The Earl S. Tupper Tropical Sciences Library, established in the 1920’s on Barro Colorado Island, is one of the most comprehensive resources for tropical biology and conservation in the world, serving the international and local scientific community, biology students, and the public at large. The collection contains more than 66,000 volumes, and maintains 500 paper subscriptions to scientific journals. The main topics of the collection are: animal behavior, archaeology, anthropology, biodiversity, canopy studies, conservation, ecology, entomology, evolution, geology, herpetology, history of natural history, indigenous groups, ornithology, marine invertebrates, molecular biology, Panama Canal, Panama Canal watershed, paleoecology, pharmacognosy, plant physiology, plant taxonomy, protected areas, tropical vertebrates and Panamanian history.
Our library
In addition, the library has on-line electronic access to the full bibliographic resources of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries in Washington, D.C.; as well as access to the Internet; OCLC; and to a full set of on-line databases and over 1,000 electronic full-text journals.
Access our information
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries’ webpage
- STRI Library homepage
- Tools for the Researcher
- On-line catalog
- Journals Available in the STRI Library (PDF)
The 1,020 full text electronic journals and the following databases are accessible using an SI computer. No password is required. Patrons who visit the Library may have quick access by using the library terminals.
- Anthropology Plus
- Biological Abstracts, 1969-present
- Cultural materials (RLG)
- Fish and Fisheries Worldwide, 1971-present
- GeoRef, 1785-present
- Global Books in Print (books in print in the USA and UK)
- Hispanic American Periodicals Index
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers
- Walker’s Mammals of the World Online, ver. 5.1
- Wildlife & Ecology Worldwide, 1935-present
- Zoological Record, 1978-present
Reference Services
STRI staff offers assistance and instruction in the use of the library’s resources, and also refers patrons to specific local libraries where they might find useful information.
Related and useful collections
STRI staff and patrons may find the following among the SI Libraries:
- Anthropology Library
- Botany Library
- National Zoological Park
- Natural History
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Accessibility
The entire library building is wheelchair accessible.
Contact us
e-mail: strilibrary@si.edu
Telephone: +507 212-8113
FAX: +507 212-8147
Our hours
Monday, Wednesday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday from 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
