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Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
A look at a selection of cookbooks the Library of Congress digitized in 2025, including – a couple of community cookbooks, a 1928 Girl Scout camp and trail guide, an early Chinese-American recipe book and a book on candy-making.
Posted in: Cookbooks and Food, Science
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
Prior to 1930’s, the chocolate chip cookie, we know and love today, did not exist. The Library of Congress has a copy of Ruth Wakefield’s 1938 “Toll House Tried and True Recipes” (New York, M. Barrows and Company) that contains what food historians consider the first published chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Posted in: Cookbooks and Food, Science
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
In trying to make distinct and unique names, the scientific world relies on a system of binomial nomenclature, or two-word names, to bring order and standardization to the naming of species. Still, even in this restrictive world, scientists have found many opportunities for fun. If anyone could take this appearance-of-nonsense and use it to full effect, it would be artist and poet Edward Lear, the grandfather of nonsense. In several of his nonsense books, he created charming sketches of made-up plants, with matching scientific names that were every bit as silly as the drawings.
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
The quintessentially American holiday, Thanksgiving evokes images of vast dinner spreads, centered on turkey, and as we cook and bake, prepare and labor on these elaborate feasts, who has time to think about breakfast? Well, some cook book authors in the 1900s didn’t forget breakfast when they shared their Thanksgiving day menus.
Posted in: Cookbooks and Food, Heritage Months, Holidays, and Today in History
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
Home Health Manuals gained popularity in the United States during the 19th century and played an important role in medical care up until the early 20th century. This blog post highlights these manuals and the broad range of topics they covered.
Posted in: Health Sciences, Science
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
Join us to learn about the Library of Congress’s technical reports collection, the tools available to search it, and ways to access the collection.
Posted in: Engineering, History of Science and Technology, Lunchtime Lectures and Videos, Science, Technical Reports and Standards
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
At an early age, Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) had a passion for silhouettes and fairytales that would lead her to a career in animation. She later became a pioneer in silhouette animation and developed the multiplane technology that enabled the multiplane camera to add dimension to animation.
Posted in: History of Science and Technology, Inventions, Women's History
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
A look at some of the women featured in the Science Section's L’Aerophile special collection, an archival set on early aviation.
Posted in: Aeronautics/Astronautics, Biography, Women's History
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
Did you know that George Washington is considered one of the first engineers in the U.S.? Learn about National Engineers Week and the Library's engineering resources for students and educators.
Posted in: Engineering, Presidents, Science