April 26, 2019 Summer Is Coming: “Travel Around the World” Exploring Culture And Science through Library Events

This summer, the Library of Congress will bring you a host of events on a variety of topics. Concerts, lectures, film screenings, symposiums and special events all fill the public events calendar. Events will take place in the Thomas Jefferson Building (10 First Street S.E., Washington, D.C. 20540) or the James Madison Memorial Building (101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. 20540). Please note that events are subject to change.

May

Lectures/Symposiums/Talks

Wednesday, May 1; 1:30 p.m.
LJ 119, First Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society: A Conversation with Bob Carlson. Join Law Librarian Jane Sánchez in a conversation with American Bar Association President, Bob Carlson on this year’s Law Day topic. Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society. The 2019 Law Day theme focuses on these cornerstones of representative government and calls on us to understand and protect these rights to ensure, as the U.S. Constitution proposes, “the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity.” Contact: 202-707-1990.

Friday, May 3; 1:30 p.m.
LJ 240, Second Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Art Showcase and Workshop with Mario Torero. Join us for a collections display of drawings, sketches, and posters followed by an art-workshop with leading Chicano Movement artist/muralist Mario Torero. An important figure in the San Diego California Barrio Logan group of artists active in the Chicano civil rights movement, Mario Torero is a co-founder of several local cultural organizations, including the Centro Cultural de la Raza, the Chicano Park Murals Outdoor Museum, and the San Diego/Tijuana artists' group United By Art (UBA). The artist's work has been exhibited in the United States, Mexico, Peru, Germany, and Japan. Some of his major murals are in San Diego, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, and Prague. He has written articles for the San Diego Union, the Los Angeles Times, Time magazine, and USA Today. Mario Torero continues to live in San Diego and work for Latino cultural awareness. Free tickets available via Eventbrite for the Display and Workshop. Contact: 202-707-0245.

Saturday, May 4; 2 p.m.
LJ 119, First Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Conversation with Bill James. A conversation between Baseball Americana curator Susan Reyburn and Bill James, the baseball analyst who coined the term and popularized “sabermetrics,” the method of statistical analysis that has revolutionized Major League baseball. Contact: 202-707-0245.

Monday, May 6; 12 p.m.
Whittall Pavilion, Ground Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building.
Joining the Club: A History of Jews and Yale. In observance of Jewish American Heritage Month, and in cooperation with the Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington, Dr. Dan A. Oren will present his book “Joining the Club: A History of Jews and Yale.” Between the 1920's and early 1960's Yale had an unwritten 10% quota on Jewish students. Beginning in 1809 there were Jewish students at Yale, however they were few in number and easily incorporated into a generally tolerant community. But by the 1920's 10% of undergrads were Jewish and the Jewish applicant pool was expanding. Yale did not want to be seen as a Jewish college and thus loose the patronage of the upper class to Harvard. Dr. Oren tells the story of Jews at Yale very comprehensively and expands his writing to include philosophical issues related to racial and ethnic groups who continue to feel excluded by universities who see a "balanced" class as their goal. Contact: 202-707-3780.

Thursday, May 9; 11:30 a.m. 
Pickford Theater, Third Floor, James Madison Memorial Building Solving the Puzzles of Planet Formation in the Modern Era of Planet-Hunting. NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is searching around our Sun’s nearest neighbors for Earth-size planets. Dr. Elisa Quintana will discuss the wide array of planetary systems that TESS may find and the follow-up measurements that will reveal clues as to which planets might be rocky and which may have Earth-like atmospheres, ultimately shedding light on how planets form and whether our Solar System is unique. Contact: 202-707-5639.

Thursday, May 9; 2 p.m.
LJ 119, First Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Playing and Talking about Baseball Across the Pacific. A panel of experts will discuss how American baseball has influenced and been influenced by Japanese culture since the 19^th century.

• Dr. Robert K. Fitts, author of several books on Japanese baseball including “Wally Yonamine: The Man Who Changed Japanese Baseball” (2008) Banzai Babe Ruth (2012), and “Mashi: The Unfulfilled Baseball Dreams of Masanori Murakami, the First Japanese Major Leaguer” (2015).
• Professor William W. Kelly, professor of sociocultural anthropology at Yale University, a noted authority on the social and historical anthropology of Japan and the author of forthcoming “The Sports World of the Hanshin Tigers: Professional Baseball in Modern Japan” (2019).
• Professor Chandra Manning, professor of U.S. history teaching the history of baseball course at Georgetown University, author of “What This Cruel War Was Over: Soldiers, Slavery, and the Civil War” (2007), Avery O. Craven Prize awarded by the Organization of American Historians, earned Honorable Mention for the Lincoln Prize and the Virginia Literary Awards for Nonfiction, and was a finalist for the Jefferson Davis Prize and the Frederick Douglass Prize, and “Troubled Refuge: Struggling for Freedom in the Civil War” (2016).
• Mr. Bill Staples, Jr., author of “Kenichi Zenimura: Japanese American Baseball Pioneer” (2011).

Contact: 202-707-0245.

Thursday, May 9; 5 p.m.
LJ-119, First Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
The Politics of Culture, the Culture of Politics: Europe in the 21^st Century. Kluge Center Director John Haskell will interview Kissinger Chair in International Relations and Foreign Policy Ivan Krastev on the connection between culture and politics in the European Union. Krastev is a widely regarded expert on Balkan and European affairs. His latest book is “Democracy Disrupted: The Politics of Global Protest.” This event is co-hosted by the European Delegation and the Embassy of Bulgaria as a part of the European Month of Culture, which highlights the diverse cultures of the 28 European Union Member States. A small display of items from the Library of Congress’s Bulgarian collections will be held in room LJ-113. A reception will follow the interview. Free tickets are available here: https://eupoliticsandculture.eventbrite.com.

Friday, May 10; 9 a.m.
LJ-119, First Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Digital International Treasures, The Persian Language Rare Materials Digitization Project. In celebration of the Persian New Year, or Nowruz, the African and Middle Eastern Division announced the online release of 150 Persian manuscripts from the division’s rare Persian language collections. Coming from the various parts of Central, South and West Asia with some dating back to the 13th century, these manuscripts shed light on scientific, religious, philosophical and literary traditions of the Persian speaking lands. These manuscripts are a part of the larger effort to digitize all rare Persian treasures housed in AMED. Future releases will include additional Persian manuscripts, lithographic books and early imprints. The two panel program will include conversations with experts and Library staff on the ways in which Persian manuscripts contribute to the study of language, literature, art history and culture as well as exploring the ways in which the Library digitizes unique collections, making content accessible for outreach and education. Contact: hdina@loc.gov.

Tuesday, May 14; 12 p.m.
Whittall Pavilion, Ground Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Dick Spottswood: A Discographer on the Record. Dick Spottswood, renowned discographer, researcher, author, broadcaster, and scholar of folk and ethnic music, will join us at the Library of Congress to participate in a two-part event in the Benjamin Botkin Folklife Lecture Series. The event will feature an interview with AFC staff members about his career and accomplishments followed by a panel with prominent Washington DC folklorists, ethnomusicologists, and archivists highlighting his numerous contributions to American music.  We will discuss all of these aspects of his work, as well as his experiences as long-time host of the two-hour program "The Dick Spottswood Show" on Bluegrass Country radio WAMU, (88.5 HD 2 in the Washington metro area, or use the link on the title to listen via webstream); co-founder of “Bluegrass Unlimited” magazine; a founding member of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections; and the recipient of numerous awards and honors. We’ll also touch on his current work on a new edition of “Country Music Sources” (2002), a study which combines bibliography with discography to trace the history of old songs, hymns, and dance tunes. This lecture is a part of the Benjaming A. Botkin Folklife Lecture Series. Contact: 202-707-1743.

Friday, May 14; 12 p.m.
Pickford Theater, Third Floor, Madison Building
African Americans and Utopia: Visions of a Better Life. Lecture by Lyman Tower Sargent, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Missouri- St. Louis, author, and scholar of “Utopian Studies.”   While there have been studies of individual African American writers and African American authors of science fiction, some of whom wrote utopias and, more often, dystopias, there has been no attempt to examine the many ways that African Americans contributed to American utopianism. This has resulted in a substantial gap in the history of American political thought.  Lyman Tower Sargent’s lecture is an attempt at beginning to fill that gap by presenting the many ways that African Americans have contributed to visions of a better life in the United States in literature, by establishing communities and by contributing to the dialogue around betterment throughout U.S. history. Sponsored by the Researcher and Reference Services Division. Contact: 202-707-0940.

Thursday, May 23; 12 p.m.
Whittall Pavilion, Ground Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
North Mississippi Homeplace: Photographs and Folklife, a book talk by Michael Ford. In the early 1970s, photographer and documentary filmmaker Michael Ford left graduate school and a college teaching position in Boston, Massachusetts, packed his young family into a van, and headed to rural Mississippi, where he spent the next four years recording everyday life through interviews, still photographs, and film. The moving photographs in Ford's new book illustrate his experiences as an apprentice to blacksmith Marion Randolph Hall, his visits to Hal Waldrip's General Store in Chulahoma, a day spent with A. G. Newsom and his crew making molasses, and Othar Turner's barbecues accompanied by traditional fife-and-drum music. They also capture the evocative landscape of the Mississippi hill country and the everyday lives of its residents. This lecture is a part of the Benjamin A. Botkin Folklife Lecture Series. Contact: 202-707-1743.

Curator Tours/Gallery Talks 

Wednesday, May 1; 1 p.m.
Graphic Arts Gallery, Thomas Jefferson Building
Gallery Talk: Street Spirit: Posada's Enduring Influence on Socially Conscious Artists.  Prints and Photographs Division curator Katherine Blood will discuss artworks on display in “Art in Action: Herblock and Fellow Artists Respond to Their Times” that were influenced by Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada (1852–1913) and will show examples of Posada’s own work. Posada is known for his lively calaveras (skulls and skeletons) and for creating widely-accessible, popular artworks that ranged from political and satirical subjects to game boards. Contact: 202-707-0245.

Wednesday, May 15; 12 p.m.
Northwest Gallery, Second Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Gallery Talk: Glyphs on Pots: History of Maya Ceramics. Writing was independently invented in five areas of the ancient world, including Mesoamerica. Of these, the Maya glyphic system stands out for its creation of syllabic and pictorial writing. John Hessler, curator of the Jay I. Kislak Collection, will discuss this priceless literary cultural heritage as preserved on vessels in the exhibition. Contact: 202-707-0245.

Thursday, May 23; 2 p.m.
LJ-119, First Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Art in Action: Converstion with Helen Zughaib.  Helen Zughaib’s work engages with contemporary political issues, including the experiences of refugees, and is on view in the exhibition “Art in Action: Herblock and Fellow Artists Respond to Their Times.” Prints and Photographs curator Katherine Blood will interview the artist about her work and the two will discuss the role of art in social movements, artists as change makers, and the nature and purpose of socially engaged art. Contact: 202-707-0245.

Concerts/Performances

 A full listing of concerts and performances is available at loc.gov/concerts/seasonataglance.html. For additional information contact the Concerts Office at 202-707-5503 or concerts@loc.gov.

Saturday, May 4; 8 p.m.
Coolidge Auditorium, Jefferson Building
Concert: Tetzlarr-Tetzlaff-Vogt Trio. The dynamic sibling duo of Tanja and Christian Tetzlaff is joined by pianist Lars Vogt to form a superstar trio. Their recording of the Brahms trios was recently nominated for a Grammy; in this program they turn their attention to significant trios by Mozart and Dvořák, alongside the powerful second piano trio of Shostakovich. It has been years since the Tetzlaff-Tetzlaff-Vogt Trio toured in the U.S., so you won’t want to miss them! There will be a preconcert lecture by David Plylar at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. Free tickets available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tetzlaff-tetzlaff-vogt-trio-concert-tickets-48801991069.

Thursday, May 9; 12 p.m.
Coolidge Auditorium, Jefferson Building
Concert: Cora Harvey Armstrong. Cora Harvey Armstrong is a gospel singer, piano player, songwriter, choir director, and bandleader born and raised in King and Queen County, Virginia. Richmond-born musician and producer Bill McGee has described her as “Aretha Franklin on piano, Mahalia Jackson with her voice, and Shirley Caesar with her style.” She has toured and lectured on Gospel Music in Japan and Europe, and is a sought after artist, pianist, psalmist and preacher. In the concert she will be joined by her sisters Clara and Virginia, her nieces Kimberly, Ruthy, and Clarissa, and her band. Visit: https://www.loc.gov/concerts/folklife/cora-harvey-armstrong.html.

Thursday, May 16; 12 p.m.
Whittall Pavilion Jefferson Building
Concert: Eva Salina and Peter Stan. California-grown, Brooklyn-based Eva Salina is a groundbreaking interpreter of Balkan Romani songs. Raised in the US Balkan Diaspora, Eva's mentors are some of the greatest living Balkan musicians. Eva's duo partner, Peter “Perica” Stan, is a Serbian/Romanian Roma accordionist known for his playful innovation and soulful, intuitive improvisations. In their collaboration, Eva Salina & Peter Stan pick up and continue an interrupted legacy of empowered female voices in Balkan Romani (gypsy) music. Amplifying voices of past generations of Romani women musicians, Eva & Peter employ tenderness, grace, passion and a commitment to keeping these songs alive and evolving, while inspiring and teaching young people in the Balkans and the Balkan diaspora to participate in their own living traditions. Visit https://www.loc.gov/concerts/folklife/evasalina-peterstan.html.

June

Lectures/Symposiums/Talks

Tuesday, Jun. 4; 12 p.m.
Dining Room A, Sixth Floor, Madison Building
“The Cartographic History of Afghanistan: The Early Modern and Colonial Periods.” In this lecture, Dr. Shah Mahmoud Hanifi (James Madison University) will discuss the complexity, innovation, redundancy, and contradictions in the cartographic history of modern maps of Afghanistan. The lecture will focus specifically on 18th and 19th century mapping projects that emanated from British India. 

Discussion will also include twentieth-century maps produced by the Government of Afghanistan in the broader context of postcolonial South Asia and the global Cold War. Dr. Hanifi’s lecture will draw upon the rich collection of maps of Afghanistan held in the Library’s Geography and Maps Division. Contact: 202-707-8000.

Thursday, Jun. 13; 11:30 a.m.
Pickford Theater, Third Floor, Madison Building
“Hurricane Hunting NASA Style: Using Space-Based and Airborne Measurements to Better Understand and Predict Hurricanes.” Millions of people worldwide are exposed to the potential hazards of hurricanes and similar storms. Advances in observation systems and modeling have led to advances in storm track prediction and storm intensity forecasting. However, underscored by recent storms, major challenges remain, relating to rapid changes in storm intensity, storm structure, precipitation, and storm surge. Dr. Scott Braun will discuss our current understanding and the suite of tools that NASA provides to improve understanding of these impactful storms. Contact: 202-707-5639.

Concerts/Performances

The 2018-2019 season features the extraordinary music and legendary performers audiences have come to expect from the Library. A full listing of concerts and performances is available at loc.gov/concerts/seasonataglance.html. For additional information contact the Concerts Office at 202-707-5503 or concerts@loc.gov. 

Saturday, Jun. 1; 8 p.m.
Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Jefferson Building
Concert: Jan Lisiecki, piano. Standard-setting Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, performs the music of Felix Mendelssohn with the young Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki.  Pre-concert conversation with the Composer in the Whittall Pavilion at 6:30 p.m. For tickets visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/orpheus-chamber-orchestra-concert-tickets-48802094378

Thursday, Jun. 13; 12 p.m.  
Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Jefferson Building
Homegrown Concerts: African Sons of God. African Sons of God is a choral singing group from South Africa, formed in 2009. They sing in the a cappella style known as Isicathamiya, which is best known from the international success of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The leader of African Sons of God is Derrick Ogle, who is a former member of Junior Mambazo, the group formed by children of the original members of Ladysmith. The group recorded their first album in 2013 and is working on a second, which will feature a tribute to Nelson Mandela. They donate part of their earnings from music to helping schoolchildren buy uniforms and supplies for school, an important issue to many African students. Visit: https://www.loc.gov/concerts/folklife/african-sons-of-god.html.

Tuesday, Jun. 25; 12 p.m.
Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Jefferson Building
Homegrown Concerts: Los Cenzontles (Nahuatl for The Mockingbirds) is a Mexican American group, cultural arts academy, and media production studio based in San Pablo, California. Los Cenzontles have revived and promoted little known styles of Mexican regional music since 1989, through research, performance, education, recordings, and videos. The group has collaborated with numerous artists, including David Hidalgo, Linda Ronstadt, Los Lobos, Ry Cooder, Taj Mahal, Jackson Browne, The Chieftains, and Flaco Jimenez. Visit: https://www.loc.gov/concerts/folklife/los-cenzontles.html.

July

 Lectures/Symposiums

Wednesday, Jul. 1; 10:30 a.m.
Coolidge Auditorium, First Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Copyright Matters Event: “Create an Adventure with Copyright.” This Copyright Matters event will celebrate the way that copyright inspires adventure and how adventure promotes copyright. It will focus on the impact copyright has on photographs, travel books, TV shows and movies.  On the other hand it will show how any adventure influences copyright, how one is inspired by the other and how that is used by creators.

Contact: amro@copyright.gov

Curator Tours/Gallery Talks 

Friday, Jul. 5; 11 a.m.
South Gallery, Second Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Gallery Talk: Cardboard Culture: The Origins of the Great American Baseball Card. James L. Gates, Jr., Library Director of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will discuss the origins of trading cards including baseball cards and the growth of their popularity. Contact: 202-707-0245.

 Concerts/Performances

A full listing of concerts and performances is available at loc.gov/concerts/seasonataglance.html. For additional information contact the Concerts Office at 202-707-5503 or concerts@loc.gov.  

Tuesday, July 25; 12 p.m.
Coolidge Auditorium, Jefferson Building
Concert: Cedric Watson. Cedric Watson, a four-time Grammy-nominated fiddler, singer, accordionist, and songwriter, is one of the brightest contemporary talents to emerge in Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music over the last decade. Cedric continues to explore the roots of Louisiana's Creole music with his own band, Bijou Creole. Cedric's creative style and obvious joy in playing make him an engaging and exciting performer. Moving with ease between fiddle and accordion, his natural playfulness on stage makes him fun to watch. The Cedric Watson Trio also includes multi-instrumentalist Chris Stafford (of the band Feufollet) and rubboardist Desireé Champagne.

Visit: https://www.loc.gov/concerts/folklife/cedric-watson.html.

Summer Tour Offerings

The Library of Congress offers a variety of tours for families, music lovers, bibliophiles, international visitors and you! Including but not limited to:

Touch History Tour 

Visitors with visual impairments are invited to experience a walking tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building. The Touch History tour is led by a specially trained docent who uses vivid language to describe the building. Tours last about one hour.  

Whittall Open House 

Periodically, the Library opens its Whittall Pavilion for public viewing. A volunteer is on hand to describe and answer questions about the flute collection, artwork and Whittall's Stradivari string instruments. Visitors are invited to take advantage of these opportunities to experience this beautiful and intimate space.

Family Building Tour 

A tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building for elementary school aged children (ages 6 -12). Children must be accompanied by an adult. Capacity is 25 participants (including adults) welcomed on a first-come, first-served basis to accommodate as many children as possible, adult participation may be limited to two per extended family group. Tours last approximately 40 minutes and leave promptly from the Jefferson ground floor Center Information Desk.

Family Mythology Tour

Experience the Thomas Jefferson Building as Mount Olympus! Discover your favorite gods, heroes and mythological characters at the Library of Congress. For ages 8-14. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Adult participation may be limited to two per extended family or friend group. Check in at the ground floor information desk for availability. Participation is on a first-come, first served basis. Tours are approximately 40 minutes.

Spanish Language Tour

Centro para Visitantes de la Biblioteca del Congreso ofrecerá visitas guiadas en español del edificio Thomas Jefferson. Las visitas están limitadas a 25 personas en orden de llegada. Reserve su espacio con 30 minutos de antelación al comienzo de la visita en el mostrador de información para visitantes que está localizado en la planta baja. Las visitas duran una hora aproximadamente y abarcan un preámbulo de la historia y servicios de la Biblioteca y el arte y la arquitectura del histórico edificio Thomas Jefferson. Solicite acomodaciones del Acta de Americanos con Discapacidades (ADA, sigla en inglés) con cinco días laborables de antelación a través del 202-707-6362 o en ADA@loc.gov.

French Language Tour

Direction de l’Accueil du Public de la bibliothèque du Congrès propose des visites guidées en français de l’édifice Thomas Jefferson. Les visites sont limitées à 25 personnes par ordre d’arrivée. Réservez votre place 30 minutes avant le début de la visite au comptoir d’information du rez-de-chaussée. Les visites durent à peu près une heure et incluent un aperçu de l’histoire et des services offerts par la bibliothèque, ainsi que l’art et l’architecture de l’immeuble historique Thomas Jefferson. Pour les personnes en situation de handicap selon l’American Disability Act (acronyme ADA), veuillez contacter avec cinq jours ouvrables d’avance le 202-707-6362 ou ADA@loc.gov.

Please check the website loc.gov/visit/tours/guided-tours/thomas-jefferson-building/ for additional dates and information or contact veo@loc.gov.

Research Orientations at the Library of Congress

The “Research Orientation to the Library of Congress” sessions are a basic introduction for researchers using the Library’s collections and resources. Each session includes an overview of reading rooms and collections; guidelines on how to locate and request materials in a closed-stack library; suggestions on how to conduct research efficiently in the Library; instruction on how to use Library of Congress subject headings and other sources for searching accurately by subject; information on how to find published bibliographies and topical indexes in print and automated formats; information on using the Library's catalogs in card and online forms; procedures for finding citations to journal articles; and an overview of electronic resources, including subscription databases.

Orientations are held on weekdays and Saturday mornings. There are multiple summer season dates currently available. The orientations are free, but due to expected demand, tickets are recommended, and there may be special restrictions. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit this event ticketing site eventbrite.com/o/research-orientations-to-the-library-of-congress-11132505840 for more information and to secure your ticket. Entry is not guaranteed.

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 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. 

Thomas Jefferson Building

Through July 27, 2019: “Baseball Americana” explores baseball’s gritty roots, its changing traditions and the game today. It is a story the nation’s library can uniquely tell, showcasing items that cannot be found anywhere else. Second floor, South Gallery.

Through Aug. 17, 2019: “Art in Action: Herblock and Fellow Artists Respond to Their Times” explores the tradition of artists as social commentators. Drawings by renowned editorial cartoonist Herblock will be paired with historical and contemporary artists’ prints, drawings and posters that respond to major issues from the 17^th century to the current day. Graphic Arts Gallery, 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: The 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: “Exploring the Early Americas” 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. Northwest Gallery, second 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 pre-eminent resource for materials about the Gershwins. Ground floor.

Public Tours of…

Baseball Americana
A free docent-led tour of Baseball Americana. Meet at the exhibition. Tours are scheduled for 11 a.m. on most Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as well as 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Exploring the Early Americas
This free, docent-led tour examines indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica and the drama of their encounters with Europeans. It features selections from the Jay I. Kislak Collection as well as the Waldseemueller Maps, created in 1507 and 1516. Meet at the exhibition entrance. Tours are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 11:30 a.m.

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

Explore America’s Changemakers

The Library of Congress is inviting visitors to Explore America’s Changemakers in 2019 through a series of exhibitions, events and programs. Exhibitions drawing from the Library’s collections will explore the fight for women’s suffrage, Rosa Parks’ groundbreaking role in civil rights history and artists’ responses to major issues of the day. Other events throughout the year will explore changemakers through music, performances and public programs. 

Changemakers are everywhere. Everyday citizens become trailblazers and history makers, shaping America and making life better. Come discover their stories with us, and be inspired to create new stories of your own.

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.