Smithsonian Libraries

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Smithsonian Research Online

During the week of January 16-19th, I visited the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) to discuss several matters relating to the Smithsonian Research Online (SRO) program and to offer technical support and training to STRI library staff. I was accompanied from Washington by Digital Services Head, Martin Kalfatovic, who was to attend a three-day Encyclopedia-of-Life meeting at Barro-Colorado Island during the same week.

Together we met with Oris Sanjur (STRI Associate Director for Science Administration), Vielka Chang-Yau (STRI head librarian), Angel Aguirre (librarian), Klaus Winter (STRI scientist) and Eldredge Bermingham (STRI Director). Everyone was in agreement that STRI-authored publication data ought to be collected in one place and that the SIL is doing a good job of coordinating this program across all Institution units. The Director and Associate Director will discuss the specific needs of their unit and report back to SIL, who will propose a workflow to accomplish this.

Meanwhile, I held a brief introduction to the bibliographic tools, EndNote and Zotero for STRI library staff and volunteers. While we had a training room available to us, unfortunately there was not a copy of these programs available to all participants. But they were still able to see the possibilities of using these tools in day-to-day library services.

Alvin and Vielka review the SRO website and list of Smithsonian-authored publications using the newly-installed LCD screen in the STRI library. Photo courtesy of martin_kalfatovic via Flickr.

Finally, I met with Fernando Bouché (Head, Office of Information Technology) and STRI programmer, Carlos Caballero, to discuss the management of publication data, its re-use on the STRI web page and inclusion in the SI Collections search system (EDAN).

STRI scientists publish over 300 scholarly papers every year. Approximately 70% of them are captured automatically by the SRO via websites and associated tools. This circumvents the need for manual data entry. The inclusion of the complete corpus of work being done there is an essential part of representing the research being conducted at the Institution and the cooperation between the SI Libraries and STRI will bring the project to fruition.

 

 

 

STRI Library Mural Repair

One of the most distinctive features of the Libraries' building at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is the exciting mural by the famous Panamanian artist, Brooke Alfaro. Sadly, after heavy rains and leaking, the mural was seen to be bulging and considered in danger. Now the artist himself and others are actively repairing the mural. Here is a photograph of the work being done by painter, Brooke Alfaro (gray t-shirt) and worker. You can see more photos of the restoration and how the mural looked before the damage on the Libraries' flickr.

As Librarian Vielka Chang Yau reports, “The mural has become dislodged quite more than just the part where the bulge was. You can see the space between the wall and the mural. There is no water in the space between the mural and the wall. That probably was all taken out when Engineer Carlos Tejada perforated the wall and water came as if you had turned on the hose.”

Brooke did the original painting, which was taken to Mexico to be digitized. It came back as 27 boxes of Venetian squares.

We will keep you posted as the work progresses.

Mary Augusta Thomas, Photos courtesy of Vielka Chang-Yau and Ricardo Beteta.

More Pictures from STRI Visit

Director Nancy E. Gwinn and Associate Director and Mary Augusta Thomas traveled to Panama at the end of November, where they had very useful meetings with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) Library and research staff. 

Associate Director Mary Augusta Thomas at STRI

STRI LIbrarian Vielka Chang-Yau organized a coffee reception with several STRI scientists and researchers, including Fernando Santos Granero, STRI staff scientist with a research interest in the nature of native Amazonian sociality and how native Amazonians conceive of personhood. Santos Granero is a member of the STRI Internal Audiences Committee in charge of celebrating 100 years of Smithsonian science in Panama.

Gwinn and Thomas also met with Diane Hopkins, a STRI Library volunteer, who is creating an inventory and scanning a collection of maps housed at STRI. They also viewed the Panamanian Passages exhibit  that included wonderful old as well as new photographs of the STRI Library. Director Nancy E. Gwinn at the reception at the STRI Library

Several Libraries Advisory Board members will accompany Gwinn and Thomas in February for a visit to STRI, which will include a visit to the site excavations at the canal.

—Nancy E. Gwinn

Related: Visit to STRI Library

Visit to STRI Library

Mary Augusta Thomas and I, Nancy Gwinn, went to Panama this week to visit our library at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Center.  We saw the renovated library reading space, where extra windows have been added to bring in the light and lushness of the green spaces outside.  STRI Director Biff Bermingham has a new senior team in place with Deputy Director Ron Herzig and Owen McMillan in the newly created position of Academic Dean.  Dr. McMillan will be in charge of the expanding fellowship program. The library will work with both of these administrators for their STRI-related needs.  The two expressed great confidence in our librarian Vielka Chang-Yau and told us how important and well-run the libraries and its services are.  We also met with Vielka's staff Angel Aguirre, Ricardo Beteta, Elizabeth Sanchez, Apolinar Guerrero, and Mr. Sanchez. (See photo) The hard work and dedication of the staff are one of the keys to the library's success.  Library volunteers Diane and Abby presented their project of inventorying and digitizing the 750-item map collection in the library, which represents an extensive resource for understanding the physical history of the region.  Vielka organized a coffee for us to meet with a group of scientists and other library users. When we questioned them about their library use and concerns, it was clear that like other Smithsonian scientists, they are receiving most of their materials digitally and would like more, more, more!  But they are especially appreciative of what we are able to supply for this library, the best science library in the region. STRI's administrators wanted us to convey to "Washington" how important the library's proactive collaboration with the University of Panama and the Panamanian community is to cementing excellent relationships in the country.  It was as good visit, and we are well prepared to accompany the SIL Board to STRI for a visit next spring.