Past Events

Music and the Making of Modern Science and Medicine Monday, December 2nd, 2019. 5:00 PMS. Dillon Ripley Center Ripley Auditorium

In honor or our exhibition, Game Change: Elephants from Prey to Preservation, and the National Museum of American History's new exhibition, Elephants and Us: Considering Extinction, please join us for a special film screening followed by a question and answer session.

Join us for a performance of music hidden in plain sight. Musical manuscripts, re-purposed centuries ago as book bindings, will transport us back in time during this evening event devoted to their musicality.

The Smithsonian Libraries invites you to the secondin a series of talks related to our newest exhibition, Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect: Beyond Brontë: The Essential Act of Collecting Books by Women featuring A.N. Devers Proprietor, The Second Shelf

Join the Smithsonian Libraries for Book Club! On August 18, we will be discussing Suzanne Collins' award-winning novelThe Hunger Gamesat The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture GardenParticipants will also be treated to rare artifacts and books to shed light on some of the themes within the book. A light brunch will be served.

Please join the Smithsonian Libraries for a reception and program at the Union League Club of Chicago!

July 21, 2019: 11am- 1pm National Museum of African American History and Culture Join the Smithsonian Libraries for Book Club! On July 21, we will be discussing Angie Thomas' award-winning novel The Hate U Give  at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Participants will also be treated to rare artifacts and books to shed light on some of the themes within the book .A light brunch will be served.

The Smithsonian Libraries invites you to the secondin a series of talks related to our newest exhibition,Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect: Collecting to Strength, Subverting Tradition: Curatorship in the 2010s

Join the Smithsonian Libraries for Book Club! On July 14, we will be discussing Douglas Adams' award-winning novelThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Participants will also be treated to rare artifacts and books to shed light on some of the themes within the book. A light brunch will be served.

Please join the Smithsonian Libraries for our annual Adopt-a-Book evening!

Will you be in at the American Libraries Association Annual Conference and Exhibition in June 2019? Find us in Booth #2345.

The Smithsonian Libraries invites library colleagues from around the world to tour three of our 21 branches while visiting Washington, DC for the American Libraries Association Annual Conference. These special behind-the-scenes tours will give guests an opportunity to see our rare books and special collections in art, history and science, as well as chat with Smithsonian Libraries staff and network with each other.

Join the Smithsonian Libraries for Book Club! On June 2, we will be discussing Jenny Han's award-winning novel To All the Boys I've Loved Before at the National Postal Museum. Participants will also be treated to rare artifacts and books about the history of correspondence to shed light on some of the themes within the book.

The Smithsonian Libraries invites you to the first in a series of talks related to our newest exhibition,Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect: Celebrating Women Book Collectors: The Early Years of the Honey & Wax Prize

The Smithsonian Libraries has reached out to us at the Smithsonian Investigative League to solve another mystery. Our Book Cases division is dedicated to all book and library based mysteries. We need help freeing three professors from a curious spell. You’ll gather clues by attending three classes: Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, and Potions. You’ll need bravery, patience, cleverness, and cunning to solve this one! Book Cases is a series of mystery and adventure events for DC middle school students.  Each event centers on a different theme, but each time 25 youth work together to crack a case using their research, technology, and critical thinking skills to solve a mystery straight out of the Smithsonian Libraries stacks.   NOTE: Book Cases events always happen on in-services days when students aren't in school. It's our way of providing fun, educational programming for your young detectives while you're at work.