FEBRUARY 2011
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Note from Director
Several years ago, SIL received the task of capturing for the
Institution data on the entire research output of the scientists,
curators, historians and others who work in all of the museums, research
centers and offices. It was a daunting challenge but also an
opportunity to go one step further to capture and archive the actual
texts and make them available world-wide. We have succeeded beyond our
expectations with the milestone described below. Kudos to the SIL
staff, the SI Scholarly Press, and all the staff who have contributed
their data!
— Nancy E. Gwinn, Director
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SIL Celebrates 10,000th Item in Repository
The Smithsonian Research Online (SRO) program recently surpassed the
mark of 10,000 publications in the Digital Repository. Each year SRO
collects information on nearly 2,000 publications by Institution
researchers, many of whom also contribute a digital version of their
articles to the repository. The paper by Ben Hirsch (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute) and Jesus Maldonado (National Zoo),
"Familiarity breeds progeny: sociality increases
reproductive success in adult male ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua)" was the 10,000th item that
marked this milestone. To celebrate this achievement, the Libraries
hosted a reception in the Smithsonian Castle for SIL staff who manage
the Digital Repository, as well as the authors and other top-level
staff, including the Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough and Under
Secretary for Science Eva Pell.
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Yue Shu Receives Award
Librarian Yue Shu received a $10,000 Scholarly Studies Program Award for
a project titled An annotated catalogue of Chinese rare books in the
collection of the Freer/Sackler Library, Smithsonian Institution
Libraries. The grant will support a workshop hosted by Chinese book
experts so that Freer/Sackler library staff can acquire the necessary
skills and knowledge to create the catalogue. The catalogue will
present the Chinese rare books in a way that will allow the scholars and
general public alike to appreciate their worth and will inspire
scholarly interest not only in the books, but also the history of
collecting Chinese books both in China and the United States.
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SIL Advisory Board Members Awarded
Five Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board members fulfilled terms in
2010: Suzanne Carroll (2008-2010), Michael Cromwell (2008-2010), Jay W.
Freedman (2002-2010), C. Michael Gooden (2002-2010), and F. Christian
Thompson (2008-2010). Libraries Director Nancy Gwinn commemorated their
service in the winter 2010 Board meeting, awarding them with
certificates and framed SIL posters.
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Popular Pop-Ups
The Smithsonian Libraries latest exhibition, Paper Engineering: Fold,
Pull, Pop and Turn, has proven to be our most-visited exhibition in
history! We hope you have a chance to pop (no pun intended!) into the
National Museum of American History to view the collection of books with
moving parts, such as peep shows (pictures viewed through a small hole),
volvelles (wheel charts), accordion books and popup books, published
from the 15th century to modern times. Paper Engineering is featured on
end panels all over the National Mall...can you find all four?
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OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
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Please review our current research and internship opportunities, and spread
the news to colleagues and friends!
The Smithsonian Libraries Director's Office is seeking one (1) unpaid intern
to assist with the photography of Smithsonian library, museum, and research
center spaces. Intern will work closely with Public Affairs staff to develop
professional images which may appear in publications, videos, web sites, and
promotional materials. Deadline: March 15. For more information, click here.
SIL Professional Development internships are paid opportunities at the
Smithsonian Institution Libraries (SIL) designed for current graduate students
interested in working in research and/or museum libraries. Our projects for
this year are the following: Scientific Publishing and Workflow, Artists'
Books at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Botany Flora Collection
Taxonomic Project, and Foundations for a Knowledge Management System at the
Smithsonian Institution. Deadline: March 1. For more information, click here.
- The Spencer Baird Society Resident Scholar Program: Stipends of $3,500
per month for up to six months are available to support scholarly research in
the Special Collections of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries in
Washington, DC and New York, NY, in an extensive range of subject areas.
Deadline: March 15.
- The Dibner Library Resident Scholar Program: Stipends of $3,500 per month
for up to six months are available to support scholarly research using the
history of science and technology rare books and manuscripts at the Dibner
Library of the History of Science and Technology at the Smithsonian
Institution in Washington, D.C. Deadline: March 15.
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