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Category: European Reading Room

Black and white photograph of Parthenon and surrounding area

The Modern Greek Language and the Modern Greek Collections at the Library of Congress

Posted by: David Morris

(This post is by Nevila Pahumi, Reference Librarian for Modern Greek in the European Reading Room.) February 9 marks International Greek Language Day. In celebration, this blog post discusses modern Greek and the Library of Congress’ modern Greek collections. Modern Greek (Νέα Ελληνικά) dates to the Renaissance. It is derived from Byzantine and ancient Greek, …

man in nineteenth-century dress looking left in three-quarter profile

A Set of the Writings of the Danish Physicist Hans Christian Ørsted, Presented to His Daughter, Sophie

Posted by: David Morris

The Rare Book and Special Collections Division at the Library of Congress recently acquired a set of the writings of the Danish physicist Hans Christian Ørsted, which the author had presented to his daughter, Sophie. Today, on her birthday, we remember how Sophie and her family used to receive visits from the famous fairytale author, Hans Christian Andersen.

Several rows of gray boxes on shelves that house archival materials.

Hands-On with Primary Sources: The Rubinov Papers

Posted by: David Morris

(This post is by Michael Neubert, Head of the European Reading Room.) In the European Reading Room college and graduate students often look for primary sources that they can use to support their research projects. Primary sources such as photographs, letters, and newspaper articles “provide an original source of information about an era or event.” …

Advertisement showing woman seated at wall writing desk.

Zinaida Gippius and Female Authorship in Nineteenth-Century Russia

Posted by: David Morris

(This post is by Hannah Benson, former intern in the European Reading Room.) Zinaida Gippius was one of the many women writers in nineteenth-century Russia who ignored the societal restrictions placed upon her. Although born into privilege as the daughter of a well-respected lawyer, she had an undeniable talent and a fearless personality all her …

Photo of overlook from Ponte du Hoc off the Normandy Coast of France with barbed wire in the foreground and cliffs in the background. April 2022.

June 6th, 1944: 80th Anniversary of D-Day Normandy Landings

Posted by: Alyson Williams

It was 80 years ago today that American troops launched one of the most daring seaborne invasions in history: the Invasion of Normandy. In honor of D-Day, we have an interview with Erika Hope Spencer, Reference Specialist, French Collections, Latin American, Caribbean & European Division and Megan Harris, Reference Librarian, Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center.