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Director's Corner
Welcome to an early spring, here in D.C. Our projects are blooming along with the flowers! Just one example: the Biodiversity Heritage Library digital collection has soared above 100,000 volumes, and
the new officers for the next two years include myself as Chair. There are more than 25,000 illustrations from BHL books
on its Flickr site, and the iTunes U site (below) has had more than 6,000
downloads since February. A great success with more to come. Enjoy.
— Nancy E. Gwinn, Director
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Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) Collections Are on New iTunes U
In February the BHL launched eight collections of selected content on the new
iTunes U.
iTunes U is a dedicated area within iTunes that gives users public access to hundreds of thousands of free lectures, videos, books,
podcasts and courses from learning institutions all over the world. Look for Fungus Among Us, Floral Mania,
Pillars of Biodiversity, and Biota of Cape Cod. To load on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, visit the
iTunes provider page.
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Singer Donates Bonsai: Art & Nature
Dr. Jonathan Singer has given us a unique, over-sized, portfolio version of his book
Bonsai: Art & Nature
(Abbeville Press, 2012). With unprecedented access to public and private collections in the Japan and the U.S., Dr.
Singer combined his interest in botany and horticulture with his technical and aesthetic expertise to produce stunning
photographs of some of the most extraordinary bonsai in the world. Printed by a chromogenic process, the images take on
a three-dimensional appearance that accentuates both their beauty and their usefulness as documentation of this specialized subject.
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Meet Eric White!
Eric White is the Smithsonian Libraries' new IT specialist. His focus is on multimedia and web development, where
he will design and update the Libraries' blog, create and manage videos in the Smithsonian's
Digital Asset Management Software (DAMS),
and maintain and enhance technology for the Libraries' exhibition kiosks. He joins our staff from the
Maryland National Park and Planning Commission.
An artist at heart, Eric earned a B.A. in political science and journalism at Howard University
and an M.F.A. from the Maryland Institute College of Art. After previous stints at
NPR, PBS, National Geographic
and ABC News, the education and arts-oriented mission he found at the Smithsonian made him want to call it his home.
In his spare time, Eric draws interactive political cartoons, collects folk art (wood block paintings, etchings, Gullah prayer books), and
is an online consigner of antiques. A native of Baltimore, watching sunsets on the water at St. Mary's in southern Maryland is one of his
favorite pastimes. He likes exploring DC by foot, calling it a "walking city." Eric also enjoys playing golf and gardening.
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ALSO OF INTEREST
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Biodiversity Heritage Library Adds Two Partners
Two new members have joined the Biodiversity Heritage Library: Cornell University Library (Ithaca, N.Y.) and the U.S. Geological Survey Library (Reston, Va.). Cornell's Mann Library will contribute agricultural works related to biodiversity and the USGS will enlarge the BHL with paleobotany volumes. Go to www.biodiversity.org for more information.
George Dyson Speaks at the National Museum of Natural History
The Smithsonian Libraries hosted tech historian and author George Dyson for a talk, book signing, and reception on March 14 in the National Museum of Natural History's Baird Auditorium. Almost 100 people attended the event, which focused on Dyson's new book, Turing's Cathedral: The Origins of the Digital Universe (Pantheon, 2012). We will post the recorded talk on our website soon... stay tuned!
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