Press Releases

In cooperation with the Office of Communications, the Rare Book and Special Collections Division regularly publishes press releases about its latest activities. Past releases can be viewed below.

Those interested in staying informed can also subscribe to the Rare Book and Special Collections blog, “Bibliomania,” to learn about new collection acquisitions, little-known items, Library treasures, digital initiatives, and upcoming events related to the RBSCD.

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    September 3, 2024  (24-074)
    Aramont Charitable Foundation Gives $1 Million to Fund New Education Specialist for Library of Congress Rare Book and Special Collections The Aramont Charitable Foundation has awarded a $1 million gift to the Library of Congress to support a new education outreach specialist to enhance the Rare Book & Special Collections Division’s outreach and programming through 2029, the Library announced today.The gift follows a $1 million endowment established by the Aramont Charitable Foundation at the Library of Congress for public programming surrounding the donation of…
    • Date: 2024-09-04
  • July 8, 2024  (24-060)
    Library of Congress National Book Festival Partners with PBS Books to Amplify New and Beloved Literary Voices from the 2024 Festival Throughout history, the art of reading has nourished the mind, sharpened perspective and inspired change. Books are foundational building blocks to learning and the preface to understanding one another, the human condition and lived experience. In so many ways, books build us up, and that’s the theme for this year’s Library of Congress National Book Festival. Beginning July 10, bookworms across the country can…
    • Date: 2024-07-09
  • November 15, 2023  (23-097)
    Celebrate the Holidays, See National Film Registry Selections During Live at the Library in December Visitors are invited to get into the holiday spirit at Live! at the Library in December with the Library's annual holiday celebration and Christmas tree lighting on Dec. 14. Plus, on Dec. 21 and 28, watch two holiday films that will be added to the National Film Registry this year. And enjoy happy hour alongside café concerts on Dec. 7, 14 and 21 in…
    • Date: 2023-11-16
  • October 18, 2023  (23-089)
    Shakespeare Everywhere Festival, Conversation with Simon Schama and More During Live at the Library in November Throughout November, the Library will host events during Live at the Library as part of the city-wide Shakespeare Everywhere Festival. Public health leader Atul Gawande joins public intellectual Simon Schama for a conversation on Nov. 16. Plus, commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Washington, D.C. Home Rule Act on Nov. 30 with a panel discussion, GoGo band performance and more.On Thursday evenings, the Library’s…
    • Date: 2023-10-19
  • October 9, 2023  (23-085)
    Library of Congress Appoints Stephanie Stillo Chief of Rare Book and Special Collections The Library of Congress has named Stephanie Stillo as the new chief of the Library’s Rare Book and Special Collections Division. Stillo, who assumed her new role on Oct. 9, joined the Library in 2016. She has served as the curator of the Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection and the Aramont Library — two of the division’s notable collections.The Rare Book and Special Collections Division…
    • Date: 2023-10-10
  • August 14, 2023  (23-069)
    C-SPAN and Library of Congress Announce New Primetime Book Series for Fall 2023 C-SPAN and the Library of Congress have announced a joint original feature production for fall 2023: "Books That Shaped America."The 10-part series – which C-SPAN will air LIVE on Mondays, starting Sept. 18 at 9 p.m. ET – will be a literary journey, tracing America's history by exploring masterpieces in literature that have had, and still have today, a major impact on society.The 10-week…
    • Date: 2023-08-15
  • June 21, 2023  (23-059)
    Enjoy Summer Movies and Music on the Lawn During Live at the Library in July Enjoy summer movies and music on the lawn beginning on July 6 with a screening of “Iron Man” and a performance by Batalá Washington, D.C.’s all-women Afro-Brazilian drumming troop. To celebrate the upcoming National Book Festival, all of the movies presented are adapted from books or comics. Plus, join historian Kevin M. Hymel as he discusses his books on George S. Patton at the…
    • Date: 2023-06-22
  • May 17, 2023  (23-047)
    Ada Limón to Reveal Poem for NASA Europa Clipper Mission During Live at the Library in June During Live at the Library in June, U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón — recently reappointed for a historic two-year term — will unveil her original poem written for the NASA Europa Clipper mission. Plus, celebrations for the Juneteenth holiday will honor African American folk music and photography. Celebrate Pride with a concert saluting Billy Strayhorn on June 8, and view a display of LGBTQ+…
    • Date: 2023-05-18
  • May 14, 2023  (23-048)
    Library of Congress Festival of Film and Sound Announces Full Lineup of Rare Cinema and Special Guests The Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center is announcing the full lineup of rare cinema and special guests to be featured at the inaugural Library of Congress Festival of Film and Sound. The new four-day film festival will be held June 15-18 in association with the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center at the American Film Institute’s beautifully restored 1938 art deco theater…
    • Date: 2023-05-15
  • May 8, 2023  (23-046)
    Library of Congress Completes Digitization of Yongle Encyclopedia, Largest Reference Work of Pre-Modern Era The Library of Congress has completed a yearslong effort to digitize the Yongle Encyclopedia (Yongle dadian 永樂大典), the largest reference work created in pre-modern China, and possibly the world. Digital publication of the 41 volumes held in the Library’s collections provides open access to one of the most extensive attempts in world history to capture the entirety of human knowledge in book form.The massive…
    • Date: 2023-05-09
  • April 20, 2023  (23-038)
    Honor Vietnam Veterans, Celebrate Jewish-American Heritage Month and More During Live at the Library in May Honor Vietnam War veterans during Live at the Library on May 11 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Cultural events in May also will celebrate Yiddish history in the United States and the history of recipes and cookbooks in America.On Thursday evenings, the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building and all exhibitions are open for extended hours from 5…
    • Date: 2023-04-21
  • February 15, 2023  (23-024)
    Live at the Library to Feature Gershwin Prize Honoree Joni Mitchell Gershwin Prize honoree Joni Mitchell will sit down with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden for a special conversation during Live at the Library on March 2. The Library will continue to celebrate Women’s History Month with an event highlighting women’s contributions to the music industry. Plus, join for an inside look at two Library exhibitions, “Join In: Voluntary Associations in America” and “Not an…
    • Date: 2023-02-16
  • January 31, 2023  (23-016)
    Library Opens New Web Archive Collection, Features Programs for Black History Month A new web archive collection from the Library of Congress documents the civil unrest sparked by the police murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. The Protests Against Racism Web Archive contains a selection of websites documenting protests against racism and police brutality against Black people, as well as grass roots movements and activism calling for police reform.The release of the web archive…
    • Date: 2023-02-01
  • January 25, 2023  (23-012)
    Live at the Library to Celebrate Black History Month, Presidents Day in February Dive deep into the Library’s collections in celebration of Black History Month with displays and a performance from the Library’s American Folklife Center during Live at the Library in February. Plus, step back in time with an intimate look at the presidency of Calvin Coolidge in honor of Presidents Day.On Thursday evenings, the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building and all exhibitions are open for extended…
    • Date: 2023-01-26
  • January 11, 2023  (23-003)
    Library of Congress Celebrates Historic Aramont Library The Library of Congress will celebrate the Aramont Library with a series of events on Jan. 19 that includes a scholarly symposium, a display of first editions and illustrated books by world-renowned artists from the 19thand 20th centuries and a roundtable discussion about the making of the modern book.In private hands for over 40 years, the Aramont Library was donated to the Library of…
    • Date: 2023-01-12
  • January 5, 2023  (23-001)
    Live at the Library to Feature Rare Book Collection, New Exhibition in January Visitors will have the chance to dive deep into the Library of Congress’ newest exhibition “Join In: Voluntary Associations in America” during Live at the Library in January. Plus, a special display and roundtable will take visitors behind the scenes of a rare modernist book and art collection.On Thursday evenings, the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building and all exhibitions are open for extended hours from…
    • Date: 2023-01-06
  • December 5, 2022  (22-109)
    Join In: New Library of Congress Exhibition Features History of Voluntary Associations in America The newest exhibition at the Library of Congress, “Join In: Voluntary Associations in America,” explores America’s history as a “nation of joiners” and our long tradition of volunteering for a wide range of groups and causes. The exhibition opens to the public Dec. 16 and will be on view through Dec. 31, 2023.Americans have a longstanding impulse to join together for common purposes, such…
    • Date: 2022-12-06
  • December 4, 2022  (22-108)
    Library to Celebrate Jason Reynolds' Three Years as National Ambassador for Young People's Literature The Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader will celebrate the end of Jason Reynolds’ unprecedented three-year term as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature with local students in the Washington, D.C., area on Dec. 13.“Jason Reynolds’ tenure as National Ambassador has been nothing short of magic,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “For three years, Jason toured the country, empowering students to…
    • Date: 2022-12-05
  • November 1, 2022  (22-091)
    Library Seeks Applicants for 2023 Junior Fellows Program The Library of Congress is seeking applicants for its Junior Fellows Program, a summer internship held from May 22, 2023, to July 28, 2023. This 10-week, full-time paid internship is open to undergraduate and graduate students interested in learning and conducting research using the resources of the world’s largest library. Remote and onsite project opportunities are available. The deadline to apply is Monday, Nov.…
    • Date: 2022-11-02
  • October 16, 2022  (22-090)
    Scholar at the Library of Congress Identifies the First Motion Picture Ever Copyrighted Claudy Op den Kamp, a film scholar at the Library of Congress’ John W. Kluge Center, has solved a longstanding mystery by identifying the first U.S. motion picture ever copyrighted – “The Blacksmith Shop” by Thomas Edison.For decades, scholars have mined copyright records at the Library — home to the U.S. Copyright Office — to piece together the story of early cinema. It has…
    • Date: 2022-10-17
  • September 21, 2022  (22-083)
    Live at the Library to Feature Giant Bible of Mainz in October The new Thursday evening series Live at the Library will feature a rare viewing of one of the Library’s treasures, the Giant Bible of Mainz, in celebration of National German-American Friendship Day.On Thursday evenings, the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building and all exhibitions are open for extended hours from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Visitors are invited to enjoy happy hour drinks and snacks available for…
    • Date: 2022-09-22
  • July 20, 2022  (22-066)
    Explore Library Collections, Reading Rooms During Live at the Library The new Thursday evening series Live at the Library will offer a special opportunity for visitors to explore the Library of Congress’ reading rooms, collections and exhibitions in August. Visitors are also invited to a special celebration of audiobooks and the Library’s recorded sound collections.Free timed-entry passes are required to enter the Thomas Jefferson Building. Visit loc.gov/visit to reserve your pass for Live at…
    • Date: 2022-07-21
  • June 20, 2022  (22-055)
    Librarian of Congress Appoints Jennifer Meehan Director of Special Collections Jennifer Meehan, head of the Eberly Family Special Collections Library at Penn State University, has been named director of the Library of Congress’ Special Collections Directorate effective Aug. 1. Meehan’s career spans over 18 years in academic and research institutions in positions of progressive responsibility including 14 years of management and leadership experience. She currently serves as head of the Eberly Family Special Collections…
    • Date: 2022-06-21
  • April 4, 2022  (22-029)
    Library to Celebrate Joy Harjo's Three Terms as U.S. Poet Laureate The Library of Congress will celebrate Joy Harjo, the first Native American U.S. poet laureate, as her three terms in the position come to a conclusion with two public programs at the end of April.“For a remarkable three terms as U.S. poet laureate, Joy Harjo has tirelessly promoted Native poets and poetry,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “To her, poems are ‘carriers of…
    • Date: 2022-04-05
  • February 24, 2022  (22-015)
    Library of Congress Acquires Joan Miró's 'Makemono' Scroll The Library of Congress has acquired Joan Miró’s “Makemono,” a 32-foot-long illustrated scroll the Catalan surrealist painter created in 1956, modeled after picture and calligraphic scrolls of ancient East Asian origin. The color lithograph on silk scroll joins other original prints and illustrated books by Miró, both in the Aramont Library and the Rosenwald Collection in the Library’s Rare Book and Special Collections Division.Miró…
    • Date: 2022-02-25
  • January 9, 2022  (22-001)
    Library of Congress Acquires Kitchen Sisters' Audio Archive For more than 40 years, radio and podcast producers, Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva, best known as The Kitchen Sisters on public radio, have chronicled the lives, rituals, triumphs and tribulations of people from all walks of life, weaving together a rich tapestry of America’s cultural heritage. Now the Library of Congress is acquiring their full body of work, including more than 7,000 hours…
    • Date: 2022-01-10
  • October 27, 2021  (21-063)
    Library of Congress Acquires Rare Book Collection from American Foundation for the Blind The Library of Congress has acquired the M.C. Migel Memorial Rare Book Collection from the American Foundation for the Blind, comprised of more than 750 items dating from 1617 to the present, including books by and about Hellen Keller and other blind authors. The collection is a treasure trove of seminal books on blindness, maps, rare pamphlets and many volumes of poetry, biographies and…
    • Date: 2021-10-28
  • October 19, 2021  (21-064)
    Gems of Comic Art Collection Featured in New Library of Congress Exhibition A new exhibition at the Library of Congress explores how comic books have permeated popular entertainment and influenced U.S. culture, highlighting selections from the Stephen A. Geppi Collection that was generously donated to the national library in 2018.“Geppi Gems” is now open in the Library’s Graphic Arts Gallery through mid-March 2022. A second rotation with different items is planned for spring 2022. The exhibition…
    • Date: 2021-10-20
  • June 20, 2021  (21-030)
    New Book Explores Views of Japan Over Time through American Children's Books Beginning in the 19th century, children’s books provided American readers with their first impressions of Japan. Packed with fascinating details about daily life in a distant land, these publications often presented a mixture of facts, stereotypes and complete fabrications.“Japan and American Children’s Books: A Journey” documents the evolving portrayal of Japan in American children’s books over nearly 200 years, highlighting the shift from fanciful…
    • Date: 2021-06-21
  • February 10, 2021  (21-006)
    Private Library Containing Rare Books by Important Authors, Artists Donated to Library of Congress with Endowment for Programs The Library of Congress has acquired the Aramont Library, a collection of rare books from some of the most prolific authors and artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. The gift by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous marks the first time the Aramont Library has been made available to the public.To enhance the Aramont collection’s accessibility to the general public, the donor…
    • Date: 2021-02-11
  • March 24, 2020  (20-023)
    National Recording Registry Class Produces Ultimate 'Stay at Home' Playlist The gentle sounds of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”; Russ Hodges’ thrilling play-by-play of the National League tiebreaker between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951; the Village People’s international dance anthem, “Y.M.C.A.”; “Cheap Trick at Budokan”; and the original 1964 Broadway cast recording of “Fiddler on the Roof” are among the newest recordings inducted into the National Recording Registry of the Library…
    • Date: 2020-03-25
  • December 17, 2019  (19-120)
    New Endowment to Support National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled The Library of Congress today announced a major endowment in support of the work of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS). Established by Susan D. Diskin in honor of her late mother, the Tiby Diskin Memorial Fund will provide resources for the Library to expand its services to individuals with visual impairments and other print disabilities.The first initiative made…
    • Date: 2019-12-18
  • November 11, 2019  (19-110)
    New, Vivid History of Pre- and Post-Columbian Art Featured in 'Collecting for a New World' A new book explores the history of the early Americas — a story of before and after, defined and divided by the pivotal moment of contact, in 1492, between Europeans and the indigenous cultures of the New World — told through the collection of early American treasures in the Library of Congress.On the European side, this is a tale of exploration, high-stakes treasure seeking…
    • Date: 2019-11-12
  • November 7, 2019  (19-105)
    Library of Congress Seeks Applicants for the 2020 Junior Fellows Summer Intern Program The Library of Congress is seeking applicants for its 2020 Junior Fellows Summer Intern Program. This is a 10-week paid fellowship for undergraduate and graduate students interested in learning more about the work done at the largest library in the world. For more information or to apply for the program, visit https://www.loc.gov/item/internships/junior-fellows-program/. The deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 20. From exploring new ways…
    • Date: 2019-11-08
  • September 23, 2019  (19-093)
    Library of Congress Hosts Events Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Hispanic Heritage Month runs between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15. The Hispanic Division and the Hispanic Cultural Society at the Library of Congress will host workshops, displays and readings that celebrate Hispanic identity, civilization and culture inside the Hispanic Reading Room. The reading room is located on the second floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street, S.E., Washington, DC 20540. Highlighting the…
    • Date: 2019-09-24
  • September 23, 2019  (19-095)
    Library to Mark 150th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's Birth with Display of Special Collections A special display at the Library of Congress will mark the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth on Oct. 2, featuring a letter written in Gandhi’s hand, a rare copy of the Indian Constitution and other items exploring Gandhi’s influence on Martin Luther King Jr. and the U.S. civil rights movement.The one-day display from the Library’s collections will be presented Oct. 2 from 11…
    • Date: 2019-09-24
  • September 17, 2019  (19-091)
    Library of Congress Crime Classics Bring New Life to American Suspense in Publishing Collaboration with Poisoned Pen Press Classic American crime novels will see new life in a new publishing collaboration between the Library of Congress and Poisoned Pen Press, an imprint of Sourcebooks. The Library of Congress Crime Classics series will feature a rich and diverse selection of books originally published between the 1860s and the 1960s, the Library announced today.Titles are drawn from the Library’s collection of hard-to-find and out-of-print…
    • Date: 2019-09-18
  • September 11, 2019  (19-089)
    New Exhibition "Comic Art: 120 Years of Panels and Pages" Explores Comics from Early Newspapers to Famous Characters A new exhibition at the Library of Congress explores the fascinating evolution of visual storytelling styles in comic art – from panels in early newspapers to contemporary images of some of the most famous and funny characters in print. “Comic Art: 120 Years of Panels and Pages” opens Sept. 12 and will be on view for a year in the Graphic Arts Galleries of…
    • Date: 2019-09-12
  • July 16, 2019  (19-071)
    Library of Congress "Anime for All" Returns The exclusive screening of the newly released GKIDS animated film “Okko’s Inn” will highlight the Library of Congress’ “Anime for All” series, which is being presented in conjunction with Otakon, Washington, D.C.’s annual convention celebrating Asian pop culture (anime, manga, music, movies, video games, etc.) and its fandom. “Anime for All,” a celebration of East Asian culture, mythology, pop culture and inspiration, will be…
    • Date: 2019-07-17
  • June 13, 2019  (19-065)
    Librarian of Congress Appoints Michelle Light Director of Special Collections Michelle Light, formerly director of Special Collections and Archives at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has been named director of the Library of Congress’ Special Collections Directorate. She began work in her new position on May 28. Light’s professional career in libraries spans 26 years and includes positions of progressive responsibility: head of Special Collections Technical Services at the University of Washington; head…
    • Date: 2019-06-14
  • May 30, 2019  (19-059)
    Library of Congress Welcomes Junior Fellows to 2019 Summer Intern Program The Library of Congress today announced the appointment of 40 undergraduate and graduate students to its highly competitive Junior Fellows summer intern program.This year’s Junior Fellows program, which runs from May 28 to Aug. 2, includes 32 special projects across divisions of the Library of Congress. The program will expose the Junior Fellows to the breadth and depth of the work that takes place…
    • Date: 2019-05-31
  • May 5, 2019  (19-046)
    Centuries of Rare Chinese Books Now Online at the Library of Congress In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage month, the Library of Congress has digitized and made available online 1,000 Chinese rare books produced before 1796. The Chinese Rare Book Digital Collection includes the most valuable titles and editions housed in the Library’s Asian Division, some of which date as far back as the 10th century and are the only extant copies in the world.This…
    • Date: 2019-05-06
  • April 28, 2019  (19-044)
    Classic Works of Children's Books Published More Than 100 Years Ago Now Online at the Library of Congress In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Children’s Book Week (April 29 to May 5), today the Library of Congress launched a unique online collection of 67 historically significant children’s books published more than 100 years ago. Drawn from the Library’s collection, Children’s Book Selections are digital versions both of classic works still read by children today and of lesser-known treasures. Additionally, today, DC-area…
    • Date: 2019-04-29
  • April 25, 2019  (19-043)
    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…
    • Date: 2019-04-26
  • April 15, 2019  (19-041)
    Celebrating 200 Years of Walt Whitman with Series of Exhibits, Events and Digital Crowdsourcing to Showcase Collections The Library of Congress will celebrate the 200th anniversary of American poet and changemaker Walt Whitman’s birthday in spring 2019 with a series of exhibits, public programs and a digital crowdsourcing campaign to showcase the Library’s unparalleled collections of Whitman’s writings and artifacts.The Library’s Whitman Bicentennial series will be part of the citywide Walt Whitman 200 Festival and other commemorations in the Mid-Atlantic where…
    • Date: 2019-04-16
  • March 31, 2019  (19-036)
    1,000 Years of Literary Tradition in Rare Persian-Language Manuscripts Now Online at Library of Congress In celebration of the Persian New Year, also known as Nowruz, the Library of Congress has digitized and made available online for the first time the Rare Persian-Language Manuscript Collection, which sheds light on scientific, religious, philosophical and literary topics that are highly valued in the Persian speaking lands.This collection, including 150 manuscripts with some dating back to the 13th century, also reflects the…
    • Date: 2019-04-01
  • March 20, 2019  (19-032)
    Library Acquires Trove of Letters from Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz The Library of Congress has acquired a trove of letters from American artist Georgia O’Keeffe and her husband, the photographer and art promoter Alfred Stieglitz, shedding new light on art history as the correspondence is being made available to the public for the first time.The collection is a set of mostly handwritten letters dating from 1929 to 1947, totaling 157 items. O’Keeffe and Stieglitz…
    • Date: 2019-03-21
  • January 14, 2019  (19-004)
    Unique Autobiography Written in Arabic by an Enslaved Scholar Goes Online at the Library of Congress The Library of Congress has acquired and made available online the Omar Ibn Said Collection, which includes the only known extant narrative written in Arabic by an enslaved person in the United States. In 1831, Omar Ibn Said, a wealthy and highly educated man who was captured in Senegal, Africa, and brought to Charleston, South Carolina, as a slave, wrote a 15-page autobiography describing…
    • Date: 2019-01-15
  • November 6, 2018  (18-137)
    Winter Is Coming: Library Events Nov. 2018–Jan. 2019 This holiday season, 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 newly-designed public events calendar. Headlining the fall/winter line-up are two events to spread awareness of digital tools that can be used analyze and simplify the information and data available here at the Library.On Nov.…
    • Date: 2018-11-07
  • October 21, 2018  (18-130)
    New Book Showcases Early Baseball Cards in Story of National Pastime A new book, “Game Faces: Early Baseball Cards from the Library of Congress,” offers baseball fans and historians a visual delight that showcases early baseball cards from the 19th and early 20th centuries alongside photos from the early days of the nation’s beloved pastime. Author Peter Devereaux takes readers behind the scenes of the Library of Congress’ Benjamin K. Edwards Collection to see the…
    • Date: 2018-10-22