February 7, 1999 AT&T Gives $3.5 Million Grant to Library for National Digital Library Program

WHAT:
A donation of $3.5 million from the AT&T Foundation to the Library of Congress for the digitization of the Alexander Graham Bell and Samuel F.B. Morse collections.

Rare, original materials from the Bell and Morse collections will be on view, including Bell's 1876 sketch for the first telephone and the original telegraph message of 1846 sent by Morse.

WHO:
James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress
Esther Silver-Parker, President, AT&T Foundation

WHEN:
Wednesday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m.

WHERE:
Library of Congress Digital Library Visitors' Center
First-floor Atrium, James Madison Memorial Building
101 Independence Ave. S.E.

BACKGROUND

The Alexander Graham Bell and Samuel F.B. Morse collections contain such important materials as Bell's drawing for the first telephone and Morse's first telegraph message. The gift from AT&T will make it possible to share these collections with Americans everywhere, through the Library's American Memory Web site, a project of the National Digital Library Program.

AT&T's grant, the largest corporate gift to the NDL Program, furthers the corporation's longstanding commitment to education and the company's support of efforts to use technology to enhance teaching and learning. The AT&T grant completes the Library's effort to raise $45 million in private money for the NDL Program. The program has also received $15 million in appropriations, for a $60 million total over five years.

Rare and important materials from these two collections will be on view. The curator of these collections will be on hand to answer questions, and photographs may be taken of the items (no flash allowed). Refreshments will be served.