The Library of Congress : from Jefferson's vision to the digital age / Jane Aikin ; foreword by Carla Hayden, fourteenth Librarian of Congress.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Aikin, Jane, author.

Contributor:

Hayden, Carla Diane, 1952- writer of foreword.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

National libraries--Washington (D.C.)--History.

National libraries.

Library of Congress--History.

Library of Congress.

Physical Description:

xvi, 337 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : Georgetown University Press, [2025]

Summary:

"This is the first comprehensive history of the Library of Congress that is not merely about one aspect or another-e.g., buildings, ornamentation, collections, timeline highlights. Jane Aikin engages deeply with a wealth of primary and secondary sources to weave a narrative of the individuals, events, and controversies that have shaped this venerable institution. Drawing millions of visitors a year, the Library serves as the research arm of Congress, the home of the U.S. Copyright Office, and as a public forum for artistic and literary culture. Never designated by law as the national library of the United States, it nonetheless occupies that place in the national imagination. This history of 13 male Librarians culminates in 2016 with the swearing in of Carla Hayden, the first woman and first African American Librarian of Congress. The narrative is punctuated by stories of key donors and pivotal performances by poets, authors, and celebrities"-- Provided by publisher

Contents:

Establishing a Library for Congress

Jefferson's Collection and Its Legacy

The Antebellum Library

The Idea of a National Library

Building Collections and Services

War, Prosperity, and Depression

War and Postwar

Sesquicentennial and Expansion

The National Library in the Networking Age

Bicentennial and Beyond

Appendix: Librarians of Congress.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 235-313) and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Aikin, Jane. Library of Congress

ISBN:

9781647125714

1647125715

OCLC:

1442336194

Publisher Number:

90102393095