The Johns Hopkins University Museums mourn the recent passing of Aurelia Garland Bolton, a stalwart supporter who had an exceptionally long history with and fierce devotion to Homewood.  Aurelia Garland Bolton stands on Homewood Museum’s South Portico, having just cut the green ribbon at the museum’s 25th Anniversary Celebration in 2012. A lifetime lover of historic properties and the decorative arts who spent nearly four decades as Sotheby’s representative for Baltimore and the Eastern Shore, Aurelia’s connection to Homewood began during childhood, when her father, Charles Garland, Sr ..read more

The Johns Hopkins University Open Source Programs Office (OSPO) is excited to announce the launch of our new Explainer series, a collection of bite-sized videos tackling a variety of open-source essentials.  Open-source software can serve as a catalyst for research transparency and innovation, but it can also seem complex and daunting, especially for those new to the concepts or without a technical background. The OSPO’s Explainers break down key topics into short easy-to-understand videos to help Hopkins faculty, staff, and students build their open-source knowledge.  We’re planning ..read more

Cynthia Hudson Vitale to assume role in May Sheridan Dean Elisabeth Long of University Libraries, Archives, and Museums announced today the appointment of Cynthia Hudson Vitale as associate dean of technology strategy and digital services, effective May 13, 2024. Vitale comes from the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), where for the last three years she served as director of science policy and scholarship. “The Sheridan Libraries and University Museums are renowned for their extensive history of innovation in both research and student learning services and infrastructure,” Vitale said ..read more

Join me, fellow time travelers, as we take our curiosity voyage to the bygone era of the 1990’s and beyond. But before we can begin to surf the World Wide Web, let’s take a moment to familiarize ourselves with our tools. For today’s journey, we won’t be needing a Tardis, a phone booth, a Time Machine, or a DeLorean. Instead, we’ll be traveling through time and space by way of the WayBack Machine. In the world of online information, the landscape is in constant flux. One day your favorite website updates its design, stops posting, or vanishes, where does that information go? Thanks to the WayBa ..read more

In an email message to students yesterday, Sheridan Libraries Dean Elisabeth Long and Homewood Student Affairs Vice Provost Rachelle Hernandez, shared the interim library service plan while Milton S. Eisenhower (MSE) Library is closed for renovation. Dear Students, As you know, this summer the university will undertake a multi-year project to renovate—and fully reimagine—Milton S. Eisenhower (MSE) Library, now critically overdue for health, safety, and mechanical system upgrades. Over the past several months we’ve heard your concerns and feedback about access to study space and library resourc ..read more

WAIT, don’t click away! Of COURSE you’re tired of being swamped with info about artificial intelligence (AI). You realize that you should know at least a little about it, but where to start? Good news! These mostly short items will painlessly fill you in on what’s been happening.   What is “artificial intelligence”? Artificial intelligence is “the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings.” [Britannica Academic]   The term has been around since at least 1956 (as have concepts of mechanical beings, golems ..read more

To all of our Muslim friends, family, students, colleagues, faculty, and staff, Ramadan Mubarak! In the face of the tumult and tragedy currently impacting the Ummah and the Muslim world, we hope that this Ramadan brings you a sense of peace, hope, and joy. Ramadan, for our readers who may not be familiar with Islam’s holy month, is the month in which the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) received the revelation of the Quran from the angel Gabriel (Jibreel). Today, Muslims worldwide commemorate that miracle with a month of fasting, prayer, charity, and celebration. It is a time of spiritual growth, refle ..read more

Dante, exiled from his beloved Florence, had but one wish regarding his literary legacy: to one day inspire the baking talents of students at The Johns Hopkins University. His sacred wish was granted in April 2023 when, through the alluring combination of cream puffs and caramel, the fierce Mountain of Purgatory arose, towering above all other edible books in its display of gluttony and lust for sugar! As the above rambling from your humble sugar-crazed librarian suggests, it is once more time to celebrate whimsy, literature, and dessert/baked goods/bread art at Read It and Eat It, the Sherid ..read more

As we skate out of snowy season, let’s reflect on this chilly but cold time of year with a few Winter-themed songs from the Lester Levy Sheet Music Collection. The Spring and Summer Both Are Past was published in 1853 in New York: “The Spring and Summer both are past, And all their pleasures flown; The Autumn’s golden tinted leaves, Upon the earth are strown.” The song then takes a turn for the dramatic, likening Winter time to death: “The spring so fresh and warm Has all Youth’s joyous charm; the Summer is life’s Prime Like Autumn ripen’d Age… Then comes life’s closing Page, the solemn Winte ..read more

Preserved in Print, the current exhibition at the Milton S. Eisenhower Library, examines eminent figures of African descent–political leaders, journalists, poets, actors, scientists, and thinkers–as they were represented through printed words and images in their own time and by later generations. Curated by seven graduate students in last year’s Black Print Culture course taught by Professor Nadia Nurhussein, Department of English, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, the books, pamphlets, posters, portraits, and periodicals on display come from the Sheridan Libraries’ special collections ho ..read more