The document summarizes the history and collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. It discusses how the Libraries began with a small collection in the 1840s and have grown to include many branches that house collections on art, design, history, sciences and more. The Libraries have endured fires and expansions to become a major research institution with extraordinary digital and physical holdings serving millions of visitors each year.

1. Unveiling a Gem
Smithsonian Libraries:
Martin R. Kalfatovic
Associate Director
Twitter: @UDCMRK
15 September 2016

3. 30 MILLION VISITORS EACH YEAR

4. library.si.edu

5. ENDANGERED SPECIES
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6. SMITHSONIAN LIBRARIES

7. Smithsonian American Art Museum/National Portrait Gallery
Library
Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Library
Freer and Sackler Galleries Library
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Library
Warren M. Robbins Library, National Museum of African Art
Anacostia Community Museum Library
National Air and Space Museum Library
National Museum of African American History & Culture
Library
National Museum of American History Library
National Postal Museum Library
The Vine Deloria, Jr. Library, National Museum of the
American Indian
SIL Research Annex
Botany and Horticulture Library
John Wesley Powell Library of Anthropology
Museum Support Center Library
National Museum of Natural History Library
National Zoological Park Library
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Library
Earl Tupper Library, Smithsonian Tropical Research
Institute
Dibner Library of the History of Science and
Technology
Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History
History and Culture
Art and Design
Sciences
Special Collections
BRANCHES OF THE SMITHSONIAN LIBRARIES
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8. THE HEART OF THE SMITHSONIAN
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9. “…increase and diffusion…”

10. “…for the increase and
diffusion of knowledge…”
The Seal of the Smithsonian Institution
SMITHSONIAN MISSION
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11. “…shall fund, an appropriation,
not exceeding an average of
twenty-five thousand dollars
annually, for the gradual
formation of a Library
composed of valuable works
pertaining to all departments of
human knowledge.”
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JOSEPH HENRY
Secretary, 1846-1878

13. CONTRIBUTIONS TO KNOWLEDGE SERIES

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CHARLES COFFIN JEWETT
Librarian & Assistant Secretary, 1848-1855

15. EXCHANGE PUBLICATIONS ARRIVE AT
SMITHSONIAN CASTLE

16. SMITHSONIAN LIBRARY ROOM
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17. FIRE!
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The Fire at the Castle - 1865
The Fire at the Capitol - 1851

18. SMITHSONIAN CASTLE after the fire

19. SMITHSONIAN LIBRARY ROOM
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21. SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD
Secretary, 1878-1887
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23. S. DILLON RIPLEY
Secretary, 1964-1984
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24. THE 21ST CENTURY LIBRARY

30. Extraordinary Holdings

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NATURAL HISTORY

33. AVIATION AND AERONAUTICS

34. ANTHROPOLOGY

35. AMERICAN PORTRAITURE

36. EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN DESIGN

37. AMERICAN, AFRICAN ART & CULTURE

38. ASIAN ART

39. TROPICAL BIOLOGY

41. AMERICAN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY

42. DIBNER LIBRARY of the HISTORY OF SCIENCE and
TECHNOLOGY

43. IN THE DIBNER LIBRARY STACKS

44. GALILEO LETTERHEVELIUS, CELESTIAL MACHINES

45. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

46. WORLDS FAIRS COLLECTION

47. CRYSTAL PALACE EXHIBITION, LONDON, 1851

48. IN THE STACKS, CULLMAN LIBRARY

49. JOSEPH F. CULLMAN 3RD LIBRARY

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EARLY MUSEUMS

51. TRADE LITERATURE COLLECTION

57. A Move to Digital

59. 1 million web visitors
9 million web content downloads

60. Tell America’s Story
Spark Discovery
Inspire Lifelong Learning
Reach People Everywhere

62. Questions?

63. Advancing Knowledge at Home and Around the World
Dr. Nancy E. Gwinn, Director July 20, 2015
@SILibraries
Facebook.com/SmithsonianLibraries
@SILibraries
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See more at library.si.edu

64. Unveiling a Gem
Smithsonian Libraries:
Dr. Nancy E. Gwinn, Director
Richard Naples
And the rest of Smithsonian
Libraries’ staff for assistance
in this presentation
Thanks to: