Smithsonian on the Flickr Commons

Uniformed Letter Carrier with Child in Mailbag, 1900, National Postal Museum

Launched June 2008

1,980 images contributed

22 photo sets

10-25 images contributed every two weeks

Background

Portrait of Albert Einstein and Others (1879-1955), Smithsonian Institution Libraries

About Flickr Commons

Library of CongressState Library of New South WalesLibrary of VirginiaState Library of Queensland, AustraliaDC Public LibraryThe National Archives UKThe National Archives USATexas State ArchivesGetty Research InstituteSwedish National Heritage BoardNew York Public LibraryCornell University LibraryBrooklyn Museum

45 National & International Flickr Commons Members

Portrait of Felix Nadar (1820-1910), Prior to 1910, Smithsonian Institution Libraries

12 Smithsonian Museums/Archives/Libraries

• American Art Museum • American Indian Museum• Anacostia Community Museum• Archives of American Art• Archives of American Gardens• Astrophysical Observatory• Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage• National Museum of Natural History, Division of Fishes• National Portrait Gallery• National Postal Museum• Smithsonian Institution Archives• Smithsonian Institution Libraries

Tennessee v. John T. Scopes Trial: The seven scientists asked to testify for the defense standing in front of the Defense Mansion, 1925, Smithsonian Institution Archives

HowSIA Manages ProcessOCIO batch uploads images using EDAN and Flickr API

Untitled, Anacostia Community Museum

Original Goals

1 Increase public knowledge of and access to the Smithsonian’s digital collections

2 Develop a Smithsonian online community

3 Encourage use and re-use

4 Improve public outreach

The Eagle Nebula (M16), 2001, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

• 3.5 million unique photo viewings• Nearly 8000 Flickr friends

Successes: Many Eyes on Our Collections!

Gramma loreto, Adult (Royal Gramma), 2002, National Museum of Natural History, Division of Fishes

Successes: Collection Acquisition

I appreciate the way the photos the Smithsonian has are available online for all to see.

- Henrietta Silverman Jenrette, Oct 31, 2009

Donation of ten photographs by William Silverman, a nineteen-year-old student who observed the trial with his high school history teacher.

“These, and indeed all, of the Silverman snapshots add a new visual take on the trial and the spectacle surrounding it.,” blog post by SIA archivist, Tammy Peters.

“The person on the top right is Mr. P. B. Shekar, former collections specialist at the Bombay Natural History Society and a regular camp member of many expeditions by Dr. Ripley in India. Mr. Shekar would have many a splendid tale to speak of about the Ripley expeditions and someone from the Smithsonian should probably get in touch with him at the BNHS and record the stories.”

- Flickr user, bharatbhushan@yahoo.com

Successes: Information

Successes: Power Users/Researchers

Penny L. Richards , research scholar affiliated with UCLA’s Center for the Study of Women and serves on the board of the Disability History Association

Elizabeth Sabin GoodwinSuccesses: Connections

“I think she may have been an artist, rather than a scientist - from the 7/27/1924 Washington Post.”

- Flickr user, rockcreek

“Here she is in the 1920 Central High School yearbook - I think we have a match!”

- Flickr user, rockcreek

“Hello, this is my grandmother, Ida Elizabeth Sabin. Brenda Anderson's post is about my family and Rockcreek is correct about her being an art student. She was an illustrator for a science magazine. please let me know what information, if any that you would like about the Sabin, Goodwin family.”

- Linda Goodwin EisenstadtFlickr user, linstadt

Successes: Press

Successes: Tags Helping People Find SI Collections

• Fear that if we put it out there, we will lose control• Getting SI staff focused on answering questions• Reluctance to publish tags on SI websites• Often falls under “duties as assigned”

Challenges

Mailing Letters, c. 1880, National Postal Museum