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Category: Education Outreach

America 250 Film Series

Posted by: Patrick Hastings

As we prepare to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, the Rare Book and Special Collections Division is producing a series of short films that highlight items related to American history and culture with particular focus on the Founding era.

the first printing of the US Declaration of Independence

Upcoming Event: The Declaration in Script and Print

Posted by: Patrick Hastings

As the Library begins a year-long run-up to the 250-year anniversary of the founding of the United States on July 4, 1776, the Rare Book Division will co-host an event with the Manuscript Division on July 17 to explore the history of the Declaration of Independence and its illustrated reproductions. This "Made at the Library" event will feature Dr. John Bidwell's discussion of his recent book, "The Declaration in Print and Script: A Visual History of America's Founding Document."

An Alternate Ending to Romeo and Juliet

Posted by: Patrick Hastings

In our current era, we tend to glorify the author and hold the original text in high esteem. We regard Shakespeare with particular reverence, and his text is held aloft as the sacrosanct work of genius. But this was not always the case. In fact, an altered edition of Romeo and Juliet was widely printed and preferred over Shakespeare’s authoritative text for over a century.

a photo of The Great Gatsby

The Not-So-Great Gatsby

Posted by: Patrick Hastings

One hundred years ago, on April 10, 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald celebrated the publication of what he considered to be his greatest work of literature, The Great Gatsby. He had high hopes for the novel’s success in both sales and critical reception. “It will sell about 80,000 copies,” he supposed, “but I may be wrong.” In fact, he was wrong twice.

Flyer for "Douglass Day."

Valentine’s Day Plans? How about Transcribing Historic Pamphlets for Douglass Day!

Posted by: Patrick Hastings

The Rare Book and Special Collections Division will partner with the Library's "By the People" crowdsource transcription project and Pennsylvania State University's Douglass Day initiative to transcribe the contents of the African American Perspectives Collection. Read on to learn more about Douglass Day, transcription, and other efforts to preserve and share the collection assembled by Daniel Murray, a legendary figure in the history of the Library of Congress.

An illustration of a printing workshop.

Before Control-P: The Printing Process

Posted by: Patrick Hastings

In the digital age, we have all been spoiled by the ease with which we can share our written ideas with others, but let's take a moment to appreciate the skill, time, and resources that were once required to bring a text into print. This post examines the processes involved in operating a printing press in the 15th-18th centuries.

an illustration of workers making a punch in a typefoundry

Just My Type: Making Letters at the Type Foundry

Posted by: Patrick Hastings

Most of us learned in school that Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, which is not entirely accurate. He is, however, conventionally credited with inventing the process of mass-producing individual pieces of type. These innovations in moveable type allowed for books to be efficiently produced in large quantities and revolutionized the human ability to share ideas. This post explains the multi-step process of mass-producing metal letters to be used in printing texts.