In This Issue:
Extensive
Drug Information Added to MEDLINEplus
Minority
Scholarships
Health
Disparities Plan
Rare
Items on Display
 Medieval
Merriment
Islamic
Manuscripts
"Old"
Books
MEDLARS
Drive
MLA
Annual Meeting
Native
American Youth
Profiles
in Science
Women's
History Month
OCCS
Director Named
Appointments
National
Nutrition Summit
NN/LM
Appointment
Lederberg
Exhibit
"Has
the Laboratory Been a Closet?"
Leiter
Lecture
Monograph
Gaps
Alternative
Medicine Chief
In Every Issue:
Names
in the News
Products
and Publications
NLM
In Print
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The Month of May Brings Medieval Merriment Over the Return of a
Manuscript
When a long-missing medieval manuscript is returned to its
collection, what's a library to do?
Have a party, of course. And so, on the evening of May 19th, the
lords and ladies of NLM, scholars attending the annual meeting of
the American Association for the History of Medicine in Bethesda,
and assorted friends and colleagues donned medieval costumes, ate,
drank, and made merry. The shindig was sponsored by the Association.
"It's always a cause for celebration, when a lost book returns
home," observed Dr. Elizabeth Fee, the Chief of the History of
Medicine Division at the Library.
The 12th century manuscript, "Treatises on Medicine," disappeared
from the Library some 50 years ago and was recently returned in good
condition.
In honor of its return, NLM mounted an exhibit [see related
story], showcasing it among about 25 other books and manuscripts of
the period. Partygoers could view these works in the History of
Medicine Reading Room as they enjoyed medieval music performed on
period instruments.
The revelers included knights, ladies, wizards, wenches, queens
and kings, courtiers, and jesters. An interesting sight was a
collection of guests wearing crowns, Viking horns, jester caps and
other medieval garb searching the NLM's databases at computers in
the Reading Room, one of the party areas. The centuries clashed to
produce an indelible image.
A special tip of the crown to Patricia Carson, who, when she's
not serving as Special Assistant to the Director, NLM, finds time to
run Pat's Costumes in Rockville, Maryland. Pat's shop provided many
of the lavish costumes worn by partygoers. And to HMD's Dr. Paul
Theerman, Head of Non-Book Collections, who was the party organizer.
 |
NLM Deputy Associate Director for Library Operations
Becky Lyon (l.) and Dr. Elizabeth Fee, Chief, History of
Medicine Division, pause for a photo at the May 19th
gala. |
 |
Lord and Lady Lindberg (actually NLM Director Dr.
Donald Lindberg and wife, Mary). |
 |
An unidentified viking attending the AAHM conference
ponders the NLM databases. | |
