In 1884, Librarian of Congress Ainsworth Rand Spofford sent George H. Boehmer to Europe with the task of arranging publications exchange programs. One of the outcomes of Boehmer's tour was the establishment of the Library's first official ties with Switzerland. Reporting that year from Bern on Oct. 20, Boehmer noted the enthusiasm of his Swiss contacts not only for entering into exchange agreements, but also for donating works to the Library's collections:
Dr. Billington and Christian Blickenstorfer, the ambassador of Switzerland to the United States. - Christina Tyler Wenks
"As regards historical publications, the Government of Switzerland stands pre-eminent in her promise to supply as complete a collection as can be obtained—a library in itself—of the historical works of that republic."
The emphasis on "historical publications" in Boehmer's dealings with his Swiss counterparts almost certainly derived from the interest the political system of Switzerland was attracting among American reformers at the time, who saw new forms of direct democracy, such as the ballot initiative and the referendum—first developed by the Swiss—as weapons against the influence of robber barons and Tammany Hall. In this light, the exchange of books that Boehmer began reflected a far deeper tradition of exchange of political ideas that had nurtured and solidified both nations at important times in their history.
Fresh acquisitions in the form of a generous Swiss donation have recently given the Library and Switzerland an opportunity to review and reinforce the relationship Boehmer established. On Nov. 15 Switzerland's ambassador to the United States, Christian Blickenstorfer, met with Dr. Billington in the Librarian's ceremonial office and presented the Library with a donation of nearly 300 titles. Ambassador Blickenstorfer began his remarks by quoting Boehmer's report to Spofford. The donation, which goes beyond the Library's already excellent exchange relationship with Switzerland, demonstrates the same enthusiasm for contributing to the Library's collections Boehmer first observed almost 120 years ago.
Close cooperation between the Library and Swiss institutions preceded the donation. During a visit in 1999 arranged by Robert Dardano of the Library's Northern European Acquisitions Section and supported by a grant from the Swiss-American Cultural Exchange Council, Jean-Marc Rod of the Swiss National Library undertook a review of the Library of Congress's Swiss collections, especially in the area of belles-lettres. Subsequently, this writer, Grant Harris and Eric Solsten of the Library's European Division worked with the Swiss cultural counselor, Hanna Widrig, to secure the donation by the Swiss Arts Council (Pro-Helvetia) of the titles Mr. Rod had identified.
Although it includes important works in the areas of history, economics and politics, the donation is weighted heavily toward literature in all four of Switzerland's official languages—French, German, Italian, and Rhaeto-Romanic. This weight is perhaps an indicator of how the exchange of ideas between the United States and Switzerland has changed since Boehmer's day. In a world where both countries have fully established systems of political participation and representation, mutual learning and exchange come less through the borrowing of political forms and more through the window of culture. However, the linguistic diversity of Switzerland's rich literary output presents a considerable collections challenge for specialists in the Library of Congress. The Swiss donation, as well as the continuing exchange relationship with Switzerland, will assist the Library in meeting this challenge. As Dr. Billington said in accepting the gift, the Swiss donation is "a fine example of the international cooperation and generosity that play such a vital role in maintaining the richness and diversity of the Library's collections."
