Library to Library: Sharing America's Smithsonian

Library to Library Sharing America’s

Smithsonian

Suzanne C. Pilsk

Martin R. KalfatovicSmithsonian Institution Libraries

Some Smithsonian History

At his death in 1829, English Scientist James Smithson bequeathed his estate to the United States with three stipulations …


• be named the "Smithsonian Institution"

• be located in Washington, D.C.

• and serve the "Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge"

That the entity ...


After much debate in the U.S. Congress, the bequest was accepted in 1846, 11 years after the contingency clause took effect … but what form would the Institution take?


• A National University?

• A Museum?• A National

Observatory?• A National Scientific

Institute?• A Great Library?


Well, as you

now know, the

Smithsonian

became a bit of

everything!

Some Smithsonian Facts & Figures

• 140 million objects (345,000 object acquired in 2001)

• 31 million visits (2000) 28.9 million visits (2001)

Some Smithsonian Facts & Figures

• 19 million visitors to SI websites (2001)

• FY 2002 Budget: $750 million ($528 million Federal and $222 million Trust)

Smithsonian Libraries

The Smithsonian has had a library since it’s founding … but the form of the library has changed over the years …


Charles Coffin Jewett, the first librarian of the Smithsonian, made important contributions to the field of cooperative cataloging ...


A fire in the Smithsonian Castle in 1866 led then Secretary Joseph Henry to “deposit” the collection at the Library of Congress

Smithsonian Libraries Facts & Figures

• Founded in 1968

• 1.4 million volumes

• Over 300,000 pieces of trade literature

• 40,000 rare books

Smithsonian Libraries Facts & Figures

• About 20 libraries between New York and Panama

• Over 100 staff


• An array of services to researchers, administrators, visiting scholars, general public, etc.

Smithsonian Librarieswww.sil.si.edu

• Launched in 1995, there were 657,000 visitors (14+ million hits) to Smithsonian Libraries’ websites in 2001.

Library Services

• Researchers

• Scholars

• Administrators

Smithsonian Libraries serves a varied community:

Library Services

But not you!

Generally speaking, our collection policy does not cover K-12

Library Services

Still, our online catalog includes more than just monographs and serials.

It may include resources of interest to you and school staff.

Library Catalog

SIRIS

• Libraries• Archives & Manuscripts• Juley Photo Collection• Specialized Bibliographies• Art Inventories• Smithsonian Chronology

SIRISwww.siris.si.edu

SIL’s Online Products

• Exhibitions (online and gallery)

• Bibliographies• Digitized

books and collections

Online Products

Education Products

In addition to created K-12 resources, Smithsonian Libraries provides them for online projects.

Education ProductsPrint

• Educator’s Toolkit• Smithsonian

Resource Guide for Educators

• Smithsonian In Your Classroom

• Artifact & Analysis

Education ProductsPrint

• Smithsonian Field Trip Guide for Educators

• Museums & Learning: A Guide for Family Visits

Education ProductsOnline

educate.si.edu

Education ProductsOnline

kids.si.edu

Lesson Plans

Library to Library?

Questions?

Together we can feast!

www.sil.si.edu/staff/cisl-2002

Library to Library Sharing America’s

Smithsonian

Suzanne C. Pilsk

Martin R. KalfatovicSmithsonian Institution Libraries

Library to Library: Sharing America's Smithsonian

Technology

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