The Smithsonian has had a longstanding interest in international expositions. From 1851 up to World War I, the Institution was intimately involved in producing exhibits for fairs as well as acquiring materials for display after the fairs closed. After the First World War, the Smithsonian stepped back from participation in world's fairs and other government institutions stepped in to fill the void. As a result of its earlier involvement, the Smithsonian acquired a great number of publications by and about the various expositions that now constitute a major collection of materials on world's fairs. The Dibner Library titles in this collection are a perfect complement to the accompanying titles available in Books of the Fairs. More than 230 titles comprise this digital collection, including an array of international subjects including fairs held throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia.