Event Lectures and Symposia If It's Not Science Fiction, What Does Science Have to Do with Books Anyway?

Date and Location

  • When: Saturday, August 24, 2024

    11:30 am - 12:00 pm EDT

  • Where: Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)

    801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW, Washington, DC 20001

Part of National Book Festival ; 2024 National Book Festival

Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Books build us up through the words on their pages, but what about the pages themselves? Learn about the Library of Congress’ Preservation Research and Testing Division's Mellon-funded project: Assessing the Physical Condition of the National Collection (ANC). This study analyzed 500 "identical" books from research libraries across various U.S. regions, spanning 1840-1940. Specialists will connect the surprising discoveries to real-world historical shifts.

Featuring