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Posted by: Marianna Stell
During the 17th and 18th centuries, classical languages were an important component of education in the North American colonies. Viewed through the lens of material and printing history, the books highlighted in this blog post provide a very human picture of classical studies in early America.
Posted in: 17th Century, 18th Century, American History, Classics, Education History
Posted by: Marianna Stell
Humans have always been fascinated by eclipses and other astronomical phenomenon. In anticipation of the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse that will cross the United States, the Rare Book and Special Collections Division presents one small treasure from the collections: a miniature book of 19th-century eclipse photography!
Posted in: 19th Century, American History, Astronomy, History of Science, News and Events
Posted by: Marianna Stell
In 1866, the Smithsonian physically transferred its library of over 40,000 works to the Library of Congress. A notable event in the history of both information institutions, the Smithsonian Deposit included a range of materials which today are dispersed throughout the Library’s divisions. Among them are some unexpected and intriguing materials in the Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
Posted in: 19th Century, 20th Century, American History, Library History, Provenance