Given the size and scope of the Library of Congress?s collections, it seems that just about any event that can be held in Washington, D.C., potentially could be supplemented by our vast holdings. Such is the case with a very special visitor this week to the U.S. Capitol.? His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of …
There has been a bit of a blogospheric brouhaha over what the Library of Congress charges to make its entire Copyright database available (see here and here, for example)?enough so that we have now put out this statement: Regarding Pricing on Bulk Access to Copyright Cataloging Information Recent questions and concerns have arisen regarding the …
A pair of senators have gone ?on the Record??the Congressional Record, that is?to praise the 20-year tenure of Librarian of Congress James H. Billington, which was marked on Sept. 14, 2007. Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois and Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts each made statements in the past several days in honor of the milestone.? …
There has been substantial public interest in a recent decision by a federal court not to forestall a ruling by the Copyright Royalty Judges that increases royalties paid by Internet radio stations, effective this coming Sunday, July 15. (By the way, I?m told ?Copyright Royalty Judges? and is their preferred name, not the ?Copyright Royalty …
The “Swamp” blog of the Chicago Tribune’s Washington, D.C., bureau reports on the favored tourist destinations of Rep. Peter Roskam: In keeping with Roskam’s fiscally conservative credentials (and, to be fair, the general spirit of tourist attractions in Washington), everything on the list is free to enter. Among the highlights, with Roskam’s commentary: No. 3, …
John Haynes of the Library of Congress?s Manuscript Division addresses guests in the Library?s Madison Hall as NED President Carl Gershman, right, listens. The blonde woman in the audience with her back to the camera is actress/activist Mia Farrow. (Photo by me.) Even in the midst of partisan squabbling for which Washington, D.C., has always …
John McArdle of Roll Call today writes the first story I have seen on the appropriations bill that is taking shape in the Legislative Branch subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.? (The link is here, but is subscription-only.) According to the article, the bill ?is expected to increase overall legislative branch spending by $251 million …
I?m overdue in mentioning this, as I had promised several days ago, but in addition to the other annual diversity months, the Library of Congress is joining in the official May observance of Jewish American Heritage Month. A list of our events can be found here. In addition ? and I believe this is a …
Another busy day!
I spent this morning in a hearing at the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, during which Librarian of Congress James Billington and our Chief Operating Officer, Jo Ann Jenkins, testified on the Library’s budget priorities for Fiscal Year 2008, which begins Oct. 1, 2007.
The Librarian discussed requests including funding to cover mandatory pay raises and price increases; a new Logistics Center at Fort Meade, Md., to address “life-safety and environmental conditions” at the Library’s current center in Landover, Md.; implementation of the Digital Talking Books program at the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; and restoration of a portion of the funds that were rescinded from the Library’s national digital preservation program, known as “NDIIPP”.
The priorities were also stated March 22 before the Senate committee’s counterpart in the House.
If you’d like to learn more about the Library’s budget, after the jump I have included the full text of a story on the March 22 House hearing from the Library’s “Gazette,” which is our snazzy in-house newsletter that normally resides behind a firewall. (If you’re curious why it’s firewalled, then you might ask how many among you are really interested in esoterica such as Metrochek distribution.)
By the way, one of the reasons for the blog is to make some of our in-house content more publicly available. To wit, the budget story follows …
A few AP photos are starting to move from the event that ended barely an hour ago, in which German Chancellor Angela Merkel formally transferred the 1507 Waldseem?Map to the Library of Congress and the American people (represented by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer). You can see them here, here, here, here, here and here, …