Please welcome Molly Hashimoto with her paintings and prints of Northwest trees, flowers, wildlife and landscapes. We are celebrating her new book, Wildflowers of the West: an Artist's Guide. 

The exhibit runs November 4-December 29 (continuing as part of our December Arts & Crafts Exhibit & Sale) during library open hours. 

Molly will present a demonstration in the library on Thursday, November 6, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm.

One of the newest and most unusual books in the Miller Library is The Vasculum or Botanical Collecting Box, which tells the history of these scientific tools, beginning in the 1700s. Makers of early examples experimented with different construction materials, with tinplate becoming the most common, although some were made of wood, canvas, or other metals.

 

In the 20th century, their original purpose waned, but strapped over a shoulder, they became a pre-backpack accessory for children. Many were highly decorated or painted with bucolic scenes. Today, they are valuable collector’s items!

 

Régine Fabri, the retired former head of the library at the University of Liège in Belgium, researched and wrote this book in French. She inherited her grandmother’s vasculum dating from around 1900 and “had no idea that my grandmother’s beautiful box was not just a child’s toy, but a piece of real scientific equipment.”

 

In an unusual publication twist, the English edition was first written by DeepL Translate, a machine translation service. This draft was then proofread and revised by Henry Noltie from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

 

Winner of the 2025 Annual Literature Award from the Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries, the book is extremely well-researched and documented with extensive notes and a bibliography. However, it is the over 300 photographs and other images that will catch your eye. They document how this scientific tool became a cultural icon, extending even into the 21st century as stylish handbags or baskets. Who knew that botanists could become fashion trendsetters!

This autumn the Miller Library highlights sustainability. We are featuring relevant books and journals in the cozy corner where the new magazine issues are displayed.

We offer ecological restoration handbooks, sustainable landscaping textbooks, recent theses, permaculture guides and much more. Visitors are welcome to browse, using or borrowing items directly from the display, and to ask questions. Our dedicated staff can help you find what you need and get the most from your library time. We also welcome group tours of the library. Just email us at  hortlib@uw.edu to schedule a tour.