Infographics, digitization and Edgar Alan Poe! We’re pleased to bring you our favorite humanities finds of the week. Have a few you want to share? We would love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Kristen Fuhs Wells, director of communication and development:

• “Infographic” might seem like a hot new buzz word in the communications field, but the folks at National Geographic have been at it for years—100, actually. A new book shares how the magazine takes the complex (migration patterns), the big (a sprawling site of Roman ruins), the small (an atom) and make them reader friendly. Just like their photos, they take us places we can’t often go on our own.
• I love hearing stories about how a certain book shaped someone during a particular moment in time. Here’s a look at what’s been on President Obama’s nightstand these past eight years and how books have helped him find peace, meaning and perspective.

George Hanlin, director of grants:

• When I worked at the Indiana Historical Society I spent an incredible amount of time researching in the newspaper section at the state library, looking up articles in the card catalog then scanning reel after reel of microfilm. It was tedious work, but today it’s so much easier thanks to digitization. The National Endowment for the Humanities has been helping to make newspapers across America available online by providing local organizations with funds to select and scan papers and by working with the Library of Congress to maintain the digital files. You can learn more about the project by watching this video. On behalf of scholars, local historians, genealogists everywhere who can now do research hundreds of miles away, from the comfort of their home, hats off to the NEH!
• Time magazine recently selected 100 photos that changed the world and created an interactive website that tells the story behind them. It’s a fascinating look at the human condition throughout history and is well worth exploring.

Jacqueline Cromleigh, communications and community relations manager:

• “The great writer’s gift to a reader is to make him a better writer.” Learn more about the psychology behind what makes a good story.
• Today is the 100th anniversary of the New York Philharmonic’s first recording. Listen to it (and a few others) here.

Leah Nahmias, director of programs:

• I think this title is enough to intrigue: Famous for Being Indianapolis: How Cities are Like Kim Kardashian.
• You can help transcribe documents from Shakespeare’s time to help shed light on the Bard’s world and writings! I love learning about crowd-sourced history projects like Shakespeare’s World, which was written up in the New Yorker this week.

Bronwen Fetters, executive assistant and program associate:

• Yesterday was Edgar Allan Poe’s 208^th birthday. Here’s a walk through Poe’s New York as laid out by The New York Times. And in honor of Poe’s birthday, (I’ve shared it before, but I’ll share it again…) check out these EDGAR ALLAN POE-KA DOT SOCKS!
• Love. Cheese. Today is National Cheese Lover’s Day, and in honor of that, the New York Public Library shared a blog post with their favorite “cheesy” reads.