusted source for 175 years and will continue to grow and build with this relationship at the forefront.

These initial information literacy collections will help you think about what it is that makes a trusted source. Over the coming weeks, keep an eye out for new collections that will delve into other critical information literacy skills.

Early 20th-Century Women Computers at the Smithsonian

Nell MacCarty — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 13:00:32 +0000

This post originally appeared on the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ blog. Nell MacCarty’s internship was part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ 50th Anniversary Internship program, with funding provided by the Secretary of the Smithsonian and the Smithsonian National Board.

Some of the earliest women in science at the Smithsonian Institution worked for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO). These women, often called computers, contributed immensely to SAO’s research by performing mathematical calculations on solar observations collected around the world. Through their mathematical prowess, these women greatly contributed to solar research.

SAO Staff, including Nancy Prichard, then referenced to as Miss McCandlish, and Gladys T. Bond, referred to as Mrs. Bond, 1941, by Earl S Johnston, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7005, Image no. 94-4430.

The earliest women computers worked with the astrophysicist Charles G. Abbot, fifth Smithsonian Secretary and director of SAO. Abbot adamantly believed variation in solar radiation caused the weather. Under this theory, Abbot thought trends in solar radiation could be used for long-term forecasting. Women computers contributed to the mathematical analysis to prove his theories. However, many scientists historically disputed SAO’s solar research and today, Abbot’s theories are considered mostly erroneous. Despite this, the work of these women still contributed to astrophysicists’ understanding of solar radiation.

Observatory at Mt. Montezuma, Chile, 1920, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Image no. MNH-33668.

In 1906, SAO hired the first woman computer, Florence A. Graves’ (1872-1938). Graves’ career with the Smithsonian Institution is detailed in volumes 2-5 of the Annals of the Astrophysical Observatory of the Smithsonian Institution, yearly reports on the research and personnel of SAO. Graves is credited by Abbot for her work reducing solar observations from the Mount Wilson Observatory. Her computations specifically aided in research about the sun’s energy spectrum and temperature. Volumes 3 and 4 of the annals included her calculations. World War II put a year-long pause in Grave’s career when the Smithsonian furloughed her so she could serve as a nurse in France for the Red Cross. She returned in 1919 and worked for another year before retiring in 1920.

Gladys T. Bond (1896-1951) worked for over 30 years at SAO, from 1918 until her death in 1951. As detailed in volumes 6 and 7 of the annals, her colleagues appreciated her devotion to the work and comprehension of solar research.

A figure from Periodicity in Solar Variation, 1932, by C. G. Abbot and Gladys T. Bond, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collection vol. 87 (1934), Biodiversity Heritage Library.

In 1920 Gladys married Albin Bond. At this time in the scientific field, it was unusual for married women to continue working, so much so that volume 4 of the annals noted that Bond married, “but remained in the service of the observatory”. After years of being credited in research, in 1932 she became the first woman at SAO to publish when she co-wrote “Periodicity in Solar Variation” with Charles G. Abbot. In the article, Bond and Abbot discussed their research trying to make multi-year weather forecasting using solar radiation research from the Mount Montezuma Observatory in Chile. The publication also referred to her as a statistical assistant, suggesting a promotion from previous references as an assistant computer and computer. Outside of her work, Bond participated in the Washington League of Women Voters, according to her obituary.

A photo of periodometer in Periodicity in Solar Variation, 1932, by C. G. Abbot and Gladys T. Bond, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections vol. 87 (1934), Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Another woman at SAO who contributed to solar research was Nancy Prichard (1916-2006). The Observatory hired her as a special assistant to Charles G. Abbot, from 1939 to 1942. Volume 6 and 7 of the annals reveal that, similar to Bond, she assisted with research on solar radiation’s effect on the weather. During this time, Prichard published “The Weekly Period in Washington Precipitation” with Abbot. Though Prichard’s time was short with SAO, she contributed greatly to the research and went on to live an interesting and impactful life. According to her obituary, Prichard joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the predecessor to the CIA, during World War II as a civilian employee, stationed in Cairo, Egypt. Once she had moved back to Virginia, she volunteered her time with the Fairfax City Jail Ministry. In 1974, she graduated from American University with a master’s degree in criminal justice. A few years later the National Conference of Christians and Jews acknowledged her human rights work. In Virginia, Prichard also joined her local Democratic Committee and, like Gladys T. Bond, the League of Women Voters. It is unclear if Bond or Prichard ever participated in the League of the Women Voters at the same time or in the same chapter, though I still enjoy imagining Bond and Prichard discussing democracy and women’s rights while reducing solar observations during the three years they worked together.

These three women lived full lives, from contributing to our understanding of solar radiation to progressing women’s involvement in our democracy. Though there were faults with the SAO’s theories on solar research, their work and passion still impacted the Smithsonian and the larger astrophysics field.

Packing for a Vacation in 1907

Alexia MacClain — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 13:00:03 +0000

Imagine it is the early 20th Century and you are packing for summer vacation. What did your luggage look like? Did you pack your clothes in a trunk? What were your options? Today we are familiar with rolling luggage on wheels, but trunks and suitcases over a hundred years ago looked quite different.

Catalogue No. 101 (1907) by Herr, Thomas & Co. provides a peek into the past, specifically the year 1907. Flipping through this trade catalog, we will learn about the types of luggage available in that time period. A few other items illustrated in this catalog might also have made a vacation fun and memorable.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), front cover [page 1], explanation of benefits of buying direct from the company.

Packing is not always easy. What do you bring and what do you leave behind? Do you really need that extra sweater? Maybe it would be easier if you just brought your entire dresser along. That might not be quite possible, but in 1907 there was a piece of luggage called the Dresser Trunk (below, top left). It was described as “embodying the latest ideas of travel comfort” and “combining the uses of both a trunk and dresser.” The Dresser Trunk was composed of three-ply veneer bass wood, covered with canvas, painted, varnished, lined with cloth, and the frame was reinforced with hard wood strips. It also had hand riveted wrought iron clamps, corners, hinges, and fastenings.

A convenient feature was its ability to open on the side. Instead of lifting everything on top to get to something on the bottom, the drawers made it possible to go directly to the location of a specific item without interfering with the contents of the rest of the trunk. In other words, the Dresser Trunk functioned just like a dresser with drawers. There were three drawers, one large and two of medium size. The large drawer included two compartments. There were also other compartments beneath the large drawer and in the lid. Wondering where that mirror was located? Inside the lid was a French bevel mirror. A Yale lock safely secured belongings inside the trunk. The Dresser Trunk measured 32 inches long, 21 inches wide, and 21 inches high with the lid closed or 42 inches high with the lid raised.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 74, Dresser Trunk, Suit Case, Leather Suit Case, Cabinet Bag, Trunk, Steamer Trunk, Hand Bag or Satchel.

Maybe bringing a Dresser Trunk is not quite what you had in mind for a vacation. In that case, Herr, Thomas & Co. also offered other trunks, such as the Steamer Trunk (above, middle right). Its interior was composed of a tray divided into a large and small compartment with four additional large compartments beneath the tray. It also provided security by using a Yale lock.

Other options included a simple suitcase, such as the ones shown above (middle left). The Suit Case advertised for $2.85 in this 1907 catalog included a cloth-lined interior, leather handle, and lock. A Hand Bag or Satchel (above, bottom right) and Cabinet Bag (above, bottom left) are also illustrated in the luggage section of this catalog.

Besides clothing, what other items might you have packed for a vacation in 1907? Perhaps, a tourist brought along the Premo Folding Film Camera (below, middle left). According to Catalogue No. 101 (1907), this particular camera is described as “a very compact outfit that is especially adapted to tourists use” because once it was folded, it was small enough to fit in a pocket. It had a capacity of 12 exposures and was capable of producing photos measuring 3 ¾ x 4 ¼ inches.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 73, Shaving Set, Shaving Mug and Brush, Premo Folding Film Camera, Cyclone Magazine Camera, Lady’s Opera Glasses, Folding Opera Glasses, Field Glasses.

Perhaps an opera might have found its way onto a 1907 vacation itinerary. Opera glasses such as the Lady’s Opera Glasses shown above (middle left) might have come in handy. It was fast and easy for theatre-goers to adjust the lenses to various distances while viewing the performance. To keep the opera glasses safe during transit, it came with a black leather satin lined case.

Some might have preferred the Folding Opera Glasses, also shown above (bottom left). Fitted with achromatic lenses, these opera glasses folded into a steel case measuring 4 x 3 x 5/8 inches. For safekeeping, its small size made it easy to fit into a pocket or wrist bag.

Perhaps, a theatre-goer might have stored these Folding Opera Glasses in a bag such as the Lady’s Wrist Bag (below, top left). Herr, Thomas & Co. also sold other items including a hand bag, wallets, lady’s pocket book, and lady’s chatelaine bag, as illustrated below.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 75, Lady’s Wrist Bag, Wrist Bag, Grain Leather Bill Wallet, Hand Bag, Lady’s Pocket Book, Strap Wallet, Lady’s Chatelaine Bag, Ormulu Gold Clock, Regulator Clock.

Catalogue No. 101 (1907) by Herr, Thomas & Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Assessing File Format Risk for Born-Digital Preservation Planning

C. Melissa Anderson — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 13:00:55 +0000

This post originally appeared on the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ blog. Melissa Anderson’s internship was part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ 50th Anniversary Internship program, with funding provided by the Secretary of the Smithsonian and the Smithsonian National Board.

When I entered the MLIS program at the University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies in 2018 and became interested in digital libraries, I was surprised to learn that the information we create and store digitally is just as, and in some cases even more, fragile than unstable media or paper. Physical damage, deterioration of digital storage media, and the technological complexity and dependency of electronic records make them uniquely vulnerable to loss, corruption, and alteration. As keepers of records with historical, cultural, and legal value, archival repositories have a responsibility to identify at-risk digital objects and take preemptive action to preserve them in a format that is accessible to the broadest possible public for the longest possible time. As a Smithsonian Libraries and Archives 50th Anniversary intern in born-digital collections, I’m learning how to do just that.

At present, more than half of the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ annual accessions contain born-digital materials, most of which are acquired in mixed collections alongside print and analog media. To document and serve the Institution, the Archives collects documents, spreadsheets, images, audiovisual (AV) material, email, databases, designs, data sets, software, websites, and social media content. These electronic records span more than 40 years and are stored in a variety of media formats, some of which require urgent preservation to avoid information loss.

Gif slideshow of Digital Collections information.

The Archives’ employs a multi-pronged born-digital preservation strategy that follows professional standards and best practices including the OAIS Reference Model and trustworthy digital repositories. The three prongs are: bit-level preservation, migration of at-risk files to stable preservation formats, and emulation for access to records locked in obsolete formats. The first strategy creates an exact copy of a file’s content information and data structure and is applied to all digital objects on accession. Having two (or more) identical copies of every file and storing them in different locations mitigates the risk of loss due to media, system, or human failure and disasters like fire and flooding, but possession does not automatically equal access. Our ability to even open and view a file during processing depends on hardware and software that can read and render it.

Obsolescence affects both the machines and the software we use to create, store, and access digital files. Advancements in power, speed, efficiency, and cost lead to rapid obsolescence of computer hardware. The introduction and adoption of new hardware also leads to new and improved software, which eventually makes older software and the file formats it supported obsolete as well. The wide use of proprietary file formats has created a situation in which only the program that created the file—or, even more specifically, a particular version of that program—can be used to open that file.

Sometimes only the information (i.e written text) contained in a file is important, but often we need to preserve the appearance and function of files as well to ensure that evidential and use value is maintained. Take, for example, a newsletter created using Adobe InDesign 1.0 (circa 1999) and selected for a digital exhibition commemorating the Smithsonian’s 175^th anniversary. If we’re only able to render the text of that document but not the images, layout, colors, or fonts, we would have only a part of the newsletter the original user experienced. This is where our second and third prongs—migration and emulation—come into play.

Migration involves moving a file from an at-risk or obsolescent format to a format digital archivists agree is more stable. Despite dependence on hardware and software, migration is an effective way to preserve digital objects and make them accessible, so long as it’s done promptly and as needed to keep up with technology. But it requires archivists to verify fixity, which assures that a copied or converted file hasn’t been altered from the original. Digital files can be changed or corrupted accidentally during preservation events, through human error, or maliciously by actors who wish to alter or destroy records. Checksums enable archvists to validate the authenticity of records, which is essential for maintaining public confidence in the trustworthiness of repositories. If the hash of a copied file matches the hash of the original, archivists can be confident the record has been reproduced exactly.

When files can’t be migrated, emulation provides another mode of preservation and access. This method uses programming to emulate the appearance and function of obsolescent computing technologies—one can, for instance, turn a Raspberry Pi into an original Nintendo gaming system. But the kind of emulation needed to preserve both the information content and appearance of digital records is much more complicated and expensive. A well-known and early use of emulation was undertaken at Emory University’s Rose Library. In 2009, when I was a third-year doctoral student in American Studies there, my digital humanties friends were all excited about a digital archives technology that convincingly replicated Salman Rushdie’s Power Macintosh 5400. Emory’s case study became an early model for successful digital preservation, but their innovation was supported by a resource-rich institution that invests heavily in its archives and special collections libraries.

Ten years later, when I entered library school, I understood why my Emory classmates had been so excited; migration and emulation enable us to preserve and provide access to electronic records at scale.Today, we’re challenged to develop preservation policies and workflows that include strategic risk assessment. The Archives’ digital preservation team is performing a detailed risk analysis of the born digital holdings in our collections.This process starts at ingestion by identifying and validating the format type of each file using DROID and JHOVE, as well the PRONOM technical registry. Digital archivist Lynda Schmitz Fuhrig or another team member reviews this and other administrative metadata. All the administrative information about the born digital content in an accession is gathered in the Archives’ DArcInfo (Digital Archive Information System) database.

Screenshot of DArcInfo query results showing format type and count by accession for born-digital holdings.

By querying this database, we can determine and document our preservation backlog (how many assets we hold that do not yet have a preservation master file), giving us the scope of our to-do list. We can also inventory the format status of our digital holdings (including format type and version) and assess storage media (type, stability, and condition). We intend to use this information to identify the range of formats and how many files in each format we hold by accession. From there, we will draft a plan for targeting the most valuable and at-risk digital objects in our collections so that we can preserve them in accessible formats before they’re lost.

Exploring Bias and Library of Congress Subject Headings

River Freemont — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 13:00:33 +0000

I am currently wrapping up my first year as an MLS student at Emporia State University, with a concentration in archives. A sense of curiosity, a love of learning, and a passion for research led me to libraries and archives as a career. I am drawn to the idea of working for universal access to information and knowledge, and I intend to work to disrupt systems of oppression in our institutions. In Spring of 2021, I took a required course in my program that introduces students to basic concepts in cataloging and classification. While I had already chosen a concentration that fills most of my elective credits, I wanted to learn more about cataloging. The cataloging project, part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ 50th Anniversary Internship program, was the perfect opportunity to further develop my knowledge of descriptive work, while incorporating ethics of social justice.

For this project, I had the pleasure of working with Heidy Berthoud, Head of Resource Description, and Amanda Landis, Library Technician. We started with materials relating to ideas of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) within Smithsonian Libraries and Archives library collections and examined the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) being used for those materials in library catalogs. We then considered where there were gaps in the assigned headings which did not fully convey the meaning of these works, or where subject headings being used were inappropriate or outdated. We would then draft proposals for new subject headings, with the goal of improving accuracy and inclusivity within LCSH.

People working in Card Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. [Between 1900 and 1920] [Photograph]. Library of Congress.

As intern for this project, I conducted research needed to justify proposals and provided an additional critical eye as we searched for issues. I took particular interest in issues of gender and sexuality within LCSH, performing research to determine the relationships between terms as the hierarchy of LCSH exists at present. This led me to discover that a common sexual orientation, pansexuality, is currently absent from LCSH. I performed the research to draft a proposal for pansexuality as a new heading. I also performed research to support a change in the heading “sexual minority culture,” hoping to update it to “queer culture” (this heading exists in addition to “gay culture” and “lesbian culture”).

Mapping sexuality terms as present in LCSH [screenshot]. River Freemont.

Through this project, I learned a lot about the process and politics of proposing headings. There are an extensive number of complicated rules for constructing proposals, but it is also important to be mindful of how LC prefers things to be done, even if they are not requirements. Consistency within LCSH is a common factor in rejections, as well as the impact a change would have on the larger system. It can take over two months to receive a ruling on your proposal. Heidy even arranged for us to attend an editorial meeting of the LC Policy, Training, and Cooperative Programs Division (PTCP), where decisions are made about new headings or revisions to headings.

It is important to consider that headings are approved based on works being cataloged, not anticipation of some future need for a heading. So, an important part of writing proposals is to provide literary warrant – justifications for headings that consist of published works where the term is being used – which shows the PTCP that experts in the field agree that your heading is the preferred term. Something this brought up for me is the validity of lived experience. How can we privilege the voices of those whose lives are affected by the language used to describe them? Potential solutions to this issue that I found were choosing sources that interviewed subjects or contained personal anecdotes, as well as considering the positionality of the author or the publication.

There are issues with access to this process. In order to perform this work, we really need to have access to tools such as RDA Toolkit, OCLC Connexion, Classification Web, or Cataloger’s Desktop. These are costly tools that not everyone wishing to do this work will have access to through their institution. There is an overrepresentation of university, research, and national libraries, as well as vendors, in the decision-making process. Conversely, there is a lack of representation from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), public and school libraries, and international libraries. During our work on this project, Heidy was able to consult a colleague with insider knowledge, but not everyone will have that kind of connection.

Heidy also introduced me to Cataloging Lab, a project started by Violet Fox. It is a website “designed so that people who are familiar with LCSH and experienced with the…proposal process can assist those who want to do the research to make changes”. I was inspired by this project because it is increasing access to the process, facilitating collaboration, and sharing knowledge in order to make positive changes in a difficult system. Anyone can join and post their proposals, receive knowledgeable input, and assist others with research.

I found the iterative nature of the process was a challenge with this project. It was necessary to keep in mind that we might not see immediate results from our efforts, but we are contributing to change, and others can come along and build off our work. Another significant challenge was overcoming my inclination toward introversion, and developing confidence in myself as a professional. It certainly paid off in the end, however, as the connections I made were my favorite part of this experience.

I particularly enjoyed attending Smithsonian Library and Archives meetings, such as the National Museum of Natural History’s Collections Task Force. I loved learning about different projects underway at the Smithsonian and learning about what librarians do for the Smithsonian community. Heidy facilitated a lot of conversations with different folks around the Smithsonian, some librarians, some not. These conversations helped to inspire me, give me direction for my education and future career, and increase my confidence as an emerging professional. I loved being a part of the Smithsonian community. The people I met were so kind and welcoming, and I especially enjoyed working with Heidy and Amanda.

River Freemont’s internship was part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ 50th Anniversary Internship program, with funding provided by the Secretary of the Smithsonian and the Smithsonian National Board.

Stewards of the Hungerford Deed

Martha Ball — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 13:00:13 +0000

When the Smithsonian Institution was founded “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” it was difficult to know how impactful this mission would still be 175 years on. To this day, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives strives to further this goal, sharing our knowledge to make discoveries and expand our understanding together with you, our community of supporters. The Hungerford Deed, which quickly became a treasure of our collections, exemplifies this work, as does the special opportunity to become a close supporter of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives by joining the Stewards of the Hungerford Deed. Read on to learn about how the Hungerford Deed illuminates the Smithsonian’s founding, and the impact you can make as a Steward.

The signature of Elizabeth Macie, James Smithson’s mother, on the Hungerford Deed, 1787, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Acc. 19-150.

The Deed is a 1787 property contract divvying up inherited lands between James Smithson’s mother and aunt. The insights shared by the Deed go beyond the legal decisions, illustrating a dramatic battle between the sisters and offering context via the family dynamics that shaped Smithson into the founding donor of the Smithsonian Institution. Like many archival discoveries, the Deed is an unpublished work that required ample preservation when it was anonymously donated to the Smithsonian in 2019. Preservation included carefully unfolding, stabilizing, and humidifying each parchment page so viewers can examine the pages, as interested parties might have three centuries ago. This process reveals and protects the original knowledge present in the Deed, contributing this knowledge to the collections that the Libraries and Archives safeguards as a resource for future generations.

The Hungerford Deed opened for the first time. Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Sharing knowledge often leads to exciting discoveries in collaboration with other scholars and curious minds. The Libraries and Archives is excited to facilitate this exchange through a virtual exhibition launching on August 10, offering a deeper dive into the Deed. Visitors near and far will be able to virtually turn the pages of the Deed and explore for themselves, with highlights of interesting facts and context right on the page to enhance their understanding. The Deed offers a wellspring of new information pertaining to the history of women’s property rights, the British legal system, and Smithson’s genealogy, and we are excited to make this knowledge available to evolve understanding alongside researchers.

The first page of the Hungerford Deed, 1787, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Acc. 19-150.

Our preservation, research, and outreach in connection to the Deed exemplifies just a few of the ways the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives protects and shares our collections. With scientific and cultural treasures ranging from oral histories to artists’ books, the Libraries and Archives is a resource where knowledge can be tested and expanded. Stewards of the Hungerford Deed champion this impact, ensuring this knowledge will continue to be safe and accessible. This special group will be celebrated in connection with the Deed and beyond, as the impact of these gifts reverberates through our crucial work.

The Archives conservation lab, where staff are working to preserve more of our treasures

You are invited to join our community of supporters, championing accessible educational resources, diverse collections, and critical preservation. Stewards are recognized beginning with a gift of $75, and benefits at a variety of giving levels include honoring Stewards on the virtual exhibition illuminating the Deed, a certificate recognizing your gift, and an exclusive invitation to view the Deed in person with fellow Stewards in the future. We are pleased to recognize donors with giving levels inspired by the real people behind the Hungerford Deed. Join their legacy today as a Steward in one of the following categories:

Steward – $75 and more
Keate Steward – $175 and more
Walker Steward – $575 and more
Macie Steward – $1,175 and more
Smithson Steward – $5,175 and more
Hungerford Steward – $10,175 and more

The Hungerford Deed illuminates the context for James Smithson’s commitment to knowledge, and the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives looks forward to re-committing and investing in this mission together with you.

Learn more about becoming a Steward of the Hungerford Deed!

P.S. Interested in learning more about the Deed and the upcoming virtual exhibition? Join us during our virtual program with conservator William Bennett on August 12! Attendees will take a closer look at the Deed and learn more about the significance of the discoveries it holds.

Vintage Furniture Finds from the Early 20th Century

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 13:00:21 +0000

Before online outlets and a certain Swedish superstore, imagine decorating and furnishing a new home in the early 20th Century. What did your furniture look like? What curtains or window hangings did you choose? How did you communicate with your neighbors? The Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library includes a few catalogs related to these very things.

One catalog is titled Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) by John Wanamaker. In previous blog posts, we learned about library pieces like armchairs and sofa beds as well as dining room furniture and tableware. Now, let’s explore a few more items from this catalog.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), front cover.

Several pages focus on bedroom furniture such as these Bedroom Suites manufactured from solid mahogany. The Bedroom Suite shown below included several pieces of furniture, but each piece was priced individually. This included bedframes (top and bottom, middle), dresser with glass (top right), chiffonier with glass (top, second from left), and dressing table (top, left). The dressing table came with a triplicate mirror, but those preparing for a special occasion might have preferred a tall or full-length mirror, such as the Cheval Glass (bottom right). Another piece in the suite was the Table Desk (bottom, middle). Perhaps it was used for corresponding with family and friends via letters. The top of the desk included small compartments to store stationery and supplies.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 106, Bedroom Suites (Dressing Table, Chiffonier, Bed, Dresser, Bedroom Table, Table Desk, Twin Beds, Cheval Glass).

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 111, Brass and Enamel Beds.

Other choices included brass and enamel beds. The brass beds, shown above (top and middle rows), were available with a polished finish and most also had the option of a hand rubbed, satin finish. White Enamel Iron Beds are also illustrated above on the bottom row.

As for mattresses, one option was the Kurly-Kotton Elastic Felt Mattress (below, top middle). No space age foam or fancy fillings here – this elastic felt mattress was filled with cotton sheets laid by hand. The Single Border Spring (below, middle right) had 63 spirals and was compatible with wooden beds.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 119, Mattresses and Springs.

John Wanamaker also sold draperies and window hangings. Someone setting up their new home in 1915 could chose these Irish Point Curtains (below, bottom left). Measuring 47 inches wide and 3 yards long, these had a plain net center and decorative border. Other window hangings incorporated floral decorations, such as No. 4 Fine Soft Voile (below, top right). Described as having a “graceful floral pattern,” it was available in pink, blue, and yellow.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 116, Window Hangings.

Just as curtains add a decorative touch to a room, so do rugs. The All Wool Art Rug (below, bottom left) was reversible and described as having “plain or all-over effects.” The particular one illustrated below includes shades of blue, but according to its description it was also available in “special colorings.”

Another option was the colorful Log Cabin Rag Rug shown below (bottom right). Besides plain colors, it was also available in “hit-and-miss effects with plain band borders.”

Cotton Bath Rugs were sold in a variety of colors and patterns. Though the catalog does not give specific details, one bath rug is shown below (middle) in shades of blue.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), inside back cover, Rugs.

Now let’s travel a few years further back in time to 1907. This trade catalog is titled Catalogue No. 101 (1907) by Herr, Thomas & Co. The company sold a variety of household items via mail order. In previous blog posts, we highlighted writing supplies and related furniture as well as lawn and porch furniture and even groceries. Now let’s explore a few items in the “Laundry Furnishings” and “Household Necessities” sections.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), front cover [page 1], explanation of benefits of buying direct from the company.

What did a clothes washer look like in the early 20th Century? Perhaps a family in 1907 bought the Washer pictured below (bottom left, shown in the closed position). The interior of its tub was heavily corrugated or ribbed which, according to the catalog, made the machine capable of “producing the same action on clothes being washed as rubbing them by hand on a wash board.” To prevent fingers or clothing from getting caught, a malleable iron cage guard covered the gearing, but it was possible to open the guard to clean the gears. The catalog also mentions that this machine was capable of washing something as small as a napkin or as large as a horse blanket.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 63, Mangle, Wringers, Washer, Cold Handled Sad Irons, Ironing Table, Curtain Stretcher, Clothes Horse, Clothes Rack.

How did you communicate with family and friends in 1907? Perhaps a Biaphone was installed in the home, as illustrated below (bottom right). The Biaphone provided a means of communication between two rooms or two nearby buildings by using the same wiring as the electric bell or annunciator. It required wire 500 feet in length with a Biaphone installed at each end of the line. Maybe it was helpful for quick conversations between family members in separate rooms of a house or even with the next-door neighbor.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 65, Bissell Carpet Sweeper, Baby Walker, Pants Pressers, Electric Bell Outfit, Webster’s New Standard Dictionary, Mail Box, 12 Piece Toilet Set, Cuspidor, Fire Proof Strong Box, Biaphone.

Another form of communion is letter writing. For that, a mailbox, such as the one shown above (bottom left), might have been handy. This Mail Box, manufactured of cast iron, was capable of being securely locked. It featured a letter drop, or slot, to deposit thin envelopes along with the ability to fully open the top to deposit thicker envelopes and remove mail. It also featured a wire paper holder and “peep hole in the bottom covered by sliding shutter.”

Many other household necessities are illustrated in this section of the catalog such as a Pants Presser, for creasing pants without using an iron and heat, and the Fire Proof Strong Box, to securely lock and store important and valuable papers and belongings.

Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) by John Wanamaker and Catalogue No. 101 (1907) by Herr, Thomas & Co. are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Identifying Article Metadata in “The Avicultural Magazine”

Taylor Smith — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 13:30:28 +0000

This blog post was written by Taylor Smith, the 2019 Kathryn Turner Diversity and Technology Intern in the Smithsonian Libraries’ Web Services Department. At the time of her internship, Taylor was an undergraduate Computer Science student at Bowie State University. Her work in the summer of 2019 consisted of developing and coding a method for identifying article metadata in The Avicultural Magazine, a leading journal for the keeping of non-domesticated birds in captivity.

As a biology major with an interest in computer science, I had a curiosity for wildlife and a newfound love for coding. I kept the two in mind when searching for internships, and luckily for me, I was led to the Kathryn Turner Diversity in Technology Internship for the summer of 2019. When I saw that the internship would focus on working with zoo articles relating to botany and wildlife, I knew this was perfect for me.

I had never held an internship before, let alone one that involves coding (which I had started learning that year). I had no idea what to expect when coming into this internship, but I learned a lot more than I could have imagined. Throughout this internship, I learned what metadata was and why it was so important. I learned why having digitized articles available online was so crucial. I also learned that making information accessible took a lot more work than anyone would think.

In my first week, I was introduced to the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), an online digital library designed to make biodiversity literature available to the public. In this library, I was specifically working with The Avicultural Magazine. This was a journal created by the Avicultural Society in 1894 with the purpose of spreading information, advice, and updates on non-domesticated birds. The volumes are digitized by Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and processed through optical character recognition (OCR) for the convenience of zookeepers and other zoo curators. The only problem with this is that it takes scrolling through endless pages of articles to find the specific item you’re looking for. My job was to create code that finds metadata for these articles to make them much more accessible and citable.

Below is an example of a page with the beginning of an article.

J. Lewis Bonhote, “Field Notes on Some Bahama Birds”, The Avicultural Magazine, volume 9, number 1 (November 1902): 19.

At first, I had to write code that would open up the directory of all the articles, open up one file at a time, and look for titles, page numbers, authors, etc. I set to work, but it was not long before we found that Penn State University and the National University of Singapore actually had a project named ParsCit that went through the files and searched for said data. The results are placed into an XML file, which was helpful to the process but not exactly as we needed.

My job then became loading and parsing the XML files using C++. The task was initially daunting: I had no idea what OCR was, what parsing meant, or what an XML file was. But with the help of Joel Richard, my supervisor and head of Web Services, it came a little more smoothly than I expected.

Joel really helped me take the next step in applying myself and taught me about regular expressions, parsing, XML files, and helped me with any trip-ups I had along the way. He also helped re-run the OCR for better material to work with, as well as pre-process the XML files so the data was more consistent and easier to work with.

After receiving the XML files I had to parse them. Parsing is essentially going through the tags of an XML file and picking out specific types of information. The process was not as simple as finding parts of the text marked as “author” or “title”, or even tags marked as such, but rather required me to take a look at the patterns occurring in the file. So, in my case, if I wanted the title, I would most often go to a <sectionHeader> tag since that’s where the Penn State code placed the titles it caught.

I checked the places I knew most of the titles were held (some were not caught at all and were in the middle of body text, which we couldn’t catch) and then looked for uppercase letters since all the titles were capitalized. Then, I checked if there was a “By” in either the tag or in the following tag. If nothing was found, then it wasn’t deemed an article. For authors, if there was an article found, then the “By” search would lead to an author every time. The next picture is an example of the OCR from one of the articles. You can see in this particular one the title is in the section header tag, but the author is in the body text tag.

Example of OCR for J. Lewis Bonhote, “Field Notes on Some Bahama Birds”, The Avicultural Magazine, volume 9, number 1 (November 1902): 19.

For Page Numbers and Page IDs at BHL, I looked into the attribute of a tag. In the screenshot, you can see page_id and page_num which are attributes of . I pulled the information from those tags and stored them as is.

Since the OCR is imperfect, sometimes the “B” in “By” was interpreted as maybe an “E” or maybe the “V” in “Vol” was found as a “Y”. I did some very specific checking so that for as many cases as possible, as long as the very specific conditions were met, the information was found. We used regular expressions which looked for certain arrangements of these similar characters to determine the author, volume, date, and similar data.

After finding and storing the data, much of the remaining work was cleaning up what I had. That meant taking off any extra spaces, periods, capitalizing the first character of each word, and making the rest lowercase, or maybe refining the results even more. This was to make it easier for the humans who correct the results afterward. The code is effective, but not perfect. When the human cleanup was complete, the articles were imported into the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

While interning, I was able to go on many tours including the Smithsonian Libraries Research Annex collections, the Joseph F. Cullman Library 3rd Library of Natural History, and behind the scenes of the National Zoological Park. From viewing James Smithson’s books at the Cullman to watching the process of restoring aged and delicate books in the Book Conservation Lab to learning about mole rats, each tour showed a different but equally fascinating aspect of the libraries, as well as their involvement with the Zoo. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the older objects, as it was very cool to see things that have held importance for such a long time and how times have changed.

The Zoo tour was led by branch librarian and supervisor Stephen Cox. Both Stephen and Jackie Chapman, Head of the Digital Library and Digitization, were extremely helpful, generous, and informative throughout the internship. They even helped me and intern Katerina Ozment create a poster to present at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums symposium! Katerina’s internship was focused on manually collecting and analyzing metadata from a related journal, the Animal Keepers’ Forum.

Kathryn Turner, the sponsor of my internship, is an inspiring woman I had the privilege to meet and share my story with her. It was motivating to see another woman with a very similar background to mine rise up in the STEM world and conquer it. I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to intern and learn at the Smithsonian Libraries (now Smithsonian Libraries and Archives) that summer. I not only was able to expand my knowledge in my field but was also able to meet very intriguing people and see how things work behind the scenes.

Editor’s Note: Since the writing of this post, the National University of Singapore has developed and released a neural net version of their ParseCit software. This greatly improves the potential effectiveness of future computer-based automatic identification of articles building upon Taylor’s groundwork.

How Yellowstone Was Saved by a Teddy Roosevelt Dinner Party and a Fake Photo in a Gun Magazine

Alan Katz — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 13:00:39 +0000

A chill rain drizzled over guests arriving at Bamie Roosevelt’s midtown brownstone near the corner of Madison Avenue and East 62nd Street in December 1887. There weren’t many of them, but all had two things in common: they were New York’s most influential and rich social elite, and they all loved hunting big game. All were hand-picked by the hostess’s brother, Theodore Roosevelt, to facilitate his newfound interest in the conservation of the American West. That small gathering became the first domino in a long line that ended in the protection of Yellowstone, the first environmental advocacy group in the US, and the creation of the American National Parks system.

Teddy was in the nadir of his career. His 3rd place finish in the New York City Mayoral race foretold doom in the realm of politics. His North Dakota ranch was devastated by winter storms (later known as The Big Die-Up) and on the verge of collapse. His latest book on his Western adventures, Hunting Trips of a Ranchman, received a middling review in the popular sportsmen’s magazine, Forest and Stream, which praised his prose but harped on “the author’s limited experience” (Forest and Stream v.24, pg. 451). T.R. was evidently so incensed at the aspersions on his Western manliness that he showed up at the Forest and Stream editorial offices in New York to demand to speak to whoever wrote the article. That very visit led to Roosevelt’s midtown dinner party.

Photograph of Theodore Roosevelt by Julius Ludovici, 1884. Object number NPG.81.125. Courtesy of National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

The evening may have gone something like this: first, he plied his guests with the rich bounty of his table and cellar with many toasts and courses. Roosevelt’s glass was unlikely to contain much alcohol (there was even a later court case about his abstention from drunkenness), but his hard-drinking younger brother Elliott and others may have partaken in the bon-vivant cocktails popular at the time. Then during the game course traditional to late 19th century gatherings, the conversation is adeptly steered by Teddy to their subject of common interest: hunting. Over yet another toast, Roosevelt proposes the formation of club named for America’s two most legendary hunters and committed to their shared values: fair chase, preservation of game, and “manly sport with the rifle.” Thus was formed the Boone and Crockett Club.

It could have ended there, with a private club whose members were required to have killed a large North American animal according to their own rules of engagement. But this group would grow in fame because of one of its founding members: George Bird Grinnell. At the time of this gathering, Grinnell stood out among the invited guests for his anonymity. He wasn’t a millionaire like Rutherford Stuyvesant or John Jay Pierrepont, or a famous man of the West like Albert Bierstadt or Bronson Rumsey, or an influential socialite like J. Coleman Drayton or Archibald Rogers. George Bird Grinnell was just a scientist, interested in joining expeditions to the West as a naturalist and studying the Native peoples of that region. He did have two qualities that drew Roosevelt to him, though: he loved Yellowstone and he edited a sportsmens’ magazine called Forest and Stream. Yes, Grinnell was the very person who published the backhanded review of Roosevelt’s book. Their confrontation led to a friendship that hatched the plan to gather the powerful crew of socialites and advocates for the West.

Photograph of George Bird Grinnell by William Notman. Object number NPG.77.184. Courtesy of National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Grinnell went on many expeditions to the American West and fell in love with its natural beauty.

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds an extensive run of Forest and Stream, beginning with the first volume in 1873. While our physical copies are located in the Smithsonian Libraries Research Annex location, readers can find digitized versions of Volumes 1- 95 online in the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ work during the pandemic has been improving metadata in the Biodiversity Heritage Library, helping titles like Forest and Stream become more accessible to the world. Grinnell became editor-in-chief of the publication in 1881, using it as a tool to raise awareness of conservation issues, especially of his beloved Yellowstone, which he visited in 1875 as part of the Ludlow Expedition.

But in 1888, Yellowstone was in big trouble. Even though the area had achieved National Park status (the first in the US) in 1872, the designation was toothless. Poachers ran rampant, railroad companies eyed its majestic passages as thruways for their locomotives, and the Army had set up a fort to make war on the Native people of Yellowstone and deny them rightful access to their land. So Grinnell and the Boone and Crockett Club began a petition to Congress, published in the pages of Forest and Stream among its coverage of hunting trips, fishing tips, and shooting competitions. First a column of names, then page after page of supporters, many cajoled into participation by the Boone and Crockett Club’s socially influential measures, like Roosevelt and his chums, as evidenced by the frequent appearance of high-level New York socialites on these lists, many of whom included acquaintances of the likes of Stuyvesant and Drayton.

“Yellowstone Park Petition”, Forest and Stream, Volume 30 (April 30, 1888): 246.

But all that effort didn’t move Congress to act, despite year after year of attempts. That all changed on May 5, 1894, when Forest and Stream published an account of the capture of an infamous poacher, Edgar Howell. He had previously eluded apprehension because the U.S. Cavalry, who was tasked with patrolling the park, had to catch a perpetrator in the act of poaching in order to pursue and arrest them. Unbelievably, the Army only had a single patrolman for the entirety of Yellowstone. This patrolman happened to be near Howell during a shooting and got the drop on the poacher and was able to call for help on the new-fangled telephone. The story was covered in full by the lone correspondent to as yet overwinter in Yellowstone: Emerson Howe. But it wasn’t Howe’s breathless reporting of the killing of dozens of buffalo that spurred national outrage; it was the images of Howell’s animal victims left lying in piles on the plain, titled by Grinnell as “The Butcher’s Work.”

“’Forest and Stream’s’ Yellowstone Park Game Exploration”, Forest and Stream, Volume 42 (May 5, 1894): 377.

Except they weren’t pictures of the bison that Howell had killed. These pictures were used in an Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution from seven years earlier. Grinnell was apparently sent the original photographs by William T. Hornaday, whose collection of living animals formed the basis of the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park. No record has yet been found illuminating how or why the decision to fake the photographs was made. Of important note, Grinnell’s trickery wasn’t necessary to convict Howell, who confessed and never amended his ways.

After L. A. Huffman, “A Dead Bull” and “Buffalo Skinners at Work.” From William T. Hornaday, “The Extermination of the American Bison, with a Sketch of Its Discovery and Life History,” Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution for the Year Ending June 30, 1887, part 2 (1889): pl. IX.

The ruse was effective though: only days later Congress passed the Act to Protect the Birds and Animals in Yellowstone National Park, and to Punish Crimes in Said Park. Known as the Lacey Act of 1894, the law finally outlined a punishment for poaching on public lands. The first person convicted under the Act was none other than Edgar Howell.

Roosevelt went on to strengthen the protections of public lands, campaigning on conservation for the Vice Presidency in 1900 and later as President, establishing the National Parks system that currently protects not just Yellowstone, but 85 million total acres of American lands. T.R. continued to have a close relationship with Forest and Stream, contributing articles heralding conservation reforms and hosting organizational meetings at his home in Oyster Bay.

Further Reading:

Alan C. Braddock, “Poaching Pictures: Yellowstone, Buffalo, and the Art of Wildlife Conservation,” American Art, 23:3 (2009): 36-59.

Supporting Access to Zoological Literature: Article Definition in the Biodiversity Heritage Library

Katerina A. Ozment — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 13:00:29 +0000

This post was written by Katerina Ozment, part of the Smithsonian Libraries’ 50th Anniversary 2019 Intern Class, funded by the Secretary of the Smithsonian and the Smithsonian National Board. At that time she was an undergraduate at the University of Oklahoma, majoring in History and Biology. Katerina is now a graduate student at the University of Tennessee, College of Communication and Information, School of Information Sciences. The internship program is now the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ 50th Anniversary program.

For zookeepers to most effectively care for their animals, they need access to zoological research, as well as a way to communicate with other zookeepers. One way for zookeepers to do this is through participation in professional organizations such as the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) and its publication, Animal Keepers’ Forum (AKF). AKF contains current research, husbandry techniques, animal enrichment activities, conservation news, and other topics.

Due to AKF’s role in facilitating this kind of communication, Smithsonian Libraries (now Smithsonian Libraries and Archives) requested permission from AAZK to digitize the Libraries’ copies of AKF and make them available through the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL). BHL is an open access digital library for biodiversity works. Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is one of the only BHL member libraries that supports an active zoo and therefore has a unique commitment to providing for this user community in BHL.

Although the publication was already available online, searching for specific articles remained difficult. This is because AKF was uploaded as whole issues as opposed to individual articles. It was uploaded this way because the metadata (data about the work) associated with the Libraries’ record applies to each issue, not each article. Descriptive metadata includes information such as the title, volume, issue number, or date of a work. This metadata ensures that BHL is searchable and that specific works can be located.

However, researchers are used to having article-level metadata and often search for a specific article or article topics. Currently, if a researcher searched for a specific article author in the name field, it would not bring up the articles written by that author for AKF. Similarly, if an article’s title was searched for in the title field, it would not be found. Without article-level metadata, such as article titles or article authors, these resources are much harder to find. It is possible to do a full text search and find articles by title or author that way; however, the OCR (optical character recognition) the full text search relies on is not corrected. If there are mistakes in the OCR, the search terms won’t be found. This is especially true when an article has graphic design elements, or text overlaid on a picture, as both contribute to poor OCR.

Despite this, it is sometimes possible to search for an article’s title or author(s) using the full text of the issue, which is made available via OCR (Optical Character Recognition). However, the OCR that the full text search relies on frequently contains mistakes and cannot be manually corrected at this scale. If there are mistakes in the OCR, the search terms won’t be found. This is especially true when an article has graphic design elements, or text overlaid on a picture, as both contribute to poor OCR.

This article, “Giraffe: Forgotten Megafauna”, left, has both an acrostic title and is overlaid on a photo. As a result, the OCR, right, did not pick up the title, and the OCR text of the article has a number of errors.

To address this, I worked to add article-level metadata and access to issues of AFK. This is possible due to the recently added batch upload tool for BHL. The batch upload tool allows the metadata for an entire set of articles to be added to BHL at once, following a template.

Because AKF is more of a newsletter or magazine than a formal journal, determining what counted as an article was not always obvious. For each AKF issue, I needed to determine what should be defined as an article (for the purposes of this project) and then add the relevant metadata (including author, title, page numbers, etc) to the template. Letters from the editor, interviews, and news summaries were some parts of AKF that caused the most questions. I often consulted with my supervisors, Jacqueline Chapman (Head, Digital Library & Digitization) and Stephen Cox (Branch Librarian for the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute), to determine what should be defined as an article and what shouldn’t. In the end, focusing on what was most important to animal care research was a key aspect of this definition. The articles I added to BHL included research done by zookeepers, interviews with conservationists, and columns summarizing zoo-related news. However, there are still many parts of AKF that I did not articlize, but could be added later. These include the letter from the editor, “About the Cover,” or AAZK chapter news.

The same article, “Giraffe: Forgotten Megafauna”, left, now with article metadata manually applied, right. The title is now searchable within BHL and for other services that use BHL’s data, despite the complicated layout and underlying uncorrected OCR.

Aside from defining articles, another challenge was ensuring consistency for author names across issues. If an author uses a nickname in one article and their full name in another, or if their name has changed over time, only one version of the name should be recorded as the author. This is necessary so that each individual only receives one BHL “creator ID” and so that searching their name will bring up all their work, regardless of the name variation used. This required that the preferred version of the name be used on all articles.

For this part of the process, I needed to learn about Name Authority work, an aspect of library science focused on solving this problem. Name Authorities establish IDs for individual authors, such as those provided by the Library of Congress, VIAF, and ORCID. VIAF (Virtual International Authority File) is a compilation of name authority records from libraries across the world, including the Library of Congress. An ORCID is an ID that the individual author creates for themselves. Its use is increasingly common among researchers across many fields and helps ensure that an author’s works are all connected even if the author changes their name. In each case, the name associated with the BHL “creator ID” should be the one used in one of these Name Authorities.

I was able to find and associate these IDs with their authors in AKF using a tool called OpenRefine. Earlier, in July 2019, I attended a Data Carpentries workshop at the Smithsonian. In addition to receiving an introduction to several data management and manipulation tools, including Python and SQL, I also learned how to use OpenRefine. I was able to use this tool to more easily determine if there was an author ID associated with any of the AKF authors. OpenRefine allows the user to upload a list of authors and use the reconcile tool to find possible matches in either ORCID or VIAF. From there, I could determine if the ID was the author from AKF, or someone else with the same name. While these IDs were very useful for determining preferred names, there were occasional mistakes. In one instance, the VIAF record for the author included works by two different people with the same name. I submitted a correction to VIAF, with the help of Lesley Parilla (former Cataloging and Bibliographic Librarian).

I was able to complete AKF issues from 2010-2016 during my internship. I also worked to document the process I used and decisions my team made, ensuring a future intern or staff member will be able to take up the project from where I left off.

AKF is very varied in how the articles are formatted, how the authors’ names are listed, and how accurate the OCR is; therefore, a manual process worked best for this project. It is also possible to create article-level metadata by writing a script to collect the necessary information, if the title is consistent in layout. I worked with Taylor Smith (Summer 2019 Kathryn Turner Diversity and Technology Internship) and her supervisor, Joel Richard (Head, Web Services & IT), who created metadata for the journal Avicultural Magazine in this way. We were able to share the results of both of our projects as a poster, Supporting Access to Zoological Literature: Article Definition in the Biodiversity Heritage Library, at the Association of Zoos & Aquarium’s (AZA) conference in September 2019.

Cover, Animal Keeper’s Forum, V. 43: No. 12 (2016).

Whereas my work on AKF in BHL was focused on providing article-level access to one title, my other project allowed me to take a broader view of zoological literature. I was able to help Stephen with his work on a bibliography for the AZA’s Orangutan Species Survival Plan (SSP). An SSP is a holistic approach developed by conservationists to help support captive breeding programs for endangered species. Stephen functions as a curator of relevant peer-reviewed literature for several SSPs, maintaining comprehensive bibliographies. This specific SSP bibliography serves as a resource for zookeepers caring for orangutans and contains citations for articles and books about a variety of husbandry topics. I located each listed source online and added it to Zotero, a reference management tool, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of each citation. This tool will be shared amongst primate keepers around the world.

As I worked on my two projects, both focused on how the Libraries and Archives supports zookeepers, I was able to appreciate the many ways in which librarians and zookeepers work together. I have spent a lot of time in zoos and libraries; however, I was unaware of how connected the two are.

Over the course of the summer of 2019, I learned so much about how libraries work, the different careers within a library, and how libraries provide resources for their users. I was constantly amazed to see the careful thought and work that goes into tools that I had always taken for granted as a library user. Aside from my projects, I’ve been able to talk to so many people who work here and each one has given me more insight into what it means to work in a library and the variety of types of librarians. I know that everything I’ve learned will be invaluable as I pursue my career in the library and information sciences.

A Late 19th Century Camping Experience

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 13:00:03 +0000

Do you remember summer camp as a child? Perhaps you went on a camping trip with your family or maybe you camped out in your own backyard. The Trade Literature Collection located at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds a variety of catalogs. Some illustrate camping equipment. Have you ever wondered what it was like to camp over a century ago? This trade catalog might give us an idea.

The trade catalog is titled Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882) by Murray & Baker. Just as the title suggests, it includes tents, and as we will learn later, one style even had an awning. It also illustrates camping stoves and camp furniture as well as hammocks for that late afternoon nap.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882), front cover.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882), title page.

The Round Tent, illustrated below, varied between 8 to 11 feet in height and 10 to 16 feet in diameter. It was available in two designs. One design included a wall measuring two feet three inches in height before sloping inward to create a point at the very top. The other design did not include the wall. As shown below, ventilators were located near the point of these tents. This was likely a convenient and welcome feature as it provided air circulation. The Round Tent with a wall is pictured below, bottom right, while the Round Tent without a wall is pictured to its left.

The portable nature of this tent made it easy to pack for a camping trip. The center pole of the tent conveniently folded into two pieces and then all the poles and stakes were rolled inside the folded tent.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882), page 21, “A” or Wedge Tent, Round Tent without a wall, and Round Tent with a wall.

Those who wanted their own space might have preferred the Family Tent, illustrated below (bottom left). The common room was described as a Dining Room and located in the center of the tent. Two or four bedrooms surrounded the dining room. The bedrooms were separated by sheeting, six feet in height, attached by rings onto cords that stretched from the center poles to the sides of the tent. This tent also had a wall measuring 6 feet in height before sloping inward to create a peak at the top.

The Family Tent provided a handy built-in feature for the comfort of its occupants. It had an awning that was created by simply lifting one wall of the tent and supporting it with poles. As illustrated below, the addition of the awning created both air circulation and shade.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882), page 23, Oblong Tent with Square End and Family Tent.

In a previous blog post, we highlighted camp furniture such as folding tables, chairs, beds, and the combination trunk/cupboard/table. Now let’s take a look at camp stoves. The “Adams & Westlake Oil Stove” is pictured below and included several options. It was available with one, two, or three burners, as a double stove, or even an oven for baking. Besides cooking, it also provided warmth on chilly nights by using “Armour’s Improved Flue Heater Attachment.”

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882), page 28, “Adams and Westlake Oil Stove.”

Though the “Adams & Westlake Oil Stove” was described as “light and compact” and “easily moved from place to place,” another camp stove might have appealed to some campers due to its ability to be used as a packing crate. The camp stove, pictured below (top), doubled both as a stove and a packing crate. This stove was constructed without a bottom and relied on the ground to form its bottom. With no actual bottom, the stove was easily converted into a packing crate by simply turning it upside down. Then the stove pipe and cooking utensils were safely stored inside.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882), page 29, Camp Stoves and Folding Stove.

When it came time for an afternoon nap, these hammocks, shown below, might have looked inviting. Imagine a peaceful afternoon spent resting or reading a book outdoors in the fresh air. The Rubber Air Pillows and Waterproof Camp Blankets mentioned on the same page might have been useful as well.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882), page 35, Hammocks, Rubber Air Pillows, and Waterproof Camp Blankets.

Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882) by Murray & Baker is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Murray & Baker sold more than just camping equipment. Among other items, they also provided awnings, buggy tops, wagon umbrellas, and waterproof wagon and horse covers as described in a previous blog post.

Falling for Field Books

Kira Sobers — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 13:00:15 +0000

This post first appeared on the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ blog.

Being an avid reader, every once in a while an item comes across my desk for digitization with such an intriguing story that I can’t help but get sucked into it. That’s what happened when I first saw one of James Eike’s field books. Now I know what you are thinking, “how does one get sucked into a field book?” Often times, field books are filled with lists of specimens or observations from the field, and those created by James Eike, an avid bird watcher and citizen scientist, are no exception. However, among the almost daily counts of birds observed by Eike are glimpses into his personal life, where, according to him, just about every day was glorious.

List of items Claire and Susan Eike received for Christmas in 1958. Record Unit 7342 – James W. Eike Papers, 1927, 1950-1983, Box 1, Folder 5, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Neg. No. SIA2012-0088.

James Eike was born in Woodbridge, Virginia on September 29, 1911 to Carl and Sarah Eike. Shortly after starting at Georgetown University in 1928, he began recording his observations about the wildlife he saw around northern Virginia, especially birds and snakes. Unlike the lists of bird counts found in his later field books, Eike’s first few journals are more narrative in form. By 1930, he was keeping lists of the numbers and types of birds seen, as well as the date and location where he saw them. Eike graduated from Georgetown in 1932 and started working for the U.S. Public Health Service in 1934.

James Eike’s field book entry for April 6, 1971; his 31st Anniversary. Record Unit 7342 – James W. Eike Papers, 1927, 1950-1983, Box 1, Folder 8, Smithsonian Institution Archives.

On April 6, 1940, James Eike married the love of his life, Claire. Their daughter, Susan, was born almost six years later on January 31, 1946. At that point, spotting and counting birds seemed to become somewhat of a family affair for the Eikes. Occasionally, James Eike would take his young daughter with him when he went to the nearby woods to count the birds, and on the weekends, sometimes the whole family would go together. Additionally, one page of Eike’s field book from “3-20-57 to 7-20-57” includes a list of birds that Claire saw while on a trip to Michigan in July while her husband stayed in Virginia. Claire and Susan also became members of the Virginia Society of Ornithology (VSO), a group which James Eike had actively participated in since 1933.

Sept. 8, 1951 – Sat: To woods with Susan 10:30-12:30. Wonderful weather… Sept. 9, 1951 – Sun: Another wonderful day – brisk in morning. To woods with Claire and Susan, 11:00-12:30. Saw and/or heard Swifts, Hummingbird…

In addition to the lists of birds, Eike’s entries and field books started to include notes about his personal life. Starting in 1957, in the back of just about every field book that spanned Christmas, he would record the list of gifts he, Claire, and Susan received that year. He also included little notes about their birthdays and his anniversary at the top of his entries for those days. Eike would even make notations about trips the family was taking, and after Susan left for college, his entries about her return home and departure back to school usually include a happy and sad face, respectively.

4-6-67 Thurs: 3 real gold ones [goldfinches] greeted me first thing – on my 27th anniv. with you, dear.

On February 8, 1983, James Eike died of cancer. Starting on January 21, 1983, Susan and Claire took over recording the daily bird counts for James, and even after his death, Claire continued to record the counts in the field book that James had started. She even noted their 43rd wedding anniversary on April 6, 1983. In her last entry in the book, Claire writes “My dearly beloved – I’ll keep trying to get a good list. I am feeding our birds well. I miss you.”

Note from James Eike to his wife, Claire, and daughter, Susan, dated February 9, 1961. Record Unit 7342 – James W. Eike Papers, 1927, 1950-1983, Box 1, Folder 5, Smithsonian Institution Archives.

In 1984, the VSO created the James Eike Service Award in honor of the time and dedication James put into the society. The first recipient of the award was Claire Eike, in honor of her late husband. Eike’s love of both birds and family make his field books a joy to explore. The personal stories and reflections add to the layers of valuable information captured in his notes, making me fall in love with field books and the insight they can bring about both science and life.

Upcoming Event: Ask a Conservator – Emergency Management

Erin Rushing — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:00:19 +0000

Ask a Conservator: Emergency Management
Wednesday, June 23 at 5 pm ET

Cultural heritage is not renewable. If books, documents, pieces of art, or any other ephemera are destroyed in a fire, for example, they are likely lost forever. Librarians and archivists have a long history of responding to and preparing for the kinds of emergencies and disasters, both natural and human-inflicted, that threaten these important resources for economic development and tourism, as well as knowledge, creativity, and a sense of historically connected identity.

In our next “Ask a Conservator” program on June 23, Nora Lockshin, senior conservator, and Katie Wagner, senior book conservator, will share how they plan for and respond to potential emergency situations that could pose risks to the safety of our precious collections at the Smithsonian and those of our fellow cultural institutions around the country. They’ll also discuss how they are called on to assist with protecting and recovering cultural heritage around the world. And as always, there will be plenty of time for your questions!

You can also watch this event on Facebook. To access the event, please be sure you are following Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. We recommend having our page open when it starts.

If you’re not able to watch live, don’t worry! This program will be recorded and made available for later viewing on our YouTube channel.

We’re seeking sponsors for this program. Donations will go directly to support preservation at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. If you’re interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact our Advancement team.

A Digitization Journey, a Knowledge Journey: Personal and Professional Insights From My Work on Polynesian Researches

Keala Richard — Thu, 27 May 2021 13:00:51 +0000

Na au iki a me na au nui o ka ʻike: The little and the large currents of knowledge.

In preparation for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I chose to reflect on the intersections of my past and present work in Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) collections, with historical connections to my home in Hawaiʻi. Part of my primary duties as a Conservation Technician with the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is to stabilize objects before and after digitization for BHL. When I joined the team in 2018, I was assigned the task of mending the library’s four volumes of the 1853 edition of William Ellis’ Polynesian Researches During a Residence of Nearly Eight Years in the Society and Sandwich Islands. The idea was to kick off my new job with a project that would inspire me on a personal level, as an introduction to the value of both the digital and physical preservation responsibilities of our institution.

Portrait of William Ellis. Narrative of a tour through Hawaii, or Owhyhee with observations on the natural history of the Sandwich Islands, and remarks on the manners, customs, traditions, history, and language of their inhabitants. Third Edition, 1827. Contributed in BHL from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

British-born William Ellis is considered the “godfather of missionary ethnography.” Polynesian Researches vol. 4 chronicles his time spent in Hawaiʻi while serving under the infamous American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Credited with bringing Christianity, literacy, and western education to Kānaka Māoli (the native Hawaiians), the ABCFM also seeded the islands with the missionary descendants, known as the Committee of Safety, who on 6 July 1887 would hold King Kalākaua at gunpoint to sign a new constitution, effectively granting them control of the government. On 17 January 1893, a group of these same men organized a coup against the last reigning monarch, Queen Liliʻuokalani, using the imposing presence of the U.S. military to overthrow the sovereign Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. Following the overthrow, the provisional government set up by the Committee was recognized as a protectorate without the permission of the U.S. State Department. Finally, on 16 June 1897, in direct violation of previous treaties with the Kingdom of Hawaii, President Mckinley signed a new treaty granting the fraudulent annexation of Hawaiʻi by the United States. On 23 November 1993, the 100 year anniversary of the overthrow, Joint Resolution 103-150 was signed into law by both chambers of congress and President Clinton. The law “acknowledged the historic significance of the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi…” and expressed the U.S. government’s “deep regret.”

Flag of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Ellis, William. Polynesian researches during a residence of nearly eight years in the Society and Sandwich islands, v.4 (1853). Contributed in BHL from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

The legacy and impact of missionary settler colonialism cannot be divorced from the ethnographic literature it produced. Ellis’ work is important not only for the exceedingly detailed account of early post-contact Hawaiʻi, but also because it offers up the faulty colonizer narrative of the great western savior. Preserving volumes like Polynesian Researches provides historical accounts of endemic, and in many cases extinct, plant and animal life to researchers studying biodiversity in the Pacific. It may also complicitly privilege that version of information over the Indigenous sources.

I started my treatments with volume four, specifically because this volume contains early post-contact details of my hometown, Hilo, on Moku o Keawe (The Big Island of Hawaiʻi). My handskills and knowledge of book and paper conservation as a technician are developing exclusively from bench training. The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Preservation Department operates out of two spaces: a larger off-site Book Conservation Lab and a small ”annex” in close proximity to our digitization suite in the National Museum of Natural History. Familiarizing myself with the materials available in our annex space was a challenge in itself. The nature of the repairs in the annex skew more toward improving the durability of an object to withstand the stress of digitization procedures. Treatment materials are limited in variety and custom-toned papers must be made in our larger Book Conservation Lab. In my hasty enthusiasm and novice familiarity with the “house style” and availability of materials, I made plenty of well-intentioned yet questionable aesthetic compromises, but the project was exciting and meaningful never the less.

An engraving of ka poʻe kānaka heʻe nalu (Indigenous Hawaiians surfing). Ellis, William. Polynesian researches during a residence of nearly eight years in the Society and Sandwich islands, v.4 (1853). Contributed in BHL from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

One of the great values of these volumes is the maps and engraved frontispieces. Each volume contains a scene depicting some cultural practice of the nations Ellis visited. In volume four, there is a map of the Hawaiian archipelago and an engraving of ka poʻe kānaka heʻe nalu (Indigenous Hawaiians surfing), which you can learn more about in this previous article by Julia Blakely on the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ blog.

Close-up of a repair made on the frontispiece. Ellis, William. Polynesian researches during a residence of nearly eight years in the Society and Sandwich islands, v.4 (1853). Contributed in BHL from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

I began treatment with the frontispiece. The page had several long tears running through the image, as well as losses around the bottom and foredge. Both are common issues for acidic 19th-century paper. I gently re-oriented the edges of either side of the tears using a micro spatula and tweezers. This is to ensure that the fibers of the paper lay as flat and as close to their original direction as possible. I then applied wheat paste to the edges to secure them in place. Thin strips of Japanese paper were torn in the shape of the various tears and adhered to the verso using wheat paste again.

After completing further treatment on the text block and case, the volume was digitized and uploaded to BHL via the Internet Archive. Unfortunately, only volume four was able to be imaged and uploaded before Smithsonian staff began teleworking full time due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the silver linings of our COVID-induced telework status is that we have been able to cross-train in other skills, switching gears to improving and promoting the Smithsonian’s digital presence to the public. When I signed on to a new telework project—paginating digitized books (i.e. enhancing metadata at the page-level ) from our digitized collections—Polynesian Researches vol. 4 was again my first step.

Interface in the back-end BHL administrative dashboard which allows staff to add or enhance page-level metadata for digitized books.

I’ve come full circle in the preservation process, from making stabilizing paper repairs, to ensuring the digitized book can be easily navigated by users. The digital object can be used as a surrogate of the physical, preventing further wear and enabling remote access. And I have worked on this item at the page level both physically and digitally, applying care in my conservation treatments and in my metadata enhancements, both crucial to ensuring access to the volume.

In spite, or perhaps because of, the complicated and painful legacy of settler colonialism that endures in Hawaiʻi, working on this set of Ellisʻ Polynesian Researches was a rewarding introduction to my duties at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. The task of preserving these early editions both physically and digitally has contributed to my practical understanding of the value of our digitization and conservation departments. I have found it helpful to reconcile my ethical questions about treating these items by looking at their utility for native communities.

An image from Polynesian Researches showing romanization of common ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian words). Ellis, William. Polynesian researches during a residence of nearly eight years in the Society and Sandwich islands, v.4 (1853). Contributed in BHL from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

When I first moved to D.C., I sought comfort in Hālau Hula o Nohona Hawaiʻi, where I could dance and find fellowship with other members of the Hawaiʻi diaspora. I shared photos of the things I worked on, and in particular an image from Polynesian Researches showing the romanization of common ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian words). I found it funny, if unsettling, to see how the language sounded to missionary ears so many years ago. One of our alakaʻi (leaders) corrected me and used it as a teaching moment. She discussed with me and the other haumana (students) about the way the language has evolved, and the variation in dialect from island to island and from kupuna to keiki (elders and children). The language I grew up hearing on my island and in my family is not the same as what was spoken on other islands, and in some places is still currently spoken in older generations. My hula sister reminded me that despite my ethical reservations about the work as a whole, there is value to Indigenous communities in using these primary sources.

You can explore the 1853 edition of Polynesian Researches, as well as other editions of the title and other works by William Ellis, in BHL.

References

National Archives. “The 1897 Petition Against the Annexation of Hawaii.” Archives.gov, 15 August, 2016. https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/hawaii-petition.

Johnston, Anna. “The Strange Career of William Ellis.” Victorian Studies, vol. 49, no. 3, 2007, pp. 491-501.

Silva, Noenoe K. Aloha Betrayed: Native Hawaiian Resistance to American Colonialism. Durham: Duke University Press, 2004, pages 123-163.

United States, Congress. Public Law 103-150. United States Statutes at Large, Vol. 107 – 103rd Congress, 1st Session, 1993. U.S. Government Publishing Office, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-107/pdf/STATUTE-107-Pg1510.pdf.

Intriguing Items from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Adopt-a-Book Program

Erin Rushing — Mon, 24 May 2021 13:24:39 +0000

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Adopt-a-Book program has brought donors, Smithsonian staff, and treasured collection items together for twelve years. This year our annual event went virtual in a series of Adopt-a-Book Salons. Across four evenings, we were able to showcase 77 items from our collections. We featured selections from the Smithsonian Institution Archives for the first time, giving our attendees a look into our incredible archival materials.

Even though the Salons are over, we still have many intriguing items available for adoption. Each adoption provides essential funding to support the conservation, acquisition, and digitization of our materials while allowing you to create your own Smithsonian legacy. Here you can see some of your options, but there are many more on our website.

Aspen: The Magazine in a Box

Forgive us for stating the obvious, but this item is simply fab. Packaged to look like Fab laundry detergent is Aspen: The Magazine in a Box, Volume 1 Issue 3, December 1966. It is one of six issues owned by the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library and was designed by Andy Warhol and David Dalton. As with all the Aspen volumes, this issue has many components, including a flipbook based on Warhol’s film Kiss and a flexidisc by John Cale of the Velvet Underground. Each issue was intended to be a time capsule, capturing the culture and events of the late 1960s.

Cover, Aspen: The Magazine in a Box, Volume 1 Issue 3, December 1966.

Ne’Ho Niyo’ Dë:Nö’ = That’s What It Was like

Knowledge of the Seneca Nation is preserved in this compilation of oral histories from sixty-one tribal elders, creating a valuable historical and cultural resource. The grant-funded Seneca Nation Curriculum Development Project gave the Seneca Nation Education Department an opportunity to produce this rare publication that preserves, teaches, and conveys Seneca history from the Seneca perspective. Most of the elders interviewed were born early in the 20th century. Their stories tell the rich tapestry of life as Haudenosaunee people who were deeply impacted by government or parochial boarding schools and language loss. The book was intended for use by teachers and students on and around the nine Seneca reservations.

Cover, Ne’Ho Niyo’ Dë:Nö’ = That’s What It Was like (1986).

Russia’s Treasure of Diamonds and Precious Stones

A real gem of a rare book, Russia’s Treasure of Diamonds and Precious Stones is an illustrated catalogue of the Russian crown jewels, published by the Soviet Union’s People’s Commissariat of Finance after the Russian Revolution removed the Tsar and his family from the throne. It is believed to be the only complete record of the Romanov dynasty’s treasures before their dispersal through private sale and a subsequent auction. The work was published as a limited-edition portfolio consisting of 100 photographic plates (often life-sized) and four sections of text, with only a dozen copies currently known in North America.

Three plates of crown jewels, Russia’s Treasure of Diamonds and Precious Stones (1925).

Notes and descriptions of specimens collected on the Philippine Expedition of the Steamer Albatross, circa 1908

Who knew slugs could be so beautiful? In 1907, Paul Bartsch, an assistant curator of the Smithsonian’s division of mollusks, set sail aboard the USS Albatross on a collecting trip throughout the Philippines. Sprinkled throughout Bartsch’s field notes about nudibranchs in the Archives collections are detailed watercolor illustrations of the sea slugs by Japanese artist Kumataro Ito.

Notes and description of specimens collected on the Philippine Expedition of the Steamer Albatross, circa 1908. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 16-213.

Georgia O’Keeffe Correspondence with Joseph Hirshhorn

Apologies in advance, because we’re going to do some serious name dropping as we highlight this item available for adoption from the Archives. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden founding donor Joseph Hirshhorn rubbed elbows with some of the greats of the 20th-century art world. In his papers are letters to or from Alexander Calder, Picasso, Chagall, Man Ray, Isamu Noguchi, and Georgia O’Keeffe. The specific correspondence available for adoption reveals the mostly friendly, though sometimes contentious, relationship between O’Keefe and Hirshhorn.

Letter, dated December 20, 1967, from artist Georgia O’Keefe to Joseph and Olga Hirshhorn. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7449, Box 6, Folder 31.

As we wrap up our series of Adopt-a-Book Salons, we want to celebrate every single donor who has made an impact in the first twelve years of this program. Whether you’ve adopted in the past or are new to Adopt-a-Book, we hope you will join us as we move the program into the future. New elements like adoptable materials from the Smithsonian Institution Archives, behind-the-scenes videos, and digital experiences can be enjoyed by supporters around the world.

Sleuthing Captain America’s Shield

Alan Katz — Thu, 20 May 2021 13:00:11 +0000

While the Smithsonian is referenced all the time in popular media, nothing goes hand-in-hand with the world’s largest museum complex quite like the world’s largest film franchise: the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In that fictional world, the Avengers and the Smithsonian have had a somewhat rocky relationship, including a heist by Captain America to steal his old uniform from the National Air and Space Museum. The inclusion of the Smithsonian in the MCU has led to many questions for Smithsonian staff, most prominently, “Why is the Captain America exhibit in the MCU in the National Air and Space Museum and not the National Museum of *American* History?”

But the most recent feature of the Smithsonian in the MCU raised a fabulous question from the public to our Ask A Librarian service. Ask A Librarian is our public-facing email that opens the expertise of Smithsonian librarians to the entire world, answering questions and connecting the public to Smithsonian resources.

This question is from Jason Henderson, a librarian at Langston University in Oklahoma:

I was watching the Disney+ Marvel show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

In this show, Captain America’s shield was specifically donated to (a fictional version of) the Smithsonian.

In the narrative, the shield was donated by a private citizen, with the understanding it would be part of the permanent display.

The shield however might technically be considered property of the US government, was removed from the exhibit and was issued as military equipment.

I know this is a fictionalized event, however as a librarian, it made me wonder about the real Smithsonian policy concerning these types of donations.

To answer Jason’s specific question, the handling of collections, including accountability and ownership, are governed by “Smithsonian Directives” (SDs) which outline policy and practice for the entire institution. Specifically, SD-600 covers items in the National Collections, like the shield would be.

SD-600 requires that the Smithsonian establish legal title to any item to be acquired for the collections with accompanying evidence, such as provenance information, permits, export/import licenses, and intellectual property transfer agreements where applicable. Such evidence would prove conclusively that an item wasn’t, for example, already owned by another department of the US government (i.e. S.W.O.R.D. in the case of Falcon and the Winter Soldier) and subject to repossession by that entity.

In the case of Captain America’s Shield, provenance is key. The Shield given to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame was brought back to the standard MCU timeline by Steve Rogers from an alternate universe. Clearly, since federal jurisdiction does not extend throughout the multiverse, this particular Shield was the personal possession of Steve Rogers, who gifted it to Sam Wilson, who gifted it to the Smithsonian.

Now that legal title has been established, there is a question of the consequences of deaccessioning (that is, removing from the collections) the donated Shield. Section 3 of SD 600 sets policy for Deaccessioning and Disposal of Collections items based on the estimated value of the particular object. In Age of Ultron, Ultron purchases about 500 lbs of the fictional metal vibranium for $1,840,561,245 from the supervillian Klaw. While Captain America’s shield would have obvious and intangible historical value and is not made purely of vibranium, one can fairly estimate its scrap value by weight (12 lbs according to Marvel) at $44,173,470. Therefore, specifically, Section 3, Subsection b(2)(c) on policy would apply, saying:

If the estimated value of a single collection item or a group of collection items considered for disposal is …

more than $500,000, the collecting unit must obtain two written, independent appraisals or informed estimates of fair market value and approval of the deaccession and disposal from the Office of the General Counsel, the appropriate Under Secretary or Director – International Art Museums Division, the Secretary, and the Board of Regents.

Policy also states that the Secretary must report on the disposal of items to the Board of Regents, which would be quite an interesting meeting to be a fly on the wall for.

But, in all this policy, there is an important tidbit that shouldn’t be forgotten: there is a REAL Captain America Shield in the Smithsonian, the one wielded by Chris Evans in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. And where is that piece of real world history? Not in the National Air and Space Museum. You guessed it, it’s in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Shield used by Chris Evans as Captain America in Captain America:The Winter Soldier, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History 2018.0107.01.

Sailing the Great Lakes in 1897

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 18 May 2021 13:00:11 +0000

Are you dreaming of summer vacation? Do you eagerly read guidebooks or search online to learn about cities and sites you’ll visit? How did tourists in the late 19th Century plan their vacations? The Trade Literature Collection at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives may give us an idea. Perhaps someone in 1897 read this promotional booklet in anticipation of that long-awaited trip.

This trade catalog is titled Seven Halcyon Days of Blessed Rest (1897) by Northern Steamship Co. It provides a small glimpse into a tour of the Great Lakes aboard steamships in the Summer of 1897. Previously, we explored accommodations on these ships. Now let’s take a look at how this pocket-sized booklet promoted and encouraged people to take that vacation.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Seven Halcyon Days of Blessed Rest (1897), front cover.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Seven Halcyon Days of Blessed Rest (1897), unnumbered page [1], star-shaped image of a steamship sailing on the water.

Just as the title suggests, this booklet emphasizes the rest and relaxation that awaited passengers who boarded these steamships. On the first page, the trip is described as, “A tour of the Great Lakes on the floating palaces of the Northern Steamship Company, ‘North West,’ ‘North Land.'”

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Seven Halcyon Days of Blessed Rest (1897), unnumbered pages [2-3], lighthouse and other buildings along a shoreline.

The reader is reminded that a tour of the Great Lakes aboard a steamship is different than an ocean voyage. Instead of being surrounded by vast amounts of open water, passengers had the chance to touch or at least see land each and every day. The ships were described as “great pleasure-resorts afloat, with the consequent advantages of delightful motion, lake breezes, and constantly shifting scenes, thrown in.”

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Seven Halcyon Days of Blessed Rest (1897), unnumbered pages [10-11], boats sailing on the water.

The journey began in Buffalo, New York for those traveling westward or Duluth, Minnesota for those traveling eastward. Roundtrip consisted of seven days, but passengers had the option of disembarking or boarding at any of the stops along the way. These included Cleveland, Ohio and Detroit, Mackinac Island, and Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan.

What might have enticed someone in 1897 to book that vacation? Of course, it might simply have been to enjoy a relaxing week on the water. Other ideas are also offered in this catalog. Newlyweds might have considered a Great Lakes Tour for their honeymoon. Or perhaps someone on a cross-country railway trip might have paused the rail portion to board a steamship and enjoy a bit of fresh air and change of scenery. The trip itself was described as “calming the nerves, and clearing the brain to an extent that will never be realized until it has been experienced.”

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Seven Halcyon Days of Blessed Rest (1897), unnumbered pages [12-13], shoreline.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Seven Halcyon Days of Blessed Rest (1897), unnumbered pages [14-15], steamship sailing on the water and a shoreline.

Passengers might have chosen to remain onboard to enjoy a roundtrip experience or disembark at various points along the way to explore a city. The schedule for the Season of 1897, shown below, provided arrival and departure times for each stop. The steamship stopped for only a short time before continuing so those who disembarked at stops along the way were required to find overnight accommodations until the ship returned.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Seven Halcyon Days of Blessed Rest (1897), unnumbered page [16], Season of 1897 Schedule for “North West” and “North Land” steamships.

To book those overnight accommodations or find activities in various cities, another trade catalog might have come in handy. This catalog is titled Itinerary: Great Lake Tours (1897) by Northern Steamship Co. It provided general information about cities and stops on the route, excursions to additional cities, and railway connections. Though it does not go into extensive detail, it briefly describes the cities and mentions sites to consider visiting as well as hotels.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Itinerary: Great Lake Tours (1897), front cover.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Itinerary: Great Lake Tours (1897), title page and preceding page, steamship (shown on page preceding title page).

One stop on the route was Mackinac Island, Michigan. Illustrated below, Mackinac Island was described as an area “rich in historical interest” with a “dry, crisp, and invigorating” climate. Perhaps visitors enjoyed the “various attractive drives” or spent their time fishing.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Itinerary: Great Lake Tours (1897), page 13, Mackinac Island, Michigan and Lighthouse, Mud Lake.

For those interested in fishing, an excursion to Les Cheneaux, also known as the Snow Islands, might have sounded appealing. Tickets for this excursion were sold in connection with a ticket either to or via Mackinac Island. Just a few hours ride from Mackinac Island via the Arnold Line, the Snow Islands might have provided a relaxing day of fishing and change of scenery. Boats, guides, fishing tackle, and bait were available at various points.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Itinerary: Great Lake Tours (1897), page 21, Club House, St. Clair Flats and information about excursion rates from Detroit, Michigan and Mackinac Island, Michigan.

Seven Halcyon Days of Blessed Rest (1897) and Itinerary: Great Lake Tours (1897) by Northern Steamship Co. are both located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Interested in learning more about vacations aboard these steamships? Take a look at this post for more on accommodations and other excursions.

Meet the Smithsonian’s First Woman Photographer

Marguerite Roby — Wed, 12 May 2021 17:57:00 +0000

This post first appeared on the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ blog.

While Thomas W. Smillie is known as the Smithsonian’s first and chief photographer from 1871 to 1917, it is less known that his first and chief assistant, Miss Louisa Bernie Gallaher, was quite an accomplished photographer herself and is responsible for much of the work produced by the photographic laboratory of the United States National Museum (USNM).

Portrait of woman believed to be Bernie Gallaher, circa 1880, SIA Acc. 11-006, MAH-2301 (Smithsonian Institution Archives)

Gallaher began working at Smithsonian as a clerk in 1878 at the age of twenty, after her relative, Senator James B. Beck of Kentucky, placed her under the care of Thomas Smillie. Upon seeing some photographs she had made from one of her vacations, Smillie recognized her skills as a photographer and asked for her to be transferred to the photographic department where she worked as a photographer from 1890 until her death in 1917.

Photomicrograph of wood specimen, circa 1890s, by L. Bernie Gallaher, SIA Acc. 11-007, MNH-4701. (Smithsonian Institution Archives)

Gallaher’s work in photomicrography and x-ray reproductions was highly regarded by the scientific community, and Smillie himself said, “I believe her to be the most successful woman photographer in the United States in scientific illustration.” In addition to her work in scientific photography, Gallaher also photographed living models, portraits, and museum objects. Whenever Smillie was away, the responsibility for managing Smithsonian’s growing photographic force was upon her. Smithsonian employees called upon Gallaher’s expertise on the history and art of photography for the development of Smithsonian’s first photography exhibition in 1913, which included a few of her own works.

Magnified view of nuclear whorl on shell, by L. Bernie Gallaher, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 47, Pl. XXIX. (Smithsonian Libraries and Archives)

While much of the work produced by the USNM photo lab prior to 1917 has, in the past, been credited to Thomas W. Smillie, for the simple fact that his is the only name really documented anywhere in our records pertaining to photography at that time, we are discovering a much richer history. We look forward to expanding credit to Louisa Bernie Gallaher for the magnitude of work she created while in the employ of the United States National Museum.

Hidden Biodiversity: Exploring Neotropical Fungus Weevils With the Help of BHL

Grace Costantino — Thu, 06 May 2021 13:00:35 +0000

This post was originally featured on the Biodiversity Heritage Library blog.

A view of the Panamanian tropical rainforest in Colón Province. Photo by Samanta Orellana.

In the last decades of the 19th century, a monumental publication on the biodiversity of Mexico and Central America began publication—Biologia Centrali-Americana. Published in 215 parts from 1879 to 1915 by the editors Frederick DuCane Godman and Osbert Salvin, the work describes over 50,000 species and is illustrated with over 1,600 lithographic plates depicting over 18,000 species. Remarkable for its time, the title is still vitally important for the study of Neotropical biodiversity today, as it contained virtually all known information at the time about Mexican and Central American flora and fauna.

Biologia Centrali-Americana is a particularly important resource for entomologist Samanta Orellana, a PhD student in evolutionary biology at the Dr. Nico Franz Lab of Arizona State University (ASU) and a research assistant in the ASU Biocollections of the Biodiversity Knowledge Integration Center. Orellana began studying insects and working with entomological collections more than a decade ago, during her undergraduate studies in her home country of Guatemala.

“For many insect groups in Guatemala and the rest of Central America, Biologia Centrali-Americana still represents the only source of information available for the region,” states Orellana.

Samanta Orellana in the Arizona State University Biocollections. Photo by Kevin Cortés.

Biologia Centrali-Americana is also meaningful to Orellana because it led her to the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL). In 2010, whilst identifying Guatemalan insects as part of her undergraduate studies, Orellana started using the “Electronic Biologia Centrali-Americana,” available from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, which directed her to BHL. She hasn’t stopped using BHL since.

“BHL is simply wonderful,” lauds Orellana. “I think it is an amazing tool for entomologists all around the world, especially for those of us who work or have worked in collections in developing countries, usually without access to specialized libraries or journals, but with a lot of material to identify.”

One of the plates of Central American anthribids, included in the chapter written by Karl Jordan in the Biologia Centrali-Americana (Insecta. Coleoptera. v.4, pt.6, 1895-1907). Contributed in BHL from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

Orellana specializes in the family Anthribidae (Coleoptera), commonly known as fungus weevils. Her research on these insects began during her studies at the Universidad de Panamá, where she completed an M.Sc. in entomology, and continues through her PhD work, with her dissertation focused on the family’s diversity and evolution. As part of this research, Orellana recently published a catalogue of the Anthribidae species from Panama.

BHL’s collections have been instrumental in enabling Orellana to pursue her work on the family.

“BHL was essential to complete my first published work on Anthribidae, a catalogue of the species from Panama,” shares Orellana. “This group of weevils has been poorly studied in the Neotropics, so identifying specimens is always challenging due to the lack of taxonomic keys. I had to rely mostly on original descriptions available through BHL to identify the specimens I examined, both in Panamanian and American collections. The catalogue ended up with 44 new records for the country, most of them identified thanks to the literature available in BHL.”

Eugonus robustus Jordan, 1904 (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), from Panama. Photo by Samanta Orellana.

BHL has now become a core part of Orellana’s research process. She uses the Library at least several times a week, reading content online or downloading material via BHL’s custom PDF generator to build her own local collection of Anthribidae literature. Her favorite feature is BHL’s full text search service, which allows her to easily find scientific names or specific localities within sources.

“I use BHL all the time,” affirms Orellana. “I continue using it for my PhD studies to identify collection specimens, as taxonomy is an important component of my research with this group of weevils. I also maintain a website in Spanish about insects of Guatemala and constantly consult BHL to obtain and share information about the diversity of this group in my country.”

When asked what improvements she would like to see in BHL, Orellana replies, “This is a difficult question, because I love BHL so much. There is nothing I can think of that I would change. I can always find what I am looking for with the features already included on the website.”

Orellana’s experience testifies to the importance of open access for scientific research, whether you are a researcher working with limited resources or even if you have the benefit of a large, institutional library. For researchers everywhere, BHL’s collections offer free, easy access to centuries of scientific literature and sources that may otherwise have been inaccessible.

“Even now that I am working at a larger collection, and I have access to specialized literature, there are older works that can only be obtained through BHL,” confirms Orellana.

We are proud to know that BHL is empowering biodiversity research globally. As we face unprecedented biodiversity declines—with more than a million species threatened with extinction—immediate, online access to essential literature is ever-more important, allowing scientists to conduct research more quickly and efficiently and improving our ability to respond to today’s biodiversity crisis. We look forward to continuing to work with our global community of partners to ensure that researchers like Samanta Orellana have the resources they need to study and conserve biodiversity, from the smallest weevil to the largest sequoia and everything in between.

———————

Biodiversidad Oculta: Explorando los Gorgojos Neotropicales con la ayuda de BHL

Una vista del bosque tropical de Panamá en la Provincia de Colón. Fotografía por Samanta Orellana.

En las últimas décadas del siglo XIX, una publicación monumental acerca de la biodiversidad de México y Centroamérica inició su difusión –la Biología Centrali-Americana. Publicada en 215 partes de 1879 a 1915, por los editores Frederick DuCane Godman y Osbert Salvin, el trabajo describe más de 50,000 especies y está ilustrada con más de 1,600 láminas litográficas que contienen más de 18,000 especies. Muy notoria en su tiempo, la obra aún es sumamente importante para el estudio de la biodiversidad neotropical en la actualidad, ya que contiene prácticamente toda la información conocida, hasta el momento, acerca de la flora y fauna de México y Centroamérica.

La Biologia Centrali-Americana es un recurso particularmente importante para la entomóloga Samanta Orellana, estudiante de Doctorado en Biología Evolutiva, en el laboratorio del Dr. Nico Franz, en Arizona State University (ASU) y asistente de investigación en las Colecciones Biológicas del Centro de Integración para el Conocimiento de la Biodiversidad en ASU. Orellana empezó a estudiar insectos y a trabajar en colecciones entomológicas hace más de una década, durante sus estudios de pregrado en su país natal, Guatemala.

“Para muchos grupos de insectos de Guatemala y el resto de Centroamérica, la Biología Centrali-Americana aún representa la única fuente de información disponible en la región”, asegura Orellana.

Samanta Orellana en las Colecciones Biológicas de Arizona State University. Fotografía por Kevin Cortés.

La Biologia Centrali-Americana también es importante para Orellana, ya que la llevó a descubrirBiodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), que en español podría denominarse como “Biblioteca del Patrimonio de Biodiversidad”. En 2010, mientras identificaba insectos de Guatemala, como parte de sus estudios de pregrado, Orellana empezó a utilizar la versión electrónica de la Biología Centrali-Americana,disponible en el sitio de las Bibliotecas y Archivos del Instituto Smithsonian, lo cual la dirigió hacia BHL, y no ha dejado de usarla desde entonces.

“BHL es simplemente maravillosa”, asegura Orellana. “Pienso que es una herramienta increíble para los entomólogos alrededor del mundo, especialmente para aquellos que trabajamos en colecciones de países en vías de desarrollo, usualmente sin acceso a bibliotecas o revistas especializadas, pero con mucho material por identificar”.

Una de las láminas de antríbidos de Centroamérica, incluidas en el capítulo escrito por Karl Jordan en la Biología Centrali-Americana (Insecta. Coleoptera. v.4, pt.6, 1895-1907). Compartido en BHL por las Bibliotecas y Archivos del Instituto Smithsonian.

Orellana se especializa en la familia Anthribidae (Coleoptera), comúnmente conocidos como “gorgojos de los hongos”. Sus investigaciones con estos insectos iniciaron durante sus estudios en la Universidad de Panamá, donde completó su maestría en entomología, y continúan durante su doctorado, con su tesis enfocada en la diversidad y evolución de la familia. Como parte de su investigación, Orellana recientemente publicó un catálogo de las especies de Anthribidae de Panamá.

Las colecciones de literatura de BHL han sido indispensables para permitir que Orellana trabaje con esta familia.

“BHL fue esencial para completar mi primer trabajo publicado acerca de Anthribidae, un catálogo de especies de Panamá”, comparte Orellana. “Este grupo de gorgojos ha sido pobremente estudiado en la región Neotropical, por lo que identificar las especies siempre es un reto debido a la falta de claves taxonómicas. Yo tuve que basarme mayormente en descripciones originales, disponibles en BHL, para identificar las especies que estudié, tanto en colecciones panameñas como norteamericanas. El catálogo finalizó 44 nuevos registros para el país, muchos de los cuales fue posible identificar gracias a la literatura disponible en BHL.”

Eugonus robustus Jordan, 1904 (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), de Panamá. Fotografía por Samanta Orellana.

BHL se ha vuelto una parte esencial en el proceso de investigación de Orellana, ya que utiliza este recurso al menos varias veces por semana, leyendo el contenido en línea o descargando material, por medio del generador de archivos PDF de BHL, para construir su propia colección de literatura de Anthribidae. Su característica favorita de BHL es el servicio de búsqueda de texto, que le permite encontrar nombres científicos y localidades de una manera fácil dentro de los archivos disponibles.

“Uso BHL todo el tiempo”, afirma Orellana. “Durante mis estudios de doctorado, uso BHL constantemente para identificar especímenes de colecciones, ya que la taxonomía es un componente importante de mi investigación con este grupo de gorgojos. Como una actividad adicional, administro un sitio web enfocado en insectos de Guatemala, y consulto BHL constantemente para obtener y compartir información acerca de la diversidad de este grupo en mi país.”

Al consultarle acerca de las mejoras que le gustaría ver en BHL, Orellana responde, “Esta es una pregunta difícil, porque BHL me gusta demasiado. No puedo pensar en nada que me gustaría cambiar. Siempre puedo encontrar lo que estoy buscando con las características ya incluidas en el sitio web”.

Las experiencias de Orellana son un testimonio de la importancia de libre acceso a las investigaciones científicas, así sea para científicos trabajando con recursos limitados, o para aquellos que cuentan con acceso a bibliotecas institucionales. Para investigadores de todas partes, la colección de BHL ofrece acceso gratuito y fácil, a siglos de literatura y recursos científicos que, de otra manera, serían inaccesibles.

“Aún ahora, que me encuentro trabajando en una colección grande y tengo acceso a literatura especializada, existen trabajos muy antiguos a los que puedo acceder únicamente a través de BHL,” confirma Orellana.

Estamos orgullosos de saber que BHL empodera la investigación de biodiversidad a nivel global. Mientras nos enfrentamos a la desaparición sin precedentes de la biodiversidad —con más de un millón de especies amenazadas con la extinción— el acceso inmediato a literatura en línea es más importante que nunca, permitiendo que los científicos conduzcan sus investigaciones de una manera más rápida y eficiente, mejorando la habilidad de responder a la crisis de biodiversidad actual. Esperamos continuar trabajando con nuestra comunidad de socios para asegurar que los investigadores como Samanta Orellana tengan a la mano los recursos que necesitan para estudiar y conservar la biodiversidad, desde el gorgojo más pequeño a la secoya más grande.

New Video Series Highlights Conservation Treatments

Erin Rushing — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 13:00:21 +0000

Curious about our conservators’ favorite books or trickiest treatments? While they’ve had to step away from the bench during the pandemic, our Preservation Services staff have been hard at work describing some of their remarkable conservation techniques in video form.

In honor of Preservation Week (April 25 – May 1, 2021) we invite you to learn more about the work of our Book Conservation Lab as well as our Adopt-a-Book program through a new video series, “Adopt-a-Book: Preserving Treasures Together”. Embedded below are the first five videos in the series. You can also find them in a playlist on our YouTube channel. Watch as our conservators introduce you to some of the memorable books they’ve worked with and walk you step-by-step through some tough treatments they’ve completed thanks to donor support.

Want to hear more about our Adopt-a-Book program? Tickets are still available for our next virtual event, Adopt-a-Book Salon: From the Vaults on Wednesday on April 28^th at 5:30 PM ET.

Adopt-a-Book: Preserving Treasures Together – How it Works

Our Adopt-a-Book Program provides crucial support for the care of our collections. But how does it work? Book Conservation Lab staff Donald Stankavage and Keala Richard created this video to walk you through the process.

Adopt-a-Book: Preserving Treasures Together – Baby Bird-Finder

Watch as Daniel Viltsek, book conservator, shares his process for the preservation of a rare book–from spine repair to leather contouring.

Adopt-a-Book: Preserving Treasures Together – Auctoritates extracte ex Libris phi[losophorum]

Vanessa Smith, book conservator and Head, Preservation Services, describes the delicate work involved in treating a 15th century book of ancient philosophy, Auctoritates extracte ex Libris phi[losophorum].

Adopt-a-Book: Preserving Treasures Together – Le Cheval

Katie Wagner, Senior Book Conservator, highlights the treatment of Le cheval, a rare 19th century equine anatomy book with 16 lithograph plates and movable parts.

Adopt-a-Book: Preserving Treasures Together – Wendingen

Daniel Viltsek shares his process for using raffia to recreate a stab binding on the Dutch design journal Wendingen.

Libraries Then and Now: The Ideas We Share

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 13:00:41 +0000

What products or materials come to mind when you think of libraries? The obvious things might be books and shelving, but to keep a library functioning other items are needed as well. Supplies for circulating and tracking books and identifying ownership of books remain largely behind the scenes but are just as important.

Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899) by Library Bureau is a trade catalog providing us a glimpse into supplies and equipment that library staff in 1899 might have used to complete their everyday tasks. Though much has changed, we might recognize some basic concepts that still exist.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), front cover.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), title page.

Today we use a library borrower’s card to check out a book. Typically, each book has a barcode that assists library staff in circulating and tracking that particular book via an online library system. We might also notice a property stamp inside the book. The property stamp identifies the library that owns the book. What supplies did libraries in 1899 use to circulate and identify their materials?

As highlighted in a previous post, paper-based charging systems were used to circulate books before the availability of computers and online library systems. Both types of systems require borrower’s cards, but paper-based charging systems also require a book card or charging card for each book.

An example of a borrower’s card from 1899 is shown below. The top portion included general information pertaining to the user such as name and address. It also included the Borrower’s Pledge. A version of this pledge might sound familiar to us today. As in the example below, library borrowers pledged to be responsible for all materials charged to them. The bottom portion of the card included ruled lines for noting borrowed books and dates for when each book was borrowed and returned.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 76, Borrower’s Card and Charging Cases.

When a paper-based charging system is used, a charging card, or book card, for each book is also necessary. An example of a charging card from 1899 is shown below. It included ruled lines on both the front and back to record information about the book. The three lines at the top were intended for entering the title and author of the book and its number, what we typically refer to as a call number today. Below that section were more ruled lines or small boxes. Each time the book was checked out and returned, library staff recorded such things as borrowing date and returned date in those small boxes. This provided a history of the book’s circulation.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 75, Slip Trays and Charging Cards.

To record those dates on the cards, library staff might have used the Self-Inking Library Dater illustrated below (middle right) or the Lever Dater also shown below (top left). Both had the ability to stamp dates in tiny spaces on cards. According to this 1899 trade catalog, the Lever Dater was Library Bureau’s “most popular style” at the time. A drawback of the Self-Inking Library Dater might have been that it was not as noiseless as the Lever Stamp.

Dates were just one piece of information for which libraries might have used a stamp. The Self-Inker (below, bottom left) was another handy tool because it was customizable and capable of stamping both dates and words. Due to its design, another feature was its ability to stamp not only cards or single sheets of paper but also books.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 79, Lever Dater, Self-Inking Library Dater, and Self-Inkers.

Just like today, libraries in 1899 needed a way to mark ownership to assist in identifying their books. Today we might notice a property stamp inside a book stating the name of the library that owns it. In 1899, an option for marking ownership was the Perforating Stamp. As shown below, this type of stamp perforated the page by spelling out the name of the library with perforation marks. It was described as an alternative to the embossing stamp and did not increase the thickness of the book.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 82, Perforating Stamp.

Now let’s take a closer look at equipment that might be useful when shelving or browsing the stacks. Every so often, library staff may come across a book that is too large to be safely shelved in its proper location. The book is typically removed and shelved in a more suitable spot based on its size. Judging from supplies offered in this trade catalog, the same thing happened in 1899.

To assist in locating an oversize book in its new location, Library Bureau offered supplies called “Wood Dummies.” These were thin boards measuring 5 x 8 x 1/4 inches and meant to be shelved in the book’s proper, or original, location. A label, such as the one below, was attached to the board to assist users in locating the book’s actual location. The label included bibliographic information and the book’s new location along with the reason for it being moved. This particular label gives several reasons. Besides being “too large for the regular shelves,” other reasons included rarity, cost, being transferred to Reference, or missing.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 86, Buffalo Book Brace and Wood Dummies.

Every library needs step stools for reaching high shelves. These Folding Steps, illustrated below, provided an additional benefit. How many times have we been browsing the stacks and located a book but needed a quick, safe place to set it down to take a closer look at a page? The Folding Steps provided a way to do that. Along with the step stool portion which consisted of two steps, there was also a flat surface at the very top where a book might be set down if needed. These portable steps measured between two feet and three feet in height and were capable of being expanded outward to create the step stool portion or folded inward if only a stool or the flat/table top surface was needed. Both positions are shown below.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 150, Folding Steps and Mimeograph.

As we flip through this trade catalog, we are reminded of how much has changed in libraries over the last century, but it also shows that we continue to share some basic ideas and concepts with our predecessors. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899) and other catalogs by Library Bureau are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

An Internship in the Time of Coronavirus

Alexandra Reigle — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 13:00:23 +0000

This post was contributed by Natalia Addison, 2020 spring intern with the American Art and Portrait Gallery (AA/PG) Library and a recent Master of Science in Information and Library Science graduate from Clarion University.

Working at the prestigious Smithsonian Institution has always been a dream that I’ve held. Thus, obtaining an internship at the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library (AAPG Library) in the spring of 2020 was a manifestation of that dream. Here, I learned how to process and select materials for the Art and Artists File Collection. I learned how to do intensive art research on artists, and learned when, why, and how to add new items to those artist files. I learned preservation practices, analysis techniques, and was able to expand my knowledge about the artists. I was able to use the knowledge I gained through my courses at Clarion University to serve patrons through an unfamiliar integrated library system. It is through this opportunity that I found what I suspected all along to be true: that I want to continue to pursue my dream of becoming an art librarian.

This is an example of the type of materials Natalia Addison worked with during her internship.

Much of my time at the AAPG Library was spent working with art ephemera. Ephemera, in relation to libraries, is printed material that is not meant to last or to be kept for a long time. For the artists represented in an art library, these pieces of ephemera are important parts of their histories. Artist files hold “private view cards, exhibition announcements, press releases, newspaper clippings, artists’ correspondence, posters and flyers, emails, and other materials.”[i] These items are important as reference pieces as they can contain significant documentation on artists that is not easily found elsewhere especially for artists who may not be well covered in mainstream or standard resources.

As a Library Science Graduate student, learning how ephemera is used, and how to access it, was an important and fascinating aspect of my internship. During ordinary circumstances when the library is open, researchers can come into the library and request files to view and library staff will pull the files for them. Being able to sort through the artist files myself during my internship really helped me understand how and why ephemeral materials are so important. I also learned how to label the artist folders, strategically stamp materials to note the donation they came from, carefully remove all harmful extraneous materials, and place them in protective coverings.

Sorting through the ephemeral materials in the artist files was a dream come true. Being able to see how the artists represented themselves through postcards and exhibition materials was so inspiring. Ephemeral materials allowed me to see how art was displayed by artists or galleries. I was able to see the stories of artists in news clippings and read about how their contemporaries viewed their works. Some files had letters, sometimes from the artist themselves. Artist files allow researchers a glimpse into the mind of the artist, and a deeper connection to the artwork. So much of the work that I did reminded me of my childhood days: saving postcards and tags from garments, making collages, and researching the brands and artists.

This is an example of the type of materials Natalia Addison worked with during her internship.

The impact of COVID-19 changed the nature of my internship. I was able to continue online and in spite of the changes I learned a great deal. Together with my internship supervisor, Alexandra Reigle, we decided that the best way to continue would be to focus on readings and assignments that related to special collections (particularly artist files), topics specific to art and museum libraries, and reference services. Together we had weekly meetings to discuss the articles and projects to ensure that the internship was still on track. Thanks to my supervisor’s diligence I learned more than I thought possible interning from home.

For one of my assignments I developed my own ephemeral collection. I used items around my home and put them together to showcase why I thought they would be a great addition to an artist file. In this instance I choose a luxury department store as the “Institution.” I used packaging, postcards, flyers and mailers to demonstrate the ephemeral nature of the items. They could be of importance for the history of the company for anniversaries, corporate literature, or future design. Thinking about ephemera from outside an artist perspective was a great lesson on how valuable these items can be. This allowed me to utilize both my life’s passions and areas of expertise: fashion and art literature.

Since working remotely I’ve also attended an online symposium on American Art, and a presentation on trade literature collection at the National Museum of American History Library as part of my internship. COVID-19 has made digitization efforts and issues seem especially pronounced. Patrons of all libraries have had to adapt to researching online and contend with inaccessibility of items that would normally be available. While I’ve been grateful that I was able to continue my internship and feel that I learned a lot in the process, it has not been without its difficulties. One of the best aspects of my internship was getting to be in the AA/PG library. Seeing the volumes of books and magazines in person inspires creativity that simply cannot be matched at home.

My experience as an intern at the AA/PG Library was one of the most important and influential times of my life. This internship granted me the opportunity to see first-hand what it means to be a reference librarian at an art library. I was also able to learn important research habits and interact with some of the finest minds in the art library world. This internship cemented and reinforced my love of art and libraries, and I feel encouraged to continue to pursue my dream of becoming an arts librarian.

[i] Kent C. Boese, “Relics of the Past, or Treasures for Posterity?” Art Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America 25, no. 1 (Spring 2006), 34.

National Library Week Virtual Meeting Backgrounds from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Erin Rushing — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 13:00:32 +0000

Screenshot of Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology background in use.

A year in to the COVID-19 pandemic and we’re guessing some of you might be missing your libraries. We know we are! To give your next video meeting some book-ish ambience and to celebrate National Library Week, we’ve put together a set of backgrounds that bring you into our spaces and, in some cases, right into the pages of our books.

Below are nine images just waiting to adorn your virtual walls. Some are recent photos of our library locations. Some are vintage views from the collections of Smithsonian Institution Archives. And a few are just favorite book illustrations with a collector’s vibe. Click on the image and save to your computer, then follow the instructions provided by your virtual meeting platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.) to upload and use.

Library stacks in the National Museum of Natural History Library, main location.

National Museum of Natural History Library, main location. Click to enlarge and download.

Vintage juvenile aviation adventures shelved in the National Air and Space Museum Library‘s rare book room.

National Air and Space Library. Click to enlarge and download.

Reading room of the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology. Photo by Liz O’Brien.

Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology. Click to enlarge and download.

Double-page plate, Dell’historia natvrale di Ferrante Imperato napolitano libri XXVIII (1599), detail.

Double-page plate, Dell’historia natvrale di Ferrante Imperato napolitano libri XXVIII (1599), detail. Click to enlarge and download.

Plate No. 215, Le garde-meuble, v. 1 (1839), detail.

Plate No. 215, Le garde-meuble, v. 1 (1839), detail. Click to enlarge and download.

“Living Room”, The woman’s book v. I (1894), detail.

“Living Room”, The woman’s book v. I (1894), detail. Click to enlarge and download.

Library Stacks, Lower Main Hall, Smithsonian Institution Building, or Castle, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Image no. SIA_000095_B31_F38_002, detail.

Library Stacks, Lower Main Hall, Smithsonian Institution Building, or Castle, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Image no. SIA_000095_B31_F38_002, detail. Click to enlarge and download.

Conference on the Future of the Smithsonian, Smithsonian Library Exhibit, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Image no. SIA_000095_B41_F09_035, detail.

Conference on the Future of the Smithsonian, Smithsonian Library Exhibit, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Image no. SIA_000095_B41_F09_035, detail. Click to enlarge and download.

Museum of History and Technology Library, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 285, Image no. SIA2010-2160, detail.

Museum of History and Technology Library, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 285, Image no. SIA2010-2160, detail. Click to enlarge and download.

Digital Jigsaw Puzzles – National Library Week Edition

Erin Rushing — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 13:00:48 +0000

To celebrate National Library Week and the start of spring, we’ve put together another round of digital jigsaw puzzles! We hope these cheerful florals brighten your screens and bring you a few moments of peace, minus the pollen.

Play them right here on our blog or use the links to play full screen. Each puzzle is set at about 100 pieces but they are customizable to any skill set. Click the grid icon in the center to adjust the number of pieces. All of the images are available in our Digital Library, Image Gallery, Biodiversity Heritage Library or Smithsonian Institution Archives Collections. Feel free to explore and make your own!

Miss our previous puzzles? Find them here.

Rear Cover, The Conard and Jones Co. New Floral Guide (1898).

In 1897, Alfred Conard, already an established seedsman, and Antoine Wintzer joined with S. Morris Jones to become Conard & Jones Co. The company focused primarily on the growing and distribution of roses and flowering plants. This brilliantly lithographed rear cover of the firm’s Autumn 1898 catalog highlights “winter flowering bulbs”, many of which are also popular outdoor blooms in spring.

Play online: https://jigex.com/6z14

Rear Cover, The Conard and Jones Co. New Floral Guide (1898).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Cerisier Pl 7, Pomologie française : recueil des plus beaux fruits cultivés en France, Volume 2 (1846).

Pomologie française : recueil des plus beaux fruits cultivés en France , published in four volumes in 1846, is a delight for the senses. French botanist Pierre-Antoine Poiteau wrote the text, a study of French fruit plants and their cultivation. The lush illustrations were the work of Poiteau as well as fellow botanist and artist Pierre Jean François Turpin.

Play online: https://jigex.com/5SbS

Cerisier Pl 7, Pomologie française : recueil des plus beaux fruits cultivés en France, Volume 2 (1846).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Postcard of the Smithsonian Institution Castle, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Image no. SIA2013-07202.

This early 20^th century postcard offers a glimpse of the Smithsonian Institution Building, or “Castle”, designed by architect James Renwick, Jr. and completed in 1855. In the foreground is a statue of the first Smithsonian Secretary Joseph Henry, who served as the Institutions’ founding leader from 1846 to 1878. Modern visitors to the National Mall will note that Henry’s statue has since been moved closer to the north entrance of the building.

Play online: https://jigex.com/TRRi

Postcard of the Smithsonian Institution Castle, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Image no. SIA2013-07202.

Jigsaw Puzzle

Women gathering spring herbs, Haru no Fuji [1803].

This book by Katsushika Hokusai was a special New Year’s publication of kyōka poetry (mad verses) collection commissioned by a private kyōka salon. This is one of two color woodblock-printed illustrations that accompany the text, showing three women in delicately colored kimono gathering spring herbs. The seventh day of the Japanese New Year is called nanakusa no sekku or the festival of seven herbs, and traditionally included eating a rice soup or porridge with seven healthy herbs. Learn more about our Japanese illustrated books from the Edo and Meiji periods.

Play online: https://jigex.com/M82d

Women gathering spring herbs, Haru no Fuji [1803].

Jigsaw Puzzle

Plate VIII, Gazette du bon ton, t. 2 (1913)

Long-time blog readers and social media followers might have noticed that we are big fans of the illustrations in Gazette du Bon Ton. This French art and style journal was published by Lucien Vogel between 1913 and 1925. This plate from August 1913 highlights an afternoon dress by design house Worth. Learn more about Gazette du Bon Ton.

Play online: https://jigex.com/6o8u

Plate VIII, Gazette du bon ton, t. 2 (1913).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Cover, The Inland Printer, Volume 57 (May 1916).

This fantastical cover image from the May 1916 issue of The Inland Printer is courtesy of illustrator Gordon Ertz. The periodical, a trade journal for the printing industry, is said to be the first to feature different cover art with each issue. The interiors of the issues were just as interesting, as the publication highlighted new advances in graphics, printing and paper making.

Play online: https://jigex.com/rcFQ

Cover, The Inland Printer, Volume 57 (May 1916).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Plate IV, Papillons (ca. 1925).

Emile-Allain Séguy was a popular French designer throughout the Art Deco and Art Nouveau movements of the 1920s. He designed primarily patterns and textiles and was heavily influenced by the natural world. Papillons is a book of designs based on wing patterns in butterflies commissioned by American textile manufacturer F. Schumacher and Co. Learn more about Séguy on the Biodiversity Heritage Library blog.

Play online: https://jigex.com/1oq6

Plate IV, Papillons (ca. 1925).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Celebrating National Library Workers Day

Erin Rushing — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 13:00:52 +0000

This week (April 4-10, 2021) is National Library Week and Tuesday is set aside to celebrate National Library Workers Day. It’s a wonderful opportunity to highlight the important contributions made by all library staff. In honor of National Library Workers Day, we caught up with a few staff members to hear what they’ve been working on over the past year. Although they’ve been largely offsite during the ongoing pandemic, our staff remain dedicated to providing information to researchers at the Smithsonian and around the world. Learn more about how they’re sharing their expertise, caring for collections, and connecting data in a totally virtual environment.

Sharad J. Shah
Collections Management Librarian

“With over twenty branches in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives system, numerous challenges involving collections and collections space are bound to arise. Even while the museums and research centers are closed to the public, Smithsonian staff continue to work behind the scenes to ensure the Smithsonian’s treasured collections are safe and secure. Currently, I am working with other units overseeing the management of collections across the Smithsonian’s museums and research and storage facilities. These projects range from transferring library material between branches, to upgrading library storage units, to planning a future home of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives materials (see: Suitland Collections Center Executive Summary). Our goal is to iron out plans, for both diving into and successfully completing, collections and collections space-related projects once we return to normal operations.”

A rendering of the proposed Master Plan in 40 years, prepared by Bjarke Ingels Group

Nilda Lopez,
Library Technician, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Library

“Several locations in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives house special collections called the Art and Artist Files. They are a valuable resource for art historical research on emerging regional and local artists. They hold information on artists, art collectives, and galleries and contain ephemera from flyers, clippings, press releases, brochures, invitations and so much more. As we continue to grow the Art and Artist Files, our intent is to make the information they contain more digitally accessible to the public, and one of these ways is our effort to make our collections discoverable in Wikidata. You might be familiar with Wikipedia, and Wikidata is related—it is a free and open database software that allows anyone to contribute with structural data. Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has several pilot projects with Wikidata, and the Art and Artist project is quickly reconciling data into the larger structure of Wikimedia. This process involves using Open Refine, a tool that “cleans” data, to link Wikidata to details from our files such as artists’ names and life dates. And most importantly, with more than 60,000 names in our files, it involves lots of time! It is our hope that this project will increase the diffusion of knowledge, linking our data in as many places as possible. Other “GLAM” institutions—galleries, libraries, archives and museums–are collaborating on this project and we hope to grow and create a web of data for the future.”

Selection of Art and Artist File material from the file of Alma Thomas.

Preservation Services Department

During a normal work week, you can often find our Preservation Services staff at the bench in our Book Conservation Lab repairing materials. Without access to our physical collections, this team has turned digital to advocate for collections care and help explain their work. They’ve presented webinars, answered questions on Instagram and Twitter and, most recently, developed a video series to describe the conservation treatments made possible through our Adopt-a-Book program, “Adopt-a-Book: Preserving Treasures Together”. Many thanks to Keala Richard, Vanessa Smith, Donald Stankavage, Daniel Viltsek and Katie Wagner for sharing their work and participating in our outreach efforts during the pandemic.

Stephen H. Cox
Branch Librarian, National Zoological Park and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

“Over the past year, I have created and continue to curate and maintain four citation databases on behalf of SI’s COVID-19 task forces: Scholarly Literature, Non-Scholarly Sources, Risk Assessment, and RNA Sequencing. Well over 100,000 scholarly papers, book chapters, books, theses, and reports have been written in the span of 15 months, with thousands more being published every day. Within Scholarly Literature, I have focused research on air monitoring, breather/exhalation valves, face coverings, contact tracing, safety training, surface wipe sampling, and temporal patterns in viral load. Despite the evolving science on the novel coronavirus and its variants, two constants have emerged: the dedication of the Smithsonian’s COVID-19 task force members to the safety of our colleagues and visitors, and the incredible diversity of knowledge that can be created when the world’s scientists have a shared goal.”

Screenshot of COVID-19 Citation Database in Zotero.

Baasil Wilder
Librarian, Anacostia Community Museum Library and National Postal Museum Library

“A team of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff has made great progress improving page-level and image-level metadata for digitized books by re-paginating the materials and uploading images to the Biodiversity Heritage Library’s Flickr photostream while working from home (more details in this previous blog post by Alexia MacClain). The work that I do as a member of this team, is a huge leap from what I focused on as a reference librarian before the pandemic . Though different from my usual tasks, this work is all about providing access to information, which is my goal as a librarian. Doing this work has given me a much greater appreciation of what’s happening behind-the-scenes in our Digital Library and the Biodiversity Heritage Library. I want to highlight one of my completed Flickr albums, from a book entitled Mendelism (1911). Mendelism is about the principles of genetics, such as single-gene traits, and is named after Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884). Mendel was born in (today’s) Czech Republic and was a meteorologist, mathematician, biologist, Augustinian friar, and the abbot of St. Thomas’ Abbey. He established the laws that are the foundation of the modern science of genetics. Below are some images from the book that I uploaded to Flickr. I rotated them and tagged them with keywords and taxonomic name tags so that users from all over the world can more easily discover and use the free images in their research.”

Portrait of Gregor Mendel and Plate VI, Mendelism (1911).

Graceanna Lewis: A naturalist and abolitionist

Erin Rushing — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 13:00:13 +0000

“To her mind the truths of science seem revealed.”

That’s how Phebe A. Hanaford, author of Daughters of America (c. 1882), described naturalist Graceanna Lewis, one of the first three woman to be accepted into the Academy of Natural Sciences. But Lewis was not only one of the first professionally acknowledged women naturalists; she was also an abolitionist and social reformer who worked for the advancement of science as well as human rights. Researchers can find many publications by and about this intriguing woman in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Digital Library and the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Born in 1821, Lewis benefitted from an egalitarian Quaker upbringing, one that encouraged education in daughters as well as sons. Lewis told Hanaford that she learned to love natural history from her mother, Esther Lewis. Esther had been a teacher before marriage and continued to educate her own young children, sending her daughters to nearby Kimberton Boarding School as they grew. There, Graceanna was influenced by Abigail Kimber, a woman botanist who had discovered and identified several species. In 1842, Lewis’ uncle, Dr. Bartholomew Fussell, started a new boarding school for girls, and Lewis came on board as a teacher. She taught astronomy and botany, among other subjects.

Portrait of Graceanna Lewis, The Underground Rail Road (1872)

From her family, Graceanna Lewis inherited not only an interest in science and education but also a deep concern for social issues. Uncle Bartholomew was an active abolitionist, and the family formed a local auxiliary of the American Anti-Slavery Society. The Lewis sisters, Graceanna, Mariann and Elizabeth, were profiled in William Still’s The Underground Rail Road (1872), which described them as “among the most faithful, devoted, and quietly efficient workers in the Anti-slavery cause”.

One of Graceanna’s earliest publications, written in the 1840s, was “An Appeal to Those Members of the Society of Friends Who Knowing the Principles of the Abolitionists Stand Aloof from the Anti-Slavery Enterprise”. It implored fellow Quakers to join the Anti-Slavery movement. The Lewis farm in Pennsylvania became a frequent and successful point on the Underground Railroad, described in detail by Still. The family helped transport those seeking freedom and provided clothes and supplies.

Eventually, Lewis moved away from the family farm to Philadelphia. She had studied birds and other natural sciences on her own, but this move allowed her to take advantage of the specimen and library collections at the nearby Academy of Natural Sciences, and it propelled her into a network of naturalists. In 1862, she met John Cassin, ornithologist and curator of birds at the Academy. Cassin had written, with George N. Lawrence and the Smithsonian’s own Spencer Baird, The Birds of North America (1860), a work Lewis found particularly inspiring.

Cassin would be an invaluable friend and mentor to Lewis, even naming a bird for her, Icterus graceannae, the White-edged oriole. Lewis also corresponded frequently with Baird for years, seeking advice and asking for copies of Smithsonian publications. In 1870, the year after Cassin’s death, Lewis became one of the first three women admitted as members to the Academy.

Icterus graceannae, or White-edged Oriole, Ibis. Series 5, Volume 1. No. 1-4. Plate XI.

Lewis had channeled her interested in ornithology into her first scientific publication, Natural History of Birds : lectures on ornithology, in ten parts (1868). It was intended as an inexpensive overview of American birds for a general audience. In it, she also proposed a new classification scheme based on embryology, the characteristics of eggs. Unfortunately, only the first part was published, as funding for the remaining nine was never secured. She continued to research and publish on birds, alongside the leading naturalists of her time. Her articles in The American Naturalist, “The Lyre Bird” (August 1870) and “Symmetrical Figures in Birds’ Feathers” (November 1871) are available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Lewis’ interests and publications grew beyond ornithology, into the classification of natural history and a “tree of life”, which she exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. The Development of the Animal Kingdom (1877), available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library, is a twenty-page overview of her theories. It was prepared for the fourth meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Women. The group was formed in 1868 with the goal of presenting practical methods for improving women’s role in society, including education on a variety of subjects. Unsurprisingly, Lewis was active on the group’s Committee on Science.

Cover, The Development of the Animal Kingdom (1877).

Lewis told Phebe A. Hanaford in 1882, “I feel that my life’s work is before me, in lecturing on zoology to girls just blooming into womanhood”. For the next twenty years, Lewis continued to teach and write about various natural history topics. Her article “On the Genus Hyliota”, discussing the distinction of two rare African birds, was published in The Annals and magazine of natural history in 1883. Her social reform interests turned to temperance and suffrage, serving stints as secretary for her local chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and suffrage association.

Graceanna Lewis died in 1912 in Media, Pennsylvania at the age of 90. Her contributions to both science and social progress leave a remarkable and inspiring legacy.

Further Reading from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives:

Baird, Spencer Fullerton, John Cassin and George N. Lawrence. The Birds of North America (1860).

Baird, Spencer Fullerton. Spencer Fullerton Baird Papers. Record Unit 7002. Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Hanaford, Phebe A. Daughters of America (1883).

Lewis, Graceanna. The Development of the Animal Kingdom (1877).

Lewis, Graceanna. “On the genus Hyliota”. The Annals and magazine of natural history, Series 5, Volume 12, No. 67, pp. 210-212.

Still, William. The Underground rail road (1872).

Warner, Deborah Jean. Graceanna Lewis, scientist and humanitarian (1979).

Other resources:

Bonta, Marcia. “Graceanna Lewis, Portrait of a Quaker Naturalist”. Quaker History, Volume 74, Number 1, Spring 1985, pp. 27-40.

Lewis-Fussell Family Papers, SFHL-RG5-087, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

Lewis, Graceanna. “An appeal to those members of the Society of Friends who knowing the principles of the abolitionists stand aloof from the anti-slavery enterprise”. [between 1840 and 1849?].

Lewis, Graceanna. “The Lyre Bird” The American Naturalist (August 1870), pp 321.

Lewis, Graceanna. “Symmetrical Figures in Birds’ Feathers” . The American Naturalist (November 1871), pp. 675-678.

Truitt, James. “Digitizing the Papers of Graceanna Lewis, Ornithologist and Activist”. Cassinia. No. 77 (2017-2018), pp. 40-41.

Leisure Activities from the Past: Clues from the Trade Literature Collection

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:00:58 +0000

As winter winds down and spring approaches, outdoor activities start to look more appealing. How did people a 100 years ago spend their free time outside? The National Museum of American History Library’s Trade Literature Collection offers a few clues to some very recognizable pastimes.

Let’s take a look at two trade catalogs from the early 20th Century. One is from 1907 and the other is from 1915. The first trade catalog is titled Catalogue No. 101 (1907) by Herr, Thomas & Co. As highlighted in previous posts, this particular catalog advertises a variety of products such as furniture and writing supplies as well as toys, musical instruments, and jewelry. But there is so much more. It also includes a few pages focused on recreation and outdoor activities appropriate for all four seasons.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), front cover [page 1], explanation of benefits of buying direct from the company.

A winter activity some enjoy today is sledding. Judging from the fact that Catalogue No. 101 (1907) advertises sleds, children in the early 20th Century probably also enjoyed that activity. From this catalog, we gain a glimpse into the types of sleds they might have used. A page from the toy section, shown below, illustrates three sleds.

One sled was called the Flexible Flyer. It featured the ability to steer without decreasing speed. This was accomplished by applying just a slight pressure on the cross bar. Another sled, the Clipper Sled, was made of hardwood with steel runners. It included four hand grips to hold onto while coasting down hills. Two hand grips were positioned on each side of the runners. The seat of the sled was decorated with a design incorporating a ship. The third sled, simply labeled a “Sled” in the catalog, featured full-length hand rails on each side. It also conveniently came with a foot rest. The foot rest was positioned between the curved front pieces. Iron swan heads adorned the top of the curved front pieces which also held the guiding rope. According to this catalog, the seat of the sled was decorated in five colors but does not mention specific colors.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 85, Automobile, Wagons, Sleds, Printing Press, Child’s Tea Set, and Boy’s Tool Chest.

After an afternoon spent outdoors sledding, cocoa might have been a pleasant surprise. Herr, Thomas & Co. also sold food and grocery products. This included cocoa and “sweet eating chocolate.” Bitter chocolate for cooking purposes, tea, coffee, pickles, and preserves are also described in this catalog.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 88, Food products (teas, coffees, chocolate, cocoa, pickles, preserves).

What about outdoor activities during spring, summer, and fall? Herr, Thomas & Co. trade literature also provides clues as to what people in 1907 possibly enjoyed during the warmer months. These activities might sound familiar to us today as well. The page below shows two hammocks. Perhaps someone enjoyed an afternoon reading a book or simply resting on a hammock. The hammocks shown below were woven with cotton yarn and available in green, yellow, or red. An added bonus for comfort was the roll pillow. The hammock shown below, middle left, was a bit more decorative due to the 15 inch deep valance.

Consumers in 1907 also had the option of buying a simple lawn chair for their backyard. The striped Lawn Chair (below, top right) was foldable. Its frame was made of hardwood. The Lawn Chair was also adjustable to either a sitting or reclining position. Other possibilities for relaxing outside in the garden included the Reed Tete and Lawn Settee, both shown below.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 69, Lawn and Porch Furniture (Reed Tete, Lawn Chair, Hammocks, Lawn Settee) and Sporting Goods (Spaulding Striking Bag, Spaulding Catchers’ Glove).

Another idea for a relaxing afternoon is resting on a Porch Swing. The Porch Swing, shown below (bottom right), featured a slightly curved seat with the convenience of both a foot rest and leg rest. The leg rest extended 17 inches below the seat connecting to a solid foot rest which was covered in linoleum. While adults rested on the porch, perhaps children played in the Lawn Tent (below, bottom left). Maybe the Lawn Tent was a setting for their own tea party using the Child’s Tea Set, also sold by Herr, Thomas & Co. The Lawn Tent was made of cotton duck and measured 8 feet wide, 8 feet long, and 8 feet high.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 68, Lawn Implements (Push Cart, Garden Wheelbarrow, Rubber Hose, Hose Reel, Lawn Mower) and Lawn and Porch Furniture (Lawn Tent, Lawn Swing, Porch Swing).

Moving along, a little over a decade later, let’s take a look at Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) by John Wanamaker. As described in a previous post, this particular catalog illustrates clothing. This includes riding habits and other accessories for horseback riding.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), front cover.

Both side-saddle and cross-saddle riding habits were available. “Cross-saddle”, or astride, refers to the more common type of saddle used today. The side-saddle habit (below, top right) was a three-piece set made of tan linen. It consisted of a safety skirt, three-quarter coat, and reinforced breeches. As might be expected, the cross-saddle habit pictured below (bottom left) consisted of two pieces, the long coat and reinforced breeches.

However, it was also possible to buy a different cross-saddle habit which came with a skirt. As a two-piece set, it included only a coat and breeches, but with the addition of a shell skirt, it was also available as a three-piece set. The shell skirt opened in the front and back making it a split skirt and providing the ability to ride cross-saddle. This particular riding habit with a black and white checkered pattern is shown below (bottom right). Other riding equipment and accessories illustrated in this catalog include riding boots, shirts, collars, bowties, and hats.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog (1915), page 26, horseback riding habits, equipment, and accessories.

Besides providing clues as to the types of products bought by consumers in the early 20th Century, these trade catalogs also show the types of activities they might have participated in and enjoyed. Catalogue No. 101 (1907) by Herr, Thomas & Co. and Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) by John Wanamaker are both located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Upcoming Events: March and April

Erin Rushing — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 14:00:33 +0000

We’ll be busy over the next few months and you’re invited. Interested in Women’s History? Want to get a closer look at our collections? Join us for an upcoming event!

Wonderful Women Creating Change
Wednesday, March 10, 5 pm ET
Register here

To celebrate Women’s History Month in March and the recent release of Wonder Woman 1984 (filmed and set at the Smithsonian!), join us for the first in our Women’s History with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives program series, sponsored by Deloitte, “Wonderful Women Creating Change.” You’ll learn about our own connections to this iconic character and hear what it was really like to be a woman working at the Smithsonian in the 1970s and 1980s.

Lilla Vekerdy, Head and Curator of Special Collections, and Elizabeth Harmon, Digital Curator of the History of Smithsonian Women in Science, will share behind-the-scenes insights into the intriguing contents of our collection of materials from the creator of Wonder Woman, William Moulton Marston, and our fascinating Smithsonian records that document the experiences of real women.

Thank you to our generous sponsors of this program:
Signature Sponsor: Deloitte
Sponsor: Smithsonian’s Atlanta Regional Council, Co-Chaired by Cheryl Neal and Christine Ragland

Wikipedia & Women in Science: Smithsonian Groundbreakers Edit-a-thon
Thursday, March 25, 1 pm – 3 pm ET
Register here

There are so many inspiring stories about women in science at the Smithsonian in its 175-year history that can educate and embolden future generations, but only if their legacies are discoverable. On Thursday, March 25, join our #BecauseOfHerStory effort to uncover more about these often underrepresented women trailblazers in various disciplines, from astrophysics to zoology

During this training, attendees of all experience levels will learn the basics of how to edit Wikipedia by updating articles related to the history of women in science at the Smithsonian Institution in connection with the Funk List. Presenters will share how editors might research the work of these women in the absence of personal papers and institutional records.

As one of the web’s most visited reference sites, Wikipedia serves as a starting point for many individuals looking to learn about art, history, and science. However, less than 19% of Wikipedia biographies in English represent women, and less than 10% of Wikipedia editors identify as women. By increasing representation of women scientists on the site, your impact can spark the curiosities of future generations who see themselves in these Smithsonian groundbreakers.

This event is planned in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution Archives, the Biodiversity Heritage Library, and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative, a multiyear undertaking to document, research, collect, display, and share the history of women in the United States.

Adopt-a-Book Salons with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
March 18, April 1, April 13, April 28
Registration details below

Get up close and personal with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ collections and experts through our new series of Adopt-a-Book Salons!

Our Adopt-a-Book program provides essential funding to support conservation, acquisition, and digitization of our materials while allowing you to commemorate an occasion, celebrate a milestone, or leave a legacy for a loved one. Each year, we invite guests to our Adopt-a-Book Evening to explore books available for adoption and learn why these items are crucial for researchers today.

This year, we’ve taken our annual event online and will be hosting a series of four intimate salons in March and April, where you’ll have the opportunity to interact with our librarians, archivists, and conservators. You’re invited to join us for all four events to see books and materials from all 21 of our library branches and the Archives!

Adopt-a-Book Salon: Global Perspectives
Thursday, March 18
5:30 to 6:45 pm ET
Focusing on the global breadth of our collections

Books from Anacostia Community Museum Library, Botany and Horticulture Library, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Library, Warren M. Robbins Library at the National Museum of African Art, National Museum of Asian Art Library, National Museum of Natural History Library, Smithsonian Libraries Research Annex, and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Library

Adopt-a-Book Salon: Off the Mall
Thursday, April 1
5:30 to 6:45 pm ET

Featuring an interdisciplinary selection of libraries located off the National Mall
Books from Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Library, Museum Support Center Library, National Air and Space Museum Library, National Postal Museum Library, National Zoological Park Library, and Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Library

Adopt-a-Book Salon: America the Beautiful
Tuesday, April 13
5:30 to 6:45 pm ET
Focusing on American art, history, and culture

Books from American Art and Portrait Gallery Library, John Wesley Powell Library of Anthropology, National Museum of African American History & Culture Library, National Museum of American History Library, Vine Deloria, Jr. Library at the National Museum of the American Indian, and Smithsonian Libraries Research Annex

Adopt-a-Book Salon: From the Vaults
Wednesday, April 28
5:30 to 6:45 pm ET
Featuring special collections, preservation, and the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Books from Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology, Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History, and the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Adopt-a-Book Salon Ticket Information
$35 per person, per event. Purchase tickets here.
We’re offering a discount if you attend multiple events: $60 for two events (save $10), $85 for three events (save $20), and $115 for four events (save $25).

If you are unable to attend, please consider adopting a book online or making a donation.

Questions? See our FAQs at the bottom of this page.

Freer’s Marginalia and Mandarin Ducks

Mike Smith — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 14:00:37 +0000

Title page of An Introduction to the History of Chinese Pictorial Art.

In 1906, industrialist Charles Lang Freer gave his collection of Asian and American art and related materials in a gift that began the Freer Gallery of Art. This gift included books which are now in the Freer-Sackler Library . Among them, some that contain Freer’s personal notes and marginalia. One of these is a first edition copy of Herbert Giles’ book An Introduction to the History of Chinese Pictorial Art. This book, originally published in 1905, was the first to provide a comprehensive history of Chinese painting in a European language. Freer made margin notes throughout the book, which help show his personal interests as he was building his art collection. His copy of this book has been digitized by the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and can now be examined online.

An example of Freer’s notes can be found on page 75. Here Freer has underlined “Hsu Hsi” (Xu Xi), a Five Dynasties Southern Tang (tenth century) Chinese painter, and has written in the left margin: “Two ducks + flowering plant called ‘hung-loo-hua’ Hong Kong.” This seems to be a reference to the painting “Mandarin Ducks under Smartweed” which Freer purchased in 1909 from a Hong Kong dealer. Freer believed the painting to be by Xu Xi, although it is now known to be a Ming Dynasty reproduction.

Page 75 of An Introduction to the History of Chinese Pictorial Art (1905) with marginalia by Charles Lang Freer. Click to enlarge.

On the same page in the lower right hand corner, Freer has underlined the word “transparent” relating to a type of paper on which Xu Xi painted flowers. He has written: “Chen Sin Tang paper” — it was made by the Emperor of the Thousand Tang State. Thick, smooth paper.” This is a reference to a type of Chinese paper that originated in the Five Dynasties Southern Tang that became much sought after in the Northern Song Dynasty. Over the centuries an air of legend and mystery came to surround Chengxin Tang paper, such that in the Qing Dynasty the Qianlong Emperor made it a project to try to recreate it.

“Mandarin Ducks under Smartweed”, detail. Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. F1909.192.

As the digitization of Freer’s books continues, more of the marginalia contained in them will be available for online research.

Reference:

He, Yan-chiuan. Chengxin Tang Paper and the Qianlong Emperor: With a Discussion of His Connoisseurship of Ancient Paper. The National Palace Museum Research Quarterly 33:1 (2015).

Thank you to Freer and Sackler Archivist Ryan Murray for his reference assistance.

Four New Members Join Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board

Liz O'Brien — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 14:00:00 +0000

The Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents appointed John Chickering, Christopher Clark, Christopher Lee and Nick Santhanam to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board. They join 13 prominent community and business leaders dedicated to building the Libraries and Archives’ collections, increasing digital initiatives, advancing education, progressing library and archival preservation, creating high-quality exhibitions and programs and securing a financial legacy.

“It is my pleasure to welcome four outstanding new members to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board,” said Scott E. Miller, interim director of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and the Smithsonian’s chief scientist. “Invaluable leaders in their fields, their experience and guidance will tremendously benefit the Libraries and Archives’ continued growth as a critical global resource. We are fortunate to tap into their extensive wisdom and diverse perspectives.”

Please join us in welcoming our newest Advisory Board members!

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board Member John Chickering

John Chickering

John Chickering advises boards and senior executives on strategy, technology and operations. He has a track record of effectively bridging business operations and information technology to deploy diverse digital transformation solutions across large enterprises.

As a pioneer in the development of digital archiving solutions, Chickering’s work was cited in industry trade press and he wrote papers for peer-review publications. For the Department of Defense, he defined a system to store over 100 million engineering drawings across dozens of domestic sites.

For Fidelity Investments, he deployed a cross-enterprise digital archive solution. While serving as a chief information officer in Fidelity’s private equity portfolio, Chickering built out the technology for a corporate off-site records storage facility and was a principal thought leader informing Fidelity’s digital records archive strategy. He led a multi-year enterprise digital transformation initiative that migrated complex high-volume customer communications from paper to eDelivery.

Chickering’s board experience includes both fiduciary and advisory boards for commercial, educational and other non-profit institutions where he has held various executive committee positions, including chair. He is a Fellow of the Association for Intelligent Information Management and is an occasional speaker at industry conferences and seminars hosted in academia.

Chickering volunteers with several community service organizations and has led over 15 hurricane/storm restoration work teams on the ground in Mississippi, New York, Vermont and Florida. He holds a Bachelor of Science in marine engineering from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and an MBA from the University of Maryland.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board Member Christopher Clark

Christopher Clark

Christopher York Clark joined Directorship as senior vice president and publisher in December 2002. In 2006, he was promoted to president and publisher of Directorship Services LLC. As senior director of Partner Relations and Publisher, he is presently responsible for the revenue development and conduct of NACD Directorship Magazine, NACD corporate governance forums and director roundtables. In addition, he currently heads the programming for NACD’s Leading Minds of Compensation Forum and NACD’s Leading Minds of Governance Conference. Further, he is the creator of NACD Private Company Directorship and the architect and day-to-day catalyst of NACD’s Power of Difference program.

Clark joined NACD following a decade of service at Forbes Inc. Most recently, he was vice president, sales for Forbes.com. Earlier he served as vice president and general manager of the Forbes Management Conference Group, a leading producer of senior-executive meetings. In this capacity, he oversaw P&L, sales, marketing, program development and logistics for all Forbes conferences. Prior to that position, he served as Forbes magazine’s financial services advertising director.

Presently, Clark is a member of the Broadridge Virtual Shareholder Meeting Best Practices Working Group, and a contributing member of NACD’s Flag and General Officer Advisory Council. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Denison University. In 2006, he was promoted to president and publisher of Directorship Services LLC. As senior director of Partner Relations and Publisher, he is presently responsible for the revenue development and the marketing of NACD Directorship Magazine, NACD corporate governance forums and custom roundtables. In addition, he currently heads the programming for NACD’s Leading Minds of Compensation Forum and NACD’s Leading Minds of Governance Conference and serves as host and moderator at both events. Further, he is the architect and day-to-day catalyst of NACD’s Power of Difference program.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board Member Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee

Chris Lee is a partner at FAA Investments, a private investment group focusing on real estate, early-stage companies and in-depth research on hedge funds and private equity managers. With home bases in San Francisco and Hong Kong, Lee and his partners allocate capital globally. He is fluent in English and Chinese.

Additionally, Lee is a board director with expertise in financial markets, risk management, governance and leadership development. Currently, he serves as an Independent Board Member with Matthews Asia Funds, the largest US Investment Company (’40 Act) with a dedicated focus on Asia Pacific markets.

Previously, Lee was an investment banker for 18 years, acting as managing director and divisional and regional heads at Deutsche Bank AG, UBS Investment Bank AG and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He worked in global capital markets, managed derivative product development and provided equity sales and trading functions to institutional investors.

He is an advocate of sustainable enterprises and environmentally conscious projects, serving on various boards with a passion for promoting education, conservation, energy efficiency and sustainability. Lee also serves on the boards of University of California, Berkeley-Haas Dean’s Advisory Circle, African Wildlife Foundation, Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute and Salzburg Global Seminar.

Academically, Lee is an associate professor of science practice at HKUST and teaches financial mathematics and risk management courses. He completed the AMP at Harvard University and holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board Member Nick Santhanam

Nick Santhanam

Nick Santhanam is a senior Partner in McKinsey & Company’s Silicon Valley Office and leads their global industrials practice. Nick also leads their S5C (Sub $5 billion companies) practice. Nick serves industrials/industrial-tech companies on their end-to-end strategy and performance transformation efforts. He has led their work on “McKinsey on industrials,” “McKinsey on Packaging,” “McKinsey on flow control,” “McKinsey on food processing and handling,” “McKinsey on construction” and several other knowledge efforts, which are deep dives in various industrial micro verticals, to map the secular growth headwinds and tailwinds as well as what it takes for companies to create and capture value. He also hosts their annual CEO summits—Industrial CEO (GILS), Tech CEOs (T-30), Family-owned companies CEO (L-20)—as well as he the host and convener of their executive learning programs including board learning event on disruptions (NWDS), investor learning on disruptions (NWDS-I) and executive learning event on transformations (APT-30). In the past 36 months, he has led multiple successful transformations of companies, which has led to 200-500 basis points of margin expansion and significant shareholder value creation.

Prior to joining McKinsey, Santhanam worked as a technical manager at Taconic (a PCB/ceramics manufacturer), Petersburgh, New York. Prior to Taconic, he worked as a manufacturing engineer at Arlon in their Bear, Delaware facility.

Santhanam has a Master of Science in chemical engineering from University of Illinois and an MBA in strategic management and finance from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He graduated as a Ford and Palmer scholar from Wharton.

John Wesley Cromwell and the Importance of Representation

Erin Rushing — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 14:00:31 +0000

John Wesley Cromwell was an influential African American lawyer, educator and activist. He was also an early advocate for a concept librarians and educators still struggle with today: representation of historically marginalized voices in American literature.

Portrait of John Wesley Cromwell, from Men of Mark (1887) . Courtesy of Emory University, Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, accessed via Internet Archive.

Cromwell was born enslaved in Virginia in 1846, the youngest of seven children. His father was able to obtain freedom for the family and relocated to Pennsylvania during John’s childhood. Cromwell attended school in Philadelphia, graduating from the Institute for Colored Youth, and soon took up teaching in Virginia. He moved to D.C. and graduated from Howard University Law School in 1874. Cromwell held several civil service jobs and practiced law for over a decade while maintaining positions in African American educational organizations and publishing his own paper, People’s Advocate.

Cromwell’s contributions were significant enough in the late 19^th century that William J. Simmons profiled him in Men of Mark (1887) alongside notable figures like Frederick Douglass and Crispus Attucks. Simmons claimed, “If you ask me for the best English scholar in the United States, I would unhesitatingly refer you to John Wesley Cromwell.” Cromwell helped form the American Negro Academy in 1897, an organization dedicated to the advancement of African Americans in higher education, arts and sciences.

Between his teaching career and his deep interest in literature, Cromwell identified a hole in American education, one in which African American children “learn little or nothing of their kith or kin that is meritorious or inspiring”. He sought to address this issue of representation in his book The Negro in American History, published in 1914 by the American Negro Academy. When it was published, the Journal of Negro History reviewed it as a “very important work”.

“Reading Emancipation Proclamation by Union Soldier in a Slave Cabin”, plate from The Negro in American History (1914).

The book, available in our Digital Library, describes the involvement of Black men and women in many areas of American history, from colonization through the Spanish-American War and beyond. It also discusses African American culture in chapters like “Negro Church”. Much of the book profiles remarkable Black men and women. Some are still household names: Benjamin Banneker, Sojourner Truth, and Booker T. Washington. But others are not as well known. Fanny Muriel Jackson Coppin was a skilled orator and educator who was also the first African American woman to graduate from a recognized college. Robert Brown Elliott was a Reconstruction era lawyer and politician who helped draft legislation to fight the Ku Klux Klan in the South.

Cromwell provided the introduction for another book related to African American representation in history, Emancipation and the Freed in American Sculpture (1916). Freeman Henry Morris Murray’s self-published book, part of his Black Folk in Art series, investigates how the enslaved were depicted in sculpture, from Hiram Power’s “Greek Slave” to proposed plans for the Lincoln Memorial. In his introduction, Cromwell notes that Murray was compelled to pursue the subject after observing “omissions of proper representation of the darker races”. An observation Cromwell could certainly relate to.

Cover, Emancipation and the freed in American sculpture (1916).

Over a hundred years after the publication of Cromwell’s The Negro in American History, educators and librarians continue to work towards fair representation in literature, seeking out stories that tell the experience of all Americans. The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ newest exhibition, Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect, highlights the importance of building collections at the Vine Deloria Jr. Library, National Museum of the American Indian and the Anacostia Community Museum Library that represent the diverse communities they serve. Our staff continue to work with curators and researchers across the Smithsonian to acquire books, journals and other resources with diversity, equity and inclusion in mind. The problem John Wesley Cromwell identified is unfortunately far from solved, but his legacy lives on.

Further Reading:

Cromwell, Adelaide M., Unveiled Voices, Unvarnished Memories: the Cromwell Family in Slavery and Segregation, 1692-1972.

Zhong Kui and the Chinese New Year

Yue Shu — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 14:00:24 +0000

Shoki (Zhong Kui) Vanquishing a Demon, Katsukawa Shunsho (1726–1792), Japan, Edo period, early 1770s, woodblock print, ink and color on paper, The Anne van Biema Collection, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, S2004.3.323.

Zhong Kui is a legendary figure in East Asian countries. In China, it is customary that by the end of the year in preparation for the New Year, people hang his portrait on their doors as he is the auspicious spirit that protects people from demons and cures incurable diseases.

Zhong Kui was first mentioned in Dream Pool Essays by Song author Shen Kuo (1031-1095). He recounts how Zhong Kui entered a military examination where people would be judged on their military skills and then possibly selected to serve in the country’s military. Despite Zhong Kui’s outstanding performance, he was eliminated due to his unconventional appearance. He was regarded as grotesque looking. Zhong Kui was so upset with the injustice of his rejection that as a form of protest, he committed suicide.

Then, one day, an ailing emperor, Xuanzong of Tang (685-762) had a dream in which Zhong Kui killed the evil–spirited ghost who sickened him. The next day, the emperor felt healthy and well. He ordered the great Tang painter Wu Daozi (680-760) to paint a portrait of Zhong Kui and issued an imperial edict to have his subjects hang Zhong Kui’s portrait at the New Year. A tradition was born and Zhong Kui became a legend.

Detail, Zhongshan Going on Excursion, Gong Kai (1222–1307), China, Yuan dynasty, late 13th–early 14th century, Ink on paper, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, Freer Gallery of Art, F1938.4.

The tradition of Zhong Kui is particularly important as we celebrate this Lunar Chinese New Year which falls on February 12, 2021. With the COVID-19 virus relentlessly killing and sickening people all over the world, we need Zhong Kui, the Demon Queller more than any other time to protect us and provide hope that this pandemic will end soon.

To see more images of Zhong Kui, please visit the Freer and Sackler website.

Further reading from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives collections:

Guo li gu gong bo wu yuan 國立故宮博物院. Ying sui ji fu: yuan cang Zhong Kui ming hu ate zhan 迎歲集福：院藏鐘馗名畫特展. Taibei: Guo li gu gong bo wu yuan, 1997.

Hu, Wanchuan 胡萬川. Zhong Kui shen hua yu xiao shuo zhi yan jiu 鐘馗神話與小說之研究. Taibei: Wen shi zhe chu ban she, 1980.

Lee, Sherman, “Yuan Hui, Zhong Kui, Demons and the New Year,” Artibus Asiae 53, no. 1/2, 1993, pp. 211-227.

Tsai, Chun-Yi Joyce. “Imagining the supernatural grotesque: paintings of Zhong Kui and Demons in the late Southern Song (1127-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties”. Accessed Jan. 28, 2021. https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D8RR1X2W

The Garden: A Place to Learn and Experiment

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 14:00:07 +0000

A garden is a place to rest, relax, rejuvenate. It also provides an opportunity to learn about nature. Staff at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives are also learning and developing new skills. Some of these new skills are related to digitization and accessibility of biodiversity literature.

During these months of telework, I am assisting the Digital Library and Digitization Department to enhance page-level and image-level access to previously digitized books for the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL). This involves improving page-level metadata for items in BHL, uploading full-page illustrations to the BHL Flickr photostream, and tagging the images in Flickr with species’ common and scientific names. These digitized books include a variety of content: plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, and so much more. In the course of this work, I have the opportunity to view lovely illustrations. Recently a horticultural catalog caught my attention. The item is titled Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878) by James Vick.

James Vick, Rochester, NY. Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878), title page. Available online in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

James Vick was born in England and arrived in New York City at a young age. There, he learned the printer’s trade. He later moved to Rochester, New York. In Rochester, he set type for several newspapers and went on to serve as writer, editor, owner, or publisher of various publications. In 1862, he issued the first Floral Guide and Catalogue. Based on his past experience in the print and journalism fields, he created a personal style offering gardening advice, anecdotes, correspondence, a complaint section, a children’s section, and color prints. James Vick also began a seed store which later became a well-known seed-display garden. After his death, the company continued into the 20th Century until it was sold to Burpee Seed Co.

James Vick, Rochester, NY. Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878), page preceding page 99, Perennials including (1) Aquilegia, (2) Perennial Pea, (3) Digitalis (Fox Glove), (4) Double Pink, (5) Perennial Larkspur, (6) Campanula (Canterbury Bell), (7) Sweet William, (8) Picotee, (9) Pentstemon. Available online in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

This particular item, Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878) by James Vick, is filled with gardening advice, botanical descriptions, and many illustrations. It seems to speak directly to the reader with a conversational tone and focus on learning. As it states on page 5,

“The study of Agriculture and Horticulture has engaged the attention of the wisest from the earliest ages, and yet what wonderful discoveries and improvements have we witnessed in our own day; and we are still learners.”

James Vick, Rochester, NY. Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878), page preceding page 109, Tender Bulbs including (1) Tritoma uvaria, (2) Gladioli, (3) Tuberose, (4) Dahlia, (5) Tigridia. Available online in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

The catalog includes practical suggestions for selecting seeds, preparing soil, and planting gardens. On the subject of garden design, it suggests keeping the future in mind. When planting trees, it emphasizes the awareness of knowing the size, form, and habits of the full-grown tree as opposed to only thinking of its small size when planted. For those with little outdoor space, there are ideas for creating balcony gardens and window boxes.

James Vick, Rochester, NY. Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878), page 20, Entrance Court and Balcony Garden. Available online in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Another section focuses on floral decorations, such as incorporating greenery and flowers into decorations. This might include covering letters with greenery to form welcoming words for a guest, adorning a table with a floral centerpiece, decorating a room with garlands, or creating bouquets and button-hole flowers.

Let’s take a closer look at one of these floral decorations, forming and covering letters with greenery and flowers. Perhaps, someone wanted to welcome a guest by displaying a “Welcome” sign or, as in the example below, decorate the words, “Peace on Earth.” As the catalog explains, the first step was to determine the height of all letters. Then, the width of each letter was determined proportional to its height. For example, if six inches was chosen for the height of all upper-case letters, the proportional width for “P” would be four inches, “E” three and a half inches, “A” four and a half inches, and so on, as detailed in the explanation shown in the image below. Once the letters were outlined on heavy straw board, each letter was cut out and dark thread was used to fasten small branches of evergreens or dry moss to the letters. Finally as a finishing touch, berries or everlasting flowers were added to brighten the decoration, as detailed below.

James Vick, Rochester, NY. Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878), page 31, Forming Letters for Floral Decorations. Available online in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Another floral decoration is the button-hole flower or bouquet. The button-hole flower was simply that, a single flower with a “pretty, sweet-scented leaf” positioned behind it. Thread or string was used to attach the two together (below, bottom right), and then it was inserted into the bouquet holder which was already filled with water. To fasten the button-hole flower to clothing or hair, a pin was attached to the bouquet holder.

On the other hand, the button-hole bouquet was composed of “a few very fine flowers” (below, bottom left). Once the flowers were nicely arranged, the stems were covered with damp moss or cotton and then tinfoil. The button-hole bouquet was inserted into the bouquet holder or attached directly to clothing with a pin.

James Vick, Rochester, NY. Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878), page 36, English Holly, Winter Berry (Ilex verticillata), Button-hole Bouquet, and Button-hole Flower. Available online in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Almost every page of Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878) includes an illustration. With its conversational style and focus on learning, it encourages readers to try their hand at something new. This might be designing their own garden, planting a small garden in a window box, placing vases or ornamentation around the garden, or creating a floral decoration for a party. For reference purposes, it includes a handy “Botanical Glossary” and guide to “Pronouncing Vocabulary of Botanical Names.”

Towards the end, there are many pages illustrating and describing specific plants. A page focusing on “Classification and Names of Flowers” assists with understanding the divisions of plants as described in this catalog. These divisions include Annuals, Perennials, Greenhouse, Bulbs and Plants, and Holland Bulbs. There is also a section devoted to Vegetables. Detailed information for specific plants includes such things as descriptions, origin, and tips for planting. Every so often, the reader might stumble across a full-page illustration, like the Annuals shown below. Perhaps an illustration such as this might have inspired a bouquet or floral decoration to brighten a room for a holiday or special occasion.

James Vick, Rochester, NY. Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878), page preceding page 55, Annuals including (1) Ten-Weeks Stock, (2) Phlox drummondii, (3) Double Portulaca, (4) Balsam, (5) Nemophila, (6) Japan Cockscomb, (7) Pansy, (8) Striped Petunia. Available online in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Vick’s Flower and Vegetable Garden (1878) by James Vick is located in the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History. A digitized version is available on the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) and a Flickr album of its full-page illustrations is available on the BHL Flickr. For more information about James Vick, take a look at this BHL Blog post.

Other seed catalogs by James Vick’s Sons are located in a horticultural collection within the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. For more information on one of these catalogs, take a look at this post about Vick’s Garden and Floral Guide (1898) by James Vick’s Sons.

Reference:

“Vick, James.” Biographies of American Seedsmen & Nurserymen, compiled by Marca L. Woodhams, Librarian, Horticulture Branch Library, Smithsonian Institution Libraries, December 1999. Accessed January 8, 2021. https://www.sil.si.edu/SILPublications/seeds/bios.html#Vick,%20James

Color Our Collections for 2021

Erin Rushing — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 14:00:09 +0000

Calling all coloring enthusiasts! #ColorOurCollections is back for 2021 and we have a brand new coloring packet just for you. We’ve teamed up with our colleagues at Smithsonian Institution Archives to bring you ten coloring pages to help break your winter boredom. Download them now!

Cover of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives #ColorOurCollections 2021Coloring Book. Download the full booklet.

Below, we’ll give you a bit more information about the coloring book images based on books and journals in our library collections. Curious about the Smithsonian Institution Archives images in the packet? Head over to The Bigger Picture blog to learn more!

“Die Insel”, Die entwicklung der modernen buchkunst in Deutschland (1901).

Otto Grautoff’s book Die entwicklung der modernen buchkunst in Deutschland (Development of the modern book in Germany) contains page after page of fascinating examples of German book illustration. This elaborate scene by Heinrich Vogeler of “Die Insel” (“The Island”) is no exception. If you’re interested in creating your own coloring pages, or just want to flip through fantastic examples of 19th and early 20th century illustration, Grautoff’s book in our Digital Library is a great starting point.

Coloring page featuring “Die Insel”, in Die entwicklung der modernen buchkunst in Deutschland (1901). Download the full booklet.

“Design for Plate”, Keramic Studio, Volume 5 (1904).

Mrs. Dante C. Babbitt was one of many talented woman illustrators whose work was highlighted in Keramic Studio, a ceramics design journal started by Adelaide Alsop-Robineau in 1899. The original book page includes instructions for exactly what colors to use when applying this design. But if Apple Green and Deep Blue aren’t part of your preferred palette, feel free to choose your own shades.

Coloring page for “Design for Plate”, Keramic Studio, Volume 5 (1904). Download the full booklet.

“Key to Terms in Glossary”, The Genus Rosa, Part III , 1910.

With The Genus Rosa (1910-1914), English horticulturalist Ellen Ann Willmott brought together information about known rose species from a multitude of sources. The work was illustrated by Alfred Parsons, a prominent English illustrator, landscape painter and garden designer. Two volumes are available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Coloring page for “Key to Terms in Glossary”, The Genus Rosa, Part III , 1910. Download the full booklet.

Plate IX, Gothic Alphabets, 1897.

In 2019, Smithsonian Libraries staff members Morgan Aronson and Lilla Vekerdy published Abecedarium: An Adult Coloring Book for Bibliophiles , part history, part coloring book, and part guide to historic books. Where possible, the rare books featured in Abecedarium were digitized cover-to-cover and made available in our Digital Library. Among them, Gothic Alphabets, published in 1897 by International Chalcographical Society with text by Jaro Springer.

Coloring page for Plate IX, Gothic Alphabets, 1897. Download the full booklet.

“Il Pleut Encore . . .” Gazette du Bon Ton, Tome II 1915.

Rainwear, but make it fashion. This illustration (“It’s still raining . . .) by artist Valentine Gross Hugo is a wonderful example of how anything could be chic when seen through the lens of French periodical Gazette du Bon Ton. The art and style journal was published by Lucien Vogel between 1913 and 1925.

“Il Pleut Encore . . .” Gazette du Bon Ton, Tome II 1915. Download the full booklet.

Summer 2021 Virtual Internships Available

Erin Rushing — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 14:00:17 +0000

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has just opened applications for virtual, paid internships for Summer 2021 through our 50^th Anniversary Internship Program. The projects are in a variety of subject areas and are open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Application deadline is March 1, 2021.

Each unique project offers an opportunity to explore current topics in archives, libraries and information science and learn from experienced Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff in a virtual environment.

Projects include:

Advancement: delve into online donor engagement and stewardship by assisting with digital marketing and donor relations
Born Digital Collections: learn how to extract and analyze metadata from born digital holdings and develop and implement a preservation treatment plan for this type of material
Cataloging: explore bias in current Library of Congress Subject Headings and help make collections description more open, accurate, and inclusive
Communications: learn how the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives shares its collections and programs with various audiences by evaluating and creating marketing and social media content
Digital Curation: contribute to the creation of digital resources and exhibitions about the history of Smithsonian women in science by learning how to manage a dataset, developing biographies and researching representation in data

See complete program details and application instructions on our 50th Anniversary Internship page. Learn more about academic appointments and related policies on our Internship and Fellowship page.

Curious about the work of past interns? Read more about their experiences.

Funding for the 50th Anniversary intern class was provided by the Secretary of the Smithsonian and the Smithsonian National Board.

The Prickly Meanings of the Pineapple

Julia Blakely — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 14:00:20 +0000

The pineapple, indigenous to South America and domesticated and harvested there for centuries, was a late comer to Europe. The fruit followed in its cultivation behind the tomato, corn, potato, and other New World imports. Delicious but challenging and expensive to nurture in chilly climes and irresistible to artists and travelers for its curious structure, the pineapple came to represent many things. For Europeans, it was first a symbol of exoticism, power, and wealth, but it was also an emblem of colonialism, weighted with connections to plantation slavery.

Originating from the region around the Paraná and Paraguay Rivers (present-day Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina), it was an important economic plant in the development of Indigenous civilizations in the Americas. The Tupi-Guarani and Carib peoples called the fruit, a staple crop, nanas (excellent fruit) and several varieties were grown. As well as food, the pineapple was a source of medicine, fermented to become alcohol, its fibers made into robes and bow strings and thread for cloth.

The Aztec word for pineapple is matzatli as seen here is Francisco Hernández’s, Nova Plantarum, Animalium et Mineralium Mexicanorum Historia (1651). The Mayans also cultivated the plant. Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by John Carter Brown Library.

From South America, the cultivated pineapple spread to Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Christopher Columbus encountered the pineapple (Ananas comosus, of the extensive bromeliad family) in the West Indies on the island he named Guadeloupe in November 1493.

Columbus may have brought one back successfully to Spain, although pineapples tended to rot on the long return voyages across the Atlantic. He called it piña de Indes (“little pine of the Indians”) for its resemblance to the pinecone and declared it “the most delicious fruit in the world.” For the Spanish-Italian historian Pietro Martire d’Anghiera, not unreasonably, the pineapple resembled the artichoke. This author of De Orbe Novo (On the New World, 1530) found it “not unworthy of a king’s table.” The early European explorers and colonizers were enamored with it, often praising the pineapple in their chronicles of their voyages. The first identified illustration of the pineapple is in the historian Oviedo’s Historia General de las Indias of 1535, where it is again connected with royalty as “the prince of all fruits.”

Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés‘ Historia General de las Indias, folio lxxvi (verso) woodcut illustration (Seville, 1535; link). The author was a keen chronicler of what was new from the New World to Europe. Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Missouri Botanical Garden, Peter H. Raven Library.

This pineapple became a treasured possession in Europe, but it was of practical use for sailors in tropical regions, who were vulnerable to developing scurvy from a lack of vitamin C during long voyages. They observed the healthful effects of eating pineapple, even though the connection between the devastating disease and diet deficiencies was not yet scientifically understood. The Portuguese introduced the fruit (that they called abaxaci) to their colonies in Africa, India, and perhaps other parts of Asia in the mid-sixteenth century. For Tamil-speaking peoples, pineapples were known as annachi pazham.

It was much later that the intriguing tropical fruit was able to be grown in cold climates with the development, at huge costs, of glass houses and their reliable heating systems to warm the air and soil continuously. The fruit needed a controlled environment, run by complex mechanisms and skilled care, to thrive in Europe. Pineapples, thus, became a class or status symbol, a luxury available only to royalty and aristocrats. The fruit appeared as a centerpiece on lavish tables, not to be eaten but admired, and was sometimes even rented for an evening. The pineapple was also a symbol of colonialism, one of the trophies brought back from conquered territories.

The pineapple can be said to first appear in England by way of the printed title page of John Parkinson’s Paradisi in sole paradisus terrestris (Park-in-Sun’s Terrestrial Paradise) of 1629. In its representation of the Garden of Eden, the fruit takes prime spot in between the valuable and wildly fashionable tulips. This may be a symbol of temptation for Adam, as there was also an erotic, seductive association in contrast to the staid, old apple. The pineapple was the fruit of the new Eden, the New World. In his Theatrum Botanicum of 1640, the botanist Parkinson provided a description: “Scaly like an Artichoke at the first view, but more like to a cone of the Pine tree, which we call a pineapple for the forme … being so sweete in smell … tasting … as if Wine, Rosewater and Sugar were mixed together.”

Paradisi in sole paradisus terrestris, or, A garden of all sorts of pleasant flowers (London, 1629). Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Research Library, The Getty Research Institute.

Richard Ligon, part-owner of a sugar plantation run with enslaved labor, in his A True & Exact History of the Island of Barbadoes (1657), was fascinated with the pineapple he found there: “When this fruit is grown to a likeness, you shall perceive it by the smell, which is far beyond the smell of our choicest fruits of Europe, as the taste is beyond theirs.” The kitchen gardens of Caribbean plantations grew pineapples to supply the white households. Ligon tried to import plants back to England, but they did not survive the voyage. Since Columbus, Jamaica had been a possession of Spain, but the British Navy seized the island in 1655. Hans Sloan in his Voyage to the Islands of Madera, Barbados, Nieves, S. Christophers and Jamaica (1707-1725) reported:

“The Fruit is planted and us’d by way of desert (having a very fine flavor and tast[e]) all over the hot West-Indies, either raw or, when not yet ripe, candied, and is accounted the most delicious Fruit these places, or the World affords … The slices are soaked in Canary [a sweet wine] to take the sharpness which commonly otherwise inflames the Throat, and then they are eaten.”

A True & Exact History of the Island of Barbadoes, by Richard Ligon (London, 165). Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by John Carter Brown Library.

In the 1680s, Pieter de la Court, with the help of his gardener, Willem de Vink, attempted to cultivate the tropical plant at an estate near Leiden, and this effort is sometimes credited with being the first for growing one in Europe. But it was the remarkable woman, botanist, collector, and patron Agneta Block who achieved the first success with fruiting the pineapple from a slip. This took place in 1687 in a hothouse at her country house, Vijverhof, located between Amsterdam and Utrecht.

The pineapple can be viewed as an early example of a global commodity. And of slavery with the unfathomable number of enslaved Africans brought to the New World. The Dutch had started exporting the fruit to the Netherlands and Surinam, their colony in Guianas. A ship’s captain first managed to transport the plant to the botanical gardens of Amsterdam and Leiden in 1680. Surinam became wealthy in trading humans and was marked by its brutal plantations. Cash crops grown in the Americas for trade—sugar cane, tobacco, coffee, rice, for example—relied on enslaved labor as well as local expertise. In two successive plates of Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, the famed naturalist and artist Maria Sibylla Merian gave prominence to the fruit. She had sailed to Dutch Surinam in 1699 to study tropical insects. There, for two years, she relied on enslaved African and Indigenous peoples as guides, household help, and sources for botanical information.

“Pineapple with Cockroaches,” the first plate in Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium by Maria Sibylla Merian (Amsterdam, 1705).

“Ripe Pineapple with Dido Longwing Butterfly” in Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium . Maria Sibylla Merian described Ananas comosus as producing “the most outstanding of all edible fruits.”

It was in a German book solely devoted to citrus fruits that the pineapple was illustrated in a manner reflecting its exalted position as symbol of social status and refined collecting. Johann Christoph Volkamer’s Nürnbergische Hesperides (The Garden of Hesperides at Nuremberg) contains wonderfully inspired, dreamlike images from the author’s garden ‘Gostenhof’ and its orangeries. Untethered, fruits float above various etched scenes of elaborate gardens of the Alps and Italy, country landscapes, villas, and seaports. There are five uncolored, double-size plates of pineapple, the “Queen of Fruits,” elements of which show the artist’s debt to Merian and her scientific observations (one almost a mirrored image). However, the Nürnbergische Hesperides is very much of the world of the merchant Volkamer, one of the few of the time who had the means and interests to both nurture exotic fruits and undertake such an opulent publication, a more lasting testament to the aristocrat’s cultivation and refinement.

The pineapple plates of Nürnbergische Hesperides (1708-1714) appear in the second volume (link), Continuation, here with a hairy spider, a reference to Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium. Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Wellcome Library.

One of the imaginative pineapple plates from Nürnbergische Hesperides (volume two of 1714) above a bustling port scene with tall ships, suggesting its importation from foreign lands. Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Wellcome Library.

The pineapple became fashionable in England after the arrival in 1688 of the Dutch King, William III and Queen Mary, daughter of James II, who were keen horticulturalists and, not incidentally, accompanied by skilled gardeners from the Netherlands. Pineapples were soon grown at Hampton Court. The hothouses in Great Britain became known as pineries. With its distinctive form, the cult of the pineapple extended to architecture and art. Carved representations sit atop the towers of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and other prominent buildings, perhaps an adaptation or reference to the pinecones used on ancient Roman buildings.

Most famously, John Murray, the fourth Earl of Dunmore in Scotland, had a stone-carved pineapple sitting atop his folly or summerhouse perhaps around 1761. The reason for that massive construction is unknown (although certainly boastful), as is the architect. The fruit had been grown in Scotland since 1732. The hapless, diplomatically inept Dunmore was the last Colonial Governor of Virginia and in that colony’s capital, Williamsburg, the pineapple had also become fashionable and a common motif in decorative arts. It was there that Dunmore incurred the wrath of George Washington in 1775 by proposing to arm his own 56 enslaved people as well to grant freedom to Black Loyalists.

During the 18th century, the pineapple was established as a symbol of hospitality, with its prickly, tufted shape incorporated in gateposts, door entryways and finials and in silverware and ceramics. The motif continues, prevalent in Christmas decorations in Williamsburg today. But with pride of place on the lavish dining tables of enslavers in North America, the pineapple continued its association with slavery. George Washington, who first encountered the pineapple at the plantations of Barbados, had them imported from the West Indies, a port in the triangular trade of enslaved Africans.

The 37-foot-high Dunmore Pineapple, the north front, showing the entrance (photograph by Keith Salvesen from geograph.org.uk (via Wikimedia Commons)

With technological developments in growing and preserving throughout the wealthy 18th century, the tropical fruit, once an expensive novelty, became a more common commodity in Europe. Helping to make the pineapple more accessible by describing cultivation methods in Great Britain were the writings of Richard Bradley, Philip Miller and William Speechly. The Reverend William Smith in A Natural History of Nevis and the Rest of the English Leeward Charibee Islands in America (1745) declared that “Ananas, or Pine-Apples, are so common at Chelsea and other fine Gardens here in England, that they need no description, and I shall refer you to Laurence Miller, Sir Hans Sloane, and other books that treat of Gardening.”

Returning to the thought of the pineapple as a symbol of globalization, the Spanish had brought the pineapple to Hawaii sometime by the late 18th to early 19th century. The first commercial crop enterprise was established there in 1886 and others soon followed, often settling on land stolen from the Hawaiian people. A plantation system was developed, exploiting workers, both Indigenous and imported. With cheap labor and new canning technology, Hawaii quickly became the dominant market for pineapples in the world. With extensive advertising, the fruit evolved into a cliche of the Islands. But the big agricultural companies began moving their operations out of Hawaii to Asia and Central America for cheaper land, transportation, and labor in the 1970s. The pineapple’s reign as an economically important and popular fruit throughout the world was firmly in place.

The vast literature of accounts of the pineapple by travelers, explorers, plant enthusiasts, those in the plant and nursery trade, and gardeners— so taken with the distinctive plant— can be found and further studied in the Biodiversity Heritage Library. The pineapple’s distribution throughout the world is told in so many works, reflecting a range of histories— botanical, horticultural, historical, cultural, economic, architectural, and art— in a single tropical fruit. There is much for plant scholars, scientists, historians, artists, and others to discover in the digitized works, tracing the biodiversity and meaning of the pineapple. It still evokes a balmy, tropical paradise and the wondrous beauty of the natural world. As the 17^th-century Dutch businessman Pieter de la Court declared, “One can never be tire’d with looking at it.”

Hand-colored engraving by Johann Jacob Haid after Georg Dionysius Ehret. Plantae Selectae Quarum Imagines ad Exemplaria Naturalia Londini, in Hortis Curiosorum Nutrita. (Nuremberg, 1750-1773). Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Missouri Botanical Garden, Peter H. Raven Library.

Julia Blakely
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Former Smithsonian Librarian

For more in-depth information of the pineapple, a few of the works in the Smithsonian Libraries collections:

The pineapple: botany, production and uses, edited by D.P. Bartholomew, R.E. Paull, and K.G. Rohrbach. c. 2003.

Pineapple culture: a history of the tropical and temperate zones, by Gary Y. Okihiro, c. 2009.

Fifty plants that changed the course of history, by Bill Laws. 2010.

Pineapple: a global history, by Kaori O’Connor. 2013.

For further reading on the history of pineapple production:

Jesse Rhodes, “It’s Pineapple Season, But Does Your Fruit come from Hawaii?” Smithsonian Magazine.

Digital Jigsaw Puzzles: January Edition

Erin Rushing — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 14:00:57 +0000

Another season, another set of digital jigsaw puzzles! Ahead of National Puzzle Day (January 29th), we’ve put together one more round of images for you to piece together. They include a few snowy scenes as well as some warmer images to brighten your winter months.

Play them right here on our blog or use the links to play full screen. Each puzzle is set at about 100 pieces but they are customizable to any skill set. Click the grid icon in the center to adjust the number of pieces. All of the images are freely available in our Digital Library, Image Gallery, Biodiversity Heritage Library or Smithsonian Institution Archives Collections. Feel free to explore and make your own!

Miss our previous puzzles? See “Digital Jigsaw Puzzles” and “Digital Jigsaw Puzzles: Fall Edition”.

“Victorian Garden in the South Yard”, Record Unit 95, Box 31, Folder 20, Smithsonian Institution Archives

This photograph of a garden urn with floral arrangement was taken by Charles Sandy Brenner in 1976 while documenting the Victorian Garden in the South Yard. The garden was located behind the Smithsonian Institution Building, or Castle, in the space that is now the Enid A. Haupt Garden. Developed by the Office of Horticulture, the design for the Victorian Garden was based on the horticultural displays at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. Fair warning: this black and white photograph is probably our toughest puzzle yet!

Play online: https://jigex.com/DS2m

“Victorian Garden in the South Yard,” 1976, by Charles Sandy Brenner. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 31, Folder 20, Image no. SIA_000095_B31_F20_007, detail.

Jigsaw Puzzle

Front Cover, John A. Salzer’s Catalogue of Plants and Seeds (1895)

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds more than 10,000 seed and nursery catalogs dating from 1830 to the present. This example from John A. Salzer Seed Co., likely distributed in early autumn of 1895, advertised bulbs to keep your garden colorful in winter. With special handling, varieties of crocus, daffodils and hyacinth can bloom in the colder months.

Play online: https://jigex.com/auap

Front Cover, John A. Salzer’s Catalogue of Plants and Seeds (1895)

Jigsaw Puzzle

Plate LIV, “Renaissance”, Polychromatic Ornament (1877)

Need some inspiration for an upcoming craft or art project? Auguste Racinet’s Polychromatic Ornament (1877) might have just the pattern or design motif you didn’t know you needed. Racinet’s work was considered a masterpiece in chromolithography. It featured 100 plates illustrating various styles of art through history.

Play online: https://jigex.com/Ghhg

Plate LIV, “Renaissance”, Polychromatic Ornament (1877)

Jigsaw Puzzle

Winter scene, Tokaido Gojusantsugi Zokuga [Edo period, 1600-1868]

Some of Japanese artist Hiroshige Ando’s most famous works are 53 Stations of the Tokaido, a series of woodcut prints showing stations on the Tokaido road that linked Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo). This winter scene is a town of Ejiri, looking towards Shimizu Port in the distance. Tokaido Gojusantsugi Zokuga is one of the many Japanese illustrated books from the Edo and Meiji periods available in our Digital Library.

Play online: https://jigex.com/W84B

Winter scene, Tokaido Gojusantsugi Zokuga [Edo period, 1600-1868]

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Irish Wolfhound”, The Book of Dogs: An Intimate Study of Mankind’s Best Friend [c. 1919]

Raise your hand if you’ve been spending a lot more time with your canine companions these past few months? We love how artist Louis Agassiz Fuertes captures the relationship between a lovable Irish Wolfhound and his human friend in this illustration from The Book of Dogs: An Intimate Study of Mankind’s Best Friend available in Biodiversity Heritage Library. The book was written by both Fuertes and Ernest Harold Baynes. Fuertes was a talented natural history artist, best known for his ornithological illustrations.

Play online: https://jigex.com/PbYT

“Irish Wolfhound”, The Book of Dogs: An Intimate Study of Mankind’s Best Friend [c. 1919]

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Roses”, New Illustration for the Sexual System of Carolus von Linnaeus (1807)

“Roses” is one of many gorgeous plates in the third volume of Robert John Thornton’s New Illustration for the Sexual System of Carolus von Linnaeus, a steamy name for a book on plant reproduction by a middle-aged doctor. With its grand illustrations, this final volume of the title is commonly known as “The Temple of Flora”. Published at the height of Romanticism, the unusual botanical plates, slightly moody and ethereal, made the book famous.

Play online: https://jigex.com/jbaA

“Roses”, New Illustration for the Sexual System of Carolus von Linnaeus (1807)

Jigsaw Puzzle

The Staple of Libraries Past

Alexia MacClain — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 14:00:11 +0000

With the beginning of a new semester, many students will resume research. Today we might be familiar with electronic resources and online library catalogs, but in the past people searched for and located library materials in a different way. Let’s take a look at the card catalog.

Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899) by Library Bureau is packed with illustrations and descriptions of library supplies and equipment. This includes card catalogs and related accessories.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), front cover.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), title page.

The card catalog was a case of drawers or trays filled with a series of cards cut to exact dimensions. Each card noted bibliographic information about a specific book. Cards were filed in a pre-determined sequence to aid in searching for specific books. The filing sequence was typically alphabetical by author, title, or subject. Other filing options included number or date. This made it easy to insert a card when adding a book to the collection or remove a card when withdrawing a book from the collection. It also allowed altering of the filing sequence. Changing the filing sequence simply required a shuffling of cards within the drawers or trays. The set-up of the card catalog provided an “ease of keeping it up to date and in perfect order.”

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 55, 60-tray card catalog with one tray resting on a slide.

The cases housing card catalogs were made of wood and available in varying sizes and styles. Cases were fitted with either drawers or trays. Drawers were not removable while trays were completely removable, as shown in the image below. Some cases rested on bases which doubled as closets providing extra storage, like the card catalog shown above. Other cases had a revolving top for easier access. There was also a handy feature called the slide. When pulled out, the slide created a flat surface or platform to rest a tray, as shown below.

Library Bureau, Boston MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 42, portion of card catalog showing tray removed from card catalog and resting on a slide.

The case for the card catalog was important, but the cards themselves, complete with bibliographic information describing books, were integral to the whole system. The cards were cut to a specific size with square edges (no round edges) for easy handling. Size No. 32 was approximately 2 x 5 inches while size No. 33 was slightly larger at approximately 3 x 5 inches. According to this 1899 trade catalog, No. 33 was the standard and most used card size at the time. The weight of the cards, which determined thickness, was important as well. Weight was available in “l,” “r,” or “x” with “x” being the heaviest. Cards were available as either ruled or plain and colors included white, salmon, buff, or blue. The No. 33 card, ruled, is shown below.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 48, No. 33 ruled card.

Cards were typically punched with a hole. This allowed the cards to be threaded onto a lock-guard rod which ran from front to back through each row of cards. By placing cards on the rod, it prevented cards from mistakenly being removed or shuffled out of place. When needed, unlocking the rod to remove or add a card was a simple process.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 40, portion of card catalog showing an empty drawer with lock-guard rod.

A small two-tray case, like the one illustrated below, held 2,000 cards, size 33 l. Larger cases held as many as 96 trays housing between 56,000 and 112,000 cards, depending on the weight of cards used. Heavier weight cards limited the number of cards that fit in a drawer or tray.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 52, two-tray card catalog and four-tray card catalog with open tray filled with guides and cards.

A printed label inserted in a label-holder displayed on the outside of each drawer or tray indicated the range of cards filed in that section. Inside the drawer or tray, guides were placed at various points within the series of cards to further break it down into smaller sections. In the image below, the open drawer shows guides labeled “Abel,” “Albright,” “Appleby,” and so forth leading the user to the appropriate card. Another accessory was the triangular block. Its placement at the end of each row of cards created an easily readable angle for the cards. By sliding the rear block, a series of cards could be shortened or lengthened to accommodate a desired quantity of cards in the drawer or tray.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899), page 45, portion of card catalog with drawer of printed guides and cards.

Just like today’s online library catalog, the card catalog of the past was essential to the work of both researchers and library staff. It led researchers to books and assisted staff with collections management decisions. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899) and other trade catalogs by Library Bureau are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Want to check out more Library Bureau trade literature? Take a look at a post about school libraries and another post highlighting various library charging systems.

Amateur Astronomy in the Digital Library

Erin Rushing — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 14:00:10 +0000

The skies of 2021 will provide quite a few celestial events for the amateur astronomer. National Geographic notes a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter in February, a “Blood moon” total lunar eclipse in March, as well as other astronomical events throughout the year. If you’re a backyard star-gazer with your own telescope, you’re in good company. By the mid-nineteenth century, advances in both telescopic and photographic technologies helped popularize the field of astronomy, bringing it to the masses. In 1890, the hobby was so popular in Britain that the British Astronomical Association was formed to support these astronomy enthusiasts.

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives contains many early guides for at-home astronomers, several of which have been digitized and made available in our Digital Library. Even if your telescope is in the shop or you miss the next round of Perseid showers, you can flip through these volumes and gaze upon the heavens, any time.

Sir John Herschel, Outlines of Astronomy (1858)

Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1792-1871) — astronomer, mathematician, and chemist — was one of the most important English scientists of the nineteenth century. In his Outlines of Astronomy, he provides a complex review of what was known of the physical world in his era. His textbook appeals to both the general and the specialist reader as it discusses a range of phenomena from Earth’s basic characteristics to astronomy, as it covers the basics of outer space knowledge, Copernican views, atmospheric phenomena, instruments and tools of astronomy, earth geography, effects of gravity, celestial bodies and motion, and much more.

Plate 1 from Outlines of Astronomy (1858).

Asa Smith, Smith’s Illustrated Astronomy (1849)

Asa Smith, the Principal of a New York City public school, felt there was a need for an introductory astronomy textbook both affordable and accessible to “common readers” who may lack the mathematical background presumed by more sophisticated options. Smith’s goal was to “present all distinguishing principles in physical Astronomy with as few words as possible; but with such ocular demonstrations, by way of diagrams and maps, as shall make the subject easily understood.” The woodcut diagrams that face the Q&A-style lessons were drawn on the blocks by Smith himself, and then engraved, and he felt these “ocular demonstrations… shall make the subject easily understood.” Included in the illustrations are Kepler’s Laws, Cut Section of the Sun, Transits to the Year 1900, Signs of the Zodiac, and Telescopic Views of the Moon. Interest in astronomy had grown in the United States in the years leading up to 1848, when the first edition appeared. This copy is the 4th edition (New York, 1849), but Smith’s successful work would be reprinted and put to use in schools for nearly two decades.

Page 11 from Smith’s Illustrated Astronomy (1849).

Charles Blunt, Beauty of the Heavens (1842)

This little astronomical work contains 104 beautifully hand-colored lithographs of the moon, planets, and constellations, along with eclipses and atmospheric phenomena. The constellations dotted with golden stars are great examples of the elegance and simplicity of the book’s execution. Author Charles Blunt’s introduction to the book explains that it was created so that a family need not “quit their own parlour, or drawing-room fireside, to enjoy the sublime ‘beauty of the heavens.’” With every plate comes a ‘lecture’ or description designed to be read aloud, facilitating at-home learning. The Beauty of the Heavens is a wonderful example of a mid-nineteenth-century home instructional tool designed to be both scientifically accurate and inspiring.

Plate No. 6 from Beauty of the Heavens (1842).

All three books featured here have been adopted through the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Adopt-a-Book program, allowing us to preserve books in need of care and purchase additional works for the collection. Book descriptions provided by staff of the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology.

At Home with the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives: Meet the Archives

Erin Rushing — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 14:00:45 +0000

The Smithsonian Libraries and the Smithsonian Institution Archives have joined forces as the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives to better serve researchers, curators, educators, and learners of all ages at the Smithsonian and around the world. Our collections include nearly 3 million library volumes in subjects ranging from art to zoology. Consisting of more than 44,000 cubic feet, our archival records chronicle the growth and development of the Smithsonian throughout its history.

Now the world’s largest museum library and archives system, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives aims to fulfill the Institution’s mission for “the increase and diffusion of knowledge” while committing to meet the expanding needs of a 21st-century organization and the communities we serve. Our libraries and archives share an ambitious vision for the future, as we push the margins for innovative digitization, robust services, diverse collections, creative educational resources, thought-provoking exhibitions, and critical preservation.

On Thursday, January 14, we’re giving you the special opportunity to learn more about our new organization and to “Meet the Archives” with Ellen Alers, Reference Team Leader, Tammy Peters, Chief Archivist, and Jennifer Wright, Archives and Information Management Team Leader. They will share about what can be found in our archival collections, how we collect these materials, and how people all over the world can access these records for all kinds of purposes. And of course, they’ll answer your questions!

Registration
Registration is optional–you do not need to register to participate. However, by registering you help us learn about who is attending our programs, so we can better serve our audiences. You’ll also get an opportunity to opt in to receive emails from us, including invitations to future programs. Register here.

How to Join the Live Event
You can watch this event on Facebook. To access the event, please be sure you are following Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. We recommend having our page open when it starts.

This program will be recorded and made available following the event, both on Facebook and our YouTube channel.

Happy Holidays from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives!

Emily J. Niekrasz — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 14:00:10 +0000

Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley (1865–1931), a pioneer in photomicrography, captured detailed images of thousands of individual snowflakes. His photography and publications advanced the scientific record of snow crystals and their many types. Five hundred of these photographs are part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives collections.

Looking for a fun activity for the whole family? Craft your own Bentley-inspired snowflakes!

Individual snowflake photographs by Wilson A. Bentley, Record Unit 31, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

Lydia Maria Child: Home Economy and Human Rights

Erin Rushing — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 14:00:00 +0000

Long before Fannie Farmer, Betty Crocker, or Martha Stewart, Lydia Maria Child provided American women with tips and tricks for running a smooth household. Her most successful book, The Frugal Housewife: Dedicated to Those Who Are Not Ashamed of Economy, was first published in 1829 and went through 33 editions. Though Child is often remembered for her domestic guidance, her literary legacy includes a heaping helping of activism. She became one of the most prolific and progressive female authors of the nineteenth century.

Carte-de-visite portrait of Lydia Maria Child, photographed by John Adams Whipple ca. 1865. Object Number 2017.30.21. Courtesy of National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Born Lydia Maria Francis in 1802, she grew up in Massachusetts and Maine and preferred to go by Maria (with an emphasis on the i). She attended girls’ schools but her brother Convers Francis, a Unitarian minister, was responsible for much of her literary education. She became a teacher herself at age 18.

Lydia Maria Francis’ first book was a rather racy title for a nineteenth century woman. Hobomok (1824) was the fictional story of an interracial couple, white Mary Conant and Native American Hobomok. The book was initially published anonymously, written by “An American,” but it was so well received in the Boston area that eventually word of Francis’ authorship got out. It’s considered the first New England historical novel. We have a modern edition edited by Carolyn L. Karcher in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, but you can read the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s first edition via Google Books.

After Hobomok, Francis began to dabble in children’s literature. She founded and edited The Juvenile Miscellany, the first children’s periodical in America. The Juvenile Souvenir, a compilation of its stories, is held in our Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library. It was in 1829, one year after marrying lawyer and journalist David Lee Child, that she published her most successful book – The Frugal Housewife.

Frontispiece and title page from The Frugal Housewife: Dedicated to Those Who Are Not Ashamed of Economy (1832). Courtesy University of Leeds Library, available via Internet Archive.

Writing The Frugal Housewife was almost out of necessity – David had debts and the couple needed money. Lydia Maria shared the domestic economy tips that kept their home afloat and, in doing so, made a bit of profit. The book was a hit, one of the most popular of its time. Our Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology holds a sixth edition of this book, not yet digitized, but you can read a first edition online from the Library of Congress. Other contemporary homemaking handbooks existed, but most were published in London for an English audience. Child had felt there was a particular need for an American-focused version. Eventually the title of her book was tweaked to recognize this distinction – The American Frugal Housewife. It was followed up by The Mother’s Book (1831).

As her books of household hints took off, Child turned her writing to issues of national importance – particularly, abolition and women’s rights. In 1833, she wrote An Appeal in Favor of Americans Called Africans. (We hold several copies of a 1968 edition from Arno Press.) Child supported immediate emancipation of enslaved men and women and is thought to be the first white American woman to do so in print. Following the publication of her Appeal, Child became increasingly active in abolition associations like the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society and the New England Anti-Slavery Society. Between 1833 and 1838, she continued to publish prolifically – more household guides and children’s’ stories, but also The History of the Condition of Women, in Various Nations and Ages (1835), and she continued contributions to the abolitionist paper The Liberator.

In 1841, with the couple still plagued by financial troubles, husband David was offered the position of editor at another abolitionist publication, the National Anti-Slavery Standard, which was the new newspaper of the American Anti-Slavery Society. He turned it down to focus on beet farming, but it was later offered to Lydia Maria, who accepted. On her own, she moved from the family farm in Massachusetts to New York. Child documents some of her time during this period in Letters from New York, a collection of her essays and correspondence from 1841-1843. The third edition of this work is now available in our Digital Library.

Title page text from Lydia Maria Child, Letters from New York (1844). Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

Though Child’s attention often focused on weightier causes, she did find time in 1844 to pen a popular poem you might recognize today. “The New England Boy’s Song About Thanksgiving Day,” also known as “Over the River and Through the Wood,” appeared in Flowers for Children, Volume 2. The nursery rhyme has evoked warm childhood memories of visiting Grandma’s house for generations of Americans. In her life, Child authored dozens of books and countless articles that not only entertained and educated but also advocated for the rights of women, enslaved persons, and Native Americans. She died in 1880 at the age of 78.

A compelling testament to Lydia Maria Child’s literary influence in the nineteenth century can be found in Art and Handicraft in the Woman’s Building of the World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893. At the World’s Fair in 1893, the Woman’s Building held thousands of examples of the work and artistry of women. This book, available in our Digital Library, provides a glimpse of women whose contributions were well known in their own time but have since been forgotten in history books – women artists, writers, and scientists who are far from household names today. The Women’s Building at the Fair contained a library, filled with writings of both American and international women, as well as a special “New York Literary Exhibit” featuring women from that state. Child’s works, a total of 31 titles, were key among them. On page 117 in the commemorative book, Blanche Wilder Bellamy offered this accolade:

It is of interest to note that one of the few Afro-Americans connected with the World’s Fair, in an official way, is a member of the New York State Board of Women Managers, who volunteered to collect the works of Mrs. Child as a tribute from the blacks to her noble work in the anti-slavery cause.

Further Reading:

Baer, Helen G. The Heart is Like Heaven: The Life of Lydia Maria Child.
Carcher, Carolyn, L. The First Woman in the Republic: A Cultural Biography of Lydia Maria Child.
Child, Lydia Maria. Lydia Maria Child, Selected Letters, 1817-1880.
Clifford, Deborah Pickman. Crusader for Freedom: A Life of Lydia Maria Child.

A Step Back into 1907 and Some Possible Gifts

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 14:00:07 +0000

As the holidays approach, children often dream of that perfect gift. What did a child dream of in the early 20th Century? Is it very different from today? Perhaps there are some similarities. We may find a few possibilities in this trade catalog.

Catalogue No. 101 (1907) by Herr, Thomas & Co. provides a glimpse into toys from the past. Besides a variety of household items, it includes a few pages of toys for a young child along with other pages of items suitable for older children.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), front cover [page 1], explanation of benefits of buying direct from the company.

Dolls, go-carts, sleds, a tea set, and other toys are illustrated in this catalog. The doll, pictured below bottom left, is described as a “Dressed Doll.” Standing 16 inches tall, the doll’s dress was trimmed with ribbon and lace. White slippers and stockings along with a large hat trimmed with flowers and lace completed its outfit. This particular doll had sleeping eyes, and the face was made of French Bisque.

Today, children sometimes enjoy pushing dolls in a doll stroller. Judging from this catalog, it appears children in 1907 enjoyed that very same activity. The Doll’s Go-Cart shown below, bottom right, looks like what we, today, might refer to as a doll stroller. It was constructed of reed and split hickory with rubber tires and iron wheels, and its most noticeable feature was the attached parasol to shade the doll. This go-cart was a miniature version of a full-size go-cart. Perhaps, young children dreamed of their very own go-cart to push a doll while their mother pushed a sibling in a full-size go-cart.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 84, Dolls and Go-Carts.

Or maybe, a child dreamed of steering an “Automobile.” Pictured below, top left, the Automobile was described as a “plaything” to provide exercise and something a child “will never grow tired of.” It measured a little over one foot wide and just under three feet long with 12-inch diameter front wheels and 18-inch diameter back wheels. It was painted red with a maple floor and sheet iron sides. A handy feature was the foldable seat. By folding the seat in, the Automobile transformed into a level top wagon.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 85, Automobile, Wagons, Sleds, Printing Press, Child’s Tea Set, and Boy’s Tool Chest.

Children might have dreamed of preparing their own tea party or fixing a broken piece of equipment, just as they witnessed adults do. Both the Child’s Tea Set and Boy’s Tool Chest, illustrated above, were a child’s version of the real thing. The Child’s Tea Set came with enough plates, cups, and saucers for a tea party of six children. In addition to the individual pieces, a teapot, sugar bowl, and cream pitcher completed the set. The Boy’s Tool Chest, made of wood, consisted of 16 tools with a stationary tray for organizing tools. Some of the tools included in the chest were a hammer, large level, and brace bit.

An older child or teenager, perhaps an aspiring musician, might have wished for a musical instrument. Several instruments are shown in this catalog, such as the mandolin and accordion below and the cornet and trombone on another page. Musical accessories include the Music Roll, handy for carrying sheet music, the adjustable Music Stand, and the Leather Music Bag. This particular page also illustrates a Mandolin Cover, Guitar Cover, and Banjo Cover. Even though these are labeled “cover,” all three appear to be instrument cases. These covers were made of extra heavy duck and lined with red felt.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 82, Mandolin, Accordion, Instrument Covers (cases), Music Stand, Music Roll, Music Bag, Victor Disc Talking Machine, Zon-o-Phone, and Columbia Disc records.

Others might have preferred jewelry. Perhaps, the Birthstone Ring, shown below, appealed to a teenager. Made of 14-karat filled gold in a plain band, it was mounted with the appropriate stone corresponding to a particular birth month. The examples of jewelry below also include a Child’s Ring with opal and a Baby Ring made of 14-karat rolled gold.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101 (1907), page 80, Jewelry (pins, cuff links, cuff bottoms, rings) and Musical Instruments (cornet, trombone).

Though not specifically a Christmas or Holiday catalog, consumers from 1907 might have stumbled upon gift ideas while perusing this catalog. Catalogue No. 101 (1907) by Herr, Thomas & Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. To learn more about the mail order aspect of this trade catalog and other items pictured in it, take a look at this post about writing supplies.

Meet the Archives: Get to Know Our Newest Colleagues

Emily J. Niekrasz — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 14:00:43 +0000

Earlier this week, we announced the exciting news that the Smithsonian Libraries and the Smithsonian Institution Archives have teamed up to become one, united Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. Sure, librarians and archivists deal in somewhat different mediums. Librarians care for and disseminate various forms of books and manuscripts, and archives are stewards of records—documents, photographs, audiovisual records, electronic records, and beyond. But the two also have so much in common. And the biggest similarity is that we are here to serve you. By joining forces, we hope our shared digitization programs, preservation resources, and reference services will better serve our audiences—now and in the future.

As we embark on the process of integrating both units, we’d like to share a bit about what our colleagues at the Archives do and how they do it.

This Smithsonian Institution Archives, one of sixteen archival repositories around the Smithsonian, collects, preserves, and makes available the history of the Smithsonian Institution. The 27 staff members of the Archives are broken up into five teams: archives information management, digital services, institutional history, preservation, and reference services. Below, learn a little about the kind of work each team does.

When a high-level or long-term Smithsonian employee retires, their records—papers, photographs, email, etc.—head to the Archives. The Archives and Information Management (AIM) team advises Smithsonian staff on the daily management of active records, provides guidance on the disposition of records, assists in the transfer of permanent records, and provides storage for temporary records. The AIM is responsible for arranging these new accessions and creating finding aids for researchers. One recent, interesting accession with a brand-new finding aid is Accession, 19-200: Lonnie G. Bunch III Papers, 1952-2010, which documents the long career of our current Smithsonian Secretary.

The Digital Services team is responsible for digitization, digital asset management, accessioning born-digital records and email accounts, web development, photography, and even social media. Your not-so-humble author is on this great and diverse team! How organized is your email account? Digital archivist Lynda Schmitz Fuhrig will be the judge of that. Think digitization is just a simple scan and upload? Our team would dare you to think again.

Historian Pamela Henson Listens to Oral History Interview, 1977, by Richard K. Hofmeister. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 371, Image no. 77-365-04A.

The Institutional History division is small but mighty. The team, led by historian Dr. Pamela Henson, has managed the Archives’ oral history program since 1973, develops and produces exhibits and webpages about the history of the Smithsonian, and answers reference questions for the public and the Institution’s administrators.

Readers of this blog are likely pretty familiar with book and paper conservation, but our Archives’ Preservation team is also responsible for storing, handling, and conserving a variety of other mediums. The team considers strategies for stabilization and access for photographs, audio and video recordings and film, and born digital records, like email, websites, social media, exhibit CAD drawings, and more. They fight crime (paperclip rust, decrepit tape, sticky note residue) and they wear capes (aprons).

And finally, our Reference team will likely be your first stop at the Archives. They help researchers locate materials and answer general Smithsonian history questions that come our way through the Reference Inquiry Form. The team tackles around 6,000 reference queries each year. What types of questions land in our inboxes? We have a whole blog series for that!

Detailed view of four-flap secured within the custom housing, 10 April 2019. Courtesy of Alison Reppert Gerber, Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Two other staff members don’t quite fit in one team, but collaborate with each. RoseMaria Estevez is our administrative officer and Dr. Liz Harmon is our digital curator with the American Women’s History Initiative.

Curious to know more about the Archives? Check back on our social media channels for deep dives into their work and projects.

Introducing Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Liz O'Brien — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 14:00:11 +0000

The Smithsonian Libraries and Smithsonian Institution Archives have merged to become Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.

“We are excited to combine the collaborative and innovative work of the Smithsonian’s archives and libraries to provide outstanding service to our stakeholders at the Smithsonian, the nation and the world,” said Scott E. Miller, interim director of Smithsonian Libraries and the Smithsonian’s chief scientist.

“Working together, we hope to increase and enrich online content, reach new audiences and provide greater access to researchers of all types around the world,” said Tammy L. Peters, interim director and supervisory archivist at Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Through this new partnership, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives houses nearly 3 million library volumes in subjects ranging from art to zoology and 44,000 cubic feet of archival materials chronicling the growth and development of the Smithsonian throughout its history. The organization will better serve the growing needs of the global research, curatorial, library, archival and academic communities.

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is a major specialized research library system composed of 21 branches located in the Smithsonian’s museums and research centers. Its holdings include 50,000 rare books and manuscripts, complemented by more than 120,000 electronic books, journals and databases, and an expert staff who daily serve the information needs of the Institution’s scientific, research, exhibition and education colleagues, as well as in-person and online scholars and visitors from around the country and world.

The Libraries and Archives also serves as the Smithsonian’s institutional memory, documenting the history of the Smithsonian from its founding in 1846 to the present, and supports the Smithsonian community, scholars and the public by acquiring, evaluating and preserving the records of the Institution and related documentary materials. The organization manages the care, storage and retrieval services for the Institution’s records in a wide variety of analog and digital formats.

Together the Libraries and Archives will provide digital infrastructure more broadly, expanding critical digital preservation and research data management. It will continue offering creative programming, events, exhibitions, internships, fellowships, educational resources and funding opportunities.

Dedicated to fulfilling Smithsonian’s mission for “the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” the Libraries and Archives is committed to the 21st-century needs of researchers, curators, educators and learners of all ages. It encompasses 137 staff members and is supported by an advisory board of 15 leaders from around the United States.

About the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is an international system of 21 library branches and an institutional archives. It maintains a collection of almost 3 million volumes and 44,000 cubic feet of archival materials. The Libraries and Archives serves as an educational resource for the Smithsonian Institution, the global research community and the public. Locations are in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New York City and the Republic of Panama. Find out more at librariesarchives.si.edu.

#AskAConservator Day Recap

Erin Rushing — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 14:00:33 +0000

We’re always in awe of our book conservators. Whether it’s mending a torn cover, giving a 16^th century book the “full treatment”, or helping with international disaster relief efforts, they amaze us with their skill and expertise. On November 18^th, our team shared their knowledge with the Twitterverse via #AskAConservator Day. This daylong chat was organized by the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) to help create awareness of the field of conservation and engage with the public. Our own conservators jumped at the chance to participate.

Our conservation experts included:

Vanessa Haight Smith, Head of Preservation Services
Katie Wagner, Senior Book Conservator
Keala Richard, Conservation Technician
Donald Stankavage, Conservation Technician
Daniel Viltsek, Book Conservator

Our team answered over a dozen questions and their responses reached over two million twitter accounts! We’ve compiled most of the conversation in to one Twitter moment but we’ve also included a quick recap of our favorite responses below. We hope you find them helpful in caring for your own collections.

Q: I have an old family notebook in which the original writing has been obscured by scrapbook newspaper cuttings pasted over it. What’s the best way to remove the cuttings to reveal the original writing?

A: There are 3 common approaches to removal – heat, humidity, & solvents, depending on type of glue & condition of item. It’s a more complicated than it initially looks! We recommend looking for an AIC member in your area!

Q: What is your favorite thing you have ever worked on?

A1 (from Katie Wagner): Edward Jenner’s book about smallpox vaccine has it all: a compelling story – Jenner was the father of modern immunology, beautifully illustrated & hand colored with sanguine & involved array of conservation treatments: https://s.si.edu/3pNuExV

Plate from Edward Jenner’s An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae

A2 (Vanessa Haight Smith): Repairing sheet music used by a fifer during the War of 1812: https://s.si.edu/2UGeCY1

James Bishop’s musical Gamut of 1766

A3 (Daniel Viltsek): I really enjoyed treating a Hebrew prayer book for Rosh Hashana- It’s a small pocket size manuscript handwritten in ink on parchment. It was an especially personal prayer book, created for a particular moment in the Rosh Hashana service.

Hebrew prayer book for Rosh ha-Shanah [manuscript] [ca. 1920?]

Q: Best way to store fold out maps/diagrams to prevent them from tearing and creasing. Also, how do you smooth out maps that have been poorly folded?

A: For foldouts, it’s best to humidify and flatten. There is a great blog post by a former technician: https://s.si.edu/3lMPye6

Q: In an aging book, what’s the best thing to keep the brown areas from getting worse?

A: No easy answer to preventing browning, unfortunately. Keeping materials in areas with proper temperature and humidity control (at/ a little under 70 degrees Fahrenheit and at or just under 50% RH) is the best bet. No attics or basements! And keep away from direct or strong sunlight.

Q: Have you ever had to work on something so fragile you were afraid to even touch it? What did you do and how did you do it?

A: Our team recently worked on legislative records from the U.S. Virgin Islands where the paper was like potato chips in places! https://s.si.edu/36MgPqB

Pages of the first journal of handwritten legislative journals from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Still curious about conservation? Explore these recent blog posts from our Book Conservation Lab.

Setting the Thanksgiving Table, 1915 Style

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 14:00:37 +0000

Families have different Thanksgiving traditions. Some may prefer a casual dinner while others plan formal events. Either way, a Thanksgiving meal requires many pieces, everything from individual place settings to serving dishes. How might Great Grandma have set her table for a special occasion in 1915? This trade catalog may give us a glimpse.

The trade catalog is titled Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) by John Wanamaker. Though the clothes pictured in it are suitable for Spring and Summer, the kitchen and cooking necessities work at any time of year. And, that includes possible items, minus the food, for a Thanksgiving or holiday dinner. The home furnishings section illustrates furniture, silverware, dinnerware, and linen. Let’s take a closer look.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, front cover.

A large enough table would have been essential. The dining room tables below were made of oak. The Oak Extension Table No. 6251 (below, middle bottom) had a solid quartered oak top with a 10-inch pedestal. Its six-foot extension would have been especially useful during the holidays to create extra space for visitors. The Golden Oak Chairs were available as either arm or side chairs with a cane seat or slip leather seat. An example of a cane seat is shown on No. 924 Golden Oak Side Chair (below, bottom left). A slip leather seat is pictured on No. 155 Golden Oak Arm Chair (below, top right).

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 101, Dining Room Furniture (tables and chairs).

Perhaps, in 1915, Great Grandma used plates such as these below. John Wanamaker sold several designs, both simple and decorative patterns. Some pieces had a single lined gold border while others were available with blue or green lined borders. Another option was floral spray under glazed decoration. These dinner pieces were sold separately or as a set.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 113, Open Stock Chinaware dinner sets.

Whether casual or formal, each person needs an individual place setting with knife, fork, and spoon. John Wanamaker offered both individual and serving utensils for dinner and dessert. The dinner and dessert forks, dinner knives, teaspoons, coffee spoons and serving utensils, including pie servers, sugar spoons, and gravy ladles, are illustrated in two different patterns. These are Cardinal or Puritan. A three-piece carving set for the main course was also available but without a choice of design.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 114, Knives, Forks, Spoons, and Serving Utensils.

Speaking of serving utensils, what might Great Grandma have used for her serving dishes? Perhaps, she displayed the dinner’s main course on the Meat Platter pictured below. The Gravy Boat and Tray, to go along with the Gravy Ladle mentioned previously, are shown just above the Meat Platter. As for the side dishes, corn or mashed potatoes might have been served in a Vegetable Dish with cover, like the one shown directly to the right of the Meat Platter. Warm bread was probably passed around the table on a Bread Tray (below, top right).

After dinner, perhaps family and friends chatted over coffee and dessert. The three-piece coffee set (below, top left) consisting of a seven-cup Coffee Pot, Sugar Bowl, and Cream Pitcher might have come in handy.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 115, Plated Silverware and Serving Dishes.

John Wanamaker also sold a variety of cloth napkins with matching tablecloths. These designs included floral patterns. The note at the bottom of the page is a reminder that this particular catalog was printed during World War I. It reads, “Owing to the war, the Linen market is in a very unsettled condition.” It continues by explaining that the linens shown were in stock at the time of printing of the catalog but not guaranteed to remain in stock.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 122, Linen Table Damask, including tablecloths and napkins.

Just like today, some customers might have preferred shopping from the convenience of their home while others chose to shop in-person at the department store. In 1915, all of these items and more were available via the store’s mail order service. According to this catalog, shoppers also had the option of wandering a 16-story building located in New York focused mostly on home furnishings.

Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) and other trade catalogs by John Wanamaker are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Interested in more tableware from the past? Explore table settings from 1899-1900 in a Joel Gutman & Co. trade catalog via this post.

Researching Chinese Literati Painting in the Freer Sackler Library

Yue Shu — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:00:05 +0000

The summer of 2020, as part of a Smithsonian Libraries’ Wikidata Pilot Project and in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Library offered an all-virtual internship project. Interns selected for the Chinese Ancestor Portraits Wikidata Project spent six weeks researching the individuals represented in the Chinese portrait collection of the National Museum of Asian Art, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. The interns then added this information to the Wikidata page for the person. As one of the team members of the Chinese Ancestor Portraits Wikidata Project, I was first intrigued by why Wang Huan, a plain clothed fragile old man was chosen as one of the ancestors portrayed in this painting collection. After a literature research, I realized he was the most ideal model for a portrait painting that represented Confucian virtues and showcased a new painting genre, “literati painting”.

Zhao Mengfu, Yuan dynasty. “Sheep and Goat”. Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC: Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment. F1931.4

Chinese art historian Jerome Silbergeld once observed, “Literati painting may sound strange to the foreign ear, to anyone not yet introduced to Chinese history and art, challenging readers to comprehend how [to understand] this rubric, peculiar to China and tied to China’s civil structure, its gentlemen-painters and its civil service system.” To understand literati painting it is important to know what made literati painting peculiar to painting of the Song dynasty (960-1279) and why it became the predominant genre of Chinese painting ever since, even today.

Gu Kaizhi, attr. Southern Song. “Nymph of the Luo River”. Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC: Gift of Charles Lang Freer. F1914.53

Prior to the Song dynasty, court politicians were mainly aristocrats who inherited their titles from their families. In the Song dynasty a new meritocracy replaced the old hereditary system. Civil court positions could be held by anyone, even commoners, who competed in the civil service exam, excelled and were chosen. Among these scholar-officials a new painting tradition developed, breaking away from the earlier tradition of pictorial representation primarily concerned with “form-likeness,” reflecting what the eyes see in reality. As these scholar-amateur or scholar elites entered the painting world, they brought with them a deeply rooted appreciation for poetry and calligraphy, an aesthetic that valued the portrayal of individual feelings over realistic resemblance. These non-professional scholar-painters claimed that they didn’t have the traditional painters’ vigorous training, skillful techniques, or expensive materials, but worked more on expressing their feelings, political views, ideology and personal struggles. They painted only for their own personal enjoyment or that of their friends, with their focus on “capturing the spirit beyond form” as expressed by the great Eastern Jin dynasty painter, Gu Kaizhi (c. 344-409). The absence of colors and structural composition was calculated to reflect this emphasis on essence over physical resemblance. Even though individualism seemed to be at the core of literati painting, the traditional Confucius conformity was never absent from their paintings. The Confucius virtues were more dominant in Song literati painting than ever before.

In the Confucius context, longevity was seen as a proof of virtue. The Classic of History asserts that “Heaven gives long life to the just and to the intelligent”. Within the group of ancestor portraits that is part of the Freer Sackler Library’s Wikidata internship project is a portrait of Wang Huan, a retired Song court official. There is little biographical information on him, but from an inscription added to the painting at a later date we know the portrait is an image of him when he was 90 years old and that he was a vice-deputy of the Ministry of Rituals upon his retirement, some 20 years previously. Leisure retirement from politics was hard to attain in Chinese history. People often described political life as “walking on a thin layer of ice”. Some were forced into retirement, some retired out of fear of political retaliation, only a few enjoyed a truly peaceful retirement endorsed by the emperor. Originally, Wang Huan’s portrait was part of an album of five octogenarians whose ages ranged from 87 to 92 years old. A thousand years ago it was rare for people to live to 70 years of age and almost impossible to survive the cut-throat political life to live to an advanced age into an enjoyable retirement. That achievement was admired and respected. The image of an old respected, retired official was employed metaphorically to express literati virtues of integrity, elegance and death. Wang Huan’s calm face and black silk clothes reflect the Song taste: elegance, dignified and subdued.

Anonymous. Northern Song, “Portrait of Wang Huan”, Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC: Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment. F1948.10

Wang Huan’s career and long retirement, laden with cultural activities, were the ideal model for the Song literati to follow. In him, the Song literati saw the core elements that they admired and respected: longevity, dignity and subtlety. Literati painting undoubtedly became the best vehicle that could deliver these characters and Wang Huan was chosen to be the representative and he became truly immortal.

Those interested in Song literati painting might find the following publications useful:

Fang, Wen. Beyond Representation: Chinese painting and calligraphy, 8-14^th century. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1992.

Lawton, Tom. Chinese figure painting. Washington, DC: Freer Gallery of Art. 1973.

Lippit, Yukio. “Urakumi Gyokudo: an intoxicology of Japanese literati painting”, Studies in the History of Art—National Gallery of Art (2009), pp. 167-187.

Silvergeld, Jerome. “On the origins of literati painting in the Song Dynasty” in A companion to Chinese Art. 474-498. Edited by Martin J. Powers, Kathrine R. Tsiang. New York: John Wiley & Son. 2015.

Open Access Week – How is the Smithsonian Doing?

Richard Naples — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 13:00:01 +0000

In celebration of this year’s annual Open Access Week, the Smithsonian Research Online team will be releasing a new dashboard on our statistics page that includes data about the openness of Smithsonian research publications. As the official record of scholarly publications for the Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian Research Online is in a great position to analyze this data and help the Institution reflect, participate, and learn more about the scholarly output of the Smithsonian research community.

What is Open Access?

In its most broad definition, open access is an effort to make things available to anyone without restrictions, from sharing images with a CC0 license to making sure wilderness is reachable to the public. Smithsonian Open Access is a strong example, with now over three million images online and freely available since its launch in February. Open access in this post is a more specific use of the phrase, describing the ways research publications (specifically journal articles) are made accessible free of charge and open to anyone.

The primary goal of open access is that any reader can access scholarship without paying for articles or having to belong to a library that pays for subscriptions to journals. And as you can see from our dashboard, between 50 and 65 percent of recent Smithsonian-authored journal articles we have tracked in the past few years are in this category. Open access has opened (literally) a world of scholarship to a much broader audience, reducing financial barriers to access academic works.

Dashboard of Smithsonian-authored articles and Open Access

To authors, librarians, publishers and other actors in the research lifecycle, there is a lot more to open access than just the access part. There are many roads a research article could take to become open. Sometimes, that road involves tolls in the form of article processing fees. These are fees paid by the authors or their institutions to cover the costs of publishing. The economics of open access publishing are a fascinating topic for another time, but suffice it to say, just because an article is free to a reader does not mean there hasn’t been a transaction of money along the way.

Where is the Data From?

Like any kind of analysis, this dashboard required some thinking about data sources. For years, the Directory of Open Access Journals has been a great resource for tracking which journals are open access. More recently, the incredible team at Our Research has launched Unpaywall.org, an open database of over 27 million free scholarly articles. These data sources both have APIs, allowing for quick retrieval of metadata about specific journals and journal articles. Of course, getting a good determination of open access starts with the completeness of our data. We invest in making sure that our metadata has common identifiers like ISSNs for journals and DOIs for articles. These identifiers are the underpinnings of the infrastructure that makes such dashboards possible. To ease an already complicated set of conditions, we went with Unpaywall’s indication of which open access method was “best,” so the dashboard does obscure the fact that an article can be open in more than one way (i.e. you can put an article from an open access journal in a repository, making it both “gold” and “green”).

What do the different types of access mean?

Our colorful categories match those used by Unpaywall.org, with a couple additions:

Gold open access applies to articles published in journals where all content is licensed as open by the journal publisher from the start.
Hybrid open access occurs when a publisher of an otherwise subscription-only journal makes content available as open access articles.
Bronze open access is when the articles are available but ambiguous as to whether the content is licensed as open.
Green open access – the final way – happens when the article has been placed in an open repository.

There are sometimes additional colors thrown into this rainbow, including platinum (meaning the journal is open but the author does not have to submit article processing fees), and black (where otherwise paywall-blocked articles are harvested from publishers and made available in less-than-legal ways). Our dashboard includes a few shades of gray, indicating articles we know are closed, invalid, or unknown. Closed refers to journal articles that are behind paywalls that you or your library pay for, while the latter two are small, but important sets that help us monitor our data health.

Further Explore Open Access

While open access is a global movement, it starts at the local level. We are taking advantage of advancements in the scholarly information infrastructure to enrich our data about what is being published by Smithsonian authors. This helps put us in a unique position to take the pulse on open access scholarship at the Smithsonian. This analysis reveals that a sizable portion of research produced by the Smithsonian is open access, and that this has been increasing as a proportion of all journal articles (though we will give 2020 a big asterisk, given COVID, and that the year is not yet complete).

Smithsonian-authored articles in gold open access journals from 2008-2019

The top open access journals section shows which gold open access journals have the most Smithsonian articles, although drilling down to individual journals often shows a trend downward for many. This could indicate a growing list of gold journal options as the number of gold open access journals increase, or some other trend entirely.

Count of Smithsonian-authored articles by journal, for open access journals 2016-present

There is plenty more to explore, including putting this dashboard in context with the broader scholarly community. Are the trends we see at the Smithsonian reflected in other scholarly institutions? What further connections or insights do you see from our dashboard? Leave your comments, suggestions, and questions in the comments.

Introducing “Women in America: Extra and Ordinary”

Sara Cardello — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 13:00:45 +0000

The stories of our past are powerful tools. They can be reminders of our successes and cautions of our failures. Entirely too often history has been written by and for the praise of white men, marginalizing women and people of color. Women in America: Extra and Ordinary is a collection of twenty-four women who lived from 1785-2013 in America. Some of their stories are extraordinary while others celebrate the strength of the everyday. Each aspect of representation is critical to show a comprehensive thread of real women in our past who were treated as extras in America’s story.

The digital content in Women in America: Extra and Ordinary is written for a middle school audience with common core standards for grades 6-8. It highlights twenty-four women represented in the Libraries‘ collections, with attention to diverse time periods, backgrounds, and contributions to America’s history. In addition to books, their stories are told through songs and objects from across the Smithsonian. The intention of this resource is to bring to light people who you may not have heard of and share aspects of their ordinary life as well as what made them extraordinary.

Each collection is housed on Smithsonian’s Learning Lab. The Learning Lab is a free, interactive platform for discovering millions of authentic digital resources, creating content with online tools, and sharing in the Smithsonian’s expansive community of knowledge and learning.

In the Women in America collections you will find Elleanor Eldridge, a single, successful woman of color born in 1785, who owned land that was sold off without her consent. A savvy businesswoman not to be taken advantage of, she hired a literate woman to transcribe her memoir and through the sales of her book earned the money to buy back what was hers. (Learn more about Eldridge in a previous blog post.)

Graphic based on portrait of Eldridge in Memoirs of Elleanor Eldridge (1842).

Or perhaps you will learn about Kala Bagai, born in 1892. Kala faced adversity as one of the first Hindu women to come to America. A few years after her citizenship was granted, it was taken away from her, her community, and other immigrants of color. She became a loving advocate for South Asian American’s rights and patiently fought for 23 years until citizenship was restored for all.

This image is adapted from adapted from a photo in 1985 Festival of American folklife. Image rights courtesy of Rani Bagai and the South Asian American Digital Archive.

Or you may discover Anna Yousef Thomas, born in 1885. Anna and her family immigrated to America from Lebanon on the ill-fated Titanic. Knowing no English, the quick-witted Anna understood the ship was in trouble, despite what the crew was telling the passengers in the lower-class cabins. Swiftly, she secured a spot on a lifeboat for her and her children. Everyone else aboard from her village was lost.

This image is adapted from a photo in Telling Our Story: The Arab American National Museum (2007). Image rights courtesy of the Arab American National Museum Collection 2006.84.06.

All of these stories and more can be found at Women in America: Extra and Ordinary. We’re grateful for the support of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative for this project.

Digital Jigsaw Puzzles: Fall Edition

Erin Rushing — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:00:36 +0000

You asked and we delivered. A new set of digital jigsaw puzzles is finally here! We’re so glad you enjoyed our last round of puzzles and hope you find these equally entertaining.

This time we’re featuring a few scenes that remind us of fall – from beautiful foliage to slightly creepy snakes and spiders. Play them right here on our blog or use the links to play full screen. Each puzzle is set at 60 pieces but they are customizable to any skill set. Click the grid icon in the center to adjust the number of pieces. As with our last set, all of the images are freely available in our Digital Library, Image Gallery or Biodiversity Heritage Library. Feel free to explore and make your own!

Front cover from Buist’s Garden Guide and Almanac (1896).

Born near Edinburgh, Scotland, Robert Buist trained at the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens before immigrating to the United States. After working in fine gardens and as a florist, he began a seed, nursery and greenhouse business called the Robert Buist Company. Buist was know for his roses and verbena and credited with introducing the poinsettia to the United States. He was the author of The American Flower-Garden Directory (1832); The Rose Manual (1844); and The Family Kitchen-Gardener (c1847).

Play online: https://jigex.com/EydZ

Front Cover, Buist’s Garden Guide and Almanac (1896) by Buist Seed Company.

Jigsaw Puzzle

TAB. XLI from Locupletissimi rerum naturalium thesauri accurata description (1734-1765) by Albertus Seba.

Snakes and spiders and birds, oh my! Dutch pharmacist Albertus Seba (1665–1736) devoted his life to collecting exotic plants and animals. His richly illustrated books document his cabinet of curiosities—a precursor of the modern museum. He commissioned hand-colored illustrations to document his extensive collection of plants, animals, and other curiosities, including a squid. His work served as a model for future books on collecting and classification, but it is also a landmark of artistry and design. This book is featured in our online exhibition Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect.

Play online: https://jigex.com/adsQ

TAB. XLI from Locupletissimi rerum naturalium thesauri accurata description (1734-1765) by Albertus Seba.

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Crab Apples” by Louise Blakeney in Keramic Studio, (1903).

Adelaide Alsop-Robineau began the ceramic design journal Keramic studio in 1899. A self-taught artist, Alsop-Robineua ran the publication while maintaining a studio and teaching classes at Syracuse University. This particular illustration of crab apples is by Louise Blakeney and was featured in the October 1903 volume. Since Keramic Studio was an instructional publication, Blakeney includes instructions for painting the apples, specifying particular colors for the leaves and stems on page 133.

Play online: https://jigex.com/s2TM

“Crab Apples” by Louise Blakeney in Keramic Studio, October 1903.

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Wild Cat” by Wilhelm Kuhner in Animal Portraiture (1912) by Richard Lydekker.

Over the change of seasons already? We suspect this little wild cat is too. It’s one of fifty wonderfully expressive animals included in Richard Lydekker’s Animal Portraiture , available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Lydekker, a British naturalist, wrote the text for the book while leaving the imagery to German artist Wilhelm Kuhner.

Play online: https://jigex.com/shVx

“Wild Cat” by Wilhelm Kuhner in Animal Portraiture (1912) by Richard Lydekker.

Jigsaw Puzzle

Chrysanthemum pattern from Bijutsukai, Vol. 2 (1901).

Bijutsukai, a periodical published in Japan from 1896-1911, in sixty five volumes, intended to provide novel and exciting designs for textile artists, potters, and other craft makers; this was in response to domestic demand as well as increasing export needs. Each issue of Bijutsukai was wood-block printed in vibrant color on fine paper. Chrysanthemums, a favorite fall flower in the United States, are well represented as a design element — they’re the official flower of Japan.

Play online: https://jigex.com/SY2y

Chrysanthemum pattern from Bijutsukai, Vol. 2 (1901).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Pen, Paper, and Mail: Shopping and Corresponding

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 13:00:17 +0000

Today, most people are familiar with online shopping but some might also remember mail ordering. While one method uses computers, the other relies on paper. However, there are similarities. Both allow consumers to shop from the comforts of home, and both require mailing and shipping at some point. Then, items are delivered direct to the customer’s door. The Trade Literature Collection includes a variety of mail order catalogs. Let’s take a look at one from 1907.

This trade catalog is titled Catalogue No. 101 by Herr, Thomas & Co. (1907). On the first page, the company is described as a “Manufacturing Mail Order House” that sold directly to customers at factory prices. The catalog illustrates all kinds of products. It includes everything from furniture and home furnishings to jewelry and clothing. There is even a section on grocery and pharmaceutical items. Many of the products sound similar to what today’s online shoppers might order.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101, 1907, front cover [page 1], explanation of benefits of buying direct from the company.

Mail ordering was meant to be as easy as possible. That is how Herr, Thomas & Co. explained it in the “General Rules and Instructions for Customers” section. The customer was asked to simply mail a completed order blank, or form, with payment. Besides noting the specific items being ordered along with related information such as quantity, design, etc., it was important to include the Catalog Number on the order blank as well. If an order blank was not handy, any blank paper was acceptable as long as all necessary information was provided. For the convenience of customers, the catalog included delivery options and a table of freight and express rates based on location.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101, 1907, page 5, Thirty Days’ Trial and General Rules and Instructions for Customers.

In the early 20th Century, a common form of communication was writing letters. Perhaps, someone in 1907 might have ordered a desk, like the Combination Bookcase and Desk illustrated below (middle right). This bookcase/desk included space to store all the necessary writing supplies at an arm’s reach. It even came with a mirror. Directly below the mirror was a pull-out writing desk with a writing space measuring 18 inches by 25 inches. Pigeon holes provided spots for storing stationery and other writing supplies. The illustration below shows the writing desk in the closed position with embossed decoration on its lid, or closed door. A drawer and cupboard were positioned directly below the writing desk, and additional storage was provided on the five-shelf bookcase to the left. The heart in the cornice added a decorative and welcoming touch.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101, 1907, page 27, Desk, Library Bookcase, Combination Bookcase, Combination Bookcase and Desk, Parlor Cabinet, Boudoir Desk, and Desk Set.

Writing requires more than a desk or quiet spot to compose a letter. Herr, Thomas & Co. also sold writing accessories, such as the Desk Set, shown above (bottom left). As might be expected, it included storage space for ink and pen. Two crystal glass ink wells accompanied the pen rest. A handy addition was the perpetual calendar so the letter writer never had to guess the date.

A writing case might also have been useful. This particular writing case below (bottom left) featured a large deep pocket to store writing materials in addition to a small pocket for miscellaneous items. Two other pockets provided space for stationery and envelopes. It came with a leather blotter, a glass inkstand with screw top, and a current calendar. When closed, the case measured eight inches by twelve inches and might have been a nice travel companion to keep in touch with family and friends back home.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101, 1907, page 29, Lady’s Desk, Bamboo Parlor Cabinet, Parlor Cabinet, Book Case or China Closet, Writing Case, Desk, and Office Chair.

Besides desks, other types of furniture are also illustrated. The page below shows furniture suitable for a living room. Perhaps, the recipient of a letter caught up on news from a friend while reading correspondence and relaxing on a chair from the Living Room Suite. The three-piece Living Room Suite consisted of a rocker, tete, and chair. These pieces were Mission Style and made of oak. Each piece featured padded backs and loose pillow seats covered in leather. The hearts decorating the backs of the furniture seem to unify the set. The Living Room Suite was available as an entire set or individually.

Herr, Thomas & Co., Pittsburg, PA. Catalogue No. 101, 1907, page 19, three-piece Living Room Suite (Rocker, Tete, Chair), Morris Chair, Rocker, Ladies’ Rocker, and Sewing Rocker.

Whether someone in 1907 was ordering furniture, writing supplies, or even food and groceries, Herr, Thomas & Co. provided the option of shopping from home with their mail order catalog. Catalogue No. 101 (1907) by Herr, Thomas & Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Interested in more mail order catalogs from the past? Take a look at these posts about John Wanamaker’s Spring & Summer 1915 catalog and Fall & Winter 1915-16 catalog.

Art Deco: Picture Collections at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library

Margaret Gaines — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 13:00:53 +0000

This is the seventh and final post in a series about the Art Deco resources at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum library. Each post will highlight primary resources which contain the styles and designs of the Art Deco era. These resources are divided into seven categories- world’s fair publications, interior and architecture books, trade catalogs, graphic design, pattern books, and picture files. This guide is not an exhaustive summary and these featured resources are just a portion of what awaits Art Deco enthusiasts and researchers in the Cooper Hewitt library collection. We are grateful to Jacqueline Vossler and Joseph Lundy for their generous support of this project.

Our branch at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library is currently closed to visitors as of September 30, 2020. But even when geography or other limitations keep you from visiting, you can still access plenty of exciting Art Deco resources from the comfort of your own home.

Through the Smithsonian Libraries’ Image Gallery, the Cooper Hewitt Library offers access to two great Art Deco collections: Edward F. Caldwell & Co’s lighting collection and the Thérèse Bonney Photography collection. While these online collections are not exhaustive they do give a good idea of what the library has and offer ample opportunity for non-local researchers.

Edward F. Caldwell & Co., of New York City, was the premier designer and manufacturer of electric light fixtures and decorative metalwork from the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries. Founded in 1895 by Edward F. Caldwell (1851-1914) and Victor F. von Lossberg (1853-1942), the firm’s design legacy includes custom made metal gates, lanterns, chandeliers, ceiling and wall fixtures, floor and table lamps, and other decorative objects that can still be found today in many metropolitan area churches, public buildings, offices, clubs, and residences. A majority of these buildings were built in the early 20th century, a time of tremendous growth in construction and when many cities were being electrified for the first time.

Drawing A79216 in the E.F. Caldwell & Co. collection detailing a chandelier for Haddon Hall on the Upper West Side in New York in 1929.

The E. F. Caldwell & Co. Collection at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library contains more than 50,000 images consisting of approximately 37,000 black & white photographs and 13,000 original design drawings of lighting fixtures and other fine metal objects that the company produced from the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries. Learn more about the Caldwell & Company and search the digitized collection in Shedding Light on New York: Edward F. Caldwell & Co.

Photograph A89479 in the E.F. Caldwell & Co. collection featuring a light fixture for Radio City Music Hall.

The Cooper-Hewitt Library’s collection of 4,000 Thérèse Bonney Photographs, 1925-1937 documents her personal observation of the life of Paris in the 1920s and 30s. The subjects of her photographs ranged from individual objects to interior settings to window displays to major building complexes and focused on the impact of modernism on European design. As seen here, some examples of the diversity of her interests include the interiors of the homes of artists and designers, department stores and other architecture.

Paris, France, ca. 1925. Polished steel banister. Jean Prouv (1902-84), designer/maker.

Bonney captured images of decorative arts and architecture that are important visual documentation Art Deco in France as some of these subjects and structures no longer exist. Some examples of the diversity of her interests include the interiors of the homes of artists and designers, ceramics and glassware, barbershops, furniture, tapestry, lighting and gardens. Drawing from her life in Paris and experience with decorative arts she wrote Buying antique and modern furniture in Paris (1929) with her sister Louise. Later, Bonney’s WWII experiences and photographs were chronicled in Europe’s children, 1939 to 1943 (1943). Thérèse Bonney was a woman on the forefront of history — in design and life in Paris of the 20’s and 30’s, and later of the battlefields.

France, 1925-35. Window display of lace for the annual white sale, for Au Bon March.

Additional information about the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library’s Thérèse Bonney collection can be found in these blog posts:

The Fix: Reusing Original Leather in a New Rebinding

Daniel Viltsek — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 13:00:45 +0000

As with many of the books that come into our lab, the Baby Bird-Finder (1904-1906), a two-volume illustrated bird guide, was intended to be used. And used these volumes were, though not to find baby birds as the title suggests, but to identify bird species in New England and other Northeastern states. The “Baby” in the title refers to the diminutive, portable size of the volumes. Volume I covers song birds, such as flycatchers, larks and sparrows; volume II includes water and game birds, hawks, and owls. The volumes are illustrated, and include blank pages for birders to record their notes and observations. Both volumes are housed in our Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History and were adopted for conservation through our Adopt-a-Book program in 2017.

While the text blocks of this early 20th century set endured time and use relatively well, the bindings and box were in poor condition and required extensive treatment. The spines of both volumes were missing (Fig. 1), and as such the front covers were detached and in the case of the water and game birds volume, broken in two (Fig. 2). The original binding was made from thin acidic boards and the leather was similarly thin and brittle, thus requiring that the binding be completely replaced in order to give adequate protection to the text block and stabilize it for safe usage.

Fig. 1 Spines of both volumes missing.

Fig. 2 Front covers broken and detached.

Once a treatment plan is decided upon, there is still the question of the extent to which the original binding materials can be integrated without compromising the book’s structure and usability. In the case of the Baby Bird-Finder set, while new bindings were essential, we made the decision to try to preserve the volume’s original appearance by incorporating the original leather from the front board, where the stamped title appears, onto the new binding. This posed a challenge: how to make the original leather and the new binding blend together seamlessly, while doing this in a way that protects the original leather.

After completely detaching the boards from the text block, I was relieved to be able to remove the fragile recto (front-facing) leather from the boards with relative ease. I prepared the text block for rebinding, and then was able to move onto the most exciting step in the treatment – creating a new binding that would integrate the original recto leather into the new binding.

Once the boards were measured and cut, I was able to begin the process of creating a depression for the original leather. First, I glued pieces of paper of the same thickness as the leather on top of the four boards (these being the front and back for each of the volumes). I then placed each of the two recto leather pieces on top of two of the boards and traced their outlines with a pencil. Using a sharp knife, I cut along the outline and peeled away the paper inside, making space to fit the original piece of leather into the board (Fig. 3 & 4).

Fig. 3 Recto leather and depression in the new front cover.

Fig. 4 Detail of depression.

Next we chose to use special aero linen cloth to cover the boards. The cloth was carefully toned with acrylic paint to match the color of the leather. This is part of the conservation work I particularly enjoy as it is an opportunity to play with colors and tackle the challenge of re-creating a specific shade.

I attached the new boards to the textblock and began the task of pasting the cloth onto the boards. It was particularly difficult to cover the recto boards in which the space for the leather had been carved out. What made it difficult was the fact that for pasting the cloth, I had to use a certain adhesive that dries fairly quickly, which meant that I had little time to make sure the cloth was rubbed well into all the little corners inside the carved-out spaces.I was grateful this step went without hiccups as there was little margin for error. Finally, I applied adhesive to the back of the original leather and carefully placed and rubbed the two delicate pieces into their respective carved out spaces (Fig. 5 & 6).

Fig. 5 Repaired cover of Song Birds volume of Baby Bird-Finder.

Fig. 6 Both repaired covers.

Now that the leather is level with the rest of the board it is hard to feel where the cloth meets the leather (Fig. 7 & 8). This is important both aesthetically, but also to minimize further damage to the leather through contact and abrasion.

Fig. 7 Original leather cover is level with new boards.

Fig. 8 Original leather cover is level with new boards.

Now both volumes of Baby Bird-Finder are conserved in a manner that is as close to the original as possible, and safe for use and study. Baby Bird-Finder has also been fully digitized and is available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Early and Notable Editions

Shauna Collier — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 13:00:27 +0000

I wrote what I did because as a woman, as a mother, I was oppressed and broken-hearted with the sorrows and injustice I saw, because as a Christian I felt the dishonor to Christianity – because as a lover of my country, I trembled at the coming day of wrath.

Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1853
in a letter to Lord Thomas Denman of London, England.

There are varying opinions about the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, yet it is inarguably one of the most influential books in American history. Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 – 1896) to inform readers of the appalling realities of American slavery, it was first published in March 1852. The novel quickly became an international bestseller, second only in sales at that time to the Bible.

So goes the beginning of the introductory text for the current National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) Library exhibition, Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Early and Notable Editions. The exhibition – which features editions not only from the NMAAHC Library collection, but also from other Smithsonian Libraries’ collections at the National Museum of American History Library, the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology, and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library – was created to highlight the early and notable editions of the novel in our library collections, and to reveal its fascinating publishing history.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Early and Notable Editions

In regards to this exhibition, I have termed “notable” as having distinguishable characteristics, such as particular illustrations, a foreword written by an important or historical figure, or simply the number of sales an edition might have garnered when first published. Becoming a collector’s item in recent years could also make an edition notable.

The idea for this exhibit came about in 2016, at a time when the NMAAHC Library was receiving world-wide attention immediately before and after the grand opening of the museum. As a result, the library was also receiving numerous unsolicited donations of books. At some point I realized the book we received more than any other was Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and that each time it was a different edition. Matter of fact, after receiving at least six donated copies, none were duplicate editions! A day or so later I was talking to one of the NMAAHC curators about it, and she said, “well, why not create an exhibit?”

A while later I began the research for the exhibition and I was amazed at not only the number of various editions published in a short period of time, but also at aspects of the book I didn’t truly know (but thought I did), such as the publishing history, the public response, the international attention, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s ongoing efforts to promote and defend the book, and the great cultural impact of it on American history – there’s even an unsubstantiated but often repeated story that Lincoln once referred to Harriet Beecher Stowe as the “little lady who wrote the book that started this great war.”

First published by the John P. Jewett & Company, the novel changed ownership among U.S. publishers at least four times before the copyright expired in 1893. Each publisher also attempted to capitalize on its popularity by publishing new and “special” editions, where new elements, illustrations, and commentary were added. As a result, the novel was a bestseller for well over 30 years after it was first published and since then has continued to inspire numerous other publications and works of art.

Some of the notable editions included in the exhibition:

Title page from Aunt Phillis’s cabin

Aunt Phillis’s Cabin, or, Southern Life As It Is, by Mary H. Eastman
Lippincott, Grambo, 1852

In response to the initial publishing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a multitude of other novels were published to defend slavery and the southern image. These novels, which often painted a picture of slavery in opposition to Stowe’s (such as happy slaves who were well-taken care of), became known as the “anti-Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” or often shortened to the “anti-Toms.” Aunt Phillis’s Cabin, published just four months after Uncle Tom’s Cabin, was one of the first such novels.

The Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Arno Press, 1968 [Reprint of the 1854 edition published by John P. Jewett & Co., and Jewett, Proctor & Worthington]

Stowe’s critics harshly characterized her novel as propaganda with an inaccurate and unfair portrayal of slavery, and with characters who were not based on research or firsthand accounts. Stowe’s response to those critics, The Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin, presents the facts and research behind the novel.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, or, Life Among the Lowly / Introduction by Raymond Weaver; illustrated with 16 lithographs by Miguel Covarrubias

The Limited Editions Club, 1938

In its great publishing history, numerous versions of Uncle Tom’s Cabin have included new illustrations, which is one of the things that might make a particular edition “notable.” Such is the case with this 20th century edition, richly illustrated with lithographs by Mexican American artist Miguel Covarrubias.

The museum is currently closed and expected to re-open on September 18th. Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Early and Notable Editions will not be on view during the museum’s initial re-opening, but we invite you to learn more through the NMAAHC Library webpage.The page includes a link to several editions of the novel featured in Smithsonian Libraries Digital Library Collections and to the exhibit bibliography. When we open our doors again, we hope you have an opportunity to see these notable editions in person.

Supporting Research: A COVID-19 Citation Database

Stephen H. Cox — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 13:00:23 +0000

Stephen H. Cox, branch librarian for the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park & Conservation Biology Institute, Mineral Sciences librarian at the National Museum of Natural History, and reference librarian at the National Museum of Natural History Library.

My normal week is satisfyingly hectic: offering trainings to colleagues at the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park (NZP), hopping on the Metro, providing reference support at the National Museum of Natural History’s (NMNH) main library, retrieving references for Mineral Sciences staff, and on Fridays, traveling 160 miles (round trip) to Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, VA. Add on committee meetings, literature searches, Association of Zoos & Aquarium bibliographies, and long-term projects, and it seems there is never enough time in a work week. And I love it.

Since being home, I have been just as busy, but in a much different way. I still meet with colleagues (virtually), provide reference support, and run literature searches, but I’ve also been able to complete my to-do list and make real progress on long-term projects. I was already an old hand at teleworking, which has served me well since mid-May, when I joined the Smithsonian’s COVID-19 Reopening Task Force (RTF) on the kind recommendation of an SI colleague.

But what does a zoo librarian know about public health? I’m glad you asked.

Before coming to the Smithsonian, I:

taught scientific database research to undergraduate and graduate students
- Biology, Environmental Science, Kinesiology, Microbiology, and Zoology
ran comprehensive literature reviews and occupational health systematic reviews while stationed at federal libraries
sat ex officio on a university’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
created EndNote libraries with 50,000+ unique citations on subjects ranging from occupation lifting and pregnancy to the carcinogenic properties of asphalt sealant

To assist the important work of my colleagues on the RTF, I did what I know best…created a citation database. I chose to build it in Zotero, an open source citation manager, which I extensively use to provide research support for SI colleagues and external organizations.

My goal for the COVID-19 citation database is simple: a one-stop repository of all SI accessible scholarly citations and curated (select) newspaper articles, video recordings, and websites. Reducing redundant efforts and increasing efficiency is the best way I know to provide support to my patrons, whether at NZP, NMNH, or SI in general.

Screenshot of Zotero. Click to enlarge.

Main search box
Tag search box
Articles with full-text retrieved (SI staff only)
Source Types
Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) – permalinks to article full-text PDFs on publisher’s sites
Articles that have had their full-text PDFs retrieved (SI staff only)
Articles that require publisher site access for full-text retrieval (possible paywall)
Articles that require interlibrary loan requests for full-text retrieval (SI staff only)

Methodology:

To create the baseline for literature, I utilized the National Library of Medicine’s Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) Browser, as well as the search string used by Battelle for the OCLC/Institute of Museum and Library Services Reopening Archives, Libraries and Museums (OCLC/IMLS REALM) literature review, and created the following search string:

(“COVID-19” OR “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” OR “2019-nCoV” OR “SARS-CoV-2” OR coronavir* OR hcov)

I did not use any other search terms, in order to retrieve the maximum number of potentially relevant citations.

I retrieved results in Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, Elsevier’s Scopus, and Google Scholar. To identify burgeoning research, business reactions, and government assessments, I created a Google News Alert.

Maintenance:

Citation databases do not always export full records (even if the option is selected). In order to create complete records, I deduplicated nearly 40,000 results, making sure that (when possible) each citation had at least a title, author(s), date of publication, publication title, volume, issue, pages, and an abstract. Since COVID-19 literature has almost totally been written in 2020, most citations include DOIs. Additionally, many citations appear in databases during the pre-print stage, meaning they are often incomplete, so it is important to deduplicate/merge across multiple databases to create complete references.

A database of this size requires a lot of discipline and can take over one’s life. I have created schedules for recurring searches (1) and maintenance (2) so I can have time to respond to patron requests.

Schedule of Recurring Searches

Maintenance Schedule

I have since added more sources, and in addition to the aforementioned databases, I also run recurring searches in Cochrane Library, ProQuest Coronavirus Database and Publicly Available Content Databases, SciELO, and Zoological Record.

To date, I have reviewed 167,250 citations, adding an average of 950 new citations per day.

Use:

The online version of the Zotero database has two search boxes (including the ability to search just the tags). Since the online version does not reflect saved search folders created in the desktop version, I have created numerous keyword folders and manually update them every few days. Examples of delimiters include Source Types, Locations, Pathology, and Cleaning.

Users are able to highlight specific articles or even an entire folder and export the results as a bibliography with abstracts, making skimming to locate relevant sources much easier (CTRL-F is your friend).

Points of Interest:

I run searches every business day and base the frequency of searching on the refresh rate of a database (PubMed is run daily; ProQuest is run every few days). Each database has limits on the number of citations that can be exported (e.g., Web of Science – 500 at a time) or per day (ProQuest – 10,000). ProQuest includes keywords as notes, so I have set up automated searches so I can quickly find and delete these data hogs (that, coincidentally, just mirror information in the citation proper).

Print journalism is added regardless of the author’s perceived or overt bias. Once the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, I hope the database will serve SI’s historians well.

Going Live:

Since the database’s initial release , I have used it to create reports on mask and social distancing compliance for the NZP and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center; face mask efficacy based on type (e.g., N95, KN95, cloth, etc.); air monitoring in office spaces; surface wipe sampling of different types of materials (e.g., steel, plastic, wood); temporal patterns in viral loads; and contact tracing.

Because COVID-19 research is relatively new, I also run pertinent searches on ancillary topics as they pertain to previous outbreaks (e.g., sanitization of surfaces for the elimination of viruses).

I have also created derivative databases for other groups. Currently, I’m providing reference and citation database training and support to the SI group tasked with creating risk assessment models.

If scientia potentia est, then surely convenient access to orderly data is just as important. Supporting researchers is one of the things Smithsonian Libraries does best. If my efforts make the work of my SI colleagues any easier, I’ve done my job.

The Library of Our Predecessors

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 13:00:51 +0000

What library equipment and supplies did our predecessors use? Some things have changed quite a lot while others remain somewhat similar. Let’s take a look at libraries from the past via this 1899 trade catalog.

The catalog is titled Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899) by Library Bureau. Consisting of 171 pages, it includes everything from library furniture and shelving to card catalogs and charging systems for borrowing books.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau, 1899, front cover.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau, 1899, title page.

An essential piece of equipment in any library is the book truck or book cart. In this 1899 catalog, it was described as “one of the most useful devices ever made for an active library.” Although many more useful devices have since been invented, book carts still remain an important part of the library. The book truck shown below is 40 inches long, 40 inches high, and 14 inches wide. It had the capacity to hold six book shelves. This book truck was made of oak with rubber wheels, and the sides of the cart were padded with rubber for extra protection. Just like today, book carts gave staff the opportunity to sit at their desks and work with several shelves of books at one time.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau, 1899, page 37, L. B. Book Truck.

The Hammond Card Cataloger was a special typewriter for libraries, especially useful for typing catalog cards, shelf lists, reports, correspondence, etc. An attachment to hold catalog and index cards was especially handy. Interchangeable type wheels to accommodate most languages were also available. Most importantly for libraries, there was a type wheel with the cataloging characters from the “Library school card catalog rules.”

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau, 1899, page 158, Hammond Card Cataloger.

Another staple of the library in 1899 was probably the card catalog which staff used to search for and locate books or other library materials. Card catalogs were available in different sizes. Below is a 60 tray card catalog with a 15-inch high base. This particular one measured 5 feet 2 inches high. The base had built-in cabinets for storage. Convenient platforms slid in and out. Staff had the option of completely removing a tray to rest it on the platform while working, as shown below.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau, 1899, page 55, 60 tray card catalog.

Smaller card catalogs, such as this 15-drawer one, could be placed on a table or base at a reasonable height. Therefore, staff were not forced to stoop over or stretch in awkward positions to reach the drawers. This particular base, or table, included a revolving top for added convenience.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau, 1899, page 66, 15 drawer card catalog on table base with revolving top.

This 1899 trade catalog also includes a few versions of charging, or circulation, systems. The systems included cards for both borrowers and books. In the system described below, each book had a book card noting its class, accession number, author, and title along with columns and space to write borrowers’ names and issue dates. It was kept either in a pocket in the book or numerically in a tray. Each borrower received a borrower’s card which noted their borrower number, name, address, and issue date. As shown below, the book card was slightly larger than the borrower’s card when placed in a loose pocket.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau, 1899, page 72, charging systems using a book card and borrower’s card in loose pocket.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau, 1899, page 73, charging systems using a book card and borrower’s card in loose pocket.

When borrowers wanted to check-out a book, they gave a call slip for the particular book to library staff who located its information in the card file and went to the shelf to pull the book. Once the book had been retrieved from the stacks, the date was stamped in the book. Both the book card and borrower’s card were placed in a loose pocket and filed behind the appropriate date guide in a tray at the circulation desk. Then, as time allowed, library staff had the option to go back to the day’s check-outs to enter the book number on the borrower’s card, and the borrower’s number and the date on the book card. This system assisted the library in tracking borrowing statistics and identifying overdues.

When the borrower returned the book, the date in the book directed staff to the appropriate location in the charging tray where the book card and borrower’s card had been filed together. Depending on the library’s procedures, the book card was either placed back inside the book pocket of the actual book or if book cards were not stored in the actual books, it was placed in a card file for future use. The borrower was given back their borrower’s card for their own safe keeping or it was kept in a file in the library for the next time they wanted to check-out a book. The book was then ready to re-shelve.

Another filing option was based on the borrower’s street address. This was useful for large cities especially in the case of an epidemic or outbreak of infectious disease. When the library was notified of an epidemic in a certain part of the city, library staff consulted the file system to determine which borrowers in that part of the city currently had books charged to them. Then the “local sanitary authorities” retrieved the books from those borrowers to disinfect the books before their return to the library.

Library Bureau, Boston, MA. Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau, 1899, page 70, Explanation of charging and registration systems for library borrowers including ones useful during epidemics.

Classified Illustrated Catalog of the Library Department of Library Bureau (1899) and other trade catalogs by Library Bureau are available in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Interested in more library related trade catalogs? Take a look at posts about school libraries or bookcases, such as the “elastic bookcase,” adjustable book shelving, or revolving circular bookcase.

Your Digital Book Bag from Smithsonian Libraries

Erin Rushing — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 13:00:53 +0000

Whether you’re headed back to school, back to work, or back to your home office or dining room table this fall, we’ve compiled a few fun treats and created this Digital Book Bag for you! Piece together digital jigsaw puzzles, download free coloring pages, or browse a few favorite books from our Digital Library.

There’s something for everyone in this virtual bag of goodies. Click the content links below to find more information about each activity and download something fun!

Digital Library and Biodiversity Heritage Library

Overwhelmed by the great reading options in our Digital Library and Biodiversity Heritage Library? This quick collection of staff favorites highlights a few titles for your virtual “To Be Read” pile. They’re free, don’t require a wait list or library hold, and don’t even take up space on your nightstand.

Digital Postcards

Reconnect with friends and family by sending them a note from our new set of Digital Postcards. These nine versatile postcards are fillable pdfs that can be printed or emailed to brighten someone’s day. Download a dinosaur skull, a brilliant goldfish or a historical figure to help say “hello”!

Jigsaw Puzzles

You’ve probably solved a lot of new logistical problems the past few months. Take a break and put together a few soothing puzzles from our collections. Piece them together right on our blog or through Jigsaw Explorer. You can even adjust the settings to make them less challenging. We could all use an easy win these days, right?

Virtual Meeting Backgrounds

Spruce up your digital meeting space with a new conference background, pulled from the pages of our books. Whether you’re working (or learning) from an office, in a home filled with kids, or a makeshift set-up in your den, it can be hard to find a distraction-free setting. We’ve rounded up a few great options from our Digital Library, re-sized and ready to download.

Coloring Pages

We don’t have to tell you that this favorite childhood activity can be just as soothing for grown-ups. But did you know that we have three free packets available to add to your coloring portfolio? Created for #ColorOurCollections over the past few years, these packets offer a mental break all year long. Add your favorite hue to vintage Parisian fashions or decompress while filling in a floral pattern.

We hope these Digital Book Bag activities bring you a little entertainment, and maybe a bit of stress-relief, as you and your family head back to the books this fall.

Strange Brew: Creating Fluorescent Pigments

Elizabeth Broman — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 13:00:29 +0000

Page from the trade catalogue, The Day-Glo® Designer’s Guide. Cleveland, OH: Day-Glo Color Corp., 1969. Smithsonian Libraries, NK1548 .D39 1969 folio

Day-Glo® : a moniker describing shades of orange, pink, green, blue, and yellow so bright they seem almost incandescent. The Day-Glo® Designer’s Guide, a trade catalogue in the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library, was published in 1969 at the height of the psychedelic era. The catalogue celebrates Day-Glo® colors at the peak of their popularity with the youth culture of the time, but the Day-Glo® story began much earlier.

In the early 1930s, brothers Robert and Joseph Switzer, the sons of a pharmacist, began exploring naturally fluorescent compounds. As an experiment, they took a black light (a long-wavelength, ultraviolet lamp) into their father’s storeroom where they observed a number of drugs glowing. The compounds were excited by the lamp’s invisible light. The brothers combined some of the compounds with pigment and shellac. They painted the fluorescing mixtures on props and costumes that Joseph would use in a magic act. Their interests piqued, the brothers worked to develop the first black light fluorescent paint. To exploit its commercial potential, the Switzers started a business in 1934.

DayGlo color chart. From The Day-Glo® Designer’s Guide. Cleveland, OH: Day-Glo Color Corp., 1969.

The glowing pigments were initially used in merchandizing and industry, for posters, displays, and safety applications. Near the start of World War II, the brothers developed a “daylight fluorescent” pigment. During the war, the US military put the pigment and pigment-treated fabrics to multiple uses, such as visual aids for pilots making night landings on aircraft carriers. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, the Switzer brothers created new paints, and in 1952, their company obtained a federal registration of the trademark “DAY-GLO®”. In the 1960s, fluorescent paints and inks flourished in advertising, packaging, graphics, and the arts. The brothers took two important actions in 1969: they changed the name of their company—known since 1946 as Switzer Brothers, Inc., it became the Day-Glo Color Corporation; and they published this catalogue to showcase their industry-leading work.

Day-Glo found its way into all forms of commercial graphic design and fine arts, such as Bert Stern’s 1968 series of Day-Glo serigraph prints of Marilyn Monroe below (originally published in Avant Garde magazine).

Bert Stern’s Marilyn Monroe series. From The Day-Glo® Designer’s Guide. Cleveland, OH: Day-Glo Color Corp., 1969.

In the hedonistic youth culture of the 1960s and early 1970s, black light-illuminated Day-Glo® imagery became popular in night clubs and discotheques. Fluorescent pigments created a color-saturated, “mind-blowing” psychedelic experience; revelers felt transported to another world. A generation of pop artists adopted Day-Glo® pigments as an expressive medium. Furnishings, clothing, and accessories colored with Day-Glo® appeared more vibrant and “hip” to consumers than those in conventional palettes. Dayglo posters advertising rock concerts make me think of the summer of love and Woodstock, 51 years ago. Woodstock was a music festival labelled 3 Days of Peace & Music”, held August 15–18,1969, in Bethel, New York. It attracted an audience of more than 400,000. The festival has become widely regarded as an iconic moment in rock music history as well as a defining event for the counterculture generation.

Record album covers, posters printed in Day-Glo colors. From The Day-Glo® Designer’s Guide. Cleveland, OH: Day-Glo Color Corp., 1969.

I remember when the iconic album cover for Disraeli Gears, by the British rock band Cream, first came out (image above, top right). It was revolutionary—appreciated by contemporary music and art lovers alike. It just seemed like the coolest, most amazing album cover out there. Disraeli Gears was a shock to the eye and traditional sensibilities—wildly colored, psychedelic, and mysterious.

Many of these images are fondly nostalgic to me. Undeniably eye-catching, these colors found their way into advertising, packaging, fashion, and the fine arts. They became a symbol of 1960s pop culture. In today’s high tech world of digitally-produced visuals, the Day-Glo® palette may be just another bygone medium. Despite their age, the dazzling hues remain a part of popular culture: instantly recognizable tropes of 1960s psychedelic exuberance.

Elizabeth Broman is a Reference Librarian at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library.

Shading Us From the Elements, 19th Century Style

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 13:00:59 +0000

As I removed the trade catalog from its protective envelope, the awnings on the front cover caught my eye. It reminded me of visits to my grandmother as a child and the awnings over the windows of so many houses and stores in her neighborhood. Once I opened the catalog, and just as the title suggests, I realized Murray & Baker sold much more than awnings.

The trade catalog is titled Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882) by Murray & Baker. After browsing through it, I noticed a theme. Many of the products provided protection from the elements, whether sun, rain, or other weather conditions. It includes awnings and window shades for buildings; seat awnings; tops, and umbrellas for wagons, buggies, and phaetons; and even waterproof covers for horses. A separate section is devoted to tents and camping equipment.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, front cover.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, title page.

First, let’s take a look at the awnings. Just as the front cover illustrates, Murray & Baker sold awnings for residences, offices, and stores. These awnings shaded occupants from direct sunlight but also added a decorative touch. Besides detailed installation instructions, the catalog provides directions to correctly measure door and window frames. For windows awnings, the shape of the top of the window was particularly important. It might have been a semicircle, segment, or oval shape. Other possibilities included square or round corners.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, page 6, shapes for the top of window awnings to assist with measurements.

Another 19th Century protective covering in this catalog is the seat awning or buggy top for wagons. The Garden City Buggy Top is described as an improvement over older seat awnings. It was adjustable with the ability to be positioned towards the front or back. This sheltered drivers and passengers from the hot sun or blowing rain. For those who preferred open air, the buggy top was collapsible, as one driver shows below.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, page 9, Garden City Buggy Top.

How about a large umbrella for the buggy instead? This was another option for wagons, buggies or phaetons to shield passengers from the sun. The phaeton umbrella was available in a variety of colors. The choices were brown or buff for the outside while the inside came in blue, green, or buff. The adjustable holder was a handy feature to position the umbrella at any angle.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, page 10, umbrellas for wagons, buggies, and phaetons.

Sun and warm temperatures might bring to mind camping, and this is exactly the type of equipment described in another section. What did a family in the late 19th Century bring on a camping trip? Perhaps, the Family Tent which consisted of several rooms. Its focal point was the dining room located in the center of the tent. Two to four bedrooms surrounded it depending on the size of the tent. A built-in feature was the awning. By simply lifting a portion of the tent wall and supporting it with poles, an awning was created. This provided tent occupants, like the person in the illustration below, with the luxury of enjoying fresh air and shade from the sun.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, page 23, Oblong Tent with Square End and Family Tent.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, page 24, Oblong Tent with Round End, Round Tent, and an explanation about the Family Tent.

What furnishings would you have brought to a campsite in 1882? Perhaps cots, tables, chairs, and maybe the Combination Trunk. Besides a trunk, it also served as a cupboard and table. Once expanded, the trunk transformed into a tabletop with three shelves underneath. If a combined trunk, cupboard, and table was unnecessary, Murray & Baker also offered simple tables, either single or double folding tables.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, page 31, Combination Trunk and Folding Tables.

For beds, there were several options. One type was the Patent Double Folding Bed. Weighing only 30 pounds, it folded into a compact bundle measuring 6 feet 3 inches in length and 10 inches by 3 inches thick when not in use. Though it required no mattress, perhaps campers might have used the rubber air pillows and waterproof camp blankets mentioned later in the catalog.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, page 32, “Morphean” Camp Bed and Patent Double Folding Bed.

Another essential item at a campsite was most likely a chair. Murray & Baker offered several seating options that conveniently folded. This included chairs, benches, and stools. Due to its canvas seat and back, “The Repose” Folding Chair appears a bit more comfortable than the stools or open back chair. It was advertised as “a most luxuriant chair for the camp or garden, arranged so as to give perfect rest.” If several people needed a seat, the seven-foot long Canvas Seat Bench was an option. Perhaps it was useful alongside the folding tables at mealtime.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, page 34, Camp Chairs, Stools, and Benches.

When it came time to fish or simply relax on the water, campers might have turned to the light and portable folding boat. According to the catalog, it required just five minutes and one man to open or fold it. Jointed oars, rowlocks, seats, and a trunk were included.

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, page 30, stove and portable folding boat.

The catalog ends with a section unrelated to camping. This section is focused on waterproof wagon and horse covers. One type of horse cover extended from the horse’s tail to shoulder while another extended a bit farther to about twelve inches above the shoulder of the horse. To cover the horse’s head, some coverings included a hood joined to the main, body cover. Others had separate hoods and covers, like the horses below are wearing. These look a bit like raincoats for horses!

Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL. Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners, 1882, back cover, man driving a wagon being pulled by two horses in the rain.

Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners (1882) and another trade catalog by Murray & Baker are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Send Greetings from Smithsonian Libraries

Erin Rushing — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 13:00:50 +0000

Brighten someone’s day with our new set of digital postcards! Based on images in our collections, these customizable cards could invite a recipient to daydream of an island vacation, encourage them to stop and smell the flowers, or remind them that our stacks of books will be waiting for them post-pandemic. Scroll through to find your favorites and pass along to friends and family.

This set of nine versatile postcards can be sent in a number of ways. You can fill them out directly on your computer or smartphone and email them to your family and friends. Or, you can print them out and mail them via snail mail.

If you choose to send through mail, just remember that to be mailed as a postcard an item must be:

Rectangular
At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long x 0.007 inch thick (about the thickness of an index card) and no more than 4-1/4 inches high x 6 inches long x 0.016 inches thick

And don’t forget the stamp! If you don’t have thick enough paper, you can also mail your printed, filled-out postcard with an envelope like a regular letter. See the United States Postal Service webpage for full information.

Click on the link below each image to download the customizable pdf.

Front cover of John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915.

Click for postcard of Wannamaker Spring & Summer Catalog

Plate 18 from “Osteology of the carnivorous Dinosauria in the United States National museum: with special reference to the genera Antrodemus (Allosaurus) and Ceratosaurus” in Bulletin of the United States National Museum, volume 110 (1920).

Click for postcard of dinosaur skull

“Goldfish (Carassius auratus)” from New York (State) Forest, Fish and Game Commission’s Annual Report (1902).

Click for postcard of “Goldfish”

Kittie Knox at Asbury Park. Referee and Cycle Trade Journal, v 15, no.12.

Click for postcard of Kittie Knox

A selection of books in our Smithsonian Libraries Research Annex Library.

Click for postcard of books in Smithsonian Libraries Research Annex

Back cover, The Flight brothers by Loulie Henderson (1912).

Click for postcard of The Flight Brothers

Cover, Pitcher & Manda Incorporated (18??).

Click for postcard of Pitcher & Manda seed catalog

Portrait of Queen Liliuokalani from Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani.

Click for postcard of Queen Liliuokalani

Art Deco: Designers at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library

Margaret Gaines — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 13:00:01 +0000

This is the sixth in a series of posts about the Art Deco resources at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum library. Each post will highlight primary resources which contain the styles and designs of the Art Deco era. These resources are divided into seven categories- world’s fair publications, interior and architecture books, trade catalogs, graphic design, pattern books, and picture files. This guide is not an exhaustive summary and these featured resources are just a portion of what awaits Art Deco enthusiasts and researchers in the Cooper Hewitt library collection. We are grateful to Jacqueline Vossler and Joseph Lundy for their generous support of this project.

Beyond the books and Art Deco catalogs the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Library, the library also has a collection of works by Art Deco designers in the form of illustrations and pattern books.

As Art Deco took over, many artists adopted it or wanted to try the style for themselves. An example of this is Russian born illustrator Boris Artzybasheff (1899-1965). After he moved to the United States in 1919, right as Art Deco was emerging, he gained employment as an illustrator for magazines like Life, Fortune, and Time. In a realistic style, he presented futuristic images that set anthropomorphized machines and cyborg humans to explore industry, technology, and war. In the Cooper Hewitt’s collection, there is a unique example of his exploits in the Art Deco style. In the book Creatures, a volume of Irish folk-lore poetry by Padraic Column, Artzybasheff simplifies his style into black and white images with ornate but flat detailing. A far cry from the colorful and detail-oriented images he will later be known for in the 1940s and 50s. This exercise in simplicity was used in one of his few projects directly related to nature, not industry and technology.

Page 33 of Creatures written by Padraic Colum, illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff, published in 1927, New York.

Page 41 of Creatures written by Padraic Colum, illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff, published in 1927, New York.

Another compelling way for artists, particularly illustrators to dip their toe into this exciting new style and have perhaps reach a wider audience was through the creation of a pattern book. Pattern books were intended to inspire wallpapers, fabric, and other interior design elements. Many utilized the stencil-based technique of pochoir. The Cooper Hewitt Library has a rich collection of French fashion periodicals and pattern books in the pochoir style which can be explored here in the post Vibrant Visions.

A vibrant and nearly psychedelic example of this is from the French born illustrator André Durenceau (1904-1985), who had 128 compositions published circa 1928 by H.C. Perleberg in Woodstock New York. The volume was printed in Philadelphia by the Birnbaum-Jackson Company assumedly because of the labor intensive pochoir process. The volume is exuberantly colored and explores geometric patterning, animals, and people. A few panels seem to serve as a sequel to the Owen Jones volume, The Grammar of Ornament.

Plate 7 of Illustrations illustrated by André Durenceau, published circa 1928, Woodstock, New York.

Plate 9 of Illustrations illustrated by André Durenceau, published circa 1928, Woodstock, New York.

Another designer, Édouard Bénédictus (1878-1930), is best known for his discovery of laminated safety glass in 1903. Still, as a renaissance man, he also created works on paper for elegant silks, stains, and rugs. He contributed to the dialogue about decorative arts through his submissions to periodicals like L’Art Décoratif. The Cooper Hewitt’s collection has two of Bénédictus’ volumes both in the pochoir technique – Nouvelles variations and Relais.

Nouvelles Variations is a collection of designs for textiles and wallpapers containing 20 plates with 75 motifs. Many of these compositions adhered to Art Deco’s favorite themes, like nature, geometry, and the exotic.

Plate 9 of Nouvelles variations : soixante-quinze motifs décoratifs en vingt planches illustrated Édouard Bénédictus published circa 1924, Paris.

Relais was published the year of Bénédictus’ death and contains another 15 plates with 42 new decorative motifs, similarly themed to Nouvelles Variations with floral, animal, and geometric components. A departure from the purely decorative, there is also a plate that depicts an arched window looking out over a row of rooftops towards a harbor with an incoming streamliner. The plates were printed by Jean Saudé, known for his mastery of the pochoir technique.

Plate 9 of Relais, illustrated Édouard Bénédictus published circa 1930, Paris.

Plate 15 of Relais, illustrated Édouard Bénédictus published circa 1930, Paris.

Selected Bibliography:

Creatures
Call Number: PR6005.O38C7 1927X
Published/created: 1927, New York City, New York

Poetry written by Padraic Column accompanied by illustrations by Boris Artzybasheff.

Inspirations
Call Number: NK1535.D87 A4 928 folio
Published/created: c. 1928, Woodstock, New York

Twenty-four plates containing 128 compositions by André Durenceau.

Nouvelles variations
Call Number: NK1535.B47X 1924 folio
Published/created: 1924, Paris, France

Twenty-five plates containing 75 compositions by Édouard Bénédictus.

Relais
Call Number: NK1535.B46 R16 folio
Published/created: 1930, Paris, France

Fifteen plates containing 42 compositions designed by Édouard Bénédictus and released the year of his death. Printed by Jean Saudé.

Handwritten Notes Left Behind from a Steamship Journey

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 13:00:04 +0000

Sometimes, planning a trip is as much fun as the trip itself. The Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library includes catalogs that might have been used to plan vacations. Some are about summer and winter resorts while others describe railway and steamship travel. Let’s take a look at a late 19th Century trip along the Great Lakes.

This trade catalog, or small brochure, is titled In All the World No Trip Like This (1898) by Northern Steamship Co. The passengers boarded steamships named “North West” or “North Land” to travel between Buffalo, New York and Duluth, Minnesota. Other destinations in between included Cleveland, Ohio and Detroit, Mackinac Island, and Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan. Railway and steamboat connections were also available in specific cities.

Northern Steamship Co., Buffalo, NY. In All the World No Trip Like This, 1898, front cover, steamship.

As I opened this brochure, a few handwritten notes caught my eye. Perhaps a travel agent or someone planning a trip in 1898 might have used this brochure. A handwritten note of “13.50” is located by the “Tariff of Berth Rates” for the route between Duluth and Buffalo. The notation, shown below, points to the prices listed for outside rooms: $6.00 for an upper berth and $7.50 for a lower berth.

Northern Steamship Co., Buffalo, NY. In All the World No Trip Like This, 1898, pages 2-4, Passenger Fares (page 2), Tariff of Berth Rates for Season of 1898 (page 3), and Women’s Saloon, Parlor Suite, and Restaurant (page 4).

The brochure also includes a detailed diagram of the steamships showing plans for the Main Deck, Saloon Deck, and Upper Deck. A few more handwritten markings, shown below, are found near the plan for the Saloon Deck. In particular, Room 446 on the Saloon Deck is marked. This appears to correspond with the markings above referring to rates for berths. Room 446 was an outside stateroom on the starboard side. It included sleeping accommodations of one double lower berth and one single upper berth.

Northern Steamship Co., Buffalo, NY. In All the World No Trip Like This, 1898, pages 5-7, Diagram of plans for Upper Deck, Saloon Deck, and Main Deck for steamships “North West” and “North Land.”

The schedule for the Season of 1898 began on June 14th and ended in mid-September. The journey took approximately three days. According to the “Semi-Weekly Service,” passengers who boarded the “S. S. North Land” in Buffalo, New York on a Tuesday night arrived in Duluth, Minnesota on a Friday evening. A second option was to travel over the weekend, departing Buffalo aboard the “S. S. North West” on Friday night and arriving in Duluth on Monday evening. Stops at cities in between ranged from 30 to 90 minutes while passengers disembarked or boarded. Eastbound steamship journeys were also roughly three days.

Northern Steamship Co., Buffalo, NY. In All the World No Trip Like This, 1898, pages 8-9, Semi-Weekly Service for 1898 Season and Service Schedule via Eastern Railway of Minnesota, Great Northern Railway Line (page 8) and steamboat connections to Chicago, Illinois and various lake ports (page 9).

The first-class rates provided only transportation. Passengers were required to purchase sleeping accommodations at an additional cost. Second-class rates included both transportation and berth. Those who were local, or day, travelers were not required to purchase sleeping accommodations.

A full-fare ticket allowed 150 pounds of baggage consisting of clothing to be carried aboard for free while half-fare ticket holders were allowed 75 pounds. Baggage was stored in the Baggage Room and accessible at any time. However, steamer trunks were permitted in staterooms and cabins. Pets were not allowed in staterooms or cabins and were cared for in the Baggage Room.

Northern Steamship Co., Buffalo, NY. In All the World No Trip Like This, 1898, page 11, Steamship North West and its dimensions.

The journey did not necessarily need to end at the dock. Passengers also had the option of connecting to a railroad. For those who extended their trip farther west, they had the possibility of connecting to the Great Northern Railway which serviced points in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Manitoba, Montana, Idaho, Washington, British Columbia, and Oregon. Passengers enjoyed dining and sleeping cars as well as library observation cars. They might have read a book, written a letter, or played cards while watching the scenery go by in one of the library observation cars.

Northern Steamship Co., Buffalo, NY. In All the World No Trip Like This, 1898, pages 13-14, Amenities and Schedule for travel via Great Northern Railway from Midland Lakes to Western Ocean and other connections.

Another Northern Steamship Co. catalog in the Trade Literature Collection is an illustrated catalog from 1897, one year prior to the brochure described above. This catalog is titled Itinerary: Great Lake Tours (1897). As described on its title page, it is “a compilation of rates and general information of interest to all tourists.”

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Itinerary: Great Lake Tours, 1897, front cover.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Itinerary: Great Lake Tours, 1897, title page and preceding page, steamship (shown on page preceding title page).

It includes more detail about the procedure to board the steamship. Once on board, passengers proceeded to the Purser and Clerk Offices in the Vestibule. There, they exchanged their passage ticket for a passage check and overnight passengers received their room key. The passage check was later collected as passengers disembarked. Day travelers had the option of checking their items free of charge in the Checkroom. Those interested in a railway connection inquired about the details at the Office of the Clerk. The news stand, also located in the Vestibule, provided souvenirs, reading material, and candy.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Itinerary: Great Lake Tours, 1897, pages 2-3, general information (page 2) and Vestibule and Dining Room (page 3).

The catalog continues with descriptions of tourist attractions in port cities and nearby excursions. One excursion, described below, took travelers to Niagara Falls, New York. It mentions a few railroads which offered regular service from Buffalo to Niagara Falls.

Northern Steamship Co., Passenger Department, Buffalo, NY. Itinerary: Great Lake Tours, 1897, page 19, Excursions to Niagara Falls, New York via Buffalo, New York.

Looking back at the 1898 brochure, In All the World No Trip Like This (1898), it announced an excursion to Yellowstone National Park. Passengers arrived in Duluth, Minnesota via the Northern Steamship Co. and then connected to the Northern Pacific Railway. One travel package was round-trip from Livingston, Montana with rail, stagecoach, and hotel fees for a five and a half day trip to enjoy the sites in Yellowstone National Park.

Northern Steamship Co., Buffalo, NY. In All the World No Trip Like This, 1898, pages 17-18, Excursion trips to Yellowstone National Park via Northern Pacific Railway and other connections.

Northern Steamship Co. trade catalogs, including In All the World No Trip Like This (1898) and Itinerary: Great Lake Tours (1897), are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Impactful Work in Education: An Intern’s Experience

Sara Cardello — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 13:00:53 +0000

This post was written by Cora Nevel, a student at School Without Walls in Washington, DC, who recently interned in the Smithsonian Libraries Education Department.

This past fall semester (2019), I interned with the Smithsonian Libraries Education Department. I had lots of fun those few months, and I learned a lot about Latin America, women’s history, rare books, and the Smithsonian itself. The Smithsonian has more resources than I could possibly imagine, and every week I had something new to read about.

Over the course of the semester, I had a small hand in a lot of different projects. I sorted, counted, proofread, stickered, and come close to bleeding (I’m no longer allowed to use X-acto knives) for our Latinx Traveling Trunks project. Additionally, I playtested (and later, just played) the department’s Wizardry-themed box. But the majority of my time went towards our American Women’s History project. I’ve flipped through biographies, memoirs, pamphlets, poetry, and periodicals full of fascinating women. I loved reading about women I’d never heard of before. The best women to read about were the ones with the most niche contributions.

Ida Lewis from Daughters of America

My two absolute favorite women to read about were Ida Lewis and Faith Trumbull. Lewis (pictured above) lived at a lighthouse, and was well known for rescuing many a drowning person over the course of her lifetime. According to what I’ve read, she received all kinds of fan mail, and was even visited by the president for it. Trumbull (pictured below) was mostly known for donating her expensive red cloak to the American cause during the Revolutionary War. Apparently, it was later cut up and used to embellish soldiers’ uniforms. She was important for more than just that, though. Her home was allegedly called the “Lebanon War Office,” since members of the Continental Army and French allies often visited. I also read that her home served as the headquarters for the Connecticut Council of Safety during the war.

Faith Trumbull from The pioneer mothers of America v.3

While I certainly enjoyed my time here, the work could get challenging. Sometimes, I was definitely in over my head. I’d never set up a 3D printer before, but that did not stop me from trying. And, thanks to the internet, I would say I was fairly successful.

I learned a lot of new skills, and polished others, although not always ones I expected. I learned how to use a copy machine and a paper shredder, but also how to fill a piñata, make Halloween decorations, set up a 3D printer (not one, but two different kinds), craft the perfect office playlist, and to perfectly time when I leave so I don’t have to wait for the bus. I’ve also gotten to hone my acting and photography skills. Above all, I’ve mastered the art of organization.

Looking back, I am so grateful that I’ve had this experience. I’ve done so many things that I never would have gotten to do, or even thought to do on my own. I’ve also had the pleasure of spending time with a group of interesting people, and getting to be a part of a vast, intricate, and impactful network. All in all, it was a semester well-spent, and I won’t forget it.

Celebrating a Centennial: 100 Years at the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library

Anne Evenhaugen — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 13:00:32 +0000

Three Cheers for 100 Years of Fine Arts research at the Smithsonian!

Floor plan of the U.S. National Museum, now the National Museum of Natural History, noting the alcove in the West Court that was home to the original AA/PG Library.

The largest art library of the Smithsonian Institution hits a major milestone on July 1, 2020: the American Art & Portrait Gallery (AA/PG) Library celebrates its centennial. And in that 100 years, the Library has changed its name more times than its staff would care to admit (ok, we will admit it—six times.) The Smithsonian was founded in 1846 and held a nascent collection of art and art publications. According to an early staff person, “It has always been a matter of sentiment…that the Institution should have an Art Room, and that there should be in this Art Room a collection of books relating to the fine arts.”1 In fact, it was the Smithsonian’s first librarian who cared for the paintings and sculpture, so naturally the Smithsonian collected books on the aesthetic qualities of the fine arts from its earliest days.

But in 1920, Congress allotted resources for the Smithsonian’s department of fine arts to become its own separately funded, distinct museum—the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art, which has an interesting history. At that time, the scattered collection of books on the fine arts were brought together to form the nucleus of the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art Library, as the first fine arts library at the Smithsonian Institution, and of the federal government of the United States.

Lucile Torrey Barrett Smithsonian National Collection of Fine Arts Librarian 1937-1942, photo by RP Tolman. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7433, Box 3, Folder: Scrapbook A-N

One hundred years ago, the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art Library was shelved in a tiny alcove in what is now the National Museum of Natural History, barely a few hundred books, with no staff to manage its care and growth. It grew slowly but steadily, supporting exhibitions in the Gallery’s rooms at the Natural History Museum in all periods of international art history. In the 1960s, the library was strengthened when it was re-dedicated to also support the brand new National Portrait Gallery, along with the National Collection of Fine Arts, and the library moved from its small alcove to its own large, beautiful space in the Patent Office Building.

Today, in 2020, the American Art & Portrait Gallery Library spreads across two floors of the Victor Building with its more than 180,000 books and journals, its half a million files of ephemera, and a team of art librarian professionals to see to its continued success. The Library supports the mission of the Archives of American Art, the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Renwick Gallery through its comprehensive resources in American art and biography. It serves the specialized research needs of the Smithsonian staff and affiliated fellows and interns by building, managing, and preserving the library collection and providing in-depth research services. It also serves non-Smithsonian scholars and the community through its public hours, interlibrary lending and reference services.

The Library staff is proud to support the ongoing success of arts research and scholarship at the Smithsonian. The robust Fellowship Program at the American Art Museum, now in its 50th year, has allowed emerging and established scholars to engage with the Library’s immense research resources, and the fellows who have worked in the AA/PG Library go on to write significant publications with new narratives, curate important exhibitions, and share a love of art by teaching students in art history and the humanities. The Library itself has been host to hundreds of interns, helping the next generation of art information professionals succeed. The AA/PG Library has been an indispensable source for curators, scholars, art enthusiasts and collectors, educators and students in the United States and beyond.

As we look to the future, AA/PG continues to work toward its goal to be the foremost library in the world dedicated to American art and portraiture. To that end, the library will continue to add collections that reflect the depth and breadth of that subject matter, to expand our scope to highlight historically marginalized voices in American history, and to care for, organize and make these resources accessible.

Current AA/PG Reading Room, photo by Matailong Du

In 2021, the AA/PG Library will undergo a renovation to its primary area of service, increasing security of collections, refreshing outdated and damaged fixtures, enhancing programming areas, and creating spaces to be more collaborative. The plan will transform the AA/PG Library by enhancing social interaction, cross-disciplinary learning, and propel the look and function of such a prestigious library into the next century. The Art & Artist Files collection, one of the jewels of the AA/PG Library, will have important investment in housing and organization, as it moves from nearly 100–year–old filing cabinets to purpose-built new housing. The Library aims to increase digital and physical findability, making our spectacular materials available to more people all over the world.

As we move into our next century, we need your help to make this growth possible, and to further enhance the quality of American art and historical research! To learn about opportunities for support, please contact the Smithsonian Libraries’ Advancement Office at LibraryGiving@si.edu or 202.633.2241.

AA/PG Library rendering of renovated entrance, planned 2021

Resources Consulted:

1 – Letter from Paul Brockett, Asst Librarian, to W. de C. Ravenel on what to do with the art books in “The Art Room” and a note that the Secretary would have to decide if books held in the Castle could go to the new NGA Library, November 15, 1919. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 311, Box 016 Folder: 5

Annual report of the Smithsonian Institution, U.S. National Museum. Washington :G.P.O.,1907-1951. Consulted years: 1907, 1917, 1924,

“Report on the National Gallery of Art” from Report of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1921,

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 311, Box 016 Folder: 5 and Record Unit 463, boxes 1, 2, 4.

Lonely Planet in Edo-period Japan: Meisho Zue

Reiko Yoshimura — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 13:00:33 +0000

The Edo period (1600-1868) in Japan was a time of prolonged peace. Ruling under an isolationist foreign policy (Sakoku) and with no civil wars, the Tokugawa Shogunate government focused on social and political stability, and securing infrastructure. They created and regulated five major roads, boarding houses and transportation systems in order to strengthen central control over the daimyōs (Sankin kōtai — a governmental policy requiring the daimyō to live in their domain for one year and in Edo the alternate year). Currency circulation was also regulated, which brought economic stability and a flourishing of the commoners’ life. Urban citizens who can afford developed their own leisure activities. This phenomenon was called “chō’nin bunka” (townsmen culture). They enjoyed reading, performing arts, seasonal events and festivals, some of which had been privileges of only samurais and aristocrats earlier.

Beginning with the Kyōho period (1716-1736) traveling became a commoners’ popular pleasure reaching a peak during the Bunka-Bunsei periods (1804-1830). Commoners’ traveling was limited to pilgrimage to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The most popular destination was the Ise Shrine in present Mie Prefecture which experienced an explosive growth in popularity. Travelers gradually found ways to take advantage of pilgrimage permissions by adding “on-our-way” destinations to the itinerary. Samples of those “on-our-way” destinations were Osaka and Kyoto both relatively close to Ise Shrine. Hence the Edo period saw the beginning of a commoners’ travel boom aided also by the well-maintained highway system mentioned earlier.

Garden of the Hōjō (Abbot Hall) of the Ryōanji Temple. Miyako Rinsen Meisho Zue,Volume 4.

Edo-period’s highly literate and curious population found their interests fed by the emergence of commercial publishing in major cities. Nor did publishers miss the opportunity to venture into the thick of the travel craze, publishing travel books full of much needed and much desired information.

The idea of books about places was not new. However, earlier, books on places were mainly travelers’ personal journeys or poetic works related to places rather than books with facts about a place. This new type of books about a place was named meisho zue (Famous places illustrated). Meisho zue offered more accurate and objective descriptions of places with reader-friendly explanations. Sometimes issued in pocket-book size, it also provided information for travelers such as local highlights, historical anecdote and literary associations as well as more practical information like local customs, events and specialties, lodging, restaurants, distance between places and locations of hot spring. Thanks to mid-18^th century improvements of printing techniques meisho zue were generously embellished with beautiful, full-page illustrations. Illustrations, often from a bird’s-eye point of view, were a key element for this new genre, meisho zue. The producers of meisho zue used abundant illustrations and easy reading material to attract readers’ attention to the strange places and things covered in the books. Moreover, these books served as entertainment for armchair travelers and as welcome souvenirs for non-travelers. Meisho zue was the “LONELY PLANET” of 19^th-century Japan.

A rice cake shop. Miyako Meisho Zue, Volume 3.

By the mid-19^thcentury many kinds of meisho zue were published. Some, such as Yamato Meisho Zue 大和名所図会 (Famous Places in Nara, 1791), focused on certain geographical locations. Others featured particular subjects as in Nihon Meizan Zue 日本名山図会” (Famous Mountains in Japan, 1812) and Nihon Sankai Meisan Zue 日本山海名産図会” (Famous Local Products in Japan, 1799). Some depicted local events and daily life within a city as in Tōto Sumidagawa Ryōgan Ichiran 東都隅田川両岸一覧” (Views of Sumida River Banks in Edo, 1781). Readers could also enjoy a virtual trip to China via Morokoshi Meishō Zue 唐土名勝図会” (Famous Places in China, 1802).

The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Library of the Smithsonian Libraries has two typical meisho zue in its Rare Book Collection. They are Miyako Meisho Zue 都名所図会” (Famous Places in Kyoto, 1780) and Miyako Rinsen Meisho Zue 都林泉名所図会” (Famous Gardens in Kyoto, 1799). The author of both works was Akisato Ritō 秋里籬島 (active 1780-1814), a literary author and haikai poet from Kyoto.

Yamahoko float of the Gion Festival. Miyako Meisho Zue, Volume 2.

Akisato played an important role in the development of meisho zue. He invented the term “meisho zue” and published his first, Miyako Meisho Zue (Famous Places in Kyoto) in 1780. The popularity of his first book promoted the publishing of numerous meisho zue thereafter and contributed to the commoners’ travel boom. During the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, Akisato authored dozens of meisho zue on many sightseeing spots. To assure correct descriptions, he visited each place, taking illustrators with him to help document the information he collected during these visits.

Miyako Meisho Zue (Famous Places in Kyoto, 1780) was published in 6 parts in 11 volumes. The illustrations were done by Takehara Shunchōsai 竹原春朝斎 (-1800). The work covered not only popular spots in the center city but also the suburban areas of Kyoto, including information on local products, festivals, events and seasonal scenes as well as daily life and customs. The illustrations were often accompanied by famous classical poems, waka associated with the place. It became an all-time best seller, having sold four thousand copies, and was still reprinted six years after its initial publication in 1780.

Daimonji (the Great Bonfire) Festival. Miyako Meisho Zue, Volume 4.

Miyako Rinsen Meisho Zue (Famous Gardens in Kyoto, 1799), in 5 parts in 6 volumes, was illustrated by three artists, Sakuma Sōen 佐久間草偃 (-1814), Nishimura Chūwa 西村中和 (active late 19^th century) and Oku Bunmei 奥文鳴 (1773-1813). It introduced well-known gardens many of which are from temples and shrines in Kyoto. The text also included detailed historical information on the temples and shrines and listed religious art and artifacts which they owned. The well-researched textual information and rich illustrations made Miyako Rinsen Meisho Zue an important historical source for Kyoto gardens of Edo Japan.

Summer evening scene of Shijō Riverbank. Miyako Rinsen Meisho Zue, Volume 1, Part 2.

Digitized versions can be viewed here:

Miyako Meisho zue: https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/miyako-meisho-zue (v. 2-6)

Miyako Rinsen Meisho zue: https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/miyako-rinsen-meisho-zue

Recommended Reading:

Plutschow, Herbert E. A Reader in Edo Period Travel (Global Oriental, 2006)

Sandler, Mark H. “The Traveler’s Way: Illustrated Guidebooks of Edo Japan,” Asian Art, vol. 5, no. 2: pp. 31-35 (Spring 1992)

Vaporis, Constantine Nomikos. Breaking Barriers: Travel and the State in Early Modern Japan (Council on East Asian Studies, Harvard University, 1994)

Detail of boat trip for cherry blossom viewing in Arashiyama. Miyako Rinsen Meisho Zue, Volume 5.

Delivery Cars: Making the Rounds in the Early 20th Century

Alexia MacClain — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 13:00:59 +0000

For the past few months, many Americans have relied on delivery vehicles to transport essential goods, like food and other household products. And okay, maybe a non-essential pair of shoes, a game or a book or two. But delivery vehicles are nothing new. Let’s take a look at delivery cars through the lens of this early 20th Century trade catalog.

The catalog is titled Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car (circa 1914) by Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co. People always seem in search of faster and more efficient ways of doing things. This catalog begins by describing benefits of using a motor vehicle for deliveries rather than a horse and wagon.

Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co., Buffalo, NY. Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car, circa 1914, title page.

Imagine some thoughts that might have crossed the mind of a business owner transforming his business from horse and wagon to motor vehicle deliveries. How much of an impact would this have on the business? Would a motor vehicle provide more efficiency? Would it be cost-saving?

Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co., Buffalo, NY. Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car, circa 1914, page 2, delivery car parked on street while a man delivers boxes to a house.

According to this catalog, the Lippard-Stewart Delivery Car had the ability to travel 60 or more miles per day and do more work than three horses and wagons. A motor vehicle brought more dependability by being able to work in all types of weather and all hours of the day. This also resulted in wider territories to serve.

The horse and wagon delivery method required a stable to house horses near the place of business. That way the horses were nearby and did not have a long journey before the delivery day even began. On the other hand, if a motor car was used for deliveries, there were more options of rental space for storage of the car in various locations at various distances from the business, possibly resulting in lower costs.

Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co., Buffalo, NY. Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car, circa 1914, page 4, Model S, Stake Body delivery car.

Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co. offered several bodies for delivery cars. One type was the Model S, Stake Body, shown above. The Stake Body had an open platform for storage with removable stakes, cross bars, or chains enclosing the platform. This style provided extra storage space for material goods because the platform extended beyond the rear wheels.

The Model P, Panel Body, shown below, was enclosed with rear doors or a drop tail gate and grille. It was possible to reach the storage area from either the front or rear. Being fully enclosed, the storage area was protected from unfavorable weather conditions. Its “easy riding qualities” was described as a benefit when transporting breakable goods.

Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co., Buffalo, NY. Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car, circa 1914, page 5, Model P, Panel Body delivery car.

Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co., Buffalo, NY. Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car, circa 1914, page 6, Model E, Express Body delivery car.

Another body was the Model E, Express Body. As shown above, this model included an open loading space with a roof and iron grille on the sides and rear. This allowed easy access to the goods stored in the loading area. The Express Body as well as the Stake Body and Panel Body all had a capacity of 1500 pounds.

Besides delivery cars, this company also offered specialty vehicles. The Ambulance is shown below. It was equipped with a cot and chairs for both a physician and nurse. The sides were either solid panels or included windows with roller shades. Its ability for speed and “easy riding qualities” made it especially useful as an ambulance.

The Omnibus, also shown below, had the capacity to transport a group of people. The front driver’s seat allowed enough space for two people to sit while 10 additional people were seated lengthwise in the enclosed passenger compartment. A rear door provided entry and exit from the passenger compartment.

Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co., Buffalo, NY. Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car, circa 1914, page 8, Ambulance and Omnibus.

Other specialty vehicles included the Casket Wagon and Police Patrol, both illustrated below. The Casket Wagon included a removable rack to divide the back compartment into an upper and lower section. It came with rollers, pin-stops, and sockets to assist with loading and securely holding caskets. Side windows were equipped with black broad-cloth.

The Police Patrol, below, had the capacity to seat eight people inside. It was available as a panel style vehicle with or without a rear door or as an enclosed style vehicle with wire grille sides.

Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co., Buffalo, NY. Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car, circa 1914, page 9, Casket Wagon and Police Patrol.

The catalog continues with details about construction, parts, and specifications of the motor vehicles. Depending on the model, delivery vehicles were available in shades of blue, red, or green. For a specialized vehicle, such as the Ambulance, Omnibus, or Police Patrol, it was available in any color desired. The Casket Wagon was available in either black or pearl gray.

Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co., Buffalo, NY. Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car, circa 1914, pages 12-13, delivery cars for various businesses.

As shown in the illustrations above, various businesses used the motor delivery car. This included dairy, ice cream, newspaper, hardware, and other businesses supplying goods and materials. The catalog ends with testimonials from some of the companies. Letters mention satisfaction with the delivery car’s abilities to carry heavy loads, cover many miles, navigate difficult road conditions due to weather, and its overall operation even for inexperienced users.

Howard & Barber Co. of Derby, Connecticut wrote on July 26, 1912: “…This spring after the heavy April rains the country roads were never in such bad condition and certainly the car had a thorough test along this line but in spite of these conditions it did the work perfectly.”

Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co., Buffalo, NY. Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car, circa 1914, page 22, testimonials/letters of companies who used the delivery cars.

Lippard-Stewart: The Delivery Car (circa 1914) and other trade catalogs by Lippard-Stewart Motor Car Co. are located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

Abiding Attachments: Artist Emma Stebbins and Actor Charlotte Cushman

Alexandra Reigle — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 13:00:37 +0000

Few who walk past the Bethesda Fountain in New York City’s Central Park know the history behind the angel statue, standing high atop the fountain with wings outstretched. This sculpture, called Angel of the Waters, has been the backdrop for many movies and TV shows. The sculpture was made by a wealthy New York sculptor named Emma Stebbins, an artist featured in an album of cartes-de-visites (small, collectible photo cards) of notable 19th century American artists, located in the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library collection. Little is known about Stebbins, even though Angel of the Waters, as noted recently in the New York Times, was “the first public art commission ever awarded to a woman in New York City.”[i] However, what is known about Stebbins has been gleaned from the letters and press coverage of her relationship with famous American actress Charlotte Cushman.

“Bethesda Fountain, Central Park.” Courtesy of New York Public Library.

Emma Stebbins was born into a life of affluence as the daughter of the wealthy banker, John L. Stebbins. The wealth and clout of her family allowed her to devote her life to a career of art, which was not often the case for women of lesser means. At the age of 42, Emma Stebbins travelled to Rome in 1857 and met with fellow American sculptor Harriet Hosmer who had arrived in Rome five years earlier.[ii] In Rome, Hosmer was part of a social circle of other independent (and often wealthy) women artists and creators, most of which lived in an apartment in Rome established by American actress, Charlotte Cushman. Cushman was particularly supportive of Hosmer and her work, using her celebrity to advocate for the sculptor. Stebbins was welcomed into this community of women and almost immediately began a romantic relationship with Cushman that would last for the rest of their lifetimes. In an 1858 letter to Emma Crow, Cushman alludes to marrying Stebbins noting “Do you not know that I [Cushman] am already married and wear the badge upon the third finger of my left hand?”[iii]

Carte de VIsite of Emma Stebbins from American Art/Portrait Gallery Library

As the couple split their time between the United States and Europe, Cushman served as Stebbins’s greatest advocate and worked hard to promote her partner’s art. In one instance, Cushman rallied for Stebbins to win an 1859 commission to create a sculpture of Horace Mann that would be placed in front of the State House in Boston. Stebbins ultimately won, much to the dismay of Hosmer who no longer received the same support from Cushman.[iv] The most famous commission that Stebbins would receive would be for the aforementioned statue Angel of the Waters that would sit at the center of the Bethesda Terrace in New York’s Central Park.”[v] As reviews of the statue began to appear in the newspaper, Cushman was very vocal in both her admiration of Angel of the Waters as well as her disdain for those who were critical of it. As Cushman was retired (though she was happy to make special performances) it was noted by Cushman biographer, Lisa Merrill, that the actress spent more time on Stebbins’s career than her own at the end of her life. [vi] Ironically, after Cushman died in 1876 Stebbins spent much of the rest of her life on creating a biography of Cushman’s career, published in 1879, and ultimately stopped creating art until her death in 1882.

This focus on Cushman at the end of Stebbins’s life, as well as what seemed to be a general disinterest in self-promotion, helps explain the lack of information on Stebbins from her own voice. What is known comes mainly from letters written by Cushman to others and from newspapers of the time. Many American newspapers discussed them interchangeably whether they reported on Cushman’s acting tours or Stebbins’s sculptural works. Many examples of this can be found in the artist file for Stebbins located in the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library’s Colonel Merl M. Moore, Jr. Files, a collection of artists files focused on 19^th century American artists that consist mainly of photocopies of 19^th century American newspapers and magazines. For instance, Stebbins’s file included a clipping from the November 17^th Boston Daily Evening Transcript from 1869 that reported an anecdote about how the couple took care of each other when they were ill: “I am sorry to say, however, that Miss Stebbins has been quite ill. She was with Miss Cushman during all of her cruel suffering, and of course, after the worst was over, Miss Stebbins’s nervous system was completely prostrated.”

The discussions of the relationship between Stebbins and Cushman in newspapers seem to celebrate the closeness and camaraderie of the couple without referring to it as a true romantic relationship which at the time would, of course, be considered taboo. However, Harriet Hosmer biographer, Kate Culkin, noted that, at this time, there was a certain “cultural acceptance of intense female relationships.”[vii] In part this “acceptance” came from the increasing occurrence of privileged women choosing to live with other women often for the sake of their career and independence. This allowed many lesbians to live together as couples under the guise that they had intimate, but platonic, relationships.

Another source of information about Stebbins is a scrapbook compiled by one of her relatives (now in the collection of the Archive of American Art) of images and newspaper clippings about the artist’s career. In the scrapbook, amid the photos of statues and hand written notes, there is a clipping of Stebbins’s obituary from the New York Tribune. While much of the clipping celebrates Stebbins’s artistic accomplishments, the entire last paragraph is devoted to the ways that her relationship with Cushman defined much of her life:

Miss Stebbins’s name is indissolubly linked with that of her friend Charlotte Cushman, with when she formed a close intimacy soon after taking up her residence in Rome. They lived together, travelled together and worked together for many years. It was one of those romantic and abiding attachments which indicate a genius for friendship. Miss Stebbins watched over her friend in her late illness and became her loving and appreciative biographer. Since the death of the great actress her own health has been declining.[viii]

[i] Jennifer Harlan, “Overlooked No More: Emma Stebbins, Who Sculpted an Angel of New York,” The New York Times, May 29, 2019.

[ii] History Project, Improper Bostonians: Lesbian and Gay History from the Puritans to Playland (Boston: Beacon Press,1998), 58.

[iii] Lisa Merrill, When Romeo Was a Woman: Charlotte Cushman and Her Circle of Female Spectators (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2000), 211.

[iv] Kate Culkin, Harriet Hosmer: A Cultural Biography (Boston: University of Massachusetts Press, 2010), 96.

[v] Merrill, When Romeo Was a Woman, 201.

[vi] Merrill, 202.

[vii] Culkin, Harriet Hosmer, 63.

[viii] F, “The Late Miss Emma Stebbins.” New York Tribune, November 2, 1882.

Abigail May Alcott: Little Woman

Salima Appiah-Duffell — Thu, 28 May 2020 13:00:58 +0000

With Mother’s Day in our recent memory, it’s the perfect to remember one of the most familiar and loved matriarchs in American literature: Marmee, from Little Women. The American Art and Portrait Gallery Library has some of the most recent scholarship on Abigail May Alcott, mother of Louisa and the inspiration for Marmee. It comes courtesy of historical biographer Eve LaPlante.

LaPlante is a descendant of Louisa May Alcott and discovered the letters that were the basis of much of her scholarship for both books in a family trunk. Her books Marmee & Louisa (2012) and My Heart is Boundless (2012) use Abigail May Alcott to provide insight into the life and heart of this remarkable matriarch. She also makes the argument that Abigail’s childhood was an inspiration for the lives of the March sisters, as well as the lives of Louisa and her siblings. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the “Little Woman-hood” of Abigail May Alcott, as described in Marmee & Louisa.

A Childhood Touched By Tragedy

Abigail May was born in Boston on October 8, 1800, the youngest of eight children, to Joseph and Dorothy Sewall May. The family was close-knit, loving, but had also endured several hardships that shaped the family’s character before Abigail was born. In 1798 Abigail’s father, Joseph May, lost the family fortune. His business partner invested heavily in a fraudulent scheme known as the Yazoo land scandal. After the bankruptcy and “mental suffering” that followed, Joseph May resolved to never again pursue material wealth, refusing other investment opportunities that came later and keeping the family in modest circumstances. (LaPlante, 15). This change of fortune is something the fictional March sisters also experienced:

“Abigail knew her father only after his business failure. But her oldest siblings, like the elder sisters in Little Women ‘could remember better times.’ In the novel one sister asks another ‘Don’t you wish we had the money papa lost when we were little.’” (LaPlante, 15).

Her father coped with the change with a new emphasis on duty and scorn toward materialism. These ideals were helped along by the support of his wife’s wealthy family. Abigail’s mother, Dorothy Sewall May was from a prominent New England family–one of the era’s “Boston Brahmins.” She was a cousin to Abigail Adams and counted revolutionary John Hancock as brother-in-law. (LaPlante, 15).

Financial troubles weren’t the family’s only worry; Abigail’s parents also endured the loss of five babies before she was born. Additionally, when she was a toddler, Abigail’s 6-year-old brother died in an accident. This incident had a great impact on the entire family and led to Abigail growing up with four sisters and one brother, Sam Jo. According to LaPlante this “fundamental May quintet” was Louisa’s inspiration for the March sisters and Laurie. (LaPlante, 10)

Wanting More

As she grew, Abigail’s great desire was to be educated. While her mother’s desire for some education for her daughters was mildly progressive for the day, Abigail had academic ambitions that went beyond the domestic sphere. According to LaPlante (19):

“She did not relish a marriage like her aunt’s and mother’s…she longed for the experiences of her brother Sam Jo. She wished to read history and literature, learn Latin and Greek, and use her mind to improve the world one as he was encouraged to do.”

Despite her ambitions, Abigail was a sickly child and found her education often interrupted by illness. Yet even through this difficulty her parents “indulged” her with a private tutor in her teen years. Dorothy Sewall May wanted daughters who were “educated as fit companions to a man,” a somewhat progressive attitude in a time when women were widely believed to be intellectually inferior to men.

Her educational ambitions had stronger support from her brother Sam Jo. The pair remained close as they grew up and When the time came for him to attend the prestigious boys’ schools of his day, Sam Jo encouraged Abigail to read his books and think for herself. This continued when he was in college, the pair discussed John Locke and the humanities in their correspondence. Another sibling, Louisa, also taught Abigail by mail: coaching her in grammar and writing. (LaPlante, 22-3)

A Small Rebellion

By the time Abigail was seventeen, she was looking for ways to become a teacher while her parents were trying to find her a husband. Much of that year was spent with the family’s reaction to the rejection of her cousin’s marriage proposal. When tensions grew too great at home, Abigail went away to study with family friends. She returned only after her cousin had died and her father agreed not to try and match her with eligible young men. (LaPlante, 29)

Not long after her return home, Abigail and her eldest sister, Louisa pursued the idea of running a school in their family home. This was derailed when, in 1821, Louisa accepted a marriage proposal. Then, tragedy shaped Abigail’s life again: her youngest sister died, leaving behind a toddler nephew and infant niece, that fell into Abigail’s care, effectively putting an end to her dreams of being an educator. Perhaps that’s the reason that Louisa May Alcott ends her novel with the celebration of Marmee’s birthday at the school Jo founded. It could have been her way of honoring her mother’s youthful ambitions.

Abigail’s young life shows us just how it was difficult for women in the early 19th century to pursue anything other than the path of domesticity; how bright and creative little women often became good wives. Yet even as society struggled to value the contributions of wife and mother, Abigail May Alcott was a woman of principle: as a supporter of education of girls and an early supporter of abolition and emancipation for enslaved people (LaPlante, 52). She used her power where she could, even in marrying Bronson Alcott a penniless teacher with matching ideals—over the disapproval of her parents.

Through a loving marriage marked by frustration, financial hardship, and tragedy, Abigail maintained her beliefs, passing them on to her daughters. Her legacy lives on, not just through the goodness of Marmee but through the principle and ambition of all the March sisters—and their real-life equivalents. They got it from their mama.

Breaking the Cycle: the Kittie Knox story

Grace Miller — Tue, 26 May 2020 13:15:32 +0000

In a society that largely relies on motor vehicles for transportation, or even for sport, it may seem difficult to understand why it was so monumental for a plucky twenty-year-old woman to be allowed to participate in bicycle races, meets and other activities involving the sport. However, what transpired between the young woman and many cycling critics would prove to be a landmark in both the history of gender and racial issues.

Katherine Towle Knox, known as Kittie, was born on October 7, 1874 in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of a white mother, Katherine Towle, and an African American tailor, John H. Knox. When Kittie was just around seven years old, her father passed away from an unknown cause. In the wake of her father’s death, Kittie, her mother, and her older brother Ernest moved to the West End of Boston on the corner of Irving and Cambridge streets. In the late 1880s and early 1890s, this particular area in Boston was home to an array of impoverished African Americans and immigrants. While the West End of Boston struggled financially, it seemed to be quite progressive in its successful integration of many different cultures in one neighborhood. Kittie found work as a seamstress and her brother found work as a steamfitter in an attempt to create a better life in an era that seemed to only create limitations for people of color.

Kittie Knox at Asbury Park. Referee and Cycle Trade Journal, v 15, no.12.

Kittie began to show interest in cycling early on in her life. After saving enough money from her job as a seamstress to buy a bicycle, Kittie became well-known in her neighborhood for her various outings. It was said that Kittie was a part of the Riverside Cycle Club, along with a few other friends and fellow female cycling enthusiasts. There is some speculation about whether or not they were actually considered card-carrying members, due to the general consensus at the time that women were not allowed to participate in a male-dominated sport. Kittie would continue to attract the attention of other cyclists as she began to participate in meets, winning many of the bicycling competitions she took part in.

In 1893, Kittie was accepted as a member of League of American Wheelmen (L.A.W). In 1894, the L.A.W. changed its constitution to include the word “white”, creating a “color bar” for the organization. This caused many members to question the legitimacy of Kittie’s membership. In his book Boston’s Cycling Craze, 1880-1900 , Lorenz J. Finison details some of Kittie’s experiences during this time.

Cover of Boston’s Cycling Craze by Lorenz J. Finnison.

Despite her controversial membership, Kittie was a popular candidate in competitions that featured female L.A.W. members sporting their best looks. In the 1895 edition of The Bearings, a cycling journal, a section details Kittie’s first-prize win at an event in Waltham, Massachusetts:

Description of Knox’s winning costume in The Bearings, v. 11. No. 24. July 11, 1895.

Kittie became known for both her unique style and elegant riding technique but her appearance was frequently scrutinized by journalists. While the newspapers failed to describe in great detail how attractive any of the male cyclists were, they succeeded in giving an account of Kittie’s physical appearance and wardrobe in nearly every meet covered. She was at times described by journalists as a “comely colored maiden”, “murky goddess of Beanville”, and “beautiful and buxom black bloomerite”. Kittie seemed to inspire colorful phrases regarding her color and gender, despite the fact that these aspects had nothing to do with her ability as a serious cyclist.

A particular incident in which Kittie showed her defiance occurred in July of 1895 when Kittie entered the annual meet at Asbury Park. It was reported that she was denied entry and was not recognized as a member of the L.A.W., despite being a card-carrying member. It was also reported that Kittie was denied service by restaurants and hotels while staying in New Jersey for the meet. This situation was promptly documented by The Referee and Cycle Trade Journal, as well as newspapers around the country:

Description of Knox’s trials at the Asbury Park meet in 1895.

Eventually, the issue of the “color bar” boiled over in the L.A.W. A battle ensued between the members who believed that the L.A.W.’s “white only” membership policy be upheld and those who felt segregation was wrong. In a July 1895 issue of L.A.W. Bulletin & Good Roads, L.A.W. stated that “Miss Katie [sic] Knox joined the League April 21, 1893. The word ‘white’ was put into the [L.A.W.] constitution, Feb. 20, 1894. Such laws are not and cannot be retroactive. We don’t know who it was that competed in the races and we know of no law that would keep a negro out of an open race, be he League member or not” (read a copy available through HathiTrust). After this statement was released, Kittie was accepted fully as a member, making her the first ever African American to be accepted by the League of American Wheelmen.

Kittie Knox’s story of courage in the face of racial tension helped desegregate the world of cycling and offered a hopeful vision for a future that accepts and supports diversity. Kittie is featured in several cycling journals held by the Smithsonian Libraries, such as the aforementioned The Referee and Cycle Trade Journal and The Bearings. Both journals can be found in the Smithsonian Libraries’ Digital Library. Much of her story is also detailed in the Boston’s Cycling Craze, 1880-1900, which can be found in the National Museum of African American History and Culture Library.

Research from Home: Providing Resources to Smithsonian Scientists

Allie Swislocki — Wed, 20 May 2020 13:00:33 +0000

As the world faces the global challenge of COVID-19, the Smithsonian Libraries is working to provide research services and resources to our users around the world. Whether it’s by joining virtual meetings with research teams, answering real-time questions from scholars in need, or providing quick and easy access to digital resources and electronic resources to researchers around the world, our team is pleased to continue contributing to important scholarship and scientific discovery, at the Smithsonian and beyond. As one National Museum of Natural History curator wrote, “The access to e-journals has made my stay-at-home work so much smoother.”

Dale Greenwalt in the field at the Kishenehn Formation fossil locality in Montana. Photo by: Jill Warren.

The Smithsonian Libraries has supported research at the Institution since its inception in 1846. Today, we are working to adapt to our “new normal,” and we will be here to work alongside our community in what comes next. While today we are focusing on providing digital support and access, many researchers find our help indispensable, both online and in person. One Smithsonian scientist, Dale Greenwalt, shares his experiences working with the Smithsonian Libraries and expresses his gratitude:

When the extinct wood gnat Sylvicola silibrarius was described from 46-million-year-old rock in northwestern Montana, it provided me with an opportunity to recognize and thank the staff of the NMNH libraries. The NMNH libraries are a treasure. The ability to simply descend a few flights of stairs and gain access to a large portion of the relevant scientific literature that has ever been published is critical to my work. When a new species is described, it must be compared to – and distinguished from – those previously described. In the case of Sylvicola, these totaled nine, some of which had been named in publications that dated back to 1803, 1890, 1904, 1907 and 1921. Many of the journals in which the descriptions were published went out of business in the 19th century; and one cannot simply e-mail the author of a 1904 paper and ask for a reprint! But most can be found in the Smithsonian Libraries.

Today, many scientific publications can be downloaded from the Internet. Many others however are not open source and the Libraries is financially unable to subscribe to every scientific journal – some of these journals cost nearly $20,000 a year! And many journals are published by small and obscure societies that have no presence in the World Wide Web. Thankfully, if a needed publication is not otherwise available, the Libraries can order a copy of the publication of interest through their Interlibrary Loan service – a copy of the publication is in my e-mail within a very few days.

My research would simply be impossible without the Smithsonian Libraries and librarians. And speaking of the latter, I have never in my professional career interacted with a more professional, friendly and helpful group of people. Without the Smithsonian Libraries and the folks who run them, my research would some to a standstill.

Sylvicola silibrarius Greenwalt, 2019 and Kishenehnoasilus bhl Dikow, 2019.

To learn more about Sylvicola silibrarius, please read our blog post here.

Want to help make research like Dale’s possible? You can support your favorite library or program here.

Art Deco: Graphic Design Resources at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library

Margaret Gaines — Tue, 19 May 2020 13:00:26 +0000

This is the fifth in a series of posts about the Art Deco resources at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum library. Each post will highlight primary resources which contain the styles and designs of the Art Deco era. These resources are divided into seven categories- world’s fair publications, interior and architecture books, trade catalogs, graphic design, pattern books, and picture files. This guide is not an exhaustive summary and these featured resources are just a portion of what awaits Art Deco enthusiasts and researchers in the Cooper Hewitt library collection. We are grateful to Jacqueline Vossler and Joseph Lundy for their generous support of this project.

The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum Library holds many graphic design pieces that help illustrate the Art Deco movement. Graphic designs during the Art Deco era embodied the velocity of new transportation, skyscrapers, and jazz music. Inspired by Cubism, designers borrowed the analytic and synthetic strengths of the style, filtering familiar realities through kaleidoscopic perspectives.

Figure 1. Cover of Pacific Southwest Exposition : official program , using a limited color palette highlighting the architecture and allure of the fair.

At the 1925 Paris Exposition, graphic design’s place in modern culture was recognized with a whole area devoted to the subject. Throughout the Library’s collection of World’s Fair materials, we see examples of Art Deco style in commemorative publications from the national and commercial pavilions alike. These publications became early vehicles for dispersing the design style.

Figure 2. .Cover of Catalogue général officiel : Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes, Paris, avril-octobre, 1925 , simple in its execution and featuring classic Art Deco motifs.

Specific examples are featured here, yet this does not even scratch the surface of what there is to explore in the Cooper Hewitt’s collection. The images above are from the World’s Fair ephemera collection, discussed earlier in this blog series. The graphics at these fairs did not stop at the cover designs of souvenir books, though. Researchers can explore the style further in the ads and reports compiled by consumer product brands at the time.

Figure 3 and 4. Advertisements in Exposición Internacional de Barcelona 1929 : catálogo oficial. Celebrating the innovations of the era.

The Art Deco style soon graced book covers too. Within the Cooper Hewitt’s collection, several novels give an idea of the early 20th-century style but also what captured the attention and imagination of its readers from the 1920s or 30s.  Books depict on their covers the fast-paced and lavish urban lifestyles that filled their pages.

Figure 5. Cover of Chastity: A Drama of the East by Joan Conquest, published 1929, New York.
Figure 6. Cover of Painted veils by James Huneker, published 1920, New York.

Figure 7. Cover of Illusion by Arthur Train, published 1929, New York.

Art Deco’s balanced and geometric structure echoed throughout advertisements, book covers, buildings, trade catalogs, design, and decorative objects. Evidence can be found in books like Répertoire du gout moderne, which shows how pervasive these graphic trends were on design objects. Below are rugs with anonymous gymnasts gracefully soaring across rugs.

Figure 8. Plate 40 Répertoire du gout moderne published c. 1928-9, Paris.

Art Deco’s flattened and abstracted aesthetics traveled internationally and encouraged growing appreciation towards abstraction as a universal ideal for communication beyond language. Many designers embraced these changes while finding an appropriately cosmopolitan way to capture the atmosphere. André Durenceau, a celebrated French illustrator who moved to Los Angeles in the late 1920s, published Inspirations around the time he arrived in the United States. The diverse portfolio displays his ability to work in the latest Art Deco style with bright colors, geometric shapes and exotic world influences.  

Figure 9 and 10. Plates 18 and 24 of  Inspirations illustrated by André Durenceau, published circa 1928, Woodstock, New York.

Selected Bibliography:

Catalogue général officiel : Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes, Paris, avril-octobre, 1925
Call Number: N520.F8 P235 1925
Published/created: 1925, Paris, France

Official catalog for the Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes in Paris, France 1925. It includes illustrations of the decorative arts specifically featuring that of Spain, Italy, and the Yugoslavian theater. Available in French.

Pacific Southwest Exposition : official program
Call Number: T703.A1 P33 1928
Published/created: c. 1928, Long Beach, California

Official souvenir guide at the Pacific Southwest Exposition in Long Beach, California from 1928-9. Features illustrations and general information about architecture, exhibitions, and entertainment. Includes illustrations that show the Art Deco era obsession with light and waterworks. Available in English.

Exposición Internacional de Barcelona 1929 : catálogo oficial
Call Number: N4433. E99 1929
Published/created: 1929, Barcelona, Spain

Official souvenir guide at the Exposición Internacional in Barcelona, Spain, 1929. Features illustrations and general information about architecture, exhibitions, and entertainment. Available in Spanish.

Guide officiel de l’exposition internationale : coloniale, maritime et d’art flamand, Anvers, 1930
Call Number: T419.A2 G85 1930
Published/created: 1930, Bruxelles, Belgium

Official souvenir guide at l’exposition internationale in Antwerp, Belgium, 1930. Features illustrations and general information about architecture, exhibitions, and entertainment. Available in French.

Chastity: a drama of the East
Call Number: PR6005 b .O394 1929
Written by: Joan Conquest (Mary Eliza Louis Cooke)
Published/created: 1929, New York City, New York

A romantic fiction novel with a book jacket in the upmost Art Deco style attributed to Victor Beals.

Painted veils
Call Number: PS2044 .H4P3 1928X
Written by: James Huneker
Published/created: 1928, New York City, New York

A novel ruminating on the life and worldly behaviors on display in 1920s New York with a book jacket attributed to Paul Wenck.

Illusion
Call Number: PS3529 .R23I45 1929
Written by: Arthur Train
Published/created: 1929, New York City, New York

The story of a magician who no longer can decipher what is real and what is an illusion. Book jacket designer is unknown.

Répertoire du goût moderne
Call Number: NK2549 .R42 quarto
Published/created: c. 1928-9, Paris, France

Five volumes of illustrations featuring interiors and various ensembles of furniture and decorative arts. Many instances of the same space with different decorative design schemes.

Inspirations
Call Number: NK1535.D87 A4 1928 folio
Published/created: c. 1928, Woodstock, New York

Twenty-four plates with 128 illustrated compositions by André Durenceau. Featuring a diverse array of patterns from the increasingly connected world of the 1910s and 1920s.

Find the Perfect Video Meeting Background!

Richard Naples — Thu, 14 May 2020 14:03:29 +0000

Whether shelter-in-place has you working from a studio apartment, in a home filled with kids, or a makeshift set-up at your dining room table, it can be hard to find a distraction-free background for the inevitable virtual meeting. Fear not! With over 9,000 digitized books and journals, we’re here to help make your next chat fun for both you and you colleagues. Create a custom background in Zoom, Teams, Webex, or other teleconference tool using public domain images from the Smithsonian Libraries.

In a hurry? Below are 11 images ready to download. Just click on the image and save to your computer, then follow the instructions provided by the tool you are using. There’s also a brief description and link to each source for the inevitable question, “Where did you get that amazing background?!?”

The Beauty of the Heavens by Charles F. Blunt (Tilt and Bogue, London, 1842)

This book on popular astronomy contains over a hundred illustrated plates of astronomical phenomena. It also has lectures to accompany the plates, meant to be read to the whole family—which sounds quite relevant to today’s school-from-home, parent-as-teacher situation!

No. 50, Monoceros and Canis Minor

No. 42, Leo

No. 20, Phases of the Planet Saturn

No. 104, The Rainbow

No. 19, The Waning Moon

Seitei kachōjō [省亭花鳥帖] by Watanabe Seitei [渡邊省亭,] (Unsōdō, Tōkyō-shi, [not before 1889])

Watanabe Seitei (1851-1918) was a Japanese artist who blended traditional Japanese techniques with Western realism influences, resulting in gorgeous images of nature—primarily birds and flowers. Take that expense report meeting to the perfect picnic spot with these images!

[Dragonfly and flower]

[Butterfly approaching flower]

[Bird on a branch]

Keramic Studio (1889-1919, various issues)

Adelaide Alsop Robineau helped found this periodical for ceramics artists in 1889. A top ceramics artist herself, Robineau often featured the works of women artists, both as illustrators and throwers of pottery. In its issues you can find stellar examples of Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts, and even some early Art Deco designs. Here are a few that would look great as a background:

Nasturtiums – Maud M. Mason, June 1903 Supplement

Peacock Study – F. Hurten Rhead, May 1904 Supplement

Double Violets – Marshal Fry, November 1900 Supplement

None of these fit your fancy? Find your own surprising image from our digital library, Image Gallery, or the Biodiversity Heritage Library to highlight instead!

Young video conference participant with digital background.

Embroidery: Down the Needle Hole . . .

Nilda Lopez — Tue, 12 May 2020 13:00:06 +0000

During this hectic time, it’s always great to be able to learn new and exciting things. From a recent social media discussion, I found out about an especially inspiring endeavor from our Smithsonian Family. For those not aware, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center created a Care Package. This care package features music, projects and inspirational material for communities during this time.

This inspired me to search the Libraries’ collection of digital books. I have found that our team has collectively made it easier to access our Digital Collections. In considering what we could add to a Libraries’ care package, I thought it would be interesting to include useful handicraft books such as sewing, knitting and the like, similar, and in the tradition of the historic Care Package seen in the National Museum of American History from 1962.

I found a title, dedicated to the “American Woman of the Day” a Mrs. Potter Palmer, (Bertha Palmer) who served as the President of the Board of the Lady Managers of the World’s Columbian exposition, the Dainty Work for pleasure and profit . It starts “We have tried in the following pages to include a love for home beautifying; to show how every home in this broad land can be rendered beautiful…” Embroidery became a vehicle for artistic expression as well as financial gain to women at this time. Herstory highlights this movement in a short blurb.

The book begins with a discussion on materials and delves into techniques and some example design patterns. As I continued to browse, I saw examples of the simple outline stitch and figure images of cording, close, and twisted outlines.

Page 28 &29 of Dainty Work for pleasure and profit (1893).

The book goes into detail about other versions of stitches to create patterns and designs such as flowers, stars and the infamous honeycomb, seen below. The greatness lies in its textual explanation (side anecdotes!) and the usefulness to American Women at the time. We have several of these types of books littered throughout the Smithsonian Libraries.

Pages 40 & 41 of Dainty Work for pleasure and profit (1893).

I finally came upon pages dedicated to “Art or Flat embroidery.”

Page 74 & 75 of Dainty Work for pleasure and profit (1893).

Let it be known, I am not artistic, although I appreciate great artwork. It has been amazing to search through the Cooper Hewitt Textile Collections online and see several of their embroidery pieces, such as this counted stitch example acquired in 1925 from Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt, early founders of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Entranced by this page and fascinated with the concept of “flat embroidery” I wondered as limited as my resources are, what I can do at home to replicate any of these amazing stitches and put them to use. Luckily, I came upon this “handi hour” crafting video of embroidering on paper from the Smithsonian American Art Museum!

I only had some paper, a sewing needle and black thread but it worked. I gathered my supplies and 15 minutes later Voila! I may need to buy correct material for a better art project, but I thought it was a great first attempt. Maybe it will be a second career choice! Have a great day everyone!

Others handicraft titles to explore in our Digital Library:

Alphabete für die Stickerin : A German book from 1900 filled with embroidery patterns.
Home Decoration: A book from 1881 that includes needlework instruction as well as tips for crafting draperies and wood carving.

Digital Jigsaw Puzzles

Erin Rushing — Thu, 07 May 2020 13:00:59 +0000

Need a fun mental break? We’ve created six digital jigsaw puzzles through Jigsaw Explorer that feature a few favorite images from our collection. Play them right here on our blog or use the links to expand an individual puzzle. Each puzzle is set to contain about 100 pieces, but they are customizable for any skill set. Hit the question mark icon on a puzzle for more information. We’ve tested these with staff (and kid volunteers!) and hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

All of these images are freely available through our Image Gallery, Digital Library or Biodiversity Heritage Library. Feel free to explore, download other images and maybe make your own boredom buster!

“The Lilac” from Eugene Grasset’s La plante et ses applications ornementales (1896).

A stunner of a book, Grasset’s design patterns focus on plants and flowers. It was intended to promote the Art Nouveau style.

Play online: https://jigex.com/CsBd

“The Lilac” from Eugene Grasset’s La plante et ses applications ornementales (1896).

Jigsaw Puzzle

“The Koodoo” from Samuel Daniell’s African Scenery and Animals, 1804-05.

The kudu is a type of spiral-horned antelope. It’s one of many species (some now extinct) featured in African scenery and animals (1804-05), available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library. These hand-colored aquatint plates present artwork by Samuel Daniell, produced during an expedition to Africa at the end of the eighteenth century.

Play online: https://jigex.com/HzPd

“The Koodoo” from Samuel Daniell’s African Scenery and Animals, 1804-05.

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Pour rêver un peu” from La guirlande, fasc (1919).

The title of this illustration says it all – “To dream a little”. It was published in 1919 in the French literary and art journal, La guirlande. The publication’s art director was Italian artist Umberto Brunelleschi, known for his book and fashion illustrations.

Play online: https://jigex.com/6N8V

“Pour rêver un peu” from La guirlande, fasc (1919).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Cover from Aéroplane captif (1909).

Aéroplane captif is one of hundreds of pieces of aeronautical-themed sheet music collected by Bella C. Landauer (1874–1960). Landauer took an interest in aviation when her son became a pilot and scoured music shops to amass her collection. She’s one of many collectors featured in our exhibition, Magnificent Obessions: Why We Collect.

Play online: https://jigex.com/4E1R

Cover from Aéroplane captif (1909). Gift of Bella C. Landauer.

Jigsaw Puzzle

“Smithsonian Institution, from the North East” from Robert Dale Owen’s Hints on public architecture . . . (1849).

This charming drawing of men and women strolling on the paths on the Mall in front of the Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle) is from Robert Dale Owen’s 1849 publication, Hints on public architecture, containing, among other illustrations, views and plans of the Smithsonian institution. Owen was a Smithsonian regent and the head of the Building Committee. The exterior of the building wasn’t actually completed until 1851.

Play online: https://jigex.com/Vggy

“Smithsonian Institution, from the North East” from Robert Dale Owen’s Hints on public architecture . . . (1849).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Front cover from John Lewis Childs’ New, rare & beautiful flowers, (1890).

John Lewis Childs was born on May 13, 1856. He acquired a few acres and set up his business as a seedsman and florist at age eighteen, after one year as a florist’s helper on Long Island. His operation was based in Floral Park, New York, which was often featured in his catalogs. The Smithsonian Libraries holds more than 10,000 seed and nursery catalogs dating from 1830 to the present.

Play online: https://jigex.com/6Bzy

Front cover from John Lewis Childs’ New, rare & beautiful flowers, (1890).

Jigsaw Puzzle

Sliding into Spring Fashion…and More in 1915

Alexia MacClain — Tue, 05 May 2020 13:00:05 +0000

With just one glance at the front cover of this trade catalog, it appears like Spring is on the way. A lady is surrounded by flowers. Purple ribbons accessorizing her outfit are gently blowing in the breeze. Let’s take a look at what consumers might have stumbled across in 1915 while perusing this mail order/department store catalog.

The catalog is titled Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) by John Wanamaker. As you might expect, much of it is devoted to fashion, but other items were also available. Customers had the option of buying furniture and home furnishings, such as silverware, curtains, linens, rugs, and more.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, front cover.

Just like other John Wanamaker catalogs, such as the Fall & Winter Catalog 1915-16, this catalog also offered the mail order option. It begins with an introduction encouraging consumers to think of the catalog as a door between their home and the department store.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 1, Introduction from John Wanamaker.

Then, it goes on to illustrate clothing. This includes women’s suits, coats, raincoats, skirts, blouses, sweaters, and dresses. In the image below, two ladies are enjoying an afternoon tea modeling their early Spring dresses. The lady on the left is wearing a putty color dress made of worsted serge. It consisted of a high-waist skirt with a jacket style top and closures of covered buttons and loops. The dress was available in putty color trimmed with Belgian blue, navy blue with putty color, or all black.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page following page 16, two ladies wearing early Spring dresses enjoying tea.

Bathing suits are also shown in this catalog. The one-piece bathing suit worn by the lady on the bottom right was made of messaline with a pointed taffeta collar. The turned back cuffs on the short sleeves were trimmed with buttons as was the pleated belt. It was available in black or blue. Some bathing suits came with tights but this one did not. Bathing caps were also sold separately. One bathing cap included handmade rubber roses which the lady on the top left is wearing.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 25, women’s bathing suits and bathing caps.

Though much of this catalog includes women’s fashion, some pages show men’s and children’s clothing and accessories. Clothing for children and infants are shown below. The girl on the top left is wearing a buttoned navy blue serge, sateen-lined, coat with scalloped cuffs and collar. It was available for children aged two to six years old. An accompanying mushroom-shaped hat adorned with velvet and silk flowers completed her outfit.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 43, children’s coats and hats.

At the time this catalog was printed in 1915, John Wanamaker was exploring the possibility of expanding their mail order service. The Home Furnishings section begins with an explanation that they are including a small portion of home furnishings in this catalog to determine if they will later offer a larger mail order service for home furnishings.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 97, Home Furnishings Mail Order Service.

Below are some examples of their furniture. The “Library Pieces” page includes upholstered armchairs, rocking chairs, and Davenport sofa beds, like the one shown on the bottom left. This particular sofa bed was 6 feet 10 inches long, upholstered in leather, and included a mattress.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 98, Library Pieces including armchairs, rocking chairs, and Davenport sofa beds.

Besides furniture, other items such as draperies, linens, bedding, curtains, rugs, and plated silverware, such as the ones illustrated below, were also available from the Home Furnishings section. Customers could buy coffee sets, trays, platters, cheese and cracker dishes, and more.

John Wanamaker, New York, NY. Spring & Summer Catalog, 1915, page 115, Plated Silverware.

Spring & Summer Catalog (1915) and other trade catalogs by John Wanamaker are available in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Interested in other John Wanamaker catalogs? Take a look at a post highlighting their Fall and Winter Catalog 1915-16 (1915-1916) to explore fashion for the colder months or this post about a Wanamaker Diary (1910).

Poetry towards Progress: Frances E. W. Harper

Erin Rushing — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 13:00:48 +0000

An activist, a teacher, a poet — Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was an extraordinary figure in American history. She was born free in the city of Baltimore in 1825, orphaned at the age of three, and grew up under the tutelage of her uncle Rev. William Watkins. William himself was an outspoken abolitionist and author, was a friend to William Lloyd Garrison and ran the “William Watkins Academy for Negro Youth”. Though not affluent, Frances’s upbringing was intellectually rich and prepared her to challenge the status quo.

Portrait from William Still’s The underground rail road.

Continuing her uncle’s anti-slavery work, Frances taught at a school run by abolitionist John Brown and became an active figure in the Underground Rail Road. She lived for a time with William Still of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, who profiled her in his book The underground rail road. Still called Frances “one of the most liberal contributors, as well as one of the most ablest of advocates of the Underground Rail Road and of the slave.”

Her activism continued well past abolition. Harper was a life-long champion of rights for both African Americans and women. While suffrage was an important issue for Harper, she and other black suffragists were often excluded from the conversation by their white counterparts. In 1894, she helped form the National Association of Colored Women alongside Mary Church Terrell, an organization that addressed the needs of both women and black Americans.

Frances Harper’s literary legacy is extensive and entwined with her social and political beliefs, with both poetry and novels that broke barriers. She published her first book of poetry, Forest Leaves, at the age of 20. Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects, was first published in 1854 (read an 1857 edition from the Library of Congress). It contained heart-breaking entries like “The Slave Mother” and “The Slave Auction”, poems that capture the despair of the enslaved. In 1858, she wrote the powerful poem “Bury Me in a Free Land” , now quoted on the walls of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Her story “The Two Offers” (1859), which examined marriage and women’s societal constraints, was the first short story published by an African American woman.

The Smithsonian Libraries holds several of Harper’s works, both early editions and modern reprints, as well as biographies of Harper and literary interpretations. Poems, Harper’s fourth book was first published in 1871 but the Libraries’ copy is from 1900. It recently received conservation treatment and was digitized as part of the Adopt a Book program and it now available in our Digital Library. Though some poems speak of crocuses and dandelions, others, like “A Double Standard”, directly address society’s inequitable treatment of men and women:

Excerpt from “A Double Standard” in Poems

Sketches of Southern Life in our collection was also recently adopted. Poet Melba Joyce Boyd, in her book Discarded Legacy (1994), describes Sketches of Southern Life as “the first successful transcription of Afroamerican dialect into literature”. Harper’s example would be followed by other black authors, such as Paul Laurence Dunbar. Both Smithsonian Libraries’ copies of Poems and Sketches of Southern Life were gifted to the National Museum of African American History and Culture Library by collector Charles Beyah.

Cover of Sketches of Southern Life (1888).

At the Anacostia Community Museum Library, researchers can read a 1969 edition of Harper’s Iola Leroy: Or Shadows Uplifted. Online, a third edition (1895) copy from the University of California Libraries is available through the Internet Archive. The book, dedicated to her daughter Mary, was one of the first published by an African American woman. It follows the story of Iola, born as the free daughter of a white father and black mother, later wrongfully enslaved and finally freed by the Union Army.

Frances Harper died in 1911 at the age of 85 in Philadelphia. The home where she lived from 1870 until her death is now a National Historic Landmark . Her legacy lives on, not only in her writing, but in the families of those she helped escape slavery and in the voting rights she fought for all women to hold.

Further Reading:

Boyd, Melba Joyce, Discarded Legacy: politics and poetics in the life of Frances E.W. Harper, 1825-1911 . Wayne State University Press, c1994.

Harper, Frances E.W. Iola Leroy: Or Shadows Uplifted. McGrath Pub. Co. [1969].

Harper, Frances E.W. Poems. [Frances E.W. Harper], 1900.

Harper, Frances E.W. Sketches of Southern Life. [Frances E.W. Harper] 1888.

National Museum of African American History and Culture, “5 You Should Know: African American Suffragists” . (Accessed 4/27/20)

Still, William. The underground rail road. People’s Publishing Company, [1871].

Yacovone, Donald. “Sacred Land Regained: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper and ‘The Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth,’ A Lost Poem”. Pennsylvania History vol. 62, no. 1, January 1995 . (Accessed 4/27/20).

National Library Week: A Few Staff Favorites

Erin Rushing — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:00:35 +0000

Although our 21 physical branches remain closed during the COVID-19 outbreak, we’re still excited to celebrate National Library Week with our users near and far. While staff and researchers are certainly missing physical book collections, thousands of titles are available online thanks to the work of our Digital Library and Digitization Department.

Today, staff members from across the Libraries share their favorite works in our Digital Library and the Biodiversity Heritage Library. All of these books are freely available for researchers around the world to use. Read along with us!

Cover from Bicycling for Ladies.

Bicycling for Ladies by Maria E. Ward
Selected by Trina Brown, the head the National Museum of American History Library

“Bicycling represented freedom and independence for many women in the late 1800s. They were able to move about easily under their own steam, without having to rely on anyone else. While many books on bicycling were published during this time, few were aimed at the growing number of women cyclists. The author of this book, Maria E. Ward, was an avid bicyclist and active member of the Staten Island Bicycle Club. Her book provides practical information and advice to help women become accomplished cyclists, with detailed instructions on the proper way to ride.”

“Herself As Lovely As Any Flower That Grew” illustration by Anna Whelan Betts in The lure of the garden.

The lure of the garden by Hildegarde Hawthorne
Selected by Robin Everly, librarian at Botany and Horticulture Library

“This is not a typical book on gardening methods, but rather a meditation on how each of us responds to a garden as a place, and on the importance of gardens to humans’ well-being. Chapter topics include the “social side of gardens” and “gardens of well-known people.” Author Hildegarde Hawthorne was the granddaughter of Nathaniel Hawthorne and a prolific writer in her own right. The book is richly illustrated with drawings and black-and-white photographs. The last chapter speculates about America’s future gardens. Will we have stately gardens similar to those in England, Italy, and France? One hundred and six years later, the answer is a resounding “Yes.” The variety and number of public and private gardens throughout the United States would surely please Hawthorne. This book was written at a time, when most books about gardening were practical, how to grow food, use what space you might own to grow food and sell. Hawthorne talks about the “healing nature of gardens and gardening” which many of us can appreciate now during the 2020 pandemic.”

Cover of Frederick Douglass the orator

Frederick Douglass the orator by James Monroe Gregory
Selected by Baasil Wilder, librarian at Anacostia Community Museum Library

“This book is also in the Anacostia Library collection. We have a huge Frederick Douglass collection in our library, because he was known as “The Lion of Anacostia.” The Frederick Douglass National Historic home is walking distance, a few blocks away, from the Anacostia Museum Library. Frederick Douglass lived right here in Anacostia for the final fourteen years of his life (he died at age 77). The book’s author, Howard University Senior Professor James Monroe Gregory (who died at age 66) overlapped forty-six years of Frederick Douglass’ life. He was an intimate and trusted friend of Douglass. Professor Gregory moved to DC five years before Douglass moved here.”

Canada Lynx from Quadrupeds of North America

Quadrupeds of North America by John James Audubon
Selected by Polly Lasker, reference librarian in the National Museum of Natural History Library

“Since I’ve started leading in-house training sessions on ‘Introduction to the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL)’ I have become enamored of John James Audubon’s ‘Quadrupeds of North America,’ using the plates in the BHL’s entry for demonstrating how to download images. It was Audubon’s second great work after his ‘Birds of America.’ I find the variety of mammals that were captured in the drawings awe-inspiring. Even though the copy in the BHL is not our copy we do have the volumes in our Special Collections, featured in Smithsonian magazine in 2018.”

Profiles of the nose from Principles of beauty relative to the human head

Principles of beauty relative to the human head, by Alexander Cozens
Selected by Anne Evenhaugen, head of American Art/Portrait Gallery Library.

“I have to admit, this book is such a joy to touch—the paper is thick, the type is so heavy, you can actually feel the words and drawings, and the wispy sheets of unbound tissue paper that the artist used for the hairstyles are so delicate. But to keep the Smithsonian’s copy in such good shape, we have digitized it and made it available to everyone to use! So while it does mean you can’t see how cool the transparent hairstyles are when you mix and match “Haughty” or “Majestic,” you can get a sense of what constituted beauty and personality in the late 1700s through the artist’s portraits of these archetypes. And maybe you can practice and perhaps master the profile of the nose (image at right).”

“Humming Birds” from Leaves from the Book of Nature

Leaves from the Book of Nature by William Jardine
Selected by Grace Costantino, Outreach and Communications Manager for Biodiversity Heritage Library

“I love this book because of its charming illustrations. I strongly believe that scientific illustrations are a powerful way to connect the public with nature to develop a love of and appreciation of biodiversity — and especially right now, these artworks are a great way to “experience” nature even if you’re confined indoors. By having so many species depicted on a single plate, it invites the viewer to spend time with each plate, really studying the different animals and contemplating the relationships between them (i.e. why are all of these species together on this plate?). I also love the synergy between the original intention of the Naturalist’s Library (the source of the artworks in this book) and this book’s relevance today. The Naturalist’s Library was intended to engage the general public with nature — the same thing I think this book can do today. Plus, I think these plates would make AMAZING wallpaper or wrapping paper.”

Title page from Journal des marches et opérations pendant la campagne du 14/8/16 au 9/9/17

Journal des marches et opérations pendant la campagne du 14/8/16 au 9/9/17
Selected by Chris Cottrill, head of National Air and Space Museum Library

“A couple of years ago, a very bright and able Smithsonian Libraries intern translated the Escadrille mission logs from French into English. One of the facts he gleaned from the many daily flights recorded was the almost constant litany of aircraft engine malfunctions or their machine guns jamming. Too see these events reported on an almost daily basis gives the reader a sense of amazement that missions were still carried out, air combat did occur and that Escadrille pilots and their opposition lived or died, in what was still a very new technology in an unforgiving environment.”

Plate XXXI from Metamorphosis insectorum surinamensium

Metamorphosis insectorum surinamensium by Maria Sibylla Merian
Selected by Nilda Lopez, library technician at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library

“I discovered that we owned several of Maria Sibylla Merian’s (1647-1717) works. She is a remarkable naturalist, famous for her expertise in entomology and details in her watercolor illustrations of insects and flowers. It gives me great pleasure to view these beautiful images of nature while currently indoors.”

Artists’ Books and Earth Optimism: A Conservation Conversation

Anne Evenhaugen — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 13:00:20 +0000

‘Site and Spirit.’ Mary Ellen Long, 1985. In the Smithsonian American Art & Portrait Gallery Library collection.

This Earth Day, the Smithsonian celebrates the Earth Optimism movement, which aims to shift the conservation conversation from one of doom & gloom to hope, optimism and positive action. While there are a number of voices adding to the conversation, the Smithsonian also has a unique contribution. Because of our breadth and depth, the Smithsonian can use our collections and expertise in science, art, history, and culture. Using the Smithsonian art libraries’ collections, we can also explore conservation and sustainability through a different lens: that of artists’ books.

Artists’ books are essentially artworks in the form of the book, often a blend of visual arts, printmaking, photography, and publishing, experimental narrative, poetry, and graphic design. They can be a unique object or created in large editions of many copies. The Smithsonian Libraries owns more than one thousand artists’ books, and many explore aspects of the natural environment, from confronting environmental abuse to incorporating materials sourced directly from the environment, re-using natural materials in surprising or beautiful ways.

‘Site and Spirit.’ Mary Ellen Long, 1985.

The artist Mary Ellen Long uses the forests and mountains near her home as inspiration for her photography and artists’ books, and as the actual material for her earthworks and outdoor installations. Among a few examples, the Smithsonian Libraries owns Long’s artist’s book Site and Spirit. The pages are loose black and white photographs documenting the artist’s paper sculptures that she has inserted into the natural environment. Each installation was intentionally ephemeral, and with the act of natural decay, the photographs are both the documentation of the work, and the work itself in book form, as the artist planned them in tandem. The loose pages allow the reader to change the order and create their own path through the environment. Each set of photographs is encased in a handmade paper wrapping, with a small twig embedded as closure, evoking the experience of the artist’s installations in a tangible form.

‘Hypotenuse.’ Kurt Allerslev, 1999. In the Smithsonian American Art & Portrait Gallery Library collection.

Kurt Allerslev’s Hypotenuse is an example of using natural materials. It is a small book, only 7” on its long end, and its pages are made with beet juice, turmeric, and flower pigments mixed with plant and seaweed particles to create what the artist called “lush underwater landscapes and starry nebulas.” The artist’s day job is as a scientist and botanist, so as an artwork he is exploring his field in a distinctly creative way and finding inspiration in the tools of his trade. Hypotenuse is an experiment in using organic materials to evoke the natural world, and the result is delicate and evocative, with each page a different tactile and visual experience from the incorporated flowers, leaves, and pigments as well as the texture and patterns of the papers.

‘Hypotenuse.’ Kurt Allerslev, 1999.

Another example that serves as a beautiful reminder to conserve and respect the earth is Amy Richard’s The Mollusk. This work was inspired by Richard’s research and study of natural history and rare books on Floridian mollusks during an artist residency at the University of Florida in 2018. Her sculptural work is based on the Atrina rigida, also called the pen shell mollusk, which as a filter-feeder, is an important part of the ecosystem. The artwork is both rigid and fragile, with a bumpy, hard brown ‘shell’ for a book cover, made entirely of handmade paper using natural fibers, such as flax and kozo bark. Large enough to be cradled in both hands, The Mollusk has wispy pages in bright red, blue and purple that make up the animal’s filtering gills. In the center, there is a small white letterpress book, like a pearl, bound with string, that reads a small poem. According to the artist, the piece is “intended to be held and read as a celebration of nature and a humble reminder of our own fragile connection with one another.”

‘The Mollusk.’ Amy Richard, 2018. In the Smithsonian American Art & Portrait Gallery Library collection.

While one could focus on the pollution of the oceans, climate change or deforestation, these artists use aspects of nature that reflect these troubling ideas in a positive light. In the spirit of Earth Optimism, we hope this selection of artworks might inspire hope and action to conserve the natural world. Or inspire you to engage in similar ways.

‘The Mollusk.’ Amy Richard, 2018.

National Library Week: Accessing the Smithsonian Libraries from Anywhere

Liz O'Brien — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 13:00:14 +0000

It’s National Library Week 2020! This year’s theme is “Find your place at the library.” While the Smithsonian Libraries has closed its 21 physical branches during the COVID-19 outbreak, our work continues. We invite you to find a place with us online through our virtual resources, continued services, and digital content. We are here to help you explore and discover from the comfort of your home–and we look forward to welcoming you back in person as soon as we can.

Digital Library
Find your favorite in Books Online, a free repository of our digitized books. Search for a specific title, browse by topic, or see what’s been most recently added. Our digital books have something for everyone, from aeronautics to decorative arts, architecture to geography, music to sculpture, religion to zoology.

Exhibitions

Explore the book collecting bug in the digital version of our current exhibition at the National Museum of American History, Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect. Inspect various online editions of one of the most influential books in history, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, from our display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Dive into past online exhibitions in subjects as vast as the American garden, science and art of color, African artists’ books, fantastic sci-fi worlds, vanished North American birds, pop-up books for kids and adults, and much, much more.

Explore our Online Exhibitions.

Thematic Collections

Browse our Thérèse Bonney Photography collection to get a glimpse of Paris in the 1920s. Visit our Seed Catalogs to find out what fruits, vegetables, and flowers to plant right now. Pick up a new embroidery or basketmaking hobby with our handicraft books. Look for lighting inspiration for your next home improvement project in our Edward F. Caldwell & Co. collection. Hone your knowledge of Japanese illustration from the 17th to 20th centuries with fully digitized books from the Edo and Meiji periods.

Coloring Books
Relax, unwind, and put your creativity to the test with our free, downloadable coloring books: Volume I, Volume II, and Color in a New Light. Or color from the rare, centuries-old books used in the Smithsonian Libraries’ first published coloring book, Abecedarium: An Adult Coloring Book for Bibliophiles (Smithsonian Books, 2019).

Title page of Smithsonian Libraries Coloring Pages, Volume 2.

Education

Through imagery, song, and text, experience our Traveling Trunks program online. Learn about Latinx topics such as bomba, syncretism, and maize while listening to accompanying music from the Smithsonian Folkways collection. Find curated teaching resources, articles, and academic research in the Narrativas y Canciónes initiative, with education standards from kindergarten to 12th grade.

iTunesU Course
Access free learning courses in aviation and space history directly from your iPhone or iPad, suitable for 6th grade and up. Topics include Women in Aviation, The Great Moon Hoax, and How Things Fly: Parts of an Aircraft in the World War I Period.

Research Guides

Flip through guides created by our library subject experts in Art & Design, History & Culture, and Natural &Physical Sciences.

Biodiversity Heritage Library
Access over 250,000 volumes and 58 million pages of content from the 15th to 21st centuries in the online Biodiversity Heritage Library. All content is free in this global biodiversity treasure trove. Peruse over 160,000 nature images on Flickr, download free coloring books, and read curated content on topics such as Antarctic Exploration and Latino Natural History.

Homepage of Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Smithsonian Resources
Discover millions of educational digital resources and create and share content with online tools in the Smithsonian Learning Lab. Visit Distance Learning Resources, which support teachers and their students around the globe. Download, share, reuse, and remix millions of Smithsonian images for free through Smithsonian Open Access. Become a digital volunteer in the Smithsonian Transcription Center.

More Libraries Resources
Find more right here on our blog, Unbound. Or, ask a question through AskaLibrarian@si.edu. And stay connected with us through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr.

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An Unsung Legacy: The work and activism of Alice Dunbar-Nelson

Grace Miller — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 13:00:57 +0000

Grace Miller is a Social Media Intern for the Smithsonian Libraries. She is currently a senior at McDaniel College and is pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in English and Writing.

For many literature enthusiasts, the name Paul Laurence Dunbar inspires a spark of warm recognition and excitement. With his long list of accomplishments in both poetry and storytelling during the span of a short lifetime, it is clear to see why Dunbar’s name has lasted for as long as it has in the hall of literary fame. However, it is more often than not that the extraordinary achievements of Dunbar overshadow the similarly extraordinary efforts of his wife, Alice Dunbar-Nelson.

Photograph of Alice Dunbar-Nelson. Date unknown. MSS 113, Alice Dunbar-Nelson Papers. Special Collections, University of Delaware Library. Used courtesy of Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark

Alice Ruth Moore was born July 19, 1875 in New Orleans, Louisiana to a former enslaved woman, Patsy Wright Moore, and an unknown white father. Moore grew up in the South as a part of the multicultural Creole community, which would later inspire much of the author’s works. Moore went on to become a part of the one percent of first-generation free African Americans to receive a college education. After graduating from Straight College, Moore became an elementary school teacher at the age of 17. Around 1896, Moore began a written correspondence with Paul Laurence Dunbar after reading his work, and by 1898, the two were married.

In 1895, Alice Moore-Dunbar began to pursue a career in poetry, as well as short story writing. Her first work, Violets and Other Tales, was a mixture of poetry and vignettes that reflected the realities of Creole life and experiences of black women in the late 1890s. After submitting the work to the Louisiana newspaper and journal, The Daily Picayune, and receiving harsh criticism (the editor of the paper calling Violets and Other Tales “slop”), Moore-Dunbar continued, despite the ill treatment, to strive for success as an author. Her pictorial and raw style of writing attracted the attention of other writers and editors, with people defending her stories and poetry as being crucial for budding African American talent.

It was during this period in time when Alice Moore-Dunbar and her husband began to experience martial issues. With Paul being diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1900, and being prescribed whiskey as a means to deal with the pain he was experiencing, it was often that he would fly into drunken rages. During these episodes, Alice was subject to emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her husband. After a particularly violent episode, which nearly cost Alice her life, the two officially separated in 1902, four years before Paul’s death at the young age of 33. Despite the difficulties that emerged between the two, Alice maintained much of Paul’s work after his death, allowing for the celebration of his time as an author to continue. Their tumultuous relationship was later documented in the book titled Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow: The Courtship and Marriage of Paul Laurence Dunbar and Alice Ruth Moore by Eleanor Alexander, and can be found at the Anacostia Community Museum Library.

Alice by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Published 1907.

Moore-Dunbar’s authorial accomplishments only continued to grow in popularity, reaching a wide variety of audiences. She was acclaimed for many of her poems and short stories, with two of the most popular stories being “Stones of the Village” and “Little Miss Sophie”. Both of these works were renowned for their poignancy and realism for their depiction of the confusion and strife that people of mixed-race faced within their communities, and the deeply internalized shame and loneliness felt at not finding acceptance amongst any society of people. In particular, “Stones of the Village” was recognized for its exploration of what was referred to as the “Creole condition”. The “Creole condition” was defined as the experience that mixed-race people faced as being able to “pass” as white, and therefore feeling the need to repress their status as half-African American. Often times, Moore-Dunbar’s protagonists were not only marginalized due to gender or race, but also for their status as a lower-working class citizen. Her reflections on the state of minorities and the poverty they often faced in the South inspired her to take up activism in hopes of making a true difference with the power she now held as an established author.

Around the beginnings of Moore-Dunbar’s activism, she met fellow poet and civil rights activist, Robert J. Nelson. The two married in 1916, and Alice Moore-Dunbar changed her legal name to Alice Dunbar-Nelson. Dunbar-Nelson’s avid involvement in the 1910s with the Women’s Suffrage Movement ignited a passionate activism for black women who were marginalized within a society that offered little to no agency for women or people of color. She spoke to audiences across the country about the issues such as healthcare and education that she believed needed to change in order for a more equal society to be created, including topics that ranged from women in the workforce and the unethical lynchings that threatened the African American population due to racial tension post-Civil War. Dunbar-Nelson’s work shifted from poetry and short storytelling to essays and journalistic endeavors that explored the social issues that she crusaded for. Notable essays such as “Negro Women in War Work” and “Politics in Delaware” focused heavily on much of what Dunbar-Nelson spoke about during her lectures on the rights of both women and African Americans. Despite Dunbar-Nelson’s many achievements, she later found herself without much money. In her diary titled Give us each day: The Diary of Alice Dunbar-Nelson, she details her lack of income, “I am so flat broke that it is funny. An epidemic of poverty seems to have struck us all” (328). Dunbar-Nelson describes how financially difficult times had become for herself and many other activists who dedicated much of their lives to crusading against the Jim Crow laws that had surfaced during Dunbar-Nelson’s life. While many applauded Dunbar-Nelson’s vigorous activism, few knew the toll that it took on her financially, as she found it difficult to maintain a steady job while still putting the same passion into her activist endeavors.

Portrait of Alice Dunbar Nelson. Courtesy of The National Portrait Gallery.

Dunbar-Nelson spent the rest of her life heavily involved in her activist work and journalism, but as her health began to decline, she could not be as active as she once had been. Her diary details much of the struggles that she faced and how often she was subject to multiple medical procedures, “All kinds of terrible things came out of my liver through that little tube. Then she washed and washed with various kinds of stimulants. And still I drained” (332). On September 18, 1935, Alice Dunbar-Nelson passed away from heart related problems in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After a life full of passion and progression, her relatives sought to preserve her legacy, and in 1984, her diary was published, detailing the many facets of Dunbar-Nelson’s life. The 1984 edition of her diary, Give us each day: The Diary of Alice Dunbar Nelson, can be found at the National Museum of African American History and Culture Library

Fun with Euclid

Julia Blakely — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:00:07 +0000

Oliver Byrne, in the introduction to his The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid of 1847, states that “the Elements of Euclid can be acquired in less than one third the time usually employed, and the retention by the memory is much more permanent.” To accomplish this, he used an innovative approach of employing geometric shapes and colors, instead of the traditional use of letters, for angles and lines, while also minimizing the text. The result was a remarkable specimen in the history of book design.

Title page of Oliver Byrne’s The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid (1847).

The diagrams were printed from woodblocks in the primary colors of blue, red, and yellow, along with black and white. The decorative, white initials on a black criblé background, which stand out for looking a bit old-fashioned in comparison, are thought to have been made by Mary Byfield (1794 or 1795-1871), an illustrator and wood-engraver who worked for both the publisher William Pickering and the Chiswick Press of Charles Whittingham II (nephew of the founder), the printers of this book.

Page 44. Oliver Byrne’s The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid (1847).

Byrne asserts: “THIS WORK has a greater aim than mere illustration; we do not introduce colours for the purpose of entertainment, or to amuse by certain combinations of tint and form, but to assist the mind in its researches after truth, to increase the facilities of instruction, and to diffuse permanent knowledge” (words that echo James Smithson’s famous bequest that led to the founding of this institution).

But it is indeed the illustrations that make the work a triumph and why it is celebrated today. The production, which must have been quite a challenge to register the lines of type, initials and symbols in order to print correctly, results in visually delightful pages that recall the art of a later Matisse or Mondrian. Whether it successfully explains the foundation work on geometry by the ancient Greek mathematician is beyond this writer.

The Snail, 1953, by Henri Matisse (Courtesy of www.HenriMatisse.org)

Page 259. Oliver Byrne’s The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid (1847).

Oliver Byrne (1810-1880) was born in Ireland and resided for a time in the United States. He was a mathematician, civil engineer, military engineer, mechanical engineer, and, significantly, a school math teacher. The title page of The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid proclaims that he is the “surveyor of her Majesty’s settlements in the Falkland Islands,” but apparently there is no evidence that he ever traveled to that South Atlantic archipelago.

There are several titles authored by Oliver Byrne following The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid in the Smithsonian Libraries, including The Practical Metal-Worker’s Assistant of 1851; Mechanics: Their Principles and Practical Applications of 1853; and Treatise on Navigation and Nautical Astronomy of 1875. They are all pedestrian publications of the period, textbooks with a lot of words and a few black-and-white line drawings, showing nowhere near the imagination of his earlier work.

Page 119. Oliver Byrne’s The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid (1847).

Attractive to those interested in the book arts, this first edition of Byrne’s Elements of Euclid has long been considered “collectible,” commanding high prices in the rare book trade. Ruari McLean wrote in Victorian Book Design & Color Printing (1963) that Elements of Euclid was “One of the oddest and most beautiful books of the whole century … a decided complication of Euclid, but a triumph for Charles Whittingham.” This was even before a resurgence in interest following the publication of Edward R. Tufte’s Envisioning Information (1990; there are several copies of this influential work in the Smithsonian Libraries). Tufte, the wildly popular Yale professor of statistical evidence, computing science and information design, explained the ingenious concept: “In a proof, each element names itself by consistent shape, color, and orientation; instead of talking about angle DEF, the angle is shown – appropriately enough for geometry.” The 2010 Christie’s auction of Tufte’s own library contained two copies of Byrne’s Elements of Euclid. Part of its illustration appears on the front cover of Tufte’s book.

Title page of Edward R. Tufte’s Envisioning information (1990).

There are now many online versions of the Elements of Euclid and a beautiful production from Taschen Books (2010, with an endorsement from Rem Koolhaas, the Dutch architect). It is ironic then that The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid was a contributing factor in the bankruptcy of the firm of Charles Whittingham in 1853, when more than 75% of the title remained in stock. Perhaps the learning of Euclid as part of the well-rounded education was no longer valued.

The title page vignette depicts the Pythagorean theory in vivid blocks of color. Oliver Byrne’s The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid (1847).

Composition with Red, Yellow, Black, Blue and Grey, by Piet Mondrian, 1921 (Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, via Wikimedia Commons)

The Smithsonian Libraries’ first edition of Byrne’s Elements of Euclid was acquired with the collection of the Burndy Library and is found in the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology. It has a neat penciled inscription, the passing of a copy on to a son: “Frederick D. Roberton, on his fifteenth birthday, from his father, March 4, 1891,” attesting to someone in the 19^th century who still appreciated learning Euclid’s geometry. This copy has been digitized (link here).