National Sporting Library & Museum

The National Sporting Library & Museum in Middleburg, VA is seeking applications for the John H. Daniels Fellowship. The fellowship supports researchers-in-residence to study and use the collections for research into "a topic exploring the intersection of field sports with the evolution of conservation." Check out the Fellowship brochure for more information. The application deadline is March 1, 2013.

The National Sporting Library & Museum was founded in 1954 and the collections contain over 24,000 works of art and books on field and equestrian sports. The collection boasts items dating back to the 15th century. "The National Sporting Library and Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the literature, art and culture of equestrian, angling and field sports." There is an online catalog although it appears you'll need a log in to access it. You can contact the library to find out about access. The manuscript and archive collections contain scrapbooks, papers, photographs and research. Finding aids are available online. The library and museum are both open to the public and free of admission. If unable to visit in person, reference services are available. However, research is limited to 30 minutes per request. If you are curious about the library and collections, read the resource brochures available on the website, or like them on Facebook and check out some of the photos.

Historical Medical Library of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia

A few weeks ago I spent a weekend in Philadelphia with my husband. It was my first time in the city and we did the usual visit to the birthplace of democracy; Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross's house, Ben Franklin's print shop and post office, and Elfreth's Alley. We barely scratched the surface of things to do, but only had one day in the city. We decided to spend the afternoon visiting the Mütter Museum.

The museum is amazing. It definitely has disturbing elements. For me, the wall of fetal deformities was a little difficult to take in. There were exhibits linking Grimm's Fairy tales to medical conditions, and I learned more than I ever intended about skin conditions and the assassinations of Lincoln and Garfield. Check out this article from the British Society for the History of Science Travel Guide for more information about the museum. There was a wonderful quote on a display description that sums up the importance of the collection well.

"A great museum collection is as important to medical education as a great library because specimens are nature's books"

While at the Mütter I learned about the Historical Medical Library also housed in the building. Established in 1788, it's one of the world's premier research collections into the history of medicine. Over 400 incunables, manuscripts, archives, and 19th and 20th century medical journals. Sadly, I did not have an appointment, so I could not visit the stacks. The library is open by appointment only Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 10:00am to 4:00pm.

If you want to see specifics, you can search the catalog online. The Catalog search help is fairly comprehensive if you would like a tutorial in how to use their catalog system.

Also available for distance visitors are the digital resources, Digital Books and two digitized 18th Century Manuscripts.

See the library website for history of the collection, or read this very informative article from the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, which is part of the Literary and Cultural Heritage Map. Photos are not allowed within the museum so these shots of the door and the one taken from the library website above will have to satisfy your visual cravings.

United States Military Academy's Jefferson Hall Library

The United States Military Academy's Jefferson Hall Library was listed in the Princeton Review Annual The Best 377 Colleges as #2 for Best College Library. Congratulations USMA Library! (Harvard College got #1) USMA may be more familiarly known as West Point. In checking out the Library's website I came across a 12 page tour book that provides a lot of great detail and some images of the Jefferson Hall Library. It's worth taking a look at the six floors and to get a little jealous of the beautiful views.

The catalog is publicly searchable, and some of the Special Collections and Archives might be accessible by request.

"The Special Collections and Archives Division reading room is open to researchers Monday through Friday, 0800-1630; exceptions will be posted. Researchers (excluding USMA Cadets, staff and faculty) are accommodated by appointment only and require approval from the Associate Director for Special Collections and Archives. To request a research appointment, please complete the Researcher Registration form in advance of your visit. Please allow time for us to respond; appointments are not set until confirmation is received." --Library Website

You can fill out a researcher request form online after browsing the Special Collections or Archives collection descriptions and finding aids. Lucky you who are be granted access to this beautiful building and collections. For those unable to visit in person, this Online Photo Gallery will have to suffice. There are also a few digital collections accessible on the website for you to browse through, like these Colonial and Federal Era Maps Collection

Manuscript Room of the Library of Congress

A few months ago I found myself with a reason to visit the Manuscript Reading Room in the James Madison Memorial Building. I needed to look for the transcript of a conversation by Carnegie's biographer supposedly located in the Andrew Carnegie papers. A doctoral candidate from UW iSchool in Seattle needed the document for her dissertation research, and I volunteered to find it because I had the time and live in the area. It was also a perfect opportunity to get over my nervousness about using the library for research for the first time. I was looking up a document that cited the Andrew Carnegie papers, box 256. The online finding aid is very well organized, easy to use and in looking up box 256 I found that some of the general content was also stored in Box 257. I would ask for both boxes and see what I could find. I checked the hours for the Manuscript reading room and called ahead to make sure the papers were accessible onsite. Many items are stored off-site and require advance notice so it helps to call ahead and check.


Armed with the box numbers I passed through security at the building entrance and found the manuscript reading room on the first floor. I also stopped to admire the stature of Madison when I took a wrong turn down a hallway.


I had already visited LM140 for my reader registration card in the same building. I walked up to the security desk and presented my card to security. I let him know I had never been to that reading room before and he gave me a key for the lockers and pointed me towards the information desk. I'd already reviewed the restrictions for personal belongings, as well as the research and reference FAQs. I also attended a research orientation class. Some of the reading rooms offer specific orientations for their subject area, which may be useful although I have not taken one yet. The general orientation class provides basic instruction on library use and could be helpful for new researchers, but is a little light for anyone familiar with library services and use.

After stowing my things in a locker at the front of the room, I approached the desk where I was checked in and registered as a user of the manuscript reading room. I gave her my two box numbers, and she thanked me for being prepared. If you need to look up the boxes you need, or want help researching the collection, there are computers available in the room, as well as staff on hand to assist you.

By the time I'd sat down at one of the lovely wooden desks, much of my apprehension had dissipated and I was a little giddy with excitement. Silly, yes, but I found the experience a little surreal at how very easy it is to walk in, ask for something, and have it brought to you on a cart. Within minutes I was sifting through the archival boxes reading bibliographies of articles and books that mention Carnegie, as well as several typed notes of references to Carnegie in articles, or interviews with people about him. I also found what I was looking for, a transcript of the conversation between Burton J. Hendrick and James Bertram my doctoral candidate friend had found mentioned in another source. I scanned it using this amazing machine, you can check it out here on Google Docs


If you're interested in learning more about collections and conducting research at LOC, the website is the best place to start. Many library resources are available digitally to browse or access, such as a Virtual Reference Shelf, Webcasts, Digital Collections, Bibliographies, Online Catalog, and Finding Aids. The rooms themselves are beautiful and the collections are amazing. Check them out if you ever have time, and unearth some neat things.

Society of the Cincinnati Library

The Society of the Cincinnati was founded by Continental and French officers who fought in the Revolutionary War. The society was formed to continue to foster the friendships built during the war and in remembrance of the principles for which they fought. The society is named for the Roman hero Cincinnatus. George Washington was elected the first President General of the society, a position he held until his death in 1799. The society has continued through the membership of direct descendents of the original founders and other eligible officers.

"In addition to a museum and library at Anderson House, the Society supports scholarship, publications, historic preservation efforts and other programs to promote increased knowledge and appreciation of the achievements of American independence." --Short History of the Society

The headquarters of the society is housed in Anderson House, a beautiful Guilded Age mansion in Dupont Circle, Washington, DC.


The house was built as the winter home of Larz and Isobel Anderson in 1905. The house is impressively preserved to showcase the original architecture and furnishings. The billiard room has been converted into a small exhibit space.

The home is a National Historic Landmark and is well worth a visit if you have the opportunity.

In 1998 the basement was entirely renovated to create an inviting library space for researchers to access the impressive collection of "printed and manuscript materials relating to the military and naval history of the eighteenth century, with a particular concentration on the people and events of the American Revolution." The collection spans several areas including, The Art of War, Official Military Documents, Contemporary Accounts and Discourses, Manuscripts, Maps, Papers related to the origins of the society, Anderson Family Collection, Graphic Arts, Literature, a Modern Reference Collection (works published post 1820), as well as books published by members of the society. This collection is a must see for any researcher interested in the Revolutionary War. Anderson House is open for public tours, see their website for more information. Contact the library if you are interested in researching the collection. The library does sometimes accept volunteers for projects. Email the library at "library (at) societyofthecincinnati.org" for more information.

Library of the Department of the Interior

The Library of the Department of the Interior (DOI) was established in 1850 by Thomas Ewing, Jr., the son of the first Secretary of the Interior. The library today is housed in the Department of the Interior building on 18th and C street. The DOI consists of several bureaus: National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Office of Surface Mining, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, U.S. Geological Survey, and the Bureau of Reclamation. As such, the library collection contains a wide variety of information to match the varied areas of interests of DOI affiliates. More information about DOI library collections can be found here. The library provides access to an extensive amount publicly accessible information on the web through it's Internet Guides. The Library website is definately worth checking out, as well as browsing through to other areas of the DOI website as a whole. The DOI itself has a presence on various social media networks, and provides a variety of multi-media resources such as Webcams, Videos, and Podcasts.

The library is also an architecturally fascinating space. You can read about the Art and Architecture on the website and the library is open to the public if you are located nearby and would like to stop and visit. The Park Ranger Speaker Series is a great way to learn more about aspects of sites of interest or history of Washington, DC.

You can also see the library in film, such as in the 1987 Kevin Costner thriller No Way Out. The library's spectacular stacks can be seen during a chase scene near the end of the movie. The Stacks consist of six decks on three floors, constructed by Navy contractors. The stairs between the decks are a steep an narrow climb, and navigating the space is an impressive, although slightly claustrophobic experience.

I recently took some pictures from one of the rare book section balconies. If you do happen to visit, be sure to ask the reference librarian about the clock.

The James Melville Gilliss Library

The James Melville Gillis Library collection dates from 1830. The library was developed as part of the US Naval Observatory, and today is found in the main building, built in 1893, and sits on hilly ground in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC. A brief history of the observatory can be read here. The library is housed in the wing on the right of this photo of the main building on the grounds as seen in this picture taken from the library website.

As you enter the building and are greeted with display cases on the right and left showcasing items from the collection, you may feel as if you are walking back in time. Pass the telescope and take a right down a hallway with high arched ceilings for the first glimpse of the space through large double iron gates.
This image is taken from the James Melville Gillis Library collection online. The following images were taken during a tour with the library manager, Sally Bosken.





The library itself is generally closed to the public because of security on the grounds. Many items are available through inter-library loan, or researchers may visit upon special request. The library has two staff who work with the naval staff on site and assist with research, publications, and information access. The collections focus on astronomy and hard science, publications of the US Naval Observatory, and contain both print and electronic resources. The library also maintains an amazing collection of over 800 pre-19th century rare books, including works by Galileo, Copernicus, Einstein and Newton. The library is architecturally and historically fascinating. The grounds are beautiful. This is indeed a special place, and an amazing special library.

The library does occasionally take on volunteers. If you are a library science current student or recent graduate interested in astronomy collections, cataloging rare books, or other possible projects please contact the library using their online request form.

The Vice President lives on the grounds, and the library space is often used for for special events such as dinners or vice presidential interviews. These are pictures of the view from the telescope roof on the left side wing of the building, of the telescope still used to mark official US time, and the telescope inside the dome on the main observatory building.