Archive for the LC Web site Category (126 posts)

National Book Festival: Save the Date, Take the Survey

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There’s news on two fronts for you book-lovers out there: first, the 13th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival will be held on the National Mall between 9th and 14th Streets on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013 from noon to 5:30 p.m., rain or shine. The event is free and open to the public.

The National Book Festival

Crowds enjoy fine weather at the Library of Congress National Book Festival

Part two: Festival fans and other lovers of the printed word are invited to take a “Books That Shaped the World” survey on the Library of Congress National Book Festival website. The Library, which invited public comment on “Books That Shaped America” in 2012 (spurring a lively dialogue) will continue its multi-year Celebration of the Book with a look at “Books That Shaped the World” in 2013.

“Last year’s Festival drew more authors and more readers than ever before” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. “The excitement is building once again as we invite a public conversation about the power of books to change the world.”

We’ll reprise the features fans have come to know and love about the Festival – scores of authors presenting in pavilions and signing their books, plus rewarding literacy- and Library of Congress-related activities for people of all ages.  In addition, there are plans to broaden the reach of the popular “A Book That Shaped Me” essay contest for rising 5th- and 6th-graders. Schoolchildren in the Mid-Atlantic region – the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania – will be invited to submit essays. Keep an eye on the Library of Congress National Book Festival website for updates and the launch of this year’s essay contest …

Check out the survey at the Library of Congress National Book Festival website and tell us which books you think shaped the world, and why!

 

Was Richard “Rubbished?”

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The wonders of modern science were used to positively identify a set of human bones found under an asphalt parking lot in England (site of a former church) as those of Richard III – a former king of England and one of Shakespeare’s most memorable villains. The world was fascinated – it isn’t every day …

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Library Signs “Declaration of Learning”

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Today, the Library of Congress joined 12 other government agencies and non-governmental organizations in signing a “Declaration of Learning” that formally announces their partnership as members of the Inter-Agency Collaboration on Education.

 The initiative is spearheaded by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who joined representatives at the signing ceremony in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms …

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Library in the News: November and December Edition

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With the whirlwind of the holiday season come to a close, let’s take a look back at some of the headlines the Library made in November and December. One of our big announcements was the opening of the Library exhibition “The Civil War in America” on Nov. 12. The Washington Post chose to highlight a …

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InRetrospect: November Blogging Edition

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In November, Library bloggers presented a feast of posts, sure to whet a variety of appetites. Here are a few selections. In the Muse: Performing Arts Blog 1707: A Year That Will Resonate with Handel Lovers 1707 was a good year for Handel. The Signal: Digital Preservation When Data Loss is Personal Leslie Johnston talks …

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Inquiring Minds: An Interview With Author William Martin

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What if Abraham Lincoln recorded his innermost thoughts as he moved toward the realization that he must end slavery? What if he lost that diary, but a recently discovered letter suggests that the diary is still out there? Such is the premise of “The Lincoln Letter” (Tor/Forge, 2012) by William Martin, his latest mystery novel …

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Let’s Give Thanks

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Thanksgiving is just a day away, and I’ve been noticing on Facebook, friends posting what they are thankful for this holiday season. Those statuses certainly have given me pause to count my own blessings. First and foremost, I am thankful for my family, who, no matter how far away I am from them, help me …

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Black and White and (Still) Read All Over

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Old newspapers have acquired an iffy reputation over the years.  We bemoan the trees that had to die to bring them into existence for their one day of glory; we dub them “mullet-wrappers” or note, as they do in the British Isles, that “Yesterday’s news is tomorrow’s fish-and-chip paper.” But old newspapers can be addictive!  …

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InRetrospect: September Blogging Edition

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Here’s a roundup of some September selections in the Library blogosphere. In the Muse: Performing Arts Blog New Dance Collections in the Performing Arts Encyclopedia (PAE) Presentations on Bronislava Nijinska and the Ballet Russes de Serge Diaghilev are now featured in the PAE.  The Signal: Digital Preservation Yes, the Library of Congress Has Video Games: …

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