On Aug. 24, GlobalCenter Inc., a Global Crossing Ltd. subsidiary and leading Internet services company, began providing free hosting services for the Library of Congress's newest Web site, "America's Library," available at www.americaslibrary.gov.
America's Library debuted on April 24, the 200th birthday of the Library of Congress. The site, intended for children and families, has handled more than 20 million transactions as of the end of August.
"The Library thanks GlobalCenter for its generous gift in hosting this new and important Web site," said Dr. Billington. "America's Library is our first site designed for a specific audience, children, who we hope will use the site with their friends and families to learn about American history in a fun and interesting way."
"GlobalCenter is delighted and honored to play such an integral role in sharing America's Library with children and adults of the U.S. and the world," said Leo Hindery Jr., chairman and CEO of GlobalCenter.
GlobalCenter's gift to the Library was announced during a news conference on April 24. In addition to providing complex Web hosting services, GlobalCenter has donated the hardware necessary for the site's maintenance.
The America's Library Web site is supported by a public service campaign sponsored by the Advertising Council, with creative services donated by DDB Chicago. Television, radio and Web ads, whose theme is, "There is a better way to have fun with history. ... Log On. Play Around. Learn Something," have been distributed to more than 9,000 media outlets nationwide.
The Advertising Council is a private, nonprofit organization that has been the leading producer of public service communications programs in the United States since 1942. The Council supports campaigns that benefit children, families and communities. The communications programs are national in scope and have generated strong, measurable results. Ad Council campaigns, such as "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk," "Take A Bite Out of Crime," and "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste," have helped to save lives and resources, to educate the public about issues and concerns of the day and to make America a healthier country in which to live.
"America's Library" is a project of the Library of Congress's Public Affairs Office and the National Digital Library Program, and was designed by 415 Productions Inc. of San Francisco.
By the end of 2000, the flagship American Memory Web site will offer more than 5 million historically important items, in collaboration with other institutions. More than 80 American Memory collections are now available in topics ranging from presidential papers and photographs from the Civil War, to early films of Thomas Edison and panoramic maps, to documents from the women's suffrage and civil rights movements.
