News from the Library of Congress

Friends of the Library of Congress, Materials from the Musical ‘Hadestown’ and More

Be A Friend + Vote for the 2024 Friends Choice Awards!

What does a preservation makeover really look like?  How does supporting librarians serving the blind and print disabled worldwide build accessible collections?  Where do you begin celebrating Africana food and foodways?  Help us find out!  Be a friend and Vote for your choice in the 2024 Friends’ Choice Awards.    

The Friends' Choice Award recognizes the project donors most want to fund.  You get to decide!  If you're already a Friend of the Library - check your email for the voting link. If you are not a Friend - join today! Memberships begin at $50 annually. Learn more about the proposals and vote for the one you want to see come to life.

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Materials from the Musical ‘Hadestown’ Added to Library of Congress Collections

The Library of Congress has added rare materials from the development of the Tony Award-winning musical “Hadestown” to its collections, thanks to a donation from the show’s Tony Award-winning creator, singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell.

Library Announces 2023 Music Commissions from Koussevitzky Foundation

The Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress has awarded commissions for new musical works to six composers. The commissions are granted jointly by the foundation and the performing organizations that will present the world premiere of each work.

George Chauncey, Historian of LGBTQ+ Life and Kluge Prize Recipient, Releases New Video Series “Through History to Equality” George Chauncey, recipient of the 2022 John W. Kluge Prize for Achievement in the Study of Humanity, released three videos today with the Library of Congress examining the experiences of LGBTQ+ Americans. These are now available to watch on loc.gov and the Library’s YouTube channel. Learn more.

The Wright Brothers History Takes Wing at the Library

At 10:35 on the morning of Dec. 17, 1903, on a remote sand dune in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, mankind flew for the first time. Orville Wright piloted a homemade airplane powered by a homemade engine for a few wobbly seconds while his brother and co-creator Wilbur ran alongside the right wingtip. “Success four flights thursday morning” Orville telegraphed their father back home in Dayton, Ohio. The world would never be the same. Humans flew to the moon 65 years later.

News from the Library of Congress

National Book Festival, Live! at the Library, Ken Burns Prize for Film and More

2023 National Book Festival August 12

Join us in the nation’s capital at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, August 12, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (doors open at 8:30 a.m.). If you can't join us in Washington, D.C. for a day of free talks and activities, several programs will be livestreamed, and video of all talks can be viewed online after the Festival concludes.

Enjoy Movies on the Lawn, Café Concerts During Live at the Library in August

Enjoy summer movies and music on the lawn this August during Live at the Library. On Aug. 3, take a bachata class from Julissa Cruz of the Latin Vintage Dance Company before a screening of “Mary Poppins.” Plus, join the Library of Congress for screenings in the historic Coolidge Auditorium later in the month, and enjoy café concerts in the Great Hall starting Aug. 17.

In Memoriam: Tony Bennett

Among the great joys of our work in the Music Division of the Library of Congress are the occasions when distinguished creators from the world of the performing arts visit us and have the opportunity to examine first-hand the original manuscripts that document the creativity of previous generations. Such was the case in June 2018 when Tony Bennett visited the Library.

Doodles, Puzzles, Peek-A-Boo, and a Dutch Book of Hours Many of us have a distinctive doodle. We can recognize our former school notebooks from the familiar designs that repeat in various combinations on the corners of pages. Some of these drawn figures may still inadvertently appear on a memo pad when we find ourselves on a lengthy telephone call. The connotation of the word “doodle” implies that the penwork lacks intentionality, and therefore fifteenth-century scribes in the Northern Netherlands cannot be said to have “doodled” in the borders of their manuscripts. Nevertheless, the effect of their labors on paper and parchment is remarkably similar to some of our finer memo pad masterpieces. Learn more.

George Saunders to Receive 2023 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction

One of the Library’s most prestigious awards, the annual Prize for American Fiction honors an American literary writer whose body of work is distinguished not only for its mastery of the art but also for its originality of thought and imagination. The award seeks to commend strong, unique, enduring voices that — throughout consistently accomplished careers — have told us something essential about the American experience.

The Better Angels Society Announces Finalists for Fifth Annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize For Film

The Better Angels Society, the Library of Congress, and the Crimson Lion/Lavine Family Foundation announced the six finalists for the fifth annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film. The award, which was established in 2019, recognizes late-stage documentaries that use original research and compelling narrative to tell stories that bring American history to life through archival materials.

Library of Congress Launches Video Game Challenge for Civic Engagement

The Library is calling on video game developers to create fun and lightweight video games related to civics that incorporate Library resources. This challenge is part of an effort to improve public knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of American citizens. Winning video game entries, to be announced early next year, will receive $35,000 in cash prizes.

Learn more.

News from the Library of Congress

Book Festival Author Lineup, Papers of Composer John Adams, Poet Laureate’s Poem for NASA’s Europa Clipper and More

National Book Festival Announces Full Author Lineup

The 2023 Library of Congress National Book Festival returns to the Washington Convention Center on Saturday, Aug. 12. The festival’s theme, “Everyone Has a Story,” celebrates the storyteller in us all.

Attendees will hear conversations that reflect their lived experiences and stories, with presentations for every type of reader. Memoirs will be featured on several stages, including actor Elliot Page’s “Pageboy” and R.K. Russell’s “The Yards Between Us: A Memoir of Life, Love and Football.” NPR journalists Mary Louise Kelly and Ari Shapiro tell the stories of their lives and careers in their new books. Uyghur poet Tahir Hamut Izgil discusses his homeland and the persecution of Muslim minorities in western China.

Library Acquires Music Manuscripts and Papers of Composer John Adams

The Library of Congress has acquired the music manuscripts and papers of contemporary American composer, conductor and writer John Adams. Adams is known for works including the opera “Nixon in China” and concert pieces such as “Shaker Loops,” “Harmonielehre,” “Road Movies,” “Chamber Symphony” and “Short Ride in a Fast Machine.”

U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón Reveals Poem to Fly on NASA’s Europa Clipper

U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón revealed a new poem that will fly into space aboard NASA’s Europa Clipper mission on a yearslong journey to explore Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. The poem, first shared publicly during a special reading at the Library of Congress, will be engraved on the spacecraft set to launch in October 2024.

Annual Summer Movies on the Lawn to Present National Film Registry Selections

The Library will host its annual “Summer Movies on the Lawn” series starting July 6. The series featuring films from the Library’s National Film Registry will be presented Thursday evenings at sundown on the southeast lawn of the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building. Music will be presented prior to each film, with live performances on July 6, July 20 and Aug. 3.

Paid Research Fellowships at the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress

Applications are now open with a deadline of September 15, 2023, for multiple fellowship positions at the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.

The Kluge Center exists to further the study of humanity through the use of the large and varied collections of the Library of Congress. All fields and disciplines within the social sciences and the humanities, including interdisciplinary and cross-cultural research, are welcome. Fellows hold book borrowing privileges and are in residence with desk space in the historic Thomas Jefferson Building with access to specialized librarians throughout the Library. Applicants may be US citizens or foreign nationals, and foreign nationals will be assisted in obtaining necessary visas.

Learn more.

Library of Congress Launches Video Game Challenge for Civic Engagement

The Library is calling on video game developers to create fun and lightweight video games related to civics that incorporate Library resources. This challenge is part of an effort to improve public knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of American citizens. Winning video game entries, to be announced early next year, will receive $35,000 in cash prizes.

Learn more.

News from the Library of Congress

Ada Limón to Reveal Poem for NASA Europa, Film Festival Lineup of of Rare Cinema and Special Guests Released, Library Awards More than $200,000 to Five Projects Highlighting Uses of Digital Collections and More

Ada Limón to Reveal Poem for NASA Europa Clipper Mission During Live at the Library in June

During Live at the Library in June, U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón — recently reappointed for a historic two-year term — will unveil her original poem written for the NASA Europa Clipper mission. Plus, celebrations for the Juneteenth holiday will honor African American folk music and photography. Celebrate Pride with a concert saluting Billy Strayhorn on June 8, and view a display of LGBTQ+ collection items in the Great Hall.

Connecting Communities Digital Initiative Announces Next Round of Award Opportunities for Libraries, Archives, Museums, Higher Education and Artists/Scholars in Residence

Individuals and educational and cultural institutions who seek to imaginatively remix and reuse the Library of Congress’ digital collections and create projects centering one or more of the following groups, Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander and/or other communities of color — are invited to apply to award opportunities through the Connecting Communities Digital Initiative.

Library of Congress Festival of Film and Sound Announces Full Lineup of Rare Cinema and Special Guests

The Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center is announcing the full lineup of rare cinema and special guests to be featured at the inaugural Library of Congress Festival of Film and Sound. The new four-day film festival will be held June 15-18 in association with the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center at the American Film Institute’s beautifully restored 1938 art deco theater in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Learn more.

Library Awards More than $200,000 to Five Projects Highlighting Uses of Digital Collections

The Library of Congress announced that five awards, totaling more than $200,000, have been awarded from the Connecting Communities Digital Initiative through a program available to Libraries, Archives, Museums and Higher Education institutions. The 2023 awardees will use these funds to create projects that offer creative approaches to the Library’s digital collections and center Black, Indigenous, and Latino or Hispanic studies.

Library Completes Digitization of Yongle Encyclopedia, Largest Reference Work of Pre-Modern Era

The Library of Congress has completed a yearslong effort to digitize the Yongle Encyclopedia (Yongle dadian 永樂大典), the largest reference work created in pre-modern China, and possibly the world. Digital publication of the 41 volumes held in the Library’s collections provides open access to one of the most extensive attempts in world history to capture the entirety of human knowledge in book form.

News from the Library of Congress

2023 National Recording Registry, U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón Appointed for a Historic Two-Year Second Term, Main Reading Room Opening and More

National Recording Registry Inducts Music from Madonna, Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, Daddy Yankee

Madonna’s cultural ascent with “Like a Virgin,” Mariah Carey’s perennial No. 1 Christmas hit, Queen Latifah’s groundbreaking “All Hail the Queen” and Daddy Yankee’s reggaeton explosion with “Gasolina” are some of the defining sounds of the nation’s history and culture that will now join the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. The 2023 class also includes the first sounds of a video game to join the registry with the Super Mario Bros. theme, powerful voices of women, important inductions of Latin music, and classic sounds of rock and pop from the 1960s to the ‘80s.

U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón Appointed for a Historic Two-Year Second Term

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden has appointed Ada Limón to serve a two-year second term as the nation’s 24^th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry.

The act of Congress establishing the poet laureate position states that the Librarian may appoint a laureate “for one- or two-year terms.” This is the first time a laureate will serve the longer option. Limón’s second term will begin in September 2023 and conclude in April 2025.

Honor Vietnam Veterans, Celebrate Jewish-American Heritage Month and More During Live at the Library in May

Honor Vietnam War veterans during Live at the Library in celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial on May 11. Cultural events in May also will celebrate Yiddish history in the United States and the history of recipes and cookbooks in America.

Learn more.

Library Welcomes Visitors to Main Reading Room

The Library welcomes visitors to experience its grand Main Reading Room in the Thomas Jefferson Building. The floor of the Main Reading Room is now open for visitors to view from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays. Usually reserved for researchers, this access will offer visitors a chance to walk inside and see one of Washington’s most beautiful spaces. This opportunity is limited by capacity and available on a first come, first served basis for visitors.

Webinar to Present Advances in Microbiome Research

The Health Services Division and Science, Technology and Business Division will host a webinar on Thursday, April 27, to discuss advances in microbiome research and the potential and promise of microbiome-based medicine in the era of precision management. Eugene B. Chang, an award-winning professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, will discuss the challenges, limitations and promises of microbiome research, at a time of important discoveries about how microbiomes can affect human diseases and treatments.

News from the Library of Congress

AHHA Internship Program, Experience the World in Sound with Jim Metzner, Close-Up Book Series and More

Library Seeks Applicants for the 2023 Archives, History and Heritage Advanced Internship Program

The Library is seeking applicants for its next Archives, History and Heritage Advanced Internship Program, which will run from Sept. 11 to Nov. 17. This 10-week, paid internship is open to currently enrolled undergraduate juniors and seniors, master’s and Ph.D. candidates from all majors or those who have graduated between Dec. 1, 2022, and Aug. 31, 2023. The program offers onsite and remote project opportunities, allowing interns from near and far to participate. The deadline to apply is Monday, Apr. 24, 2023.

Library of Congress Launches Transcription Campaign for Rarely Seen Post-Civil War Petition from Black South Carolina Residents Seeking Equal Rights

The Library hosted a special display and press conference to announce a new transcription campaign seeking to learn more about the signers of a rarely seen 1865 petition by Black residents in South Carolina calling for equal rights.

Learn more.

Collection Close-Up Book Series Provides Intimate Look at Library Collections

A new series invites readers to experience the Library’s treasures in compact, accessible books that curate a unique collection of objects and bring them to life with color reproductions, historical context and fascinating anecdotes.

Inaugural Library of Congress Film and Sound Festival Set to Gather Film Fans, Archivists and Authors in Celebration of Rare Silent and Sound Cinema

The Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center announced today the inaugural Library of Congress Festival of Film and Sound, a new four-day film event celebrating the Library’s rich moving image and recorded sound collections. The festival will be held in association with AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and will take place June 15 to 18 at the American Film Institute’s historic theater in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Learn more.

Experience the World in Sound with Jim Metzner from ‘Pulse of the Planet’ and Jad Abumrad of ‘Radio Lab’ during Live at the Library in April

Visitors can immerse themselves in sounds of people and places during Live at the Library in April. On April 27, audio producer Jim Metzner of “Pulse of the Planet” sits down for a conversation with Jad Abumrad, creator of the podcast “Radio Lab.” A special installation curated by Metzner with sounds from around the world will be available that day for visitors.

Library to Celebrate National Cherry Blossom Festival

On April 1, the Library will host its annual Japanese Culture Day in celebration of the 2023 National Cherry Blossom Festival, an annual commemoration of Japan’s 1912 gift to the U.S. of 3,020 cherry trees.

News from the Library of Congress

Artists to Celebrate Joni Mitchell, Garth Fagan Dance Company, 

Lilly Endowment, and More.

Artists to Celebrate Joni Mitchell Receiving Library of Congress Gershwin Prize

Musical artists will join the national library and American leaders to honor music legend Joni Mitchell in the nation’s capital on Wednesday, March 1, as she is awarded the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song during an all-star tribute concert.

The lineup will include performances by James Taylor, Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Herbie Hancock, Cyndi Lauper, Marcus Mumford, Graham Nash, Diana Krall, Angelique Kidjo and Ledisi. The concert is by invitation only, but PBS will broadcast the concert later this month.

Library of Congress Releases Newly Digitized Colonial-era African Postcards

The Library has announced the initial release of over 1,300 newly digitized postcards from the Africana Historic Postcard Collection, which depicts life under French, Italian, German, Belgian and British colonial rule in sub-Saharan Africa from the 1890s until the end of the 1930s.

Learn more.

Library Receives $2.5 million from Lilly Endowment

The Library has received a $2.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative. The grant will support the launch of Library programs to enhance public understanding of religious cultures in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia over a five-year period.

Library Acquires Archives of Garth Fagan Dance Company

The Library has acquired the papers of choreographer Garth Fagan and Garth Fagan Dance, the company founded by Fagan in 1970. Garth Fagan Dance is distinguished by the artistic imagination and polyrhythmic movement of Jamaican-born Fagan, layered with the discipline and strength of ballet training. The company has performed in more than 660 cities in 24 countries on six continents.

Updated Federal Library Directory Increases Accessibility to U.S. Agency Libraries

The “Federal Library Directory,” now in an updated second edition, profiles federal libraries and information centers in the United States and abroad. Presented with an interactive map, the directory displays geographic and collections data from nearly 1,400 federal libraries.

Learn more.

News from the Library of Congress

National Film Registry, Join In, Music Commissions from Koussevitzky Foundation and more.

25 Eclectic Films Chosen for National Film Registry

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced today the annual selection of 25 influential motion pictures to be inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. Selected for their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage, the newest selections include a vibrant diversity of American filmmakers, as well as landmark works in key genres and numerous documentaries.

Learn more.

Library to Celebrate Jason Reynolds’ Three Years as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

The Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader will celebrate the end of Jason Reynolds’ unprecedented three-year term as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature with local students in the Washington, D.C., area on Dec. 13.

Learn more.

Library Announces 2022 Music Commissions from Koussevitzky Foundation

The Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress has awarded commissions for new musical works to seven composers. The commissions are granted jointly by the foundation and the performing organizations that will present the world premiere of each work.

Library Announces New General Counsel