Sutro Library

This week we installed 2 cases worth of materials to celebrate #womenshistorymonth at the J. Paul Leonard Library on @sanfranciscostate campus. We are delighted to partner with our colleagues & to have the opportunity to share the 2017 Women’s March collection with their audience

Join Sutro Library staff as we delve into 2 of our archival collections & reconstruct the stories of 2 such American women, Addie Viola Smith & Sarah M. Thatcher, restoring their legacies and honoring their struggles & achievements. Register at libraryca.libcal.com/event/16515225

March is #WomensHistoryMonth & we're sharing one of the rare instances where we're actually a little happy to see a damaged book! "Who's Who among the Women of California" is clearly a well used, in demand book for our patrons. Luckily we have another copy ready

This week’s Shelf Life dives in to dazzling bespoke books from our Sutro Library. The book featured is “Essays: First Series” by Ralph Waldo Emerson from 1902. #libraries #books

We got a request for donkey photos so Sutro Library staff stepped up! These delightful donkey photos are from books titled: “Mammalia,” “The animal world,” and “Natural History Picture Book, Mammalia”from our Sutro Library collection.

It's Pisces season! 🐟Pisces is usually depicted as two fish and is a faint constellation. The image here comes from a 17th century astronomy book by Polish scholar Stanisław Lubieniecki titled "Theatri cometici pars prior communicationes de comotis." From our Sutro Library.

Happy Chinese New Year! The Year of the Fire Horse is upon us. Here are some stunning images from an 1924 book on Chinese myths and legends. #ChineseNewYear #FireHorse

Shelf Life this week is from our Sutro Library, showcasing an original letter from George Washington from 1775. #libraries #presidents

Roses are red, books have a spine, and I hope this valentine's day, you will be mine. #happyvalentinesday This sweet little foldable white carriage Valentine's Day card is from our collection.

This volume of #ShelfLife features a copy of Harper’s Weekly from the 1860’s covering Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. President’s Day on Feb 16 this year is an annual holiday celebrating both Lincoln and George Washington. #libraries #presidents

It doesn't take a Spectacle Owl to see who the winning team of the super bowl will be: GO SEAHAWKS! #birdsofafeathersticktogether #SuperBowl

Dearest library reader, perhaps your dance card is full this evening watching season 4 of #Bridgerton but take a page out of these ladies’ dance card & add notations to yours- one noted what she wore and which dance partners were the best. Yours Truly, Lady CA State Library

Another example are He-gassen (屁合戦, 'Fart competitions') or Hōhi-gassen (放屁合戦, ''Fart fight''), which are Japanese scrolls from the Edo Period depicting flatulence competitions. Sometimes flatulence humor was used for the sake of having a good laugh.

This bound item with woodblock prints containing flatulence humor is from our Orientalia collection, which is being processed. Flatulence humor was used throughout the Edo Period, ranging from political & religious satire to commentaries on Western and European influence

This 1645 book, "The Eye of Enoch and Elaine: or, the Sidereal-Mystical Planetary Radius" by monk Anton Maria Schyrleus de Rheita (1604-1660), is an example of some of the many early scientific works here at sutrolibrary #astronomy #antiquarianbooks #libraries

This 1895 Victorian souvenir album is of a trip from New Orleans to Mexico.  The Mexican railroad connecting Vera Cruz to Mexico City was completed in the 1870s. The album starts with Mardi Gras in New Orleans and all throughout the beautiful interior of Mexico. #trains

Explore how white privilege impacts genealogical research w/ professional genealogist Mica L. Anders at our free virtual talk on Dec. 11 at 4 pm. Learn to use your family history as a tool for understanding and addressing historical injustices. Register at events.library.ca.gov

Part 6 of 6 Come behind the scenes to look at the variety of primary source materials on Mexican history at Sutro library dating from the seventeenth through the nineteenth century. #mexicanhistory #libraries #archives #primarysources

Part 5 of 6 Come behind the scenes to look at the variety of primary source materials on Mexican history at Sutro library dating from the seventeenth through the nineteenth century. #mexicanhistory #libraries #archives #specialcollections #primarysources

Sutro Library’s Mexican collection Part 4 of 6. Come behind the scenes to look at the variety of primary source materials on Mexican history at Sutro library dating from the seventeenth through the nineteenth century. #mexicanhistory #libraries #archives #specialcollections