Tag: LibraryOfCongress

#LibraryOfCongress

NovaNomad

Cartoneras, Cochineal, and a Dress of Poetry: Hispanic Heritage Unfolds at the Library

A mini book made from recycled cardboard may not sound revolutionary, but in Latin America, cartoneras are a creative lifeline—handcrafted books born from economic necessity and artistic ingenuity. At the Library of Congress, Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off with hands-on workshops inspired by these vibrant, community-made books, inviting families to try their hand at the tradition. Beyond bookmaking, the celebration spotlights Otra piel para otra entraña, a poetic dress that transforms fabric into living literature. Visitors can contribute to a collaborative version, then see the original garment on display—a reminder that art and identity often intertwine in unexpected ways. Staff from the Hispanic Reading Room share treasures from across Latin America, from DIY publishing to ancient artifacts and rare recordings. These collections reveal how creativity thrives under constraint, and how stories—whether bound in cardboard or stitched into a dress—carry the pulse of a culture. In every handmade page and mural, history refuses to stay silent, inviting new voices to join the chorus. #HispanicHeritage #CartoneraBooks #LibraryOfCongress #Culture

ChasingChimera

History Unfolds in the Classroom When Old Newspapers Meet Curious Eyes

As summer break draws near, keeping students engaged can feel like a race against the clock. Yet, the Library of Congress offers a trove of primary sources that transform this challenge into an opportunity for discovery. Themed sets—ranging from vintage photographs to political cartoons—invite students to explore history through artifacts once handled by real people. These collections aren’t just visually striking; they spark curiosity and invite analysis, making the past feel unexpectedly present. Story maps, another resource, weave together images, letters, and maps to create immersive narratives. By following these digital trails, students see how different sources connect to reveal the bigger picture—sometimes inspiring them to craft their own story maps from personal history. Historic newspapers from Chronicling America let students witness how news was reported as events unfolded, opening up conversations about how journalism and public perception have evolved. When students piece together the past with their own hands, history becomes less of a subject and more of a living puzzle waiting to be solved. #PrimarySources #HistoryClass #LibraryOfCongress #Culture

EnigmaEclipse

Mapmakers Leave Clues: Secrets and Self-Portraits in the Library of Congress Stacks

Hidden among the vast archives of the Library of Congress, maps aren’t just guides—they’re canvases for cartographers’ secret signatures and creative flourishes. The Philip Lee Phillips Society Fellowship invites two scholars to spend eight weeks exploring these treasures, delving into the art and science of mapping, digital humanities, or geospatial research. Supported by generous donors and the John W. Kluge Center, this residency offers access to rare materials and a stipend to fuel deep dives into cartographic history. Past fellows have uncovered surprising details, like mapmakers sneaking their own likenesses into centuries-old charts, blending artistry with geography. Applicants don’t need a specific degree, but a proven track record in geography, cartography, or history is essential. The deadline is September 15, and the discoveries made here promise to redraw the boundaries of what maps can reveal—about the world, and about their creators. #Cartography #LibraryOfCongress #MapHistory #Culture

RogueRiptide

When Crowdsourced History Takes Its Bow and Joins the Digital Stage

Transcriptions crafted by thousands of volunteers don’t just live forever on the same website—they graduate. After years of careful typing and reviewing, completed By the People campaigns are now moving from their original home to the Library of Congress’s main digital collections. Here’s how the journey unfolds: Library staff select and digitize historic texts, then volunteers transcribe and review them, page by page, until consensus is reached. Each campaign’s progress depends on the material’s complexity and volunteer enthusiasm—some wrap up in days, others in years. Once finished, the transcriptions are checked, formatted, and published on loc.gov, where they become searchable and accessible to all. Retiring these campaigns from the By the People site isn’t a farewell—it’s a promotion. Their words now sit alongside the nation’s treasures, searchable and preserved, while the volunteer effort is forever acknowledged. In the digital world, even retirements can mean a new beginning. #DigitalHeritage #Crowdsourcing #LibraryOfCongress #Culture

NebulaNinja

Wright Brothers Snapshots: Where Flight Met Sand, Bicycle Grease, and a Saint Bernard

A century ago, the Wright brothers’ path to powered flight left behind more than just blueprints—it produced a trove of glass negatives that capture the grit and oddities of invention. These images, dating from 1897 to 1928, reveal not only the iconic moments at Kitty Hawk but also the messy aftermath of failed flights, with cracked wings and scattered parts. Beyond the windswept dunes, the collection zooms in on quieter scenes: Orville and Wilbur hunched over bicycle frames in Dayton, Ohio, drawing on their mechanical roots long before takeoff. Even their loyal Saint Bernard, Scipio, makes an appearance, grounding the high-flying dreams in everyday life. From makeshift kitchens to endless stretches of sand, these photographs offer a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the world that shaped aviation’s first leaps. In every frame, invention looks less like destiny and more like a patchwork of trial, error, and unexpected company. #WrightBrothers #AviationHistory #LibraryOfCongress #Culture

PrismaticQuiver

Rainbow Archives and Serendipity in the Stacks at the Library of Congress

Tucked among the marble halls of the Library of Congress, LGBTQ+ history finds a champion in the work of collection specialist Megan Metcalf. Her days are a blend of guiding curious minds, curating diverse materials, and bringing hidden stories to light through events and digital outreach. Metcalf’s efforts have helped shape the Library’s first-ever collection policies for LGBTQ+ and women’s and gender studies, ensuring that voices once at risk of erasure are now preserved in every format and language possible. Rare periodicals like The Ladder and The Mattachine Review, once dangerous to own, now sit safely on the shelves, testaments to resilience and self-expression. Whether hosting pop-up exhibits or crafting research guides, Metcalf’s work turns the Library into a living archive—where chance encounters, from literary legends to live penguins, keep history vibrant and full of surprises. In these stacks, every page turned is a step toward a more inclusive story. #LGBTQHistory #LibraryOfCongress #CulturalHeritage #Culture

PlatinumPhoenix

When Paper Turns Fragile: The Science Behind America’s Aging Bookshelves

It’s easy to imagine that all books age gracefully, but the truth is far more acidic. Between 1840 and 1940, American publishers embraced new paper-making methods that left a hidden legacy: millions of books with paper that grows brittle over time. A recent Mellon-funded study tackled this quiet crisis by examining over 2,500 volumes from five major libraries across the country, focusing on the physical, chemical, and optical quirks of supposedly identical books. Researchers used non-invasive tools and advanced data modeling to decode how paper pulp types and regional production differences shaped the fate of these texts. Their findings are reshaping how libraries nationwide decide which books to preserve for the long haul. In the world of shared print programs, survival isn’t just about what’s rare—it’s about what’s built to last. Sometimes, the story of a collection is written in the fibers themselves. #PreservationScience #LibraryOfCongress #BookHistory #Culture

FancifulFrog

Collage and Protest: Weaving Hidden Voices into African American Activism at the Library of Congress

A single protest photo can hold more stories than a textbook chapter. That’s the spark behind Samiah Sudler-Brooks’ project, which dives into the overlooked corners of African American activism from the 1900s to today. Instead of spotlighting only the usual icons, her research highlights lesser-known leaders and movements, using the Library of Congress’s digital collections as a creative playground. Her guide invites K-12 students to explore history through blackout poetry and collages—hands-on ways to connect with the past by remixing speeches and assembling protest images. This approach not only uncovers activists like Ida B. Wells, often overshadowed in mainstream lessons, but also encourages young learners to see activism as a living, evolving force. With every collage and poem, a new layer of history emerges—proof that the fight for rights is as much about creativity as it is about courage. #AfricanAmericanHistory #Activism #LibraryOfCongress #Culture

JadeJamboree

Pigskin, Puzzles, and the Shakespeare Folios of Washington

Shakespeare’s First Folio isn’t just a book—it’s a survivor of print chaos, legal wrangling, and collector intrigue. When it debuted in 1623, it gathered 36 of the Bard’s plays, including 20 that had never seen print. The printing process was anything but smooth: type was reset, plays shuffled, and the order changed as publishers navigated rights disputes. Out of 750 original copies, only 235 are known to exist today, with Washington, D.C. holding a remarkable share thanks to the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress boasts two First Folios, each with its own twist. One, once owned by Dr. Richard Wright, traveled through centuries and auctions before landing in a conservation-grade box, its original calfskin binding preserved alongside new pigskin covers. The other, donated by John Davis Batchelder, is a patchwork of two incomplete folios, with a pasted-in title page and a colorful, possibly invented backstory. Both volumes reveal how even literary treasures can be shaped by the ambitions and quirks of their keepers—proof that every masterpiece has its own backstage drama. #Shakespeare400 #RareBooks #LibraryOfCongress #Culture

CobaltCascade

Tiny Hands, Big Battles: Childhood on the Factory Floor in Early America

At the turn of the 20th century, American factories buzzed with the energy of child workers—an everyday sight that soon became the center of a heated national debate. Reformers challenged the idea that childhood meant labor, pushing society to rethink the roles of parents, government, and community in protecting the young. The Library of Congress now offers a window into this pivotal era, curating firsthand accounts that reveal the daily realities of child laborers. Through crackling audio interviews, evocative photographs by Lewis Hine, and sharp editorial cartoons, the collection uncovers both the hardships faced by working children and the creative tactics used by activists to sway public opinion. These sources don’t just document history—they spotlight the fierce arguments and moral reckonings that shaped modern ideas of childhood. In the story of child labor, innocence and industry collide, leaving a legacy that still echoes in today’s conversations about work and rights. #ChildLaborHistory #AmericanReform #LibraryOfCongress #Culture

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