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Posted by: Erin Allen
As is our tradition, the Library of Congress has once again decorated the Great Hall with a tall tree for the holidays, full of lights and ornaments for the enjoyment of visitors. I’m not sure exactly how tall, but it takes staff using a small cherry picker to put together and decorate the tree. Set amidst …
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Photos, Pic of the Week, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
Luthier John Montgomery inspects the strings on the 1697 “Castelbarco” cello made by Cremonese master Antonio Stradivari, one of five Stradivari instruments originally donated to the Library by Gertrude Clarke Whittall in 1935. According to her bequest, the instruments would be played from time to time, as they were intended. To that end, she established …
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Collections, Music, Photos, Pic of the Week, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
Staff from A&E Networks’ HISTORY stopped by the Library this week to donate interviews from some of our nation’s oldest World War II veterans — specifically those who witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor. On the eve of the attack’s anniversary, these stories offer meaningful testimony to the American entry into World War II. These 25 …
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Collections, Events, History, Photos, Pic of the Week, Veterans History Project, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
New York Times bestselling children’s author Jeff Kinney stopped by the Library of Congress on Tuesday to launch his world tour and debut his new book, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down.” The Library’s Coolidge Auditorium was filled with young fans from area schools eager to ask questions. This wasn’t the first time Kinney has …
Posted in: Audiovisual, Books, Education, Events, National Book Festival, Photos, Pic of the Week, Thomas Jefferson Building, Video, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
Last Monday, the Library of Congress welcomed thousands of visitors into its Main Reading Room for the twice-yearly open house. New this year was an open house a few miles down the road at the Library’s Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Preservation, where the free tour tickets quickly “sold out” on Eventbrite in advance of the …
Posted in: Abraham Lincoln, Capitol Hill, Education, Events, Photos, Pic of the Week, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
The Library of Congress hosted the 16th annual National Book Festival last Saturday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. Thousands of book-lovers came to get books signed, check out exhibits, play with their kids and get close to some of the world’s most popular authors. This year was a year of several firsts. …
Posted in: Books, Education, Events, Libraries, National Book Festival, Photos, Pic of the Week, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
On Wednesday, Carla Hayden was sworn-in as the 14th Librarian of Congress. Her appointment marks a couple of milestones for the institution: she is the first woman and the first African-American to serve in the role. U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts administered the oath of office to Hayden, who used President Abraham Lincoln’s …
Posted in: Events, History, News, Photos, Pic of the Week, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
On Wednesday, the Library of Congress Junior Fellows Summer Interns presented more than 100 rare and unique items from 17 Library divisions. The display provided the opportunity for fellows to discuss the historic significance of the collection items they have researched and processed during their 10-week internships. Some highlights included: an Olmec ceramic figurine (900-1200 …
Posted in: Cataloging, Collections, Education, Events, Photos, Pic of the Week, Preservation, Technology, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington DC
Posted by: Erin Allen
(The following was written by Stephen Wesson, Educational Resource Specialist at the Library of Congress.) This June and July, teachers and school librarians from more than 40 states have gathered in Washington for the Library of Congress Summer Teacher Institutes. These intensive, week-long professional development sessions, which are organized by the Library’s Educational Outreach division, …
Posted in: Capitol Hill, Collections, Education, Events, Photos, Pic of the Week, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington DC