(The following is a guest post by Julie Miller, specialist in early American history in the Library of Congress Manuscript Division.) Think of all the things your household buys and uses. Now think of George Washington. He was the commander of the Continental Army, first president of the United States and the father of our […]
Karen Keninger, director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in the Library of Congress, discussed new technological developments in the interview excerpted below. What are your responsibilities as the Director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped? The National Library Service (NLS) program has approximately 120 […]
(The following is a guest post by Dan Paterson, preservation specialist in the Book Conservation Section of the Conservation Division.) In preparation for display, Conservation Division staff recently treated a historical 17th century book of Spanish laws for governing settlements in the New World. “Recopilacion de Leyes de Los Reynos de Las Indias,” printed in […]
(The following is a story written by Abby Yochelson, reference specialist in English and American Literature in the Humanities and Social Sciences Division, for the January-February 2014 issue of the Library of Congress Magazine. You can download the issue in its entirety here.) From murder to alien attack, the Library of Congress has provided novelists with […]
February is African American History Month, an annual celebration that has existed since 1926. This year’s theme, according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History is “Civil Rights in America.” Much of the credit for commemorating African-American heritage can go to historian and Harvard scholar Carter G. Woodson, who, in 1926, […]
With the new year, the Library of Congress rang in lots of news. Here is a sampling of the headlines. The Library last month announced its acquisition of the collection of jazz great Max Roach. “Admiration, invective, scrutiny — the sense you get is of a man determined enough to take it all,” wrote Ben […]
The Library of Congress welcomed the new year with a variety of blog posts. Following are a sampling of stories. In the Muse: Performing Arts Blog Beautiful Dreamer: Remembering Stephen Foster Cait Miller commemorates the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death. In Custodia Legis: Law Librarians of Congress I’ll be damned if I don’t do […]
The history of America is reflected through its songs. From changes to the “Star Spangled Banner” as played by different bands in different eras, to sheet music art documenting historical themes, the tapestry of American culture and life has been woven through music. New to the many online offerings of the Library of Congress is […]
(The following is a story written by Jon Munshaw, former intern in the Office of Communications, for the January-February 2014 issue of the Library of Congress Magazine. You can download the issue in its entirety here.) Some unusual items in the Library’s non-book collections will amaze and amuse researchers. Most people know the Library of Congress for being, well, […]
Jazz’s greatest drummer once earned D’s in music in school, once wrote an essay entitled “I Hate Jazz” and once even launched a venture to break into the soft-drink market. The Library of Congress on Monday announced the acquisition of the papers of Max Roach, the groundbreaking drummer who helped birth bebop, the adventurous musician […]