Smithsonian Libraries

Publications of Eva J. Pell

Angela N. Haggins, Librarian for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Library (SERC), located in Edgewater, Maryland, has compiled a brief, select bibliography of the publications of Eva J. Pell, the newly-appointed Undersecretary for Science at the Smithsonian. The publications span a number of decades and reflect her research over that time. Many of these articles are either available online or are on the shelf in the SERC Library.—Angela N. Haggins

From Birds of the Chesapeake Bay, John W. Taylor, 1992

Spotlight on...Mike Hardy

Mike Hardy is truly a jack of all trades. Before joining the Libraries, Hardy worked as a greens keeper at a private golf course, delivered furniture, carried groceries to shut-ins, managed a gas station, worked as part of a surveying crew for the communications cables between Atlas sites, had a long career in the Navy (24 years), served as an organization development consultant, and taught English in Taiwan. Phew! Hardy currently manages the collection at the Libraries' Research Annex (SILRA), and before this post was the serials manager at the National Museum of American History Library for three years.

Hardy is a native of Illinois and graduated from the State University of New York with a B.A. in geography. His hobbies include reading science and history non-fiction, and listening to several musical genres: rock, soul, blues, jazz and, as he describes, “a lot of weird world music!”

Hardy is truly a Smithsonian enthusiast; his favorite destinations in the DC area are the Smithsonian museums. He also likes to go to the U.S. Botanic Garden and the National Arboretum, and visit local national wildlife refuges. Upcoming excursions for Hardy include going to the International Spy Museum and the upgraded National Aquarium, located in the Department of Commerce building. A seasoned world traveler, Hardy has either lived in or visited the following countries: Canada, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Kenya, Bahrain and Mauritius. He can speak, read and write Chinese, and has also been to 40 of the 50 U.S. states.

Hardy’s job at SILRA is complex. He performs all of the usual library duties (ie: circulation, interlibrary loan, inter-branch transfers, reference) yet also deals with a heavy traffic of acquisitions and withdrawals. In fact, since starting his position at SILRA six years ago, Hardy has shipped over 4700 feet of materials to federal and other non-profit libraries. Hardy receives new donations and inspects them for insect, mold or other types of trauma. He is currently sorting and shelving a 10,000+ piece collection of mail order catalogs. SILRA also serves as a clearing house for placing the items in the correct library branches, in particular those shipped out of the DC area, to the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Library in New York, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Library in Panama, and the National Museum of American Indian Library, and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Library, both in Suitland, Md.—Liz O'Brien

photo by Lu Rossignol

SERC Open House Today!

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is holding an open house today from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at its location in Edgewater, MD. It is free and open to the public. Free shuttle and parking is provided at Central Middle School, 221 Central Ave. East (intersection of Mayo Rd. and Central Ave (Rt. 214)) in Edgewater, MD. Bus Transportation to and from SERC runs
continuously from 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information cal (301) 238.2737 or check the website.

The Libraries will have a display table at the event,  which also includes children’s games, face painting, crafts, live entertainment, boat rides, canoe trips, and hay rides, among the many activities.

The SERC Library was founded in 1977 at the Chesapeake Bay Center for Environmental Studies (CBCES) to support the Center’s research and education programs. The library is open to the public by appointment Monday-Friday, 8:00 am–4:30 p.m. and serves the staff of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, the Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC), other Smithsonian staff, fellows, research associates, other government agencies, professional associations, students, scholars, and the general public. The SERC Library houses a collection of monographs and bound journals, microfilm, fiche, and videos. These materials support the scientific and educational research in the following broad areas: global change, landscape ecology, coastal ecosystems, and  population and community ecology, with emphasis on the Chesapeake Bay and its surroundings.—Angela Haggins