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The Office's new series of video featurettes, [[underlined]] Here at the Smithsonian [[/underlined]], was launched in 1982, and is already meeting with enthusiastic response. Patterned on the highly successful [[underlined]] Smithsonian Galaxy [[/underlined]] radio programs, the series is seen now on 40 stations nationwide. [[underlined]] Smithsonian Galaxy [[/underlined]], meanwhile, won a Gold Medal at the International Radio Festival of New York, in a competition that included more than 750 entries.

Radio Smithsonian, the Institution's weekly half-hour series, continued its strong showing among public radio stations around the country, and also added new commercial stations to its subscriber list. Staff members developed special radio programs apart from [[underlined]] Radio Smithsonian [[/underlined]], including an evocative commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the battle of Yorktown and a well-received series of live Smithsonian concert broadcasts, distributed via the National Public Radio satellite system. The success of these efforts encourages the planning of more such programs in the future. These would include a number of discrete series, beginning with one on the history of country music (based on the Smithsonian album), and a program marking the bicentennial of the Treaty of Paris--the true birth of American independence--in 1983.

In 1982 the Office completed the film [[underlined]] In Open Air: A Portrait of the American Impressionists [[/underlined]], which toured Europe with a major exhibition organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. Having had its national PBS showing in the fall of 1982, the film received high praise abroad and won a ronze CINDY award in a competition sponsored by the Independent Film Producers of America. Several film projects are now in development for the future. In conjunction with SITES, the Office is working toward a film on American artists of the '20s and '30s, another exhibition for European distribution and for distribution in this country. Also in prospect is a richly woven film focusing on the Treaty of Paris bicentennial.

The Office is working with other Smithsonian bureaus on several projects for the future. Among these is an exploration of teleconferencing, undertaken with the Resident Associate Program, which could result in live transmission of Smithsonian educational programs to participating students at universities around the country. Already in the marketplace is the series [[underlined]] Jazz at the Smithsonian [[/underlined]], produced in conjunction with the Division of Performing Arts. Sales potential in the cable market appears promising, and could pave the way for other such video projects in the future. Another proposal with potential is a cultural and scientific programming alliance for cable or satellite transmission, with the Smithsonian working in cooperation with the National Geographic Society.

[[underlined]] Visitor Information and Associates Reception Center. [[/underlined]] The Center is the Institution's central service organization charged with providing a wide variety of information and assistance to the public, Associate members and Smithsonian staff. Many of its activities involve the coordination and direction of large numbers of volunteers. Information service activities include scheduling a corps of 400 volunteers to staff museum information desks, providing tours of the original Smithsonian Building, responding to well over 300,000 telephone inquiries annually and