Press contact: Helen Dalrymple (202) 707-1940; Jill Brett (202) 707-2905
Public contact: Manuscript Division (202) 707-5387
Website: www.loc.gov/rr/mss/blackmun/

February 24, 2004

Opening of Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun Papers at Library of Congress, March 4, 2004

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 4

WHERE: Manuscript Reading Room, Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C., (202) 707-5387

ACCESS: Access to the Blackmun papers will be on a first-come, first-served basis. All patrons must have a reader registration card, which should be obtained in advance in Room LM 140 of the Madison Building.

TIME LIMITS ON MARCH 4: All readers will be limited to a four-hour time shift in the morning, afternoon or evening on March 4, if the number of researchers exceeds the 75-plus seats in the reading room: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; 1 to 5 p.m.; and 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

PERSONAL BELONGINGS: All personal belongings, including coats, briefcases, notebooks and pens must be stored in the cloakroom of the reader registration station, or in the lockers in the Manuscript Reading Room. Paper and pencils for taking notes will be provided in the reading room. Readers may bring in laptop computers.

REQUESTING ITEMS IN THE MANUSCRIPT READING ROOM: Original documents from the cases that are online will not be served to patrons in the reading room; however, a surrogate paper copy will be available for research. Other original materials can be requested in the reading room on a first come, first served basis.

ONLINE ACCESS: The 362-page guide (finding aid) to the Blackmun papers will be available on the Library’s public Web site, www.loc.gov, at 12:01 a.m., Thursday, March 4. Other materials, including case files for eight major cases and videotapes and transcripts of interviews with Justice Blackmun, will be available only from designated computers. These files cannot be downloaded or e-mailed; however, individual pages can be printed on-site. Multiple paper copies both of the collection guide and the transcripts of the interviews will be available for use on-site.

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PR 04-032A
02/24/04
ISSN 0731-3527

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