234 years ago the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence announcing the colonies’ separation from Great Britain. It has been estimated that there were approximately 2.5 million people in this new nation at that time. [1] Today a celebration of our independence takes place every year on the anniversary of the signing of […]
Our guest author today is Ellen Terrell, Business Reference Specialist. In a letter to Samuel H. Smith offering his collection to Congress to re-establish the Library after it was burned in 1814, Thomas Jefferson wrote “I do not know that it contains any branch of science which Congress would wish to exclude from this collection […]
Child labor in one form or another has existed in America from our beginning. As the country was mostly agricultural, much of the work involved a family’s farm, or in the case of slaves, on plantations. With the advent of industrialization that began to change. In the early part of the 20th century when the […]
This week the American Library Association annual conference takes place here in DC. There are many events taking place during the conference (June 24-29) and the Library of Congress has events scheduled as well. We here in the Science & Business Reading Room (5th floor, Adams Building) will be hosting an open house on Friday, […]
Our guest author today is Constance Carter, head of the science reference section, mentor, and cookie goddess. Today is the birthday of Ruth Graves Wakefield, “mother of the chocolate chip cookie.” She was born on June 17, 1903, and Inside Adams is celebrating by unveiling the division’s latest acquisition, the 1938 edition of Ruth Wakefield’s […]
As summer approaches and the days heat up, we get an influx of “Why is it hot in the summer?” questions in our reference queue. In the Northern Hemisphere, our summer months (June-September) are usually hot because of the tilt of the Earth’s axis. It is popular belief that it is hot in the summer because the […]
Our guest author today is Ellen Terrell, Business Reference Specialist, with another in our “Favorites from the Fifth Floor.” We get many questions about business from around the country and often we utilize credit reference books. The most well known, and one I have previously written about, is Dun & Bradstreet. This title has gone […]
Have you noticed people wearing the paper red poppies that veterans sell each Memorial Day? This tradition can be traced back to Miss Moina Michael of Athens, Georgia. She had the inspiration on November 9, 1918 to make the red poppy (Papaver rhoeas) the symbol of remembrance for the sacrifices of fallen soldiers during World War I. Her […]
Masking tape, transparent (cellophane) tape, duct (or duck) tape… we use tape when we paint, wrap gifts, mend things, and create clothing. Yes clothing! My daughter made a dress from duck tape for her junior prom – it is quite the competition. Where did it all begin? An engineer by the name of Richard Drew […]
If you were having a dinner party and could invite any three people, who would you invite? My guest list would include Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, and Martin Gardner. If you know of Martin Gardner’s work, then you know why I would want him at my dinner party. He was a great thinker and could discuss […]