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One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

A Civil War Nurse’s Memoir: Discerning Women’s Experiences

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

Primary sources such as the letters and diaries of Civil War Nurse Mary Ann Bickerdyke offer rich insights into the lives of real people. The fragmented, personal nature of these sources requires careful reading in context and comparison across multiple accounts to glean information and construct understanding.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Former Teacher Finds Songwriting Inspiration in Library’s Digital Newspapers

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

Rob Williams first used the Library’s digital newspaper collections more than a decade ago as a high-school teacher of U.S. history in Powhatan County, Virginia, near Richmond. Today, he’s a recording artist—he released his third album, “An Hour Before Daylight,” in October. But he still draws inspiration from the same online resources that captivated his history students.