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Libraries Receives $100,000 Gift
 In August, the Smithsonian Libraries received a $100,000 planned gift from Dr. George Zug, emeritus research zoologist with the National Museum of Natural History's Division of Amphibians and Reptiles. Zug established The Zug Family Amphibian and Reptile Endowment in 2008, which expands the Libraries' annual subscriptions of periodicals for
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Smithsonian researchers and visitors in subjects such as biology, evolution, and systematics of amphibians and reptiles.
"Over my career at the Smithsonian, and especially during the past decade and a half, many new herpetological periodicals have appeared, but the inflationary shrinkage of the budget has prevented us from subscribing to these," says Zug. His generous gift will help cultivate scholastic growth and opportunities to the Smithsonian research community for years to come. To read more about Smithsonian Libraries' endowments, visit our new page.
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da Vinci's Flight of Birds Lands at the Libraries
 One of Italy's greatest treasures, Leonardo da Vinci's Codex on the Flight of Birds, was housed at the National Museum of Air & Space Library for safe keeping until it was exhibited at the museum from September 13 to October 22. The extraordinary document, created ca. 1505, shows da Vinci's interest in human flight by exploring bird flight and behavior. It includes sketches and descriptions of devices and aerodynamic principles related to mechanical flight that predate the invention of the airplane by 400 years. Click to flip through the book or watch videos on the Codex here and here.
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A Celebration of Authors
 We hosted our third annual dinner for authors, Celebrating Authors & Art Libraries of the Smithsonian, at the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden on September 21. The event, which traditionally falls on the weekend of the National Book Festival, welcomed authors A. Scott Berg, Fred Bowen, Jean Cohen, Eleanor Harvey, Donna Lucey, Kerry McAleer-Keeler, Katherine Neville, Daniel Stashower, James Swanson, Marcia Talley, and Henry Wiencek. The dinner featured our art libraries: the Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery Library, the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Library, the  Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden Library, the Warren M. Robbins Library (National Museum of African Art), and the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Library. Authors and guests mingled with our knowledgeable art librarians and perused a display of rare books from each of the five art libraries. Click here to read more about our art libraries.
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Wikipedia Loves Libraries 2013
 On October 25, the Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery Library hosted Wikipedia Loves Libraries Editathon, highlighting American artists at the World's Columbian Exposition. Librarians Anne Evenhaugen and Diane Shaw organized the event, which drew in approximately 40 participants.
With almost 1,200 American artists participating in the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, it was the largest exhibition of American art ever assembled at the time. Many artists are well-known today - Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent - but many do not have such recognizable names, much less quality Wikipedia articles. Participants  were invited to mine library books, journals, curatorial files, Art & Artist Files, and other online Smithsonian Libraries resources to expand and improve information on Wikipedia.
The Editathon was part of Wikipedia Loves Libraries (WLL) 2013, the third annual continent-wide campaign to bring Wikipedians, librarians, and archivists together with on-site events. Running this fall throughout October and November, WLL coincided with the celebration of Open Access Week and American Archives Month.
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Images on Art.com
 Ever come across a Smithsonian Libraries image in our Galaxy that you wish you could frame? The Galaxy of Images contains thousands of beautiful images scanned from our collection. Now's your chance to own and display a treasured piece of the Libraries in your home or office!
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South African Students Tour Libraries
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Upcoming Events
"Copernicus and the Astrologers"
Featuring Robert Westman
December 12, 2013
5:00 p.m.
McEvoy Auditorium American Art Museum
8th & F Sts. NW
Washington, DC
Reception to follow
Free and open to the public!
RSVP: SILRSVP@si.edu
or 202.633.2241
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Robert Westman
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Support our Libraries
Your support is greatly appreciated.
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. Beattie and Duquette met with Libraries program coordinator Susan Frampton and Picturing Words curators 
