Darwin Digital Library of Evolution 



Launched in conjunction with the exhibition Darwin, the Darwin Digital Library 

 of Evolution (DOLE), at http://darwinlibrary.amnh.org, is the first Web site ded- 

 icated to the intellectual genesis and growth of Darwin's theory of evolution. This 

 new project by the Museum's Research Library features the broadest and most 

 complete collection ever assembled of specimens, artifacts, original manuscripts, 

 and memorabilia related to Darwin. 



The DDLE features Darwin's chief works, including American, British, and 

 international editions of various titles such as The Origin of Species and Natural 

 Selection: works by Darwin's intellectual descendents such as Thomas Huxley, Asa 

 Gray, and Herbert Spencer; a well-balanced selection of works exploring critiques 

 of and responses to evolutionary theory; and works that represent key intellectual 

 influences on Darwin. 



The DDLE also incorporates the Darwin Manuscripts Project, which provides 

 scholarly transcriptions of Darwin's voluminous scientific notes, notebooks, and 

 drafts, many of which have never been published before. 



Since 1999, the Museum's Research Library has focused strongly on integrated 

 digital access to scientific and cultural resources, with a view toward providing free 

 and easy access to the broadest possible audience. Visit http://library.amnh.org. 



A child is captivated by the live iguana featured in Darwin. This stunning exhibition, 

 which will be on view until May 29, 2006, appeals to all ages and offers a compre- 

 hensive, engaging look at the life and times of Charles Darwin. Other live animals in 

 the exhibition include Galapagos tortoises and South American horned frogs. Visit 

 www.amnh.org/darwln for an overview, curator interviews, videos, behind-the-scenes 

 tours, and a tortoise cam! 



PEOPLE ATTHEAMNH 



Christie Stephenson 



Assistant Director for Digital 

 and Special Collections 

 Research Library 



As Assistant Director for Digital 

 and Special Collections, Christie 

 Stephenson seems thrilled to talk about 

 her new position at the Museum. Bring- 

 ing years of experience along with 

 master's degrees in library science and 

 art history, Christie's primary responsi- 

 bility is to digitize and provide online ac- 

 cess to the older materials from the 

 Museum's Research Library. 



Since her arrival in September 2005, 

 Christie has been exploring Special 

 Collections, which includes film, manu- 

 scripts, art and memorabilia, and more 

 than 500,000 photographic images, 

 and documents everything from 19th- 

 century scientific expeditions to the his- 

 tory of exhibition at the Museum. 'The 

 process of displaying and communicat- 

 ing scientific information to the public 

 has evolved so much over the years. To 

 see that transition documented visually 

 is really fascinating." 



She also serves as technical advisor 

 to the Darwin Digital Library of Evolu- 

 tion, a major project to provide online 

 access to the literature of evolution 

 from the 17th century to the present. 



Christie admits that among the great- 

 est challenges she faces is the preserva- 

 tion of information for the future, as 

 film and paper are replaced with "born 

 digital" documentation. She anticipates 

 a future where digital content from the 

 library and the scientific departments 

 can be linked using standard Web pro- 

 tocols, "so that diverse bodies of data 

 can be searched comprehensively" 



As the daughter of two geologists, 

 Christie grew up with a love for the out- 

 doors, and eventually became an ad- 

 mirer of the "built environment" and ar- 

 chitecture, adding to her appreciation 

 for New York. 



The contents of these paces are provided to Natural HisrOR* by the American Museum of Naiurai H 



