Description: A clause in the last will and testament of English scientist James Smithson eventually led to his estate being left to the United States "to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.” There was much debate as to what constituted such an establishment, but many of the proposals
Description: OverviewConservation for archives, libraries, art, and museums is the application of specialized techniques to examine, document, and treat physical objects. It involves direct inspection, analysis, and/or direct physical and chemical interventions to address problems of function and/or aesthetics - i.e. the object does not perform well and is at risk of further damage through
Description: In celebration of Preservation Week 2016, here’s a brief overview of surveys and their role in preservation, as well as a look into an audiovisual survey currently taking place right here at the Smithsonian.
Description: Librarians at the White House Historical Association have digitized 25,000 previously uncatalogued slides! [via CNN]In case you missed it, the blog, Missing Scientists' Faces, shared 28 days of African American female scientists during Black History Month. [via @MissingSciFaces]Check out some of the Digital Public Library of America's primary source sets for Women's History
Description: In honor of the Heritage Preservation organization’s annual MayDay initiative to protect cultural heritage from disasters, the Archives will be highlighting how we deal with emergencies and how you can prepare yourself in a series of blog posts. [caption id="attachment_12763" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="This image is quite dark for a reason—in an emergency