In 1855, when Thomas Ayers published the first images of Yosemite Falls, the rest of the country was enchanted. His sketchwork of the Yosemite Valley predated the famous photographs by Carleton Watkins and the monumental paintings by Albert Bierstadt in the 1860s that would cement the valley’s reputation as the romantic dream of the American West incarnate. The Library recently acquired one of Ayers sketches, along with a companion lithograph, preserving them — and their moment in national history — for generations to come.
Library conservators recently made a startling discovery in a batch of decaying film reels -- a long-lost 1897 film by early cinema icon George Méliès. The French magician-turned-filmmaker's "Gugusse and the Automaton,” the first appearance of a robot on screen, has long been sought after by sci-fi fans and cinemaphiles. No one had seen it in more than a century when Library staff carefully unwound it. You can see it now in this post and on the Library's National Screening Room.
When one of the Library's research librarians specializing in genealogical research dug into her family's past, she discovered her great-great-grandmother's first name, a mystery that had stumped the family for decades. Such quandries often pop up for Black families tracing their ancestors back to the Civil War and beyond, when records relating to Black people were often chaotic or nonexistent.
-This is a guest post by Deb Fiscella, a public affairs specialist in the Office of Communications. The Library and a national touring company are offering theatergoers a peek behind the curtain at the origins of one of Broadway’s most cherished musicals: “The Sound of Music.” In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the Library and the national …
In honor of the Veterans History Project's 25th anniversary, we’re highlighting photographs and stories from six compelling collections that offer personal and visual perspectives on military service across more than a century of conflicts, from World War I through the war in Iraq.
John Carpenter's "The Thing," the classic 1982 sci-fi/horror film, was voted by fans into the 2025 National Film Registry. One of the film's surprise stars was Jed, the part wolf/part dog who plays a key role in the movie's plot. Richard Masur, who played Jed's handler in the movie, recalls the joy and fear of working with such a "big, beautiful" but wild animal. Jed went on to other roles in Hollywood, playing the title character in "White Fang" and "White Fang 2."
Liza Mundy, author of the bestselling "Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II," researched the bestselling 2017 book at the Library's Veterans History Project. She drew on the military service records of thousands of women who served in the war but whose work had been little recognized.
Wes Anderson's touching 2014 film, "The Grand Budapest Hotel," joins the National Film Registry this year. Anderson and his team used the Library's vast collection of hand-tinted European photographs from before World War I to help create the titular hotel's distinctive look.
The 2025 National Film Registry is out today, showcasing a group of 25 films spanning 118 years and including fan favorites such as “The Thing,” “Clueless,” “The Big Chill” and “The Incredibles.” The Library’s annual addition to the list of films to be preserved for their cinematic and cultural heritage starts with the 1896 silent film, “The Tramp and the Dog,” and stretches to the 2014 Wes Anderson picture, “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”
