These founding documents would move to their permanent home in the National Archives in 1952.Ī new Art-Deco style annex building opened in 1939 to hold the library’s ever-growing collections. Constitution to the Library of Congress for safekeeping and display to the public. Harding issued another key executive order in 1921, transferring the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. In the early 20th century, the Library of Congress took another great leap forward thanks to the support of President Theodore Roosevelt, who in 1903 issued an executive order transferring the records of the Continental Congress and the personal papers of six founding fathers- George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison and James Monroe-to the library from the State Department. The Italian Renaissance-style structure opened in 1897, nearly a century after the library’s founding. Copyright Office itself) in the Library of Congress.Īs its collections grew steadily under Spofford’s watch, Congress approved the construction of a separate building for the Library of Congress. copyright registration and deposit activities (including the U.S. Spofford also played a leading role in promoting the copyright law of 1870, which centralized all U.S. Until the Civil War, the Library of Congress had a relatively limited purpose: to serve Congress.īut after the war, the influential Librarian of Congress Ainsworth Rand Spofford (who served in the post from 1864 to 1897) convinced Congress that it was a vital national institution that, in effect, it was the nation’s library, and should be used by the public as well as by Congress. ![]() Unfortunately, another fire in 1850 (this time accidental) destroyed some 35,000 volumes, including almost two-thirds of Jefferson’s original contribution. The following year, Congress purchased Jefferson’s extensive personal library (including some 6,487 books) for some $23,950, which became the foundation of the new Library of Congress collection. Jefferson’s contributions to the Library of Congress didn’t stop there: In August 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces burned the Capitol, destroying the still-small congressional library. (The two positions were separated in 1815.) Jefferson named the first two librarians, who each did double duty as clerk for the House of Representatives. president appoints someone to the official post of “Librarian of Congress.” Under Adams’ immediate successor, Thomas Jefferson, Congress passed another law under which the U.S. ![]() The story of the Library of Congress began in 1800, when President John Adams approved a congressional act that moved the national capital from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.Īs part of that bill, a sum of $5,000 was earmarked for books intended for use by the U.S.
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