Issue 13
|
December 28, 2011 |
|
 |
Director's Corner
"Oh the weather outside is frightful....." As I write this in late December, I'm happy to say that the weather
is anything but frightful. We're having a warmish holiday season. As 2011 draws to a close, I'm thankful for
that as I am for our many friends and supporters. 2012 holds lots of promise with new staff on board with fresh
ideas and energy and plans for a number of exciting events and activities. The Smithsonian Libraries staff
join me in wishing you a joyous new year.
— Nancy E. Gwinn, Director
|
Laura J. Snyder Delivers 2011 Dibner Library Lecture
The Smithsonian Libraries held the 2011 Dibner Library Lecture on Tuesday, December 6 at in the
Smithsonian Castle Commons.
This year's guest lecturer was author Laura J. Snyder, Associate Professor of Philosophy at
St. John's University
in New York City. Snyder spoke on "The Philosophical Breakfast Club and the Invention of the Scientist."
Snyder's most recent book,
The Philosophical Breakfast Club: Four Remarkable Friends who Transformed Science and Changed the World
(Broadway Books, 2011), was a Scientific American Notable Book, an Official Selection of the
TED Book Club,
and winner of the 2011 Royal Institution of Australia Poll for Favorite Science Book.
Begun in 1992, the Dibner Library Lectures feature a distinguished scholar who has made significant contributions to his or her field of study. Since 2000, the Dibner Library Lecture has become available in published form and
online.
The lecture series and its publication are made possible by the generous support of The Dibner Fund.
|
Welcome Dave Opkins!
Hailing from Babylon, New York, Dave Opkins is the Smithsonian Libraries' new Administrative Project Specialist. Dave joins the Libraries from the Freer and Sackler Galleries' Office of Design, Publications and Web, where he previously worked as an office administrator. He earned a bachelor's of business administration from George Washington University in 2000.
In his new post, Dave will oversee projects in finance, accounting and contract management for the Libraries. His goal is to provide good service for staff who rely on the Administrative Office, with a focus on dependability, accurate information and easy interactions.
Dave found his love for museums as a young child, when he and his father made an annual trip to New York City to visit the American Museum of Natural History. He plans to have a long career growing within the Smithsonian; he describes working for the Institution as a personal interest to being part of something great. Dave enjoys being with his wife and daughter, spending time outdoors and renovating his house on Capitol Hill.
|
Meet Trina Brown!
The Libraries welcomes Trina Brown, our new Instructional/Reference Librarian. Trina received a B.A. in speech communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an M.L.S. from the University of Maryland. In her new position, Trina looks forward to getting to know the training needs of the Libraries and Smithsonian staff, while also keeping her hand in reference librarianship. Her home base is in the National Museum of American History Library.
Trina is a self-described "army brat" and lived in a number of U.S. states including Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Alaska. She has lived in the DC area since 1997, when she moved to the area for a position in interlibrary loan/reference assistance at the Smithsonian American Art Museum/National Portrait Gallery Library. For the past 5 years, Trina has worked for the Foundation Center, a nonprofit information center in DC, as a reference librarian. Trina is excited to be back at the Smithsonian, as her new role not only incorporates reference and instruction, but also outreach; she will be actively participating in the Libraries' social media platforms and other initiatives.
|
ALSO OF INTEREST
|
|
Smithsonian Libraries Hosts MELA Meetings
On November 29 and 30, the Smithsonian Libraries welcomed the
Middle East Librarians Association
(MELA) for their
2011 Annual Meeting
in the
National Museum of Natural History.
Close to 80 guests from prominent research and university libraries from around the U.S. and world attended the meetings, which covered topics such as documenting the Middle East in a digital era and challenges in biographical literature.
Get SocIaL!
The Libraries invites you to "get social" on our social media platforms. Our
blog
showcases our collections, staff news, development opportunities online resources, and special features. In fact, we're currently running a monthly segment called
Cooking from the Collections
where members of our staff bake recipes from the cookbooks in our stacks! The Smithsonian Libraries has an active presence online, including pages on
Facebook,
Twitter,
YouTube, and
Flickr.
We welcome you to follow us, and invite you into the conversation!
|
