Fashion at the Library is IN. The Threads that Connect Us provides an excellent opportunity to showcase how Washington DC may just be the new fashion capital of the world. Enter the Preservation Directorate at the Library of Congress. The runway never looked so chic (and safe!)
When asked about my job at the Library, one of the aspects of my work I mention is that I am part of the custodial division for the General Collections. Inevitably, the follow-up question is “What’s that?” My usual reply is something along the lines of “You know, just regular books.” I say this …
For over twenty years, the Library used the same system to manage the data for offsite inventory and it was time for a change. The Collections Management Division spent the last three years helping to design and implement a brand new inventory management system (IMS). The new system, FETCH, was brought online this past spring and has been used daily ever since. Read more about the how Library staff helped develop a new system “built from the ground up” to manage our collection materials.
This summer marks a major milestone in the Library of Congress mission to preserve and provide access to its wide range of collections as the ten millionth item is transferred to offsite storage. Since the Library’s collection is continuously growing, it is essential to rely on offsite storage for managing such a vast and varied …
The Library of Congress holds one of the largest collections of globes in the world. Globes present many difficulties when considering aspects of storage and housing, they are an unusual shape, they have moveable or detachable pieces, can be very fragile, and staff and researchers may need to view the entire circumference of the globe. Preservation Specialist James Thurn explains how the Library of Congress houses these globes in an innovative way that makes the globes easier to view and access and creates secure, protective housing.
As the United States prepares for its 250th Birthday next year, a piece of America’s Bicentennial Celebration came through for binding. Take a look at how Processing and Preparation handles this binding style and compare how things have changed over the past 50 years.
For over a hundred years, endless rows of oak drawers filled with index cards served as the primary guide for collection information for countless Library staff. The Library’s card catalog is actually a combination of many catalogs and served as the public’s main bibliographic information access point for books and periodicals until 1980, and despite our current online catalog, staff continue to use the wealth of information found on these index cards. Recently the Library decided to move these catalog cards from the oak cabinets found across the Capitol Hill campus to offsite storage and the Collections Management Division was tasked with inventorying and transporting the cards while simultaneously ensuring their accessibility.
Supporting collections care is incredibly important for the safeguarding of our cultural heritage for current and future generations to appreciate. Hear about a volunteer project at the Mummers' Museum from Chloe Genter and Cheyenne McClain.
