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A Look Back at Sleds
With large parts of the U.S. experiencing so much snow this winter, it's the perfect time to look at one of our trade catalogs about sleds: Catalogue of Paris Manufacturing Co. (1890).
The Boys' Double Runner, pictured below on the right page, was advertised as "very light and strong" and "suitable for children of all ages." Two children could ride this sled, and because it was equipped with a brake,  the children had complete control of it. The brake would "almost instantly stop the sled in case of any danger." Illustrated on the left is a girl using the Patent Steering Attachment to steer her sled. The idea was simple: the attachment allowed the sled to be "steered as a horse is driven," by just pulling back on the left or right rope to guide the sled in either direction. To stop, one would pull back on both ropes at the same time.
Catalogue of Paris Manufacturing Co. is located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. Want to see other sled images from 1890? Take a look at the Galaxy of Images for more sleds. |
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Adopt Notice of the Megatherium Cuvieri
Here's your chance to adopt Notice of the Megatherium Cuvieri, The Giant Fossil Ground-sloth of South America (Rochester, 1864) by Henry A. Ward. Ward, an American naturalist and geologist who taught at the University of Rochester, founded Ward's Natural Science Establishment in 1865, a natural-history supply company that provided specimens from rocks to bird skins for collectors and institutions (including the Smithsonian). This work describes a fossil skeleton of the giant ground-sloth, Megatherium, with a striking frontispiece illustrating its relative size. To adopt Notice of the Megatherium Cuvieri, visit our website or call 202.633.2241. |
Is a Rational Discussion of Open Access Possible?
Open Access (OA), like every other publishing or distribution model, carries with it both benefits and costs. But unlike other models, OA is built on a foundation of values and beliefs about how scholarly communication ought to be conducted. This makes conversations about its costs and benefits both difficult and fraught with passion. And yet as OA continues to grow in importance-and in financial impact-such conversations are essential. What can we do to make the scholarly communication space more amenable to open discussion about Open Access?
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Internships & Fellowships
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Professional Development Internship Opportunities
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Research Opportunities 2015
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Apply by March 21st for one of the Smithsonian Libraries' new, paid internships for the 
Situated at the center of the world's largest museum complex, the 
