Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays in 2008!

All through 2008, the Smithsonian Libraries has been celebrating the 40th (Ruby) anniversary of the year (1968) that Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley created the Smithsonian Institution Libraries as a separate unit with a central administration and Director. We had a party for our Smithsonian friends and colleagues in April, and Acting Secretary Cristián Samper gave us $40,000 for acquisitions, a dollar for every year.  We held a symposium about 18th century naturalist Mark Catesby with the Washington premier of the film “The Curious Mr. Catesby,” which you may see on your local PBS station in the coming year. 

With Smithsonian colleagues, we sponsored a speaker series that brought thinkers and experts from outside the Institution to talk about their views of the future of libraries, archives, and museums. We engaged a consultant to lead us through a strategic planning process that will start us off well for our next 40 years! 

On October 30, we hosted our Ruby Anniversary Gala, “Paint the Town REaD!” to raise funds to support our art libraries.  And we opened two exhibitions: Picturing Words:The Power of Book Illustration in the just re-opened National Museum of American History, and The Art of African Exploration in the National Museum of Natural History. Whew!

It has been a busy time, but now we will all stop and reflect on the needs of others and the joys of the holiday season.  We wish everyone well for the coming year.

Nancy Gwinn