Shift #4 - Watching the Library of Congress Intro Recorded Webinar
Thursday, May 23, 2024 | 9:30-10:30 pm CST/10:30-11:30 pm EST (1 hr)
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Michelle Hurt, student/intern
Jennifer Gonzalez, practicum supervisor
This first week, we had to watch a pre-recorded webinar that Jennifer did - an introduction to the Library of Congress.
This is a screenshot of the beginning of the pre-recorded webinar. It was a wonderful introduction to everything that is the Library of Congress!
In this webinar, Jennifer covered four topics: 1) the history of the Library of Congress, 2) its art and architecture, 3) its buildings and divisions, and 4) the library's collections. I learned a great deal about the Library of Congress through this presentation and I wish I had the means and time to fly to Washington, DC now and visit these buildings in person! The Library of Congress is the world's largest library, the research arm of Congress, and the national library of the United States. Regarding the history, I learned that the Library of Congress began because lawyers would bring books with them and its origin is the Law Library. In 1800, Congress appropriated $5,000 to officially start the library; it is considered the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. In 1814, the British burned the library during the period of the War of 1812. Later on, it was Thomas Jefferson who offered his library collection to begin the library again. As part of rebuilding DC, the Library of Congress was rebuilt in 1894 as the Thomas Jefferson Building and opened to the public in 1898, being the first public building that had electricity! I did not know that the Library of Congress consisted of more than one building; in fact, there are three buildings in DC. Besides the Jefferson Building, there is the John Adams Building (originally called the Annex, has 13 acres of shelf space) and the James Madison Memorial Building (consisting of an entire city block and the location of the Law Library and the Copyright Office). In northwest DC, there is the Taylor Street Annex, which is the location for the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, and the National Audiovisual Conservation Center in Culpepper, Virginia.
Jennifer discussed the various art pieces and notable architecture at the Jefferson Building. There are many murals and sculptures, including signs of democracy like an engraving of a young man and an old man reading to show that knowledge is for everyone. More than 50 American sculptors and artists contributed to the Jefferson Building. In addition to the art that can be seen among its walls, the Library of Congress houses all kinds of treasured works like Jefferson's personal library collection. It was fascinating to learn that his library was in circulation until recent years and now, they are stored in cabinets formed in a nautilus shape (from Jefferson's dream of being surrounded by books. Some of the famous works at the Library of Congress include the giant Bible of Mainz, one of three copies of the Guttenberg Bible, and the first Bible printed in America. There are also rooms that store collections like the contents of Abraham Lincoln's pockets when he was assassinated, papers of Clara Barton, Susan B. Anthony, and Benjamin Franklin, Leonard Bernstein's license plate from his Ferrari, clay cuneiform tablets, and inert cocaine from a doctor who used it as an anesthetic!
Lastly, while the Library of Congress showcases its collections and provides opportunities for Congress and the public to conduct research (anyone the age of 16 and above can come to the Jefferson Building's Reading Room for research purposes), it also hosts events like the National Book Festival (begun by Barbara Bush) and the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song (awarded to a songwriter who has made an impact on the world with their music). There is even an annual concert for select musicians to play Stradivarius instruments.
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