Related Resources at the Library
- Exhibitions at the Library of Congress
- Library of Congress Information Bulletin
- Wise Guide to loc.gov
- About the Library of Congress
- More Than a Library
For More information
The Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20540-1400
Voice: 202.707.2905
Fax: 202.707.9199
Email: pao@loc.gov
October 9, 2002
'Wise Guide' to loc.gov Web Magazine to be Launched October 12
New Portal Will Guide Users to Historical Highlights and Fascinating Facts
A "Wise Guide" to the Library of Congress' Web site will launch Oct. 12, in conjunction with the second National Book Festival, to introduce new users to the many fascinating, educational and useful resources available from one of the most extensive and popular Web sites of the federal government. The "Wise Guide" Web magazine can be accessed by clicking on a special icon on the top half of the Library's main home page at www.loc.gov.
The "Wise Guide" will be refreshed monthly, offering links to the rich online materials available at the Library's award-winning Web site. The October "issue" will engage users with links to details on:
- The Know-Nothing party, which started in 1849 as a secret organization. Learn about the American system of elections and how, for more than 200 years, the Constitution has shaped the way we elect our national leaders;
- Another side of Thomas Jefferson. We know him as third president and chief writer of the Declaration of Independence, but many people do not know that in 1815 he sold more than 6,400 of his most prized possessions to the U.S. Congress for $23,950. Find out what he sold and why;
- A rage in kids' books, long before Harry Potter: "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." This classic went on to become one of the most beloved films of all time as the 1939 musical. An online exhibition features a first edition of the book, registered for copyright at the Library in 1900, as well as more than 100 items relating to the history of this American fairy tale;
- Registering your new Great American Novel for copyright protection, or protecting the next "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" from unauthorized performances. As the home of the U.S. Copyright Office, the Library of Congress has registered nearly 30 million works;
- The mysterious disappearance of the diaries of the great American poet Walt Whitman. These precious volumes were secreted from the Library of Congress for safekeeping during World War II. Learn how they were recovered in 1995 and how they were preserved and made available for all to see online; and
- The second National Book Festival, to be held on the West Front grounds of the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 12. The first National Book Festival, held in 2001, attracted more than 30,000 book lovers to the Library to hear readings by their favorite authors, have books autographed, learn how to preserve their family treasures and listen to musical performances by a diversity of American artists.
The "Wise Guide" to loc.gov is a project of the Library's National Digital Library (NDL) Program and the Public Affairs Office and was designed by the Web development firm 415 Inc. of San Francisco. The NDL Program makes more than 7.5 million items from the Library and other repositories freely available at its flagship American Memory collections Web site. Other Library of Congress Web sites are: America's Library, for kids and families; THOMAS, a legislative database with information on the U.S. Congress; Exhibitions, featuring online versions of major Library of Congress exhibitions; International Horizons, with digital collections from across the globe (in October 2002, the International Horizons program was renamed Global Gateway.); and U.S. Copyright Office, from the office housed at the Library.
The "Wise Guide" marks the second time that the Library of Congress has partnered with the Ad Council to create a public service advertising campaign. This new campaign-"History: America's Great National Pastime"-was created through the Ad Council, with creative services donated by DDB Chicago. The other public service advertising campaign is for the America's Library Web site (www.americaslibrary.gov).
The Ad Council is a private, nonprofit organization with a 60-year history of marshaling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. The Ad Council has produced thousands of public service campaigns that address the most pressing social issues of the day. Ad Council icons and slogans are woven into the very fabric of American culture-from Smokey Bear's "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires," McGruff the Crime Dog's "Take a Bite Out of Crime" and the United Negro College Fund's "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste" to "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk." Last year, the Ad Council received more than $1.58 billion in donated advertising time and space from the media. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit its Web site at www.adcouncil.org.
DDB Chicago is the largest of the DDB agencies worldwide. The agency works for a strong roster of blue-chip clients such as Anheuser-Busch, Tyson Foods, FTD, McDonald's, J.C. Penny, Dell, State Farm and The Home Depot.
415 Inc. (www.415.com), which also designed the Library of Congress's America's Library site, is an interactive design firm headquartered in San Francisco. 415's proven expertise in visual and user interface design produces measurable results. From Fortune 500 enterprises to internationally recognized cultural institutions, 415's clients include 3Com, Credit Suisse, Intel, KQED, Levi Strauss & Company, McGraw-Hill, Macromedia, Providian Financial, Robert Mondavi Wineries, the San Francisco Symphony and the Seattle Symphony.
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PR 02-144
10/09/02
ISSN 0731-3527
