eConnect
Announcing a New Partnership:
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

“We are excited to combine the collaborative and innovative work of the Smithsonian’s archives and libraries to provide outstanding service to our stakeholders at the Smithsonian, the nation, and the world,” said Scott E. Miller, interim director of Smithsonian Libraries and the Smithsonian’s chief scientist.

“Working together, we hope to increase and enrich online content, reach new audiences, and provide greater access to researchers of all types around the world,” said Tammy L. Peters, interim director and supervisory archivist at Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Through this new partnership, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives houses nearly 3 million library volumes in subjects ranging from art to zoology and 44,000 cubic feet of archival materials chronicling the growth and development of the Smithsonian throughout its history. The organization will better serve the growing needs of the global research, curatorial, library, archival, and academic communities. Read more about our new partnership. >>
Become a Founding Member of The Vault
To celebrate our new partnership, we are thrilled to launch The Vault: The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Society, with expanded benefits, levels of giving, and opportunities to engage with Smithsonian staff, programs, and exhibitions for participants of all levels.

Details on giving opportunities can be found on our website. Participants can increase their giving at any time to deepen their connection to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, gaining access to private tours, VIP events, and other exclusive benefits. Those who make a gift of $100 or more by the end of 2021 will be recognized as founding members of The Vault.

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives shares an ambitious vision for innovative digitization and access, robust user services, diverse collections, creative educational resources, thought-provoking exhibitions, and critical preservation. Your support will enable us to realize this vision and reach learners everywhere—in-person and online. Please join us in building a bolder future for the world’s largest museum library and archive system.
At Home: Oral Histories
However near or far from loved ones you may be this holiday season, we invite you to take a few moments to record an oral history with a family member or friend. Historian Hannah Byrne runs through five easy steps to help you get started at home (also Zoom adaptable!). Find out more about conducting your own oral history session, and print out our handy guide chock-full of helpful tips and interview questions.
A Closer Look: Open Access
The Smithsonian Research Online team released a new dashboard showcasing data about the openness of Smithsonian research publications. The primary goal of open access is that any reader can access scholarship without paying for articles or having to belong to a library that pays for subscriptions to journals. Our dashboard indicates that between 50 and 65 percent of recent Smithsonian-authored journal articles tracked in the past few years are in this category. Open access has opened (literally) a world of scholarship to a much broader audience, reducing financial barriers to access academic works. Read more and view our dashboard. >>
Events in Review
As our 2020 events pivoted from in-person to online, we truly enjoyed meeting and conversing with so many of you virtually this year. Though we missed seeing you in person, it was a blast exploring everything from art, history, science, and culture to color and marginalia with you from the comfort of your home.

Our 2020 programming culminated with a talk from New York Times best-selling author and Smithsonian Libraries advisory board emeritus member Steve Berry and his marketing extraordinaire spouse, Elizabeth (pictured above)—don’t miss watching this lively chat! We will resume online events in 2021, but until then, here are highlights from this year's recorded webinars:

In Case You Missed It...
Get "schooled" solving an online puzzle created from a 1957 photo of an exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History. Also, explore the fall digital puzzle edition from our libraries.
From cherry blossoms lining the Tidal Basin to kangaroo taxidermy, our free downloadable coloring pages provide fun for all ages.
You asked, our conservators answered! Read responses on fragile pages, favorite projects, conservation “super powers,” and much more from #AskAConservator Day.
Jessica Scott, digital imaging technician, offers six excellent tips on preserving your family’s history (note: think again about scrapbooking!).
Read powerful stories—such as one on Elleanor Eldridge—in Women in America: Extra and Ordinary, a new digital initiative for grades 6-8 common core standards.
Peruse exquisite silverware, linens, utensils, and—most especially—perfect platters for Thanksgiving turkeys in John Wanamaker's Spring & Summer Catalog from 1915.
Thank You

While the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has temporarily closed our 21 library branches, archives, and other physical locations, our work continues. We invite you to find a place with us online through our virtual resources and continued services. We are continually expanding our digital content and programs, and are here to help you explore and discover from the comfort of your home.
Get Social

Connect with us!