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The Curious Mr. Catesby Receives 2016 Annual Literature Award
 Congratulations to Leslie Overstreet! The Catesby Commemorative Trust's The Curious Mr. Catesby: A "Truly Ingenious" Naturalist Explores New Worlds book has been awarded the 2016 Annual Literature Award by the Council of Botanical and Horticultural Libraries. Leslie, our curator of natural history rare books, authored the chapter titled "The Publication of Mark Catesby's The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands."
From the publisher, UGA Press: In 1712, English naturalist Mark Catesby (1683-1749) crossed the Atlantic to Virginia. After a seven-year stay, he returned to England with paintings of plants and animals he had studied. They sufficiently impressed other naturalists that in 1722 several Fellows of the Royal Society sponsored his return to North America. There Catesby cataloged the flora and fauna of the Carolinas and the Bahamas by gathering seeds and specimens, compiling notes, and making watercolor sketches. Upon his return to England five years later, he began the twenty-year task of writing, etching, and publishing his monumental The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands.
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Artists' Books with Bruce Onobrakpeya
 Discover real artists' books from the collection of the Warren M. Robbins Library at the National Museum of African Art! We invite you to experience the look and feel of these works of art first-hand. Bruce Onobrakpeya, one of Nigeria's most respected and prolific artists, will be at the National Museum of African Art's pavilion on Saturday, July 16, between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. One of his portfolios of prints is in our current Artists' Books and Africa exhibition at the museum. We will have the complete set of prints at our tables in the pavilion, where Onobrakpeya will engage with you about his artworks. Please RSVP for this event. For more information, contact Librarian Janet Stanley at [email protected] . |
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Color Studio: A Family Event
 On July 16, we invite your family to explore color through the vast collections of the Smithsonian Libraries, and hope you'll make a few unexpected connections and discoveries through science, history, and art. Color Studio incorporates several creative, color-themed stations for your family to enjoy together. The morning session (10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) is structured for children aged 15 - 36 months, but children of all ages are welcome. Stations include Camouflage Butterflies, Color Mural, Color Mixing, Color Play, Sensory Play, and Book Corner. The afternoon sessions (one at 1:00 p.m. and one at 2:30 p.m.) are for Pre-K and elementary-aged students. Stations include Camouflage Butterflies, Color Mural, How Color Changes, Create Your Own Color, Build a Color Fan, and Book Corner. Participants will also receive a guide to our exhibition, Color in a New Light, located in the Natural Museum of Natural History. RSVP here to attend the morning session, and here to attend an afternoon session.
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Blasts from the Past
 Just as we enjoy lighting roman candles, sparklers, cherry bombs, and m-80s on the Fourth of July, pieces of trade literature in our collection show that Americans of yesteryear were just as delighted to celebrate with firecrackers bursting in the sky.
This Lloyd's Jubilee Fireworks catalog from 1906 provides excellent options for someone looking to purchase a large rocket or a bundle of fireworks. With names like "prismatic torrent," "fiery waggler," "electric star," and "prize asteroid," we're sure these sparkly wares provided loads of enjoyment and entertainment for people living at the beginning of the 20th century. |
On June 9, we hosted an Intern Open House in our 
