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Libraries Receives $1 Million Gift
 The Smithsonian Libraries has received an unrestricted donation of $1 million from Hope L. and John L Furth. This extraordinary gift builds upon the Furth's existing endowment to the Smithsonian Libraries begun in 2005, which is used to further the Smithsonian Libraries' mission and strategic initiatives.
"Libraries are my passion," said Hope Furth. "The Smithsonian Libraries represents many of the values that are most important to John and me: scholarship, education, dissemination of knowledge, collaboration. The opportunity to support the Libraries at one of the world's stellar institutions is a great joy to us both."
Hope Furth just completed a nine-year term on the Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board. She is the former long-time chair of the Mathematics Department at Rye Country Day School and former head of the school's Academic Affairs Committee. She is currently a Trustee and rotating chair of the White Plains Public Library, as well as a member of the Board of Trustees and treasurer of the Westchester Country Library System. Mr. Furth is a Vice Chairman and Member of Klingenstein, Fields & Co. LLC in New York. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Investment Counselor (CIC) designations, and is a Member of the CFA Institute and the New York Society of Security Analysts. He is a Trustee Emeritus of Barnard College, a Trustee and Treasurer of the Foundation for Child Development, a Trustee of Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester, a former Chairman and current board member of Blythedale Children's Hospital and Vice Chairman and former President of the Board of The Grand Street Settlement. He also serves on the Yale Development Board and participated on the Yale Tomorrow Executive Committee of the university's recent Capital Fund Campaign. Mr. Furth is a graduate of Yale University and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
"We're grateful for this support from the Furths and the opportunity it provides the Smithsonian Libraries to better serve researchers, students, fellows and the public," noted Nancy E. Gwinn, Director of the Smithsonian Libraries. "This funding will help us explore new, creative avenues to share our vast collections and to inspire the next generation of learners."
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Biodiversity Heritage Library Adds New Partner
 The Biodiversity Heritage Library has welcomed a new member: the Library of Congress. The fifteenth partner of the BHL, the Library of Congress will contribute to the digitization of historical science literature in the collection. All material will be online, free and available to the public.
"The Biodiversity Heritage Library is the preeminent global repository for historic science literature," said Martin Kalfatovic, Smithsonian Libraries Associate Director for Digital Services and BHL Program Director. "We are excited that the Library of Congress has joined us in this effort, which is a vast information center providing resources to researchers, students and the general public interested in biodiversity."
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Grace Costantino Receives Peer Award
 A National Museum of Natural History Peer Recognition Award went to Grace Costantino, Program Manager for the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Called a "social media maven" at the museum's ceremony, her award read, in part: "An exemplar of professionalism and exceptional customer service, Grace Costantino has transformed the virtual experience of the Biodiversity Heritage Library into the personal and genuinely helpful service that one would expect from their community library. Of note is her superior ability to research biodiversity subject matter and present compelling messages to the public through BHL and Smithsonian Libraries Facebook, Twitter, and blog posts." Kudos to Grace!
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2014 Research Opportunities
 Situated at the center of the world's largest museum complex, the Smithsonian Libraries is a vital part of the research, exhibition, and educational enterprise of the Institution. Each Smithsonian scholar engages in an individual voyage of discovery using the artifacts and specimens of the Smithsonian Institution in conjunction with the Libraries' written and illustrated record of the past. The Libraries is uniquely positioned to help scholars understand the continuing vitality of this relationship, via exceptional research resources ranging from 13th-century manuscripts to electronic journals. Historians, librarians, doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows are welcome to apply to our programs (below). Applications will be accepted until April 15, 2013.
- 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 Libraries in Washington, DC and New York, NY, in an extensive range of subject areas. For more information, click here.
- 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. For more information, click here.
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Salon Scientifique!
 | In February the Smithsonian Libraries participated in Salon Scientifique!, a Saturday program put on in collaboration with the Corcoran Gallery of Art and McLean High School's "Living History" program. Guests visited the students' exhibits in the Corcoran's Atrium, which showcased interactive demonstrations from Benjamin Franklin's inventions to ballooning.
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| | The program was a great success, providing 18th century scientific experimentation, vocal and instrumental music, poetry reading and dancing in an Enlightenment atmosphere. The McLean High School students prepared for the occasion by perusing historical materials in the Dibner Library, which houses the Smithsonian Libraries' collection of rare books and manuscripts relating to the history of science and technology. | |
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Preservation Matters! with Steve Berry
 Steve Berry, NY Times bestselling author and the first national spokesperson for the American Library Association's National Preservation Week, will kick off this half-day event!
A devoted student of history, Berry and his wife, Elizabeth, founded History Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding the preservation of the fragile reminders of our past. Since then, they have traveled the world raising much-needed funds for a wide range of historic preservation projects. In a Wall Street Journal interview, Mr. Berry noted, "What are we losing when that [on being told of the rapid loss of our historical record] happens? We're losing windows to the past, thoughts to the past and ideas to the past, and that really affected me."
Free and open to the public, Preservation Matters! will feature presentations and discussions from preservation specialists, conservators and librarians from the Smithsonian and other organizations.
Stay tuned to this webpage for further updates and an event schedule. Join us!
Event Date: April 24, 2013
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: S. Dillon Ripley Center
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Upcoming Events
Preservation Matters! with Steve Berry
April 24, 2013
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Support our Libraries
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