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Posted by: Matt Raymond
In a timely event just days before the beginning of African American History Month, the Library of Congress on Monday added to its rich holdings on the Civil Rights Movement with the acquisition of the James Forman papers. Forman (1928-2005), who served as executive secretary of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from 1961 to …
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Posted by: Matt Raymond
As the president prepares to take his annual look ahead in the State of the Union, I thought I might do the same for this blog and get feedback from readers. Our friends at DipNote (the State Department’s official blog) did just that a few weeks ago: Since launch, we have made a strong attempt …
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Posted by: Matt Raymond
Most of us know intuitively, if not empirically, about the importance of reading for pleasure, lifelong literacy, or whatever term you choose. Studies have shown connections between a person’s love of reading and other qualities such as civic engagement and philanthropy. But what can we actually do to help stoke young people’s interest in reading …
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Posted by: Matt Raymond
It was an entirely happy coincidence this week that we announced both the Flickr pilot project and an amazing photographic discovery on exactly the same day. A trio of images, previously thought to have been picturing different events, have been confirmed to be photographs from Abraham Linclon’s second inauguration as president on March 4, 1865. …
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Posted by: Matt Raymond
I need to start out this post with a single word: thanks. If it?s true that a picture is worth a thousand words, then thank goodness for those 3,100 pictures, because words are failing me right now. The response to the Library?s pilot project with Flickr has been nothing short of astounding. You always hope …
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Posted by: Matt Raymond
If you’re reading this, then chances are you already know about Web 2.0. Even if you don’t know the term itself, you’re one of millions worldwide who are actively creating, sharing or benefiting from user-generated content that characterizes Web 2.0 phenomena. As a communicator, I want to expand the reach of the Library and access …
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Posted by: Matt Raymond
Unless you’ve been living on Mars, you’re probably aware that “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” opened today in theaters. And even then, I suspect that the little green men have also been inundated with “NT2” ads and media hoopla beamed in their general direction. I’ve already seen it twice, and although I’ll leave the film …
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Posted by: Matt Raymond
It?s been a very busy day in a very busy week for us, but I managed to squeeze in some time today to get a preview of the new high-tech computer interactives that will be featured throughout new Library of Congress exhibits, starting with ?Exploring the Early Americas? on Dec. 13. In a word: WOW. …
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Posted by: Matt Raymond
Driving to work this morning, I noticed the flags of federal office buildings lowered to half-staff. Quite often, that means that a member of Congress or a notable government official has died, so my heart always leaps into my throat if I don?t already know the specific reason why. And then I remembered today?s date: …
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