FALL 1992 

No. 73 

If n ormation 

For Users and Benefactors of the 

Smithsonian Institution Libraries 

Quincentenary Exhibition Opens on Columbus Day 

Books hy earlier authorities and by Colum- The exhibition will remain open through 

bus’s contemporaries provide a perspec- March 26. 1993. 

tive on the state of scientific 

knowledge five hundred years _I 

ago. During his fourth and final 

_.. 

I 

voyage (I S04). Columbus used 

information found in a copy of 

the Kalendarirrm by Regiomontanus which he carried on 

board to predict a lunar eclipse 

before the Taino people of 

Jamaica. when he invoked the 

“moon to riw and flame.” Other 

works on view include popular 

accounts of New World peoples. plants. and diseases published in the sixteenth and 

subsequent centuries. 

w HEN COLUMBUS SET OUTON HIS VOYAGES, what did he know about science? “Science 

in the Age of Columbus” gives viewers some insight into an answer. On display we titles 

that Columbus is known to have owned along with works recounting new information that he 

and other trnvellers took back to Europe and that infomled later generations about wonders of 

the New World. 

The exhibition was curated by 

Ellen B. Wells, Exhibition Officer. The Smithsonian Office of 

Exhibits Central staff designed, 

edited, and produced the exhibi- 

..--. _ - 

tion. The Dibner Fund and 

Telesec Temporary Services 

generouslyprovidedfundingzup 

port. 

IN THIS ISSUE 

National Museum of American 

History Branch Library 3 

Dihner Library Lecture 4 

“Cristohal, Cristoforo, 

Christopher”Exhihition 4 

Dihner Library Resident 

Scholars Praise Propram 5 

Development Watch 5 

Interns and Visiting 

Professionals at the Libraries 6 

DEPARTMENTS 

Lernrfrom rhr /Xrnmr: 

The Internet Comes to the 

Smithwniall ? 

SIL New Diqww 

Scan Imtalled ils SLA President 

Hyltoli Retires 7 

End Norrr: Calcndnr of 

Exhibitions R 

MARGINALIA 

Gifrs I0 r/w Cdkrions 2. 3 

Frmtrin,~ 4. s 

In Uric-f 6 
Page Two SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES Fall 1992 

GIFTS TO THE 

COLLECTIONS 

Selected gifts that have 

enhanced the Librar-ies’ 

mllections 

A Lutheran Bible published in 

Marburg, Germany, in 1679 

was given to the Libraries by 

Edward A. Reach, Ann D. 

Nolan, and Mildred Erby, 

heirs of Charles and Alta 

May Pride of Little Rock, 

Arkansas. 

Mrs. E. H. Stevens of West 

Palm Beach, Florida, 

donated an Ethiopian Biblical 

manuscript of the Book of 

Psalms in the Geez language. 

Dating probably from the 

eighteenth century, the manuscript includes a liturgical 

calendar for the Coptic (Christian) church. 

Operation Vittles Cook Book 

[2nd edn] ( 1949), a community 

cookbook compiled by American women in blockaded Berlin 

and illustrated by school children, was the gift of Mrs. Jean 

R. Williams of Los Angeles, 

California. 

An 1897 Twentieth-centur-> 

cook book was donated by 

Mrs. Judith A. Wright of 

Downington, Pennsylvania, in 

memory of her mother Wanda 

Rose Witherby. 

Mr. Frank L. Keller of 

Turner, Oregon, presented the 

Libraries with The Presidential 

Cook Book [circa 18951, 

adapted from The White House 

Cook Book. 

A collection of bound Delineator- magazines (1885-l 93 1, incomplete) which provide valuable information on the history 

of costume were donated by 

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR 

The Internet Comes to the Smithsonian 

T HIS FALL THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION joined the Internet. Although we came to the 

Internet a little later than most major research entities, the Institution plans to waste little 

time in taking advantage of the opportunities it provides. The membership effort itself speaks a 

great deal about the commitment of the Institution’s staff to improving research capability. Nine 

units across the Smithsonian including the Libraries contributed toward the start-up costs, and 

staff from diverse offices assisted in laying the groundwork for establishing Institutional policy 

for responsible and effective use of the Internet 

What is the Internet? It is a network of information laden networks linked globally, and 

currently encompassing over one million 

computers used by five million people in 

more than one hundred countries. Only the 

public telephone network exceeds it in 

terms of extent and connectivity. 

The Internet began in the early 1970s as a 

Federal effort which was soon applied to 

research activities in academic institutions. 

Commercial service providers are now the 

fastest growing group of users. Growth of 

the Internet exceeds ten percent per month, 

a rate unprecedented in the field of 

communication. 

What is the value of the Internet? All the networks “talk” to each other and provide for 

communication and exchange of information facilitated by a standardized set of protocols. These protocols permit individual 

networks to be joined and appear to users as 

a single network. Addresses identifying individual users facilitate the routing of messages, information, and data, mimicking in 

many ways the transport of letters through 

postal systems worldwide. Transport is with 

vastly greater speed, however. Indeed, communication can be instantaneous. 

The Libraries is pleased that Internet capability is at hand. The connection will allow 

users access to over 250 online library catalogs to verify library holdings in areas of interest. It will permit staff to access a 

growing number of databases on subjects as 

varied as literature and meteorology. Electronic journals and newsletters, which are increasing in number and diversity, are 

accessible on the Internet. We look forward 

to the near future when we will have the capacity to provide Internet access to our own 

library catalog so that others can browse our 

collections from remote locations. 

Use of the Internet as a means of locating, 

accessing and making informati on available 

is yet another example of how service provided by the Smithsonian Libraries is changing to accommodate the needs of 

researchers in the technologically enhanced 

world of comm unication. If you are interested in finding out about the Internet I refer 

you to Zet2 and the Art of the Internet: a 

beginner’s pride. 2nd ed (Prentice Hall, 

1993) by Brendan P. Kehoe. I am sure your 

local library can suggest other appropriate 

readings. 

Libraries in research institutions are in transition, perhaps more so than other libraries 

because of the wide-spread use of the Internet as a means 

These libraries 

of s 

are 

lcholarl Y commun ication. 

progre ss ing from a paperdriven environment to an environment dominated by electronics. The Smithsonian 

Institution Li brari es is at the beginning of 

that transition. Limited funding is forcing 

hard choices as we try to maintain the traditional paper library and move toward the 

electronic library. Access to the Internet is 

an important step into tomorrow for us. 

Barbara J. Smith 

Ds. Smith chaired the Institution’s Internet 

Implementation Committee, which facilitated 

various aspects of introduction to and implementation of the Internet. 
Fall 1992 Information Page Three 

National Museum of American History 

Branch Library 

s ERVtNG SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS with some twenty-one divisions and major object collections and the Archives Center in the National Museum of American History, the NMAH 

Rranch staff offers its usen access to information in disciplines that range from the history of 

science and technology to social and cultural history. Branch Librarian Rhoda S. Ratner administers the collections of some 120,OtXl books. 45,ooO bound volumes of current and historical journals. 8,000 reels of microfilm. and over 20,ooO microfiche. The branch provides a full 

range of reference services including online database access. 

A major strength of the branch library is the 

commercial trade catalog collection with an 

estimated 3OO.fMXl pieces. Dating from the 

mid nineteenth century. the catalogs cover a 

full range of manufactured products. The Libraries is seeking funding to more fully “rganize and catalog the trade literature for 

easier access by scholars working in the 

history of manufacturing or in social, economic, and business history. Currently, preservation measures are being applied to help 

ensure the survival of this national treasure. 

Branch staff includes Bridget Burke, Reference Librarian, responsible for incoming reference questions and databaw search 

coordination: Jim Roan, Interlibnuy Loan Librarian and coordinator of on-going work on 

the trade literahre collection; Tim Carr. Reference Librarian. who also 

xrves as Branch Librarian for 

the Anacostia Museum 

Branch: Helen Halley. Interlibrary Loan Technician: Lindsey 

Ealy. Serials and Acquisitions 

Technickan: and Stephanie 

Thomas. Circulation Technician. _ 

Collection development responsibilities are shared 

among Ratner, Burke, and 

Roan. 

GIFTS TO THE 

COLLECTIONS 

(continued) 

Ms. Scherry Harrah of Rena. 

Nevada. 

Ms. Ethel Halpern ofNew 

York, New York, gave rhiny-two 

trade catalogs of Montgomery & 

Co. which fill in faps in the 

trade catalog collection. 

The ongoing review of a very 

large gift from the Federal Aviation Administration and Civil 

Aeronautics Roard has rewaled that the gift includes a 

complete series of technical 

memoranda, notes. and wartime 

reports issued by the National 

Advisory Committee for Aeronautics between 1915 and 195X. 

This collection documents most 

of the major advances in aeronautical sciences in its most critical years. 

A copy of President Harry S. 

Truman’s memoin bearing his 

autograph was prewted to the 

Lihrxies by the estate of Alice 

1. Winterer. St. Louis, Missouri. 
Page Four SIITIISOWT lVi’TlTlllfll LIRRiRIES Fall 1992 

FEATURING... 

Professional Appoinlments 

Donna Coletti was named 

Branch Librarian of the Center 

for Astrophysics Branch (CfA), 

Cambridge, Massachusetts. in 

May. Ms. Coletti holds a B.A. 

from California State University 

in San Bernardino, and an 

M.L.S. from Univemity of California. Berkeley. She worked in 

the Physical Sciences Library at 

the University of California, 

Davis. and has several years’ experience at the CfA Branch 

Library. 

AnneGifTord was selected as 

Automation Librarian in the Sy?- 

terns Department in September 

to work wirh serials and acquisitionc projects. She received her 

M.L.S. ~1 University of Maryland where she also earned a 

B.S. in Marketing. Her previous 

position was Administrative Librarian at the Naval Explosive 

Ordnance Disposal Technology 

Center. Indian Head. Maryland. 

Paul McCutcheon, Reference 

Librarian. came to the National 

Air and Space Museum 

(NASM) Bnnch Library in September from The Enoch Pratt 

Public Library in Baltimore. Mr. 

McCutcheon earned his B.A. 

and his M.L.S. at the University 

of Maryland. Collepe Park. Hc 

previously worked ~1 three University of Maryland libraries in 

College Park. 

Diane Shaw wac appointed 

Rare Book Cataloger in the Oripinal Cataloging and Indexing 

Department in August. Ms. 

Shaw did her underpaduate 

work in Medieval Studier at 

Agnes Scott, received an M.A. 

in Latin from Fordham University and an M.L.S. from University of Nonh Carolina. Since 

Dibner Library Lecture 

ROFESSOR ELIZABETH L. EISENSTEIN DELIVERED a lecture on “Celebrating Western 

Technology in the Age of the Hand Press. (I5C-IXC)” on June 4 to some ninety people in 

the Reception Suite, National Museum of American History. The lecture surveyed different periods of printing from Gutenberg’s invention in 1440 through the centennial anniversaries of 

1540. 1640 and 1740, ending with the period of the French revolution. 

The slide presentation included illustrations 

from two works in the collections of the Dibner Library of the History of Science and 

Technology: the rare sixteenth-century Now 

Reperra (new discoveries) 

of Stradanus and the eighteenth-century Diderot 

Ency-lopbdic. Professor 

Eisenstein. Professor 

Emerita, University of 

Michigan Department of 

History. published The 

Printin!: Press us an Ajient 

ofChange (1979) which 

was issued in French and 

Italian translations and was 

published as an illustrated 

and abridred 2-volume 

work in 1983. Members of 

the audience had the opportunity to meet and speak 

with Professor Eisenstein at a reception following the talk. Both events were supported 

by The Dihner Fund. 
Fall 1992 Information Page Five 

Dihner Library Resident Scholars Praise Program FEATURING... 

(continued) 

T HE FIRST SCHOLARS SELECTED FOR THE Smithsonian Institution Libraries/Dibner Library Resident Scholar Program had high praise for the new progrtun which is supported by 

The Dibner Fund. Gregory K. Dreicer, a Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University, Department of 

Science and Technology Studies, describes his experience as “fantastic,” noting that his %lationship with the Dibner Library is only beginning.” Michael P. Kucher, a Ph.D. candidate from 

the University of Delaware Department of History, repons that he “has already begun enthusiastically recommending it to other scholars.” Mr. Kucher was awarded his scholarship to study 

the building of two early Renaissance Italian cities. Mr. Dreicer received a grant for his research in “Cultural Exchange in Building Technology: the Framed Beam in Western Europe 

and the United States, 1820-1870.” 

1990, Shaw has been engaged in 

a doctorate program in medieval 

history at the University of Minnesota. She previously worked 

at the Duke University Library 

11s Rare Book Catalog& 

To encourage study of the 

history of science and technology, the Smithsonian Institution Libraries offers 

two grants a year for periods of one to three months 

each for scholars to do research in the Dibner Library of the History of 

Science and Technology 

and other library collections of the Smithsonian. 

Janice Stagnitto began working in July as B Conservator in 

the Libraries’ Book Conwrvalion Laboratory. Ms. Stngnirto 

was awarded an MS. in 1991 

with Certification in Conservation of Book and Archives 

from Columbia University’< 

School of Library Service. She 

previously worked at the New 

York Public Library Book Conservation Laboratory and at 

Rutgers University in the Special Collections and Archive? 

area. 

Mr. Kucher, who is at an 

early stage of his doctoral 

research, needed access to 

Italian works of the RenaisGil Taylor was selected as 

Branch Librarian of the Musewn Support Center (MSC) 

Branch in September. Mr. Tayloreamed his B.A. and M.L.S. 

at the University of Maryland, 

COlleQe Park, where he subsequently worked at four university libraries, 19X3-90. Taylor 

previously was Vertebrate Zoology Librarian at the Natural 

History Branch Library and 

has been Acting MSC Branch 

Librarian since December 

1991. 

sance. Mr. Dreicer was Kedrrv and Grrpory Lhiwr I<‘.,. 

pleasantly surprised by the 

number of unique items in our collection Barbara J. Smith, Director, notes that”by 

having to do with engineering. Kucher and consensus. the Libraries is most fortunate to 

Dreicer delivered presentations to the have attracted resident scholars of this caliber. 

museum’s Tuesday Colloquium series, draw- We are very grateful to The Dibner Fund for 

ing capacity audiences. Mr. Kucher spoke making possible this successful effort of bringon ‘Taccola’s Notebooks and the Search for ing scholars to use the core resources of the 

New Urban Technologies in Late Medieval Libraries’ Special Collections.” 

Sierra.” and Mr. Dreicer’s topic was intercultural exchange in the construction of bridges Recruiting for the 1993 program ends 

in Western Europe and the United States. November 1, 1992. 

Develonment Watch 

_ 

T he James Smithson Society awarded $37.500 for the Libraries to establish a one-year pilot 

program for a post-graduate residency in library and information science to enhance the cultural diversity of the Libraries’ staff. and to extend the resident’s formal education by providing 

practical professional work experience in a research library, and providing exposure to the bibliographic resources in the Washington, DC., metropolitan area. 

Volunteer Opporlunities 

The Libraries welcomes volunteas in all its branches and 

depanments. Librarier’volunleers engage in a variety of activities. ranging from sorting of 

collections and data entry to 

reception services. The program 

is administered through the 

Institution’s Behind-the-Scenes 

Volunteers Program. Call (202) 

357-2987 for information. 
Page Six SlllTlkSRWN IYSTITl’TIll LIFMRIRS ’Y Fall 1992 

IN BRIEF Interns and Visiting Prqfessionals at the Libraries 

National Reading 

Promotion Winner 

Daniel Clarke of Evansville. 

Indiana. visited the National Air 

and Space Museum Branch and 

its rare hook room, the Ramsey 

Room. after lunch and a tow 

with his family and Dr. Rarbara .I. Smith. The eleven-yearold tifth grader won a week’s 

trip to [he nation’s capital for 

himself and his family in August 

a- the winner of a reading promotion contest:‘Ro7o Bonken 

for Books.” The contest was 

spOnso”rd hy the American Library Asocialion (ALA) in cooperation with United Video. 

Inc., and local cable television 

stationr when the ALA was promoting its “Kids Who Read Succeed” prograll. 

SIRIS Contract Awarded 

The Smithsonian Institution 

selected NOTIS to replace the 

system which now carries the 

Lihraries’on-line catalog and its 

acquisitions and circulalion 

modules. Installation of the new 

system which will be called the 

Smithconian Institution Recarch Information System 

(SIRIS) should be completed hy 

the end of 1993. 

T HE 300.0W PIECE TRADE CATALOG LITERATURE PROJECT benefitted from the contributions of two visitors this year. Bryan A. Gulp is a library school graduate student at University of Tennessee/Knoxville. Mr. Gulp worked with sorting and cataloging the trade literature in 

cooperation with staff of the Original Cataloging and Indexing Department and the Museum of American History Branch. 

Susan W. Cole is asisting staff of the same phies at the Air and Space Museum 

departments in a pilot program to catalog the Branch which will be used in the forthcomtrade literature. Mrs. Cole, a Visiting F’rofes- ing Visitor Resource Center at the “How 

sional on sabbatical leave fmm the Colby Col- Things Fly” gallery at the museum. This is 

lege Science Library in Waterville, Maine, is the Libraries‘ first cooperative venture with 

also working on user statistics for the Data- the museum’s Education Division. 

base Search& Center with staff from the Museum Support Center Branch and Central 

Reference and Loan Services. 

At the Cooper-Hewiti Museum Branch, 

Alan Balicki, an intern from Columbia 

University’s Conservation Program, is preparing a plan for a projected rare book roan. Intern Claudia Gistolti worked on the 

collection of graphic artist William Metzig. 

Susan Hefter, another Air and Space Musewn Branch intern and an M.L.S. student 

at Catholic University. also collaborated 

with the museum’s Education Division, preparing bibliographies for several age levels 

that will be used in the center. 

Holliday Ridge, working at the Museum of 

American History. completed an audience 

research study of the Libraries’ “World’s 

The Museum of Natural History Branch 

is grateful for the prototype procedure manuaIs for the collections 

drafted by Wade M. Kotter. an M.L.S. student from 

the University of Maryland. 

Kotter also worked with 

staff in the invertebrate Zoology section and in the Anthropology and Botany 

Libraries. 

Fairs” exhibikon in the Lihraries’Exhihition Gallery. 

Meg O’Brien completed a 

practicum on rare book exhibitions in the Special Collections Department. 

Currently an M.L.S. student 

at Catholic University, her 

training included as a final 

project an exhibition on 

nineteenth-century 

children’s books from the 

Comegys Collection. 

Lai Lee Li. a recent M.L.S. 

graduate from Clarion University, Pennsylvania. 

helped to plan for bibliogra- 
Fall 1992 Information Page Seven 

SIL NEWS DIGEST 

Scott Installed as SLA President 

C 

ATHERINE D. SCOTT, SENIOR REFERENCE LIBRARIAN. Central Reference and Loan Services, war installed as 73rd president of the Special Libraries Association @LA) in San Francisco on June 10. In her inaugural address, “Discover Our Vision as SLA Charts a Course to the 

2lst Century,” she challenged SLA to “embark on a voyage of reflection”and “to examine our 

vision of an information age.” Noting that she intends to continue the SLA tradition of stressing the association’s international character, Scott believes that SLA can both affect information policy and promote worldwide exchange of information in an attempt to “put knowledge 

to work.” 

SLA is an international professional association with 14,000 members in many countries 

around the world. with fifty-five regional chapters in the United States. Canada, Europe, and 

the Pacific Rim. It is the second largest library and information management association in 

North America and is organized in twenty-seven divisions representing various subject interests 

and types of information-handling techniques. It provides scholarship aid and supports continuing education and research. Ms. Scott’s term extends to June 1993. 

Hyltoft Retires 

John Hyltoft. Head Conservator, retired in July. Mr. Hyltoft established the Libraries’ Book 

Conservation Laboratory (BCL) in 1977 and over the past fifteen years repaired and rebound 

thousands of irreplaceable manuscripts and books in the collections. Hyltoft played a crucial 

role in the Libraries’exhibition program by ensuring that exhibition designs allow for proper 

support and environmental housing to safeguard the fragile volumes displayed. He rescued 

countless items in the collections from destruction threatened by water, mildew, and insect infestation, and he set up an environmental monitoring program throughout the Libraries’ forty 

locations. In the BCL. he trained scores of staff. interns, visiting professionals, and volunteers, 

who benefitted from his skilled and meticulous guidance. He has been awarded numerous 

prizes in international bookbinding competitions: he cunted two exhibitions. and published 

articles on bookbinding and conservation. He ha5 actively promoted conservation as a profession. Mr. Hyltoft is now consulting in the mid-Atlantic region. 

- 

THF. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES serves the Institution and the public through its suppon of 

research. exhibitions, education programs. publishing, and the administration of the Institution. In 

addition to providing library and information services through its eighteen hnnch libraries. the 

Libraries sponsors exhibitions. lectures. and a publications program, and participates in intermhip 

and stay-in-school programs. 

3 Please send information on the Libraries’ Honorary and Memorial Gifts program. 

0 Please send the Libraries’ Usrr Geide. 

0 The information on the reverw side is complete and correct. 

0 I have made corrections/additions to the name/address on the reverse side. 

Mail this completed form to 

Director, Smithsonian Institution Libraries. Natural History Building 22, 

MRC 1.54, Washington. DC 20560. 

lii!iH Smilhcnninn Inslilttlinn 

*’ I.ihnri~5 

lnliwmnrion is published scmiannually to inform users and 

benefactors about SIL‘s servict3 

and programs and ahout issues 

affecting the Lihmries. 

Nancy L. Matthews. Edir,,, 

Send all correspondence to the 

editor. Natural History Building 

22, MRC 1.54, Smithsonian Institution. Washington. DC 2OStiO. 

Telephone (202) 357.2240. 

Fax (202) 7%2Rh6. 

Printed on recycled paper @ 
Page Eight SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES Fall 1992 

END NOTES 

Calendar of Exhibitions 

SIL EXHIBITION GALLERY 

National Museum of American History, first floor, west wing 

10:00 a.m.-Y30 p.m. daily, except December 25 

October 12, 1992, through March 26, 1993 Science in the Age of Columbus 

Ellen B. Wells, Cwator 

With support from The Dibner Fund and Telesec Temporary Services 

Opening May 1993 Tunnels! A Celebration 

Ellen B. Wells, Curator 

SIL LIBRARY HALL 

National Museum of Natural History, first floor, east hall 

Restricted access. Call (202) 357-2240 for appointment to view. 

Through January 3, 1993 Cristobal, Christoforo, Christopher: Images of Columbus 

from the National Museum of American History 

Branch Library 

Margaret D’Ambrosio and James Roan, Curator-s 

Opening January 15. 1993 

Smithsonian Institution Libraries 

Natural History Building 22, MRC 154 

Washington, DC 20560 

Charles Coffin Jewett: Smithsonian’s First Librarian 

Tom Baker, Bridget Burke, and Leslie Overstreet, Curators