December 8, 2017 (REVISED December 15, 2017) Spend the Chilly Months Inside the Library of Congress

This winter season, the Library will host a multitude of free programming that highlight musical genius, showcase film, open the doors of the Main Reading Room and introduces patrons to a world of knowledge and recent findings with lectures, symposiums and book talks. Winter is the perfect time for music enthusiasts to reserve their tickets for the spring “Concerts from the Library of Congress” season. Starting Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, patrons can order tickets for concert events or films scheduled between January and June.

The newly opened “Drawn to Purpose: American Women Illustrators and Cartoonists” exhibition, which features original works of art from 43 female artists, is sure to inspire the next generation of artists with its unique display of original works. This exhibition will be on display through Oct. 20, 2018. As an added bonus, the Library’s new “Everyday LOC” blog series, a guide to how everyday people can do extraordinary things using the Library of Congress, kicked off with a holiday list of at-home activities for families to enjoy together using Library collection items. Look for Everyday LOC lists throughout the winter on the Library of Congress Blog.  

Please note that events are subject to change. All buildings are closed to the public on Sundays, and the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The Madison and Adams buildings are closed on all federal holidays. In the event of inclement weather or other issues, the Library of Congress follows the federal government operating status.

 

December

Events 

 

Beginning Monday, Dec. 11 

The Thomas Jefferson Building winter holiday display with the official Library tree and menorah will be on view for the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until Dec. 30 in the Jefferson Building’s Great Hall. Contact: 202.707.9799. 

 

Wednesday, Dec. 13

This holiday season, the Library will celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah with performances by the LC Chorale and Little Scholars, a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” by Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. The program will begin at 11 a.m. in the Jefferson Building’s Great Hall. Contact: 202.707.5218. 

 

Thursday, Dec. 21, and Wednesday, Dec. 27

The Visitor Services Office (VSO), in collaboration with the Music Division, will host an open house at 10 a.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. A VSO volunteer will engage visitors discussing the artwork and musical instruments in that beautiful space, as well as details and stories about the music and performing-arts collections and programs. Contact: 202.707.9799.

 

Lectures/Symposiums/Talks

  

Monday, Dec. 11

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Library’s Education Outreach office co-host an annual symposium on arts education at 8:30 a.m. in the Mumford Room of the Madison Building. This event will be livestreamed. Contact: 202.707.3465. 

 

Thursday, Dec.14

Kluge fellow Todd Belt and Kluge Center Director John Haskell present “How Effective is Social Media, Really?” at 4 p.m. in room LJ119. Contact: 202.707. 3302. 

 

Dr. Sayed Elsisi explores “The Arabian Nights” and digs deeper to connect hidden symbols with broader contexts of the Sufi and the spiritual heritage in the cultures that are considered sourced of the religious knowledge at 1 p.m. in the African and Middle Eastern reading room. Contact: 202.707.4188.  

 

 

Concerts

 

Friday, Dec. 15

Students from the Norwood School in Bethesda, Maryland will perform a selection of holiday favorites, 12:15 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact: 202.707.8437. 

 

Monday, Dec. 18

The young, spirited Dover Quartet presents the first performance in a back-to-back concert series with the Library’s Stradivarius instruments at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are required.

 

Pre-concert lecture: “Conserving the Paintings” with chief conservator Arthur Page and senior conservator Kathryn Campbell of Page Conservation Inc. at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. No tickets are required. Contact: 202.707.5502.

 

Tuesday, Dec. 19

The Dover Quartet presents an encore performance at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are required.  Also, the quartet will give a pop-up concert at 1 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building.

 

Pre-concert lecture: A Conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. No tickets are required. Contact: 202.707.5502.  

 

District5 Woodwind Quintet will perform original transcriptions of contemporary music, 12:15 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact: 202.707.8437. 

 

Films

 

Thursday, Dec. 21

“The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers” (Hal Willis/Paramount, 1946), at 7 p.m. in the Mary Pickford Theater of the Madison Building. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Contact: 202.707.7603.

 

Webinars

 

Tuesday, Dec. 12

Curator Ryan Reft will discuss Charles Hamilton Houston’s wartime experiences and their influence on his later work at 2 p.m. Registration is required. Visit this Library website. Contact: 202.707.0245.

 

 

January

Monday, Jan. 15

For the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, the Jefferson Building’s Great Hall and exhibitions will be open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All reading rooms and other Library buildings will be closed. Contact: 202.707.8000.

 

Lectures/Symposiums/Talks  

 

Wednesday, Jan. 31

Jan Grenci of the Prints and Photographs Division will share stories and answer questions about the Library’s war poster collection as represented in the “Echoes of the Great War” exhibition at 4 p.m. Naomi Coquillon of the Interpretive Programs Office will serve as interviewer and host. Contact: 202.707.5223. 

 

Concerts

 

Friday, Jan. 12 

Founded by the brilliant violinist and conductor Fabio Biondi, Italy’s Europa Galante highlights two of Antonio Vivaldi dazzlingly’s imaginative Concerti dell’ Addio in a period performance at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are required. Contact: 202.707.5502.   

 

Friday, Jan. 19

The Camerata RCO performs some of its favorite chamber music on the group’s first American tour, 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are required. Contact: 202.707.5502. 

Films

Thursday, Jan. 11
“Autumn Leaves” (Columbia – William Goetz Productions, 1956), at 7 p.m. in the Mary Pickford Theater of the Madison Building. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Contact: 202.707.7603.

Thursday, Jan. 25

 “So Dark the Night” (Darmour / Columbia, 1946), at 7 p.m. in the Mary Pickford Theater of the Madison Building. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Contact: 202.707.7603.

February 

 

Lectures/Symposiums/Talks  

 

Saturday, Feb. 3

As part of the Library’s “#Declassified: Encounters with Artifacts and Ideas” series David Plylar, Music Division presents “New and Used Kreislers: Exploring the Fritz Kreisler Collection at the Library of Congress” at 11 a.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. Tickets are required. Visit this Library website for more information. Contact: 202.707.5502.  

 

Wednesday, Feb. 14

On Valentine’s Day, Gershwin archivist Janet McKinney will discuss the story of “Love is Here to Stay” and the ways in which it illuminates the relationship between George and Ira Gershwin at 11 a.m. inside the “Here To Stay: The Legacy of George and Ira Gershwin” exhibition. Contact: 202.707.5223.

 

 

Friday, Feb. 24

Join Music Division specialist Loras Schissel for a conversation about musician, composer and World War I veteran James Reese Europe, in honor of African-American History Month, 11 a.m. inside the “Echoes of Great War” exhibition. Contact: 202.707.5223.

 

 

Concerts

 

Saturday, Feb. 17

The Doric Quartet performs Beethoven’s op. 130 with its original finale at noon in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are required. Visit this Library website for more information. Contact: 202.707.5502.  

 

Saturday, Feb. 24

The renowned Vienna Piano Trio returns to the Library of Congress to play a program of works by three generations of composers known for their relationships with Vienna, noon in the Coolidge Auditorium. Tickets are required. Visit this Library website for more information. Contact: 202.707.5502.  

 

Films

 

Thursday, Feb. 1

As part of the it’s concert season “Monster Melodies” film series, the Library will screen “Little Shop of Horrors,” directed by Frank Oz with music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman at 7 p.m. in the Pickford Theater. Rated PG-13. Tickets are required. Visit this Library website for more information.  Contact: 202.707.5502.  

 

Thursday, Feb. 8

As part of it’s concert season “Monster Melodies” film series, the Library will screen “Labyrinth,” directed by Jim Henson with music and lyrics by David Bowie and Trevor Jones at 7 p.m. in the Pickford Theater. Rated PG. Tickets are required. Visit this Library website for more information. Contact: 202.707.5502.  

 

Thursday, Feb. 15

As part of it’s concert season “Monster Melodies” film series, the Library will screen “Beetlejuice,” directed by Tim Burton with music by Danny Elfman at 7 p.m. in the Pickford Theater. Rated PG. Tickets are required. Visit this Library website for more information. Contact: 202.707.5502.  

 

Saturday, Feb. 17

As part of it’s concert season “Monster Melodies” film series, the Library will screen “The Neverending Ending Story,” directed by Wolfgang Petersen with music by Klaus Doldinger and Giorgio Moroder at noon in the Pickford Theater. Rated PG. Visit this Library website for more information. Tickets are required. Contact: 202.707.5502.  

 

Thursday, Feb. 22

As part of it’s concert season “Monster Melodies” film series, the Library will screen “Gremlins,” directed by Joe Dante with music by Jerry Goldsmith at 7 p.m. in the Pickford Theater. Rated PG. Tickets are required. Visit this Library website for more information. Contact: 202.707.5502.  

 

 

Winter Tour Offerings

Touch History 

“Touch History” is an accessible tour that brings building details to life for visitors through their sense of touch. The verbal-description tour will run at 8:45 a.m. Pre-registration through this ticketing site is recommended but not required. Contact: 202.707.2153. 

 

The currently scheduled “Touch History” tours are:

 

Dec. 19

Jan. 2

Jan. 13

Jan. 16

Feb. 6

Feb. 10

Feb. 20

 

 

Spanish Tours

The Visitor Services Office of the Library of Congress will offer guided tours of the Thomas Jefferson Building in Spanish. The visits are limited to 25 people in order of arrival. Reserve your space 30 minutes before the start of the visit at the visitor information desk located on the ground floor. Contact: 202.707.9799.

 

Guided tour dates in Spanish: Dec. 12 (11 a.m.), 19 (1 p.m.), 26 (1 p.m.)

 

Mythology Tour

Patrons are invited to experience the Thomas Jefferson Building as Mount Olympus. The tour invites participants to discover your favorite gods, heroes and mythological characters at the Library of Congress. The tours are currently scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 27, and Friday, Dec. 29, at 10 a.m. Check-in is at the ground floor information desk. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Tours are approximately 40 minutes.

 

Recommended for children ages 8-14. An adult must accompany children. Adult participation may be limited to two per extended family or friend group. Contact: 202.707.9799.

 

Family Tour 

This kid-friendly building tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building is recommended for families with children ages 6-12. There is a tour scheduled for Dec. 30 at 10 a.m. An adult must accompany children. Adult participation may be limited to two per extended family or friend group. Check-in is at the ground floor information desk for availability. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Tours are approximately 40 minutes. Contact: 202.707.9799.

 

Public Tours Of…

“Echoes of the Great War”

Docent-led tour of the exhibition “Echoes of the Great War: American Experiences of World War I.” Meet the docent at the entrance to the exhibition to join the tour. Tours have currently been scheduled for 1 p.m. on: 

 

Dec. 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 19, 21, 22, 23

 

Jan. 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 23, 25, 26, 30

 

Feb. 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9,10, 13, 15, 16, 20, 22, 23, 27

 

An additional tour of “Echoes of the Great War” has been scheduled for 11 a.m. on Jan. 13. 

 

Curator Tour 

The Interpretive Programs Office and “Echoes of the Great War” exhibition co-curator Ryan Reft will present a special tour at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 9. The tour will focus on the activism and aspirations of African-American service personnel in the Great War and the impact of their service on the fight for civil rights in the 20^th century. 

“Exploring the Early Americas”

Docent-led tours of the exhibition “Exploring the Early Americas,” which examines indigenous cultures, the drama of the encounters between Native Americans and Europeans, and the resulting changes caused by the meeting of the two worlds. Meet the docent at the entrance to the exhibition to join the tour. Tours have currently been scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on: 

 

Dec. 1, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22

 

Jan. 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31

 

Feb. 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 21, 23, 26, 28

 

Concerts from the Library

The “Concerts from the Library of Congress” series is made possible through the generous support of endowments given to the Library by private donors. The series is presented free of charge to the public but requires tickets for admission. Tickets are required and distributed through Eventbrite and may be accessed via loc.gov/concerts/ or the free Eventbrite mobile app for iOS or Android devices. Tickets are not required for preconcert presentations or weekday daytime programs.

 

Ticket availability information for spring concerts and films: 

 

Starting Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, patrons can order tickets for events or films scheduled between January and June.

 

Note: When attending events at the Library, allow extra time to pass through security.

 

Exhibitions at the Library

Exhibitions are open Monday–Saturday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Exhibitions can be viewed online at loc.gov/exhibits/.

 

The “Exploring the Early Americas” exhibition tells the story of the Americas before the time of Columbus, as well as the periods of contact and conquest and their aftermath. Visitors can also explore Thomas Jefferson’s Library, featuring thousands of original volumes that provided the foundation for the Library of Congress and its universal collections.

 

Thomas Jefferson Building

 

Extended Through Dec. 30, 2017: “Drawing Justice: The Art of Courtroom Illustrations” features original art that captures the drama of high-profile court cases in the last 50 years. South Gallery, second floor. 

 

Through October 2018: “Drawn to Purpose: American Women Illustrators and Cartoonists” brings to light remarkable but little-known contributions made by North American women to two popular art forms—illustration and cartooning —spanning the late 1800s to the present. Graphic Arts Galleries, ground floor.

 

Through January 2019: “Echoes of the Great War: American Experiences of World War I” features 200 items that include correspondence, music, film, recorded sound, diaries, posters, photographs, scrapbooks, medals, maps and materials from the Veterans History Project. Southwest Gallery, second floor.

 

Ongoing: Herblock Gallery features a selection of 10 cartoons—with new drawings every six months— and provides an opportunity to learn more about Pulitzer Award-winning artist Herbert L. Block. Graphic Arts Galleries, ground floor.

 

Ongoing: “Mapping a Growing Nation: From Independence to Statehood” showcases the rare Abel Buell map of 1784, along with seven state maps and a railroad map. First floor, North Gallery.

 

Ongoing: “Hope for America: Performers, Politics & Pop Culture” focuses on Bob Hope and other entertainers who chose to involve themselves in the political climate of their times. Ground floor.  

 

Ongoing: “Here To Stay: The Legacy of George and Ira Gershwin” showcases items from the Gershwin Collection in the Music Division, the world's preeminent resource for materials about the Gershwin’s. Ground floor.

 

James Madison Memorial Building

 

Extended Through Dec. 30, 2017: “Baseball's Greatest Hits: The Music of Our National Game.” The 45-item exhibition features baseball sheet music, drawn from the collections of the Music Division at the Library of Congress.  The division holds one of the largest collections of baseball sheet music in the nation. Performing Arts Reading Room, first floor. 

 
The Library of Congress occupies three buildings on Capitol Hill. The Thomas Jefferson Building is located at 10 First St. S.E., across from the U.S. Capitol. The John Adams Building is directly behind the Jefferson Building to the east on Second St. S.E. The James Madison Memorial Building, at 101 Independence Ave. S.E., is just south of the Jefferson Building.

The Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation hosts weekly film screenings that are free and open to the public. All screenings are at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Call 202.707.9994 during business hours. Seating at the screenings is on a first-come, first-served basis. The Packard Campus Theater is located on the ground floor of the Packard Campus of the National Audio Visual Conservation Center, 19053 Mount Pony Road, Culpeper, Va. For the current schedule and more information, visit the theater’s website at loc.gov/avconservation/theater/. In case of inclement weather, call the theater information line no more than three hours before showtime to confirm cancellations. For R-rated films, no one under 17 will be admitted without parent or guardian.

Those interested in supporting free programs at the Library can contact devofc@loc.gov.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States - and extensive materials from around the world - both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office.  Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.