Martin R. Kalfatovic | CNI Spring Meeting | 13 April 2015
For the Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge Smithsonian's Research Online (SRO)
The Plan of Organization"The Act of Congress, establishing the Institution, directs as part of the plan of organization, the formation of a Library, a Museum, and a Gallery of Art, together with provisions for the physical research and popular lectures …"
Contributions to Knowledge, p. iv (1848)
Joseph Henry, 1st Secretary
The Plan of Organization"the increase of knowledge by the addition of new truths to the existing stock; the other, the diffusion of knowledge thus increased ... No restriction is made in favor of any kind of knowledge, and hence each branch is entitled to and should receive a share of the attention.
Contributions to Knowledge, p. iii (1848)
Joseph Henry, 1st Secretary
The Plan of Organization
"To carry out the plan ...a library will be required, consisting, 1st, of a complete collection of the transactions and proceedings of all the learned societies of the world; 2d, of the more important current periodical publications, and other works necessary in preparing the periodical reports."
Contributions to Knowledge, p. vii (1848)C.C. Jewett, 1st Librarian
20 U.S. Code § 41 - Incorporation of institution
The President, the Vice President, the Chief Justice, and the heads of executive departments are constituted an establishment by the name of the Smithsonian Institution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men, and by that name shall be known and have perpetual succession with the powers, limitations, and restrictions hereinafter contained, and no other.
“A Trust instrumentof the U.S. People”
Museums (15/19) and The National ZooAfrican American History & Culture MuseumAfrican Art MuseumAir and Space MuseumAir and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy CenterAmerican Art MuseumAmerican History MuseumAmerican Indian MuseumAnacostia Community MuseumArthur M. Sackler GalleryCooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design MuseumFreer Gallery of ArtHirshhorn Museum and Sculpture GardenNational ZooNatural History MuseumPortrait Gallery
Research Institutes (9)Archives of American ArtAstrophysical ObservatoryConservation Biology InstituteEnvironmental Research
CenterMarine Station at Fort PierceMuseum Conservation InstituteSmithsonian ArchivesSmithsonian LibrariesTropical Research Institute
Research Institutes (16)Arctic Studies CenterCarrie Bow Marine Field StationCenter for Education &
Museum StudiesCenter For Earth & Planetary StudiesCenter for Folklife & Cultural HeritageConsortium for the Barcode of LifeEncyclopedia of Life (EOL)ForestGeoInstitute for Biodiversity GenomicsLemelson Center for the Study of
Invention and InnovationMarineGEOSmithsonian Research Online+ more
Early Smithsonian diffusion ...Smithsonian Contributions to KnowledgeBulletin of the Bureau of American
EthnologyBulletin of the United States National
Museum Contributions from the United States
National Herbarium Proceedings of the United States
National MuseumSmithsonian Miscellaneous Collections Annual report of the Board of Regents of
the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Contributions SeriesSmithsonian Annals of Flight Smithsonian Contributions to
Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Astrophysics Smithsonian Contributions to BotanySmithsonian Contributions to History and
Technology Smithsonian Contributions to Museum
ConservationSmithsonian Contributions to PaleobiologySmithsonian Contributions to the Earth
Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine
Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology Smithsonian Folklife StudiesSmithsonian Studies in Air and Space
Smithsonian Research Online (SRO)A set of services to the research community both within and outside the Smithsonian Institution. Managed by the Smithsonian Libraries, the program assists in capturing the research output of Smithsonian scholars and making it available to Institutional management as well as scientists and historians world-wide.
Lincoln's Hat
SRO = Bibliography + Repository
Items in Research Bibliography: 73,371
Items in Digital Repostory: 19,341
Einstein's Pipe
History/Art/Culture/Science: CY 2014Anacostia Community Museum: 3Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage: 23Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum: 11Freer and Sackler Galleries: 9Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: 4Museum Conservation Institute: 49National Air & Space Museum 160National Museum of African American History and Culture: 3National Museum of African Art: 4National Museum of American History: 20National Museum of Natural History: 743National Museum of the American Indian: 16National Portrait Gallery: 1National Postal Museum: 36National Zoological Park: 153Smithsonian American Art Museum: 18Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory: 560Smithsonian Environmental Research Center: 81Smithsonian Institution Archives: 3Smithsonian Libraries: 29Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: 408
Science/Science/Science: CY 2014Anacostia Community Museum: 3Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage: 23Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum: 11Freer and Sackler Galleries: 9Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: 4Museum Conservation Institute: 49National Air & Space Museum 160National Museum of African American History and Culture: 3National Museum of African Art: 4National Museum of American History: 20National Museum of Natural History: 743National Museum of the American Indian: 16National Portrait Gallery: 1National Postal Museum: 36National Zoological Park: 153Smithsonian American Art Museum: 18Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory: 560Smithsonian Environmental Research Center: 81Smithsonian Institution Archives: 3Smithsonian Libraries: 29Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: 408
Research Altmetrics
Provides additional usage data
Shows non-traditional impact of research
Includes data and knowledge bases references, article views, downloads, or mentions in social media and news media
Smithsonian Response to OSTP Mandate
Pan-Institution group led by the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary for Collections and Interdisciplinary Support (DUSCIS)
Smithsonian LibrarySmithsonian ArchivesOffice of General CounselSmithsonian Inst. Scholarly PressOffice of the Chief Information OfficerCuratorial and Research units
The Problem• We must capture research information as it is
created and make it “durable” and “trusted”• Capturing the intellectual model to provide a
context for the research content is necessary• Content should be able to be re-used and re-
purposed• Researchers must describe their own data
from their point of view• We must manage data as a continuum not as
part of the applications
SIDora Solution• Researchers will have a workspace, not an
archive, curators will make sense of it later• Primary goal is to enhance research
capabilities, leaving trusted data as a legacy• Maintain complete control of the content for
as long as appropriate• Software tools will be integrated with the
repository• Appropriate levels of security that do not get
in the way of research
Continue to work with initiatives like CHORUS and SHARES
Launch rights granting management softwar)
Next steps ...
The worth and importance of the Institution is not to be estimated by what it accumulates within the walls of its building, but by what it sends forth to the world.
Joseph Henry