On Tuesday, the Library hosted the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Foundation for its annual event “We Write the Songs,” a night of songwriters performing their own tunes and telling the stories behind their creations. And, some of the performers were a throwback to my fondest memories growing up in the 1980s. …
Archive for the ‘Thomas Jefferson Building’ Category (41 posts)
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Concerts, Events, Photos, Pic of the Week, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington DC
The Library of Congress rolled out the red carpet on Tuesday to honor Burt Bacharach and Hal David with the 2012 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The prize commemorates George and Ira Gershwin, the legendary American songwriting team whose extensive collection resides in the Library of Congress. The all-star tribute concert featured …
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Concerts, Events, Music, Pic of the Week, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington DC
Today marked a rather monumental occasion as the space shuttle Discovery made its final flight – not to the stars but to its permanent home at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum annex near Dulles, Va. Library of Congress staff members were able to capture its final spin, as it took a few turns …
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Events, Thomas Jefferson Building, Uncategorized, Video, Washington DC
On May 5, the Library will close its popular exhibition “Creating the United States.” The exhibition has been on view for four years and seen approximately 2 million visitors passing through its space. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough once called it the one exhibition every American should see on a visit to Washington, D.C. Notable …
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Congress, Exhibitions, History, LC Web site, Manuscripts, New Visitors Experience, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington DC
A bat in the belfry? Maybe. A tree growing in Brooklyn? Sure. A light in the attic? Of course. But, a dirigible in the Library’s Jefferson Building? It happened. Walking the institution’s resplendent halls, you come across lovely murals, elaborate ornamentation, gilded embellishments, and, as it turned out the other day, two rather large balloons …
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Kluge Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Uncategorized, Washington DC
One would be hard-pressed not to appreciate the splendor of the Library of Congress Main Reading Room. Granted, I may have an employee bias, but it truly is a magnificent space. A local blogger once referred to it as the “Sugar Ray Robinson” of interior spaces, with grandeur that “can’t be beat.” Twice each year, …
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Events, Thomas Jefferson Building, Uncategorized, Washington DC
Heads up, all you hawk-followers out there – “Shirley,” the Cooper’s hawk who spent several days in the dome cupola of the Library of Congress Main Reading Room recently, was released into the wild at about 11 a.m. Tuesday in Virginia’s Sky Meadows State Park. When the bird was taken from its carrier by Linda …
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Thomas Jefferson Building, Uncategorized, Washington DC
In accordance with the Office of Personnel Management’s directive closing the federal government two hours early today, the Library will close all public spaces (exhibits, etc.) and reading rooms at 3:30 p.m. (As Congress is in session, the La Follette Congressional Reading Room will be open. The Law Library Reading Room will also be open …
Posted in: Exhibitions, News, Thomas Jefferson Building
A hawk that became trapped about a week ago in the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress’s Jefferson Building has been safely captured. I will update this post a little later with details and images (and possibly video). UPDATE, noon EST: Mark Hartsell, editor of the Library’s weekly staff newsletter, The Gazette, provided …
Posted in: News, Thomas Jefferson Building
