Posted on behalf of Kelsey Duinkerken
Those who braved the rain last Thursday, October 4th to attend the Science History Institute’s Othmer Library Open House were rewarded with a rarely seen peek into the Institute’s library and archival holdings as well as an exciting Escape-the-Archives.
This year’s pop-up exhibits were focused around food and drink. There were pamphlets about cheese and apples, advertisements for Saran Wrap, tools for charting nutrition, cookbooks, and so much more about the science and chemistry behind food production and preservation. Bonus – there were even buttons to collect and crocheted foods at the Rare Books table! And for those of us who got hungry from reading about food and staring longingly at cupcakes made of yarn, there were ample hors d’oeuvres and drinks to sate our hunger.
In addition to perusing the archival and library treasures, attendees could also use their archival detective skills to solve this year’s Escape-the-Archives. The goal was to find the missing manuscript rumored to contain Sir Isaac Newton’s recipe for the philosophers’ stone by searching through an unprocessed collection. This was a great way to not only have fun but also learn more about what archivists do.
For those who weren’t able to attend, you can always check out Othmeralia, the Othmer Library’s popular Tumblr page to see more behind-the-scenes view of the library’s holdings.
Delaware Valley Archivists Group 