Poetry and Literature News

Thursday, October 8, 4:00 PM ET
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the Library of Congress and the PALABRA Archive

Join us for a demonstration of the PALABRA Archive (formerly know as the Archive of Hispanic Literature on Tape) led by Catalina Gómez, reference librarian in the Hispanic Division at the Library of Congress. This resource dates back to 1943 and contains nearly 800 recordings of poets and prose writers participating in sessions at the Library's Recording Laboratory and at other locations around Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and the United States. To date, writers from 32 countries are represented in this collection, which includes readings in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, French, Náhuatl, Mayan, Zapotec, Aymara, English, and Dutch. This webinar is free and open to educators. Registration is required. Co-sponsored by the Library’s Learning and Innovation Office and Hispanic Division, and presented in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Location: Online only—this webinar will be hosted via Zoom; registration required
Contact: poetry@loc.gov

Thursday, October 15, 4:00 PM ET
Special Event with Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera

Part II of our National Hispanic Heritage Month celebration will feature an intimate conversation with former U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, who will unpack one of his poems recorded for the PALABRA Archive and provide insight into his writing process. He will also discuss poets in the archive who have influenced him, and participants will have the opportunity to ask Herrera questions. This webinar is free and open to educators. Registration is required. Co-sponsored by the Library’s Learning and Innovation Office and Hispanic Division, and presented in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Location: Online only—this webinar will be hosted via Zoom; registration required
Contact: poetry@loc.gov

Friends,

What an eventful summer this has been. I hope that you are staying well as we begin another month in a most unusual year.

As August begins, all Library of Congress buildings and facilities remain closed to the public until further notice. You can continue to check the latest information regarding our COVID-19 response at this website.

Even so, the work of the Library continues, as we bring more public programming online, continue the work of digitizing more collections to make them available outside of the Library’s walls, and explore new ways to celebrate milestones in the history of the Library and of this nation virtually.

In that spirit, we will host our signature event, the annual Library of Congress National Book Festival, virtually this year. I hope you will join us to celebrate “American Ingenuity” with more than 120 renowned writers, poets and artists in an interactive, online experience for this 20th year of the festival. Save the date! It will take place September 25-27.

Today, we are also virtually celebrating the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Copyright Office with an event at noon ET. Make sure you register now for this free event.

August also marks 100 years since the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. Our current exhibition “Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote” is available online and is an excellent resource to discover more about the long fight for women’s suffrage. We are also joining forces with the Smithsonian and National Archives to present the #19SuffrageStories social media campaign and shed light on the stories of suffragists, including women of color, who have traditionally been overlooked.

Read more about these events, the campaign, and a few new online collections below.

Sincerely,
Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

TODAY: Copyright Office Presents: 150 Years of Celebrating Creativity

On July 8, 2020, the U.S. Copyright Office of the Library of Congress turned 150 years old. Copyright Office history reflects the United States’ creative and technical innovations, important judicial rulings, and diplomatic treaties.

Today, August 4 at noon ET join the online event, “Copyright Office Presents: 150 Years of Celebrating Creativity” to hear from three engaging Copyright Office experts, and to explore how the role of the Office and its operations changed along with the law itself.

This online event is free, but registration is required: copyright.gov/events/

#19SuffrageStories

Women fought long and hard for the vote—before and after the passage of the 19th Amendment, which declares the right to vote “shall not be denied … on account of sex.” Diverse communities and organizations blazed the trail for equal voting rights across the nation. For many women, especially women of color, the fight didn’t end when the 19th Amendment went into effect on August 26, 1920. Yet the stories of these suffragists have often been overlooked.

Tune in on Instagram and Twitter to learn 19 stories you may not know from the Library of Congress, Smithsonian and National Archives. Every weekday from August 3 through Women’s Equality Day, August 26, we’re counting down from 19 to 1 with a new story each day on our Instagram and Twitter feeds.

Learn More: blogs.loc.gov/loc/2020/08/counting-down-with-19suffrage-stories-100th-anniversary-of-the-19th-amendment/

The Library of Congress National Book Festival is Going Virtual – Save the Date!

The 20th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival will be held online Sept. 25-27. The festival will connect with audiences across the country for an interactive, online celebration of “American Ingenuity” featuring new books by more than 120 of the nation’s most-renowned writers, poets and artists.

Virtual stages will offer on-demand videos, live author chats and discussions, options to personalize your own journey through the festival with particular themes, and book buying possibilities through the festival’s official bookseller, Politics & Prose, with a limited number of commemorative book plates signed by authors.

Check out the full author lineup and download the new festival poster today!

Festival website: loc.gov/bookfest

Latest festival press release: loc.gov/item/prn-20-048/

Historic Public Affairs Series "Black Journal" Now Available Online

A collection of episodes from “Black Journal,” the first nationally televised public affairs program produced for, about, and by Black Americans has been released by The American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB), a collaboration between WGBH and the Library of Congress. Largely unseen since they aired between 1968 and 1977, the 59 episodes have been digitized from archival tape in the Library’s collection and are now available to stream for free online. Accompanying the “Black Journal” episodes is a collection of essays that explore the public television programs that put Black issues and Black perspectives at the forefront in the wake of the civil rights movement.

Read the announcement: loc.gov/item/prn-20-047/

William Howard Taft Papers Collection Now Available Online

The papers of William Howard Taft (1857-1930), twenty-seventh president of the United States and tenth chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, consist of approximately 676,000 documents (785,977 images), which have been digitized from 658 reels of previously reproduced microfilm. Held in the Library of Congress Manuscript Division, these papers constitute the largest collection of original Taft documents in the world. The collection contains family papers, personal and official correspondence, presidential and judicial files, speeches and addresses, legal files and notebooks, business and estate papers, engagement calendars, guest lists, scrapbooks, clippings, printed matter, memorabilia, and photographs dating from 1784 to 1973, with the bulk of the material dated 1880-1930.

View collection: loc.gov/collections/william-howard-taft-papers/about-this-collection/

Support the Library

We are more grateful than ever for all that you do to keep us strong. Whether you support the Library with a gift or simply by spreading the word about what we do, you help us in our mission to connect millions of people around the world with the stories of our collective past, present, and future.

If you haven't yet had a chance to give and you're in a position to donate, please consider making a gift at loc.gov/donate/.

Friday, June 19, 4:00 PM
RACE IN AMERICA: JASON REYNOLDS AND JACQUELINE WOODSON

To commemorate Juneteenth, the holiday marking the end of slavery, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden will chat with current National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds and former National Ambassador Jacqueline Woodson about ways to hear and support kids during a period of nationwide protest against injustice. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will premiere with closed captions on both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site, and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website.

Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, July 9, 7:00 PM
RACE IN AMERICA: JOY HARJO AND TRACY K. SMITH

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden will talk with her U.S. Poets Laureate appointees, Tracy K. Smith (2017-2019) and Joy Harjo (2019-current), about poetry in times of crisis as well as its enduring power to promote social justice. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will premiere with closed captions on both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site, and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website.

Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, July 16, 7:00 PM
RACE IN AMERICA: COLSON WHITEHEAD

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden will talk to two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and National Book Festival veteran (2009, 2012, 2016 and this year) Colson Whitehead about the need for stories from our past to help us contend with the present—especially at moments of great change. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will premiere with closed captions on both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site, and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website.

Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Friends,

Once again, America finds itself confronting difficult questions about race and inequality.

The struggle for freedom and equality dates back to our nation’s founding, and it is possible to find context and inspiration in the words of those who have fought for a more perfect union since the beginning.

But, libraries offer more than just historical context on today’s events. They offer safe spaces to have difficult conversations about the challenges facing our nation today. They are places of welcome and respite and community. They are collectors of the stories and experiences that have brought us to this place in our nation’s history and can inspire us to persevere in our efforts to pursue that more perfect union.

Last week, I hosted one such conversation with Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch to discuss the future of our cultural institutions and how we remain accessible and relevant during a period of global pandemic coupled with nationwide protests against injustice.

Lonnie Bunch reminded all of us that “there is hope in history.” So, I leave you with a quote of his from our conversation and invite you to watch it in its entirety at loc.gov/item/webcast-9194/.

"So there’s a kind of, hopefully, a tipping point where people come together and recognize that the past should give you some hope. If people could work together to found the NAACP or work together to end slavery then we can work together to begin to address this as well. So I find hope in history. Not always optimism, but I find hope in history.”

Below you will find links to information about the NAACP collection at the Library of Congress along with other examples of courage and hope that have transformed our nation.

Sincerely,
Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom

Originally mounted in 2009 and available online, this exhibition presents a retrospective of the major personalities, events, and achievements that shaped the NAACP’s history during its first 100 years.

Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Since 1964, the Library of Congress has served as its official repository, and the NAACP Records now consist of more than five million items dating from 1909 to the present. The records encompass a wide variety of materials, including manuscripts, photographs, prints, pamphlets, broadsides, audiotapes, phonograph records, films, and video recordings. Every phase of the NAACP's many activities can be found in this rich and diverse collection.

The NAACP Records are the largest single collection ever acquired by the Library and annually the most heavily used. These records are the cornerstone of the Library’s unparalleled resources for the study of the twentieth-century civil rights movement in the U.S. that also include the original records of the National Urban League, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, as well as the microfilmed records of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). 

loc.gov/exhibits/naacp/overview.html

Civil Rights History Project

On May 12, 2009, the U. S. Congress authorized a national initiative by passing The Civil Rights History Project Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-19). The law directed the Library of Congress (LOC) and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) to conduct a national survey of existing oral history collections with relevance to the Civil Rights movement to obtain justice, freedom and equality for African Americans and to record and make widely accessible new interviews with people who participated in the struggle.

The activists interviewed for this project belong to a wide range of occupations and the video recordings of their recollections cover a wide range of topics within the freedom struggle, such as the influence of the labor movement, nonviolence and self-defense, religious faith, music, and the experiences of young activists. Actions and events discussed in the interviews include the Freedom Rides (1961), the Albany Movement (1961), the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (1963), the Selma to Montgomery Rights March (1965), the Orangeburg Massacre (1968), the Poor People’s Campaign (1968), sit-ins, and voter registration drives in the South. The murder of fourteen year old Emmett Till in 1955, a horrific event that galvanized many young people into joining the freedom movement, looms large in the memories of many movement veterans.

loc.gov/collections/civil-rights-history-project/about-this-collection/

Rosa Parks: In Her Own Words

Rosa Parks (1913–2005) is best known for her refusal to give up her seat to a white man on a crowded bus in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1, 1955. Her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the civil rights movement that ultimately led to the dismantling of Jim Crow segregation. Rosa Parks became an icon of the movement, celebrated for this single courageous act of civil disobedience, but she is often characterized by misconceptions. Contrary to popular belief, Parks was not a demure seamstress who chose not to stand because she was physically tired. Her calm demeanor hid a militant spirit forged over decades.

Exhibition: loc.gov/exhibitions/rosa-parks-in-her-own-words/about-this-exhibition/
Blog post - "A Protestor Who Changed America": blogs.loc.gov/loc/2020/06/a-protester-who-changed-america-rosa-parks/

Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote

This exhibition tells the story of the seventy-two-year campaign for women’s suffrage. Considered the largest reform movement in American history, its participants believed that securing the vote was essential to achieving women’s economic, social, and political equality. For years, determined women organized, lobbied, paraded, petitioned, lectured, picketed, and faced imprisonment. Their collective story is one of courage, perseverance, savvy, creativity, and hope that continues to inspire activists today.

loc.gov/exhibitions/women-fight-for-the-vote/about-this-exhibition/

June Is LGBTQ Pride Month

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month and June 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of annual LGBTQ+ Pride traditions. The first Pride march in New York City was held on June 28, 1970 on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Primary sources available at the Library of Congress provide detailed information about how this first Pride march was planned, and the reasons why activists felt so strongly that it should exist.

loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/

Support the Library

We are more grateful than ever for all that you do to keep us strong. Whether you support the Library with a gift or simply by spreading the word about what we do, you help us in our mission to connect millions of people around the world with the stories of our collective past, present, and future.

If you haven't yet had a chance to give and you're in a position to donate, please consider making a gift at loc.gov/donate/.

Thursday, May 28, 7:00 PM
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF LGBTQ PRIDE

In honor of LGBTQ Pride month (June) and the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations, Eric Cervini will discuss his book “The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America,” with Roswell Encina, Library of Congress chief communications officer. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will be streamed from both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions), and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website.
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, June 4, 7:00 PM
A GOOD STORY KNOWS NO BORDERS

This spring event honors 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction winner Richard Ford, in conversation with Marie Arana, Library of Congress literary director. Ford, whose work has been translated into dozens of languages, will speak on the universality of fiction. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will be streamed from both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions), and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website.
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, June 11, 4:00 PM
LIFE OF A POET: EDUCATOR WEBINAR WITH MARILYN CHIN

Award-winning poet Marilyn Chin, who was featured in the Library’s “Life of a Poet” series in 2018, will participate in a webinar conversation with educators to introduce her own approach to writing, share and discuss two of her poems, and dedicate time for Q&A. This webinar is free and open to educators. Registration is required. Co-sponsored by the Library’s Learning and Innovation Office and presented in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Location: Online only—this webinar will be hosted via Zoom; registration required
Contact: poetry@loc.gov

Thursday, June 11, 7:00 PM
HA JIN ON THE LEGENDARY POET LI BAI

National Book Award winner Ha Jin will discuss his new book, “The Banished Immortal: A Life of Li Bai,” in which he draws on a range of historical and literary sources to weave the life story of the eighth-century Chinese poet Li Bai. Rob Casper, head of the Library of Congress Poetry and Literature Center, will moderate. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will be streamed from both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions), and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website.
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, June 18, 7:00 PM
ERIK LARSON, WINSTON CHURCHILL: THE RIGHT WORDS AT THE RIGHT TIME

Erik Larson will discuss his latest book, “The Splendid and the Vile,” which tells the story of Winston Churchill during the London Blitz of World War II, with philanthropist and National Book Festival co-chairman David Rubenstein. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will be streamed from both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions), and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website.
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, June 25, 7:00 PM
POETRY ANCESTORS: HOW INVENTION MEETS INFLUENCE

American Book Award winner Kimiko Hahn and award-winning poet Rajiv Mohabir talk about invention and influence across borders, and how poetry serves as a model for our moment, with Washington Post Book World critic Ron Charles. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will be streamed from both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions), and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website.
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Friends,

I hope that you and your families remain well this month. On Monday, we will observe Memorial Day, honoring the service and sacrifices of members of our armed forces. Our nation is strong and it endures because of the men and women who give it their all in protecting and preserving our democracy.

Since 2000, the Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library has been committed to collecting, preserving and making accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans. And while many of the stories collected are from living veterans, there are thousands that were donated posthumously by family members looking to preserve the legacies of their loved ones. “Say Their Name. Learn Their Story” is a wonderful blog post highlighting the stories of individuals who have given their lives in service of our country, and who are memorialized in the VHP collections. Read more here: https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2019/05/say-their-name-learn-their-story/

The Library of Congress buildings remain closed to the public, with all public events currently canceled until further notice. Visit our web site for full, up-to-date information about our response to COVID-19. In the meantime, we invite you to continue to explore our content digitally through the resources listed below, and to connect with us on our social media channels.

Sincerely,
Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

Veterans History Project

Personal narratives, correspondence, and visual materials are collected and made available so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Learn more about this important project as well how to collect and submit veterans’ stories by visiting loc.gov/vets/.

Experiencing War: Stories from the Veterans History Project

On Friday, May 8, the Veterans History Project (VHP) commemorated the end of World War II in Europe, also known as V-E Day, by releasing a new installment of the VHP online exhibit, Experiencing War. In this new online feature, you can explore the personal stories of 15 World War II veterans and what the end of the war meant for them. 

loc.gov/item/prn-20-035/

#FolklifeArchiveChallenge

Although some cities and states are starting to open up a little, we have a feeling it will be a while before we’re going out to concerts, theaters, jams, or open mics to perform or enjoy live music and performing arts. At the Library of Congress, we have an amazing online archive of folk music and folklife which you can explore right from home, and we’d like to offer a suggestion: why not learn a song, tune, poem, or story from the archive, make a recording or video of yourself performing it, and post it online? Or make a work of art based on one of our photos, or write a story or poem based on our materials. We’d love to see what you come up with! Folks from all genres and creators of all art forms are invited to interpret a field recording, video, photo, or manuscript from the AFC Archive. You don’t need to be a professional in order to participate!

Learn more about the challenge and how to participate:
blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2020/05/spending-a-lot-of-time-at-home-take-the-archive-challenge/

Suffrage History Webinar May 27

The Library’s Janice Ruth, curator of our Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote exhibition, will join curators from the National Archives and Records Administration and the Smithsonian’s National Portait Gallery for “Curator’s Cut: An Inside Look at DC’s Suffrage Exhibits.” This free webinar is being hosted by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission.

Register here: https://bit.ly/2TjoWow

Virtual Concert May 28

The Library of Congress and Portland Ovations will present the International Contemporary Ensemble in the Library’s first interactive digital concert – “Aural Explorations: Farrin, Fure and Messiaen” – on Thursday, May 28, at 7 p.m. Eastern time.

The concert will feature the world premiere of the Library co-commissioned composition by Suzanne Farrin titled “Nacht,” capping a season-long celebration of women composers and performers honoring the centennial of women’s suffrage. The concert will also feature a world premiere of Ashley Fure’s “Interior Listening Protocol 1” paired with Olivier Messiaen’s “Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus” for ondes Martenot and Suzanne Farrin’s “Polvere et Ombra.”

loc.gov/item/prn-20-037/

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success. Visit this multi-institution web portal hosted by the Library of Congress for featured content and resources.

asianpacificheritage.gov/

Jewish American Heritage Month

May is Jewish American Heritage Month. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Jewish Americans who have helped form the fabric of American history, culture and society. Visit this multi-institution web portal hosted by the Library of Congress for featured content and resources.

jewishheritagemonth.gov/

Support the Library

We are more grateful than ever for all that you do to keep us strong. Whether you support the Library with a gift or simply by spreading the word about what we do, you help us in our mission to connect millions of people around the world with the stories of our collective past, present, and future.

If you haven't yet had a chance to give and you're in a position to donate, please consider making a gift at loc.gov/donate/.

In 1800, as part of an act of Congress providing for the removal of the new national government from Philadelphia to Washington, President John Adams approved an act of Congress providing $5,000 for books for the use of Congress—the beginning of the Library of Congress.

Since that beginning 220 years ago, the Library has grown to become the largest library in the world with a collection of more than 170 million items that document human creativity and achievement across the centuries and around the globe.

Collecting and providing access to these collections takes on a new meaning and significance in our current world. With social distancing as the norm, and more time spent at home, we want to continue to highlight ways to connect with our content, our knowledgeable staff, and each other during these times. From April 24 to 30, you can celebrate the Library’s 220th birthday by participating in online programs from across the Library, reading themed posts on our blogs and social media channels, and downloading our brand new app to explore the Library’s digital collections from home.

The Library of Congress buildings remain closed to the public, with all public events currently canceled through July 1. Visit our web site for full, up-to-date information about our response to COVID-19. In the meantime, we invite you to our virtual birthday celebration and to continue to engage with us through some of the resources listed below. We look forward to continuing to serve you during this season and beyond.

Sincerely,
Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

SPECIAL 220th BIRTHDAY VIDEO EVENTS

Citizen DJ Premiere & Virtual Masterclass
Friday, April 24, 3 p.m. ET

Preview the new Citizen DJ app from Innovator-in-Residence Brian Foo, and discover how to make Hip Hop using the Library’s music collection. Presented by LC Labs.

America's Greatest Library: History of the Library of Congress
Saturday, April 25, 1 p.m. ET

Write. Right. Rite. A "Grab the Mic: Tell Your Story" video series with Jason Reynolds, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.
Tuesday, April 28, 10:30 a.m. ET

Awareness to Action: Innovate for a Green Future
Wednesday, April 29, 11 a.m. ET

Join the U.S. Copyright Office for their next Copyright Matters lecture that will explore how creators—who through the copyright system can earn a living from their work—can play a key role in creating a vision of a green future and its untold benefits. Registration required.

Social Movement Changing America: The Legacies of the 19th Amendment
Thursday, April 30, 3:30 p.m. ET

A Law Day 2020 event presented by the Law Library of Congress and the American Bar Association. Registration required, space is limited.

Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic
Thursday, April 30, 7 p.m. ET

Prize-winning science writer David Quammen discusses his book "Spillover," in which he tracks the animal origins of human diseases through the centuries, with National Book Festival Co-Chairman David Rubenstein.

Discover more ways to engage with the Library during our birthday week and beyond:
https://www.loc.gov/engage/

Celebrate National Poetry Month with 50 Newly Available Audio Recordings

The Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature at the Library of Congress dates back to 1943 and contains nearly two thousand recordings of poets and prose writers participating in literary events at the Library’s Capitol Hill campus as well as sessions at the Library’s Recording Laboratory. New recordings added for 2020 include a 1978 reunion reading featuring 13 of our Consultants in Poetry, and Gwendolyn Brooks reading poems (including the iconic “We Real Cool”) in the Jefferson Recording Laboratory in 1961.

Visit the archive site.
Discover more on this blog post.

Try Activity Kits for the Whole Family

Encourage kids of all ages to use their creativity to complete activities inspired by the Library’s collections. With simple items found around the house and items from our website, kids can Cook Up History, Make a Mini-Book, Color Our Collections, and so much more. Visit the Resources for Family Engagement page to download activity kits and get started today.

https://www.loc.gov/families/

Join the Effort: By the People

We are grateful to all those who transcribe and review pages on the Library's virtual volunteering project By the People launched in 2018. As of the Library’s 220th birthday today, volunteers have transcribed over 125,000 pages from the papers of suffragists including Mary Church Terrell, Lucy Stone, and Susan B Anthony, civil rights activist Rosa Parks, poet Walt Whitman, President Abraham Lincoln, and many others. Once a whole item such as a journal or letter is complete, it is brought back to loc.gov where it radically improves search and discovery for patrons, and accessibility those who use screen readers.

https://crowd.loc.gov/

Preservation Week

National Preservation Week is April 26 – May 2. Preservation of the world's largest collection is accomplished through a broad range of activities distributed across the Library. Learn more about these preservation activities and the work to keep the collections available for the next 220 years and beyond.

https://www.loc.gov/preservation/

Coronavirus Updates from the Copyright Office

The Copyright Office has announced updated flexibility surrounding registration deposits and timing provisions for those affected by COVID-19 as outlined in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Visit the Copyright Office COVID-19 page for more info.

https://www.copyright.gov/coronavirus/

Support the Library

We are more grateful than ever for all that you do to keep us strong. Whether you support the Library with a gift or simply by spreading the word about what we do, you help us in our mission to connect millions of people around the world with the stories of our collective past, present, and future.

If you haven't yet had a chance to give and you're in a position to donate, please consider making a gift at loc.gov/donate/.

On Thursday, March 12, the Library of Congress closed all Library buildings to the public until April 1. On Tuesday, March 17, the Library announced that all public events are canceled until May 11 to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 coronavirus. Whenever possible, the Library will reschedule the public programs that have been canceled. Please read the Library's public statement, and see the Poetry and Literature Center's event updates below.

Thursday, March 19, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS JEFFREY ROSEN AND DAHLIA LITHWICK

This event has been CANCELED.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Author Jeffrey Rosen will discuss his new book, Conversations with RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty and Law, with Dahlia Lithwick, a senior editor at Slate. This event is free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by the Law Library of Congress and presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: LJ-119, first floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, April 2, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS RICHARD FORD

This event has been POSTPONED to a later date.
Note: Once a date has been confirmed, the Library of Congress will alert all those who registered for the original event date via their email addresses. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to seeing you, your family and friends very soon.

In an event titled “A Good Story Knows No Borders,” Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction winner Richard Ford will give a talk about the universality of fiction as well as participate in a discussion with his German translator, Frank Heibert. The discussion will be moderated by Library of Congress Literary Director Marie Arana. This event is free and open to the public. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Tuesday, April 21, 7:00 PM
LIFE OF A POET: KIMIKO HAHN

This event has been POSTPONED to a later date.
Note: Once a date has been confirmed, Hill Center will alert all those who registered for the original event date via their email addresses. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to seeing you, your family and friends very soon.

Poet Kimiko Hahn will discuss her work with Ron Charles, book critic at The Washington Post. This event is free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by Hill Center and The Washington Post.

Location: Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital (921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE)
Contact: poetry@loc.gov 

Thursday, April 30, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS JOY HARJO

This event has been CANCELED.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Joy Harjo will participate in her closing event as the 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate, which will include a moderated discussion and special musical performance. This event is free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by the Library’s American Folklife Center and Music Division, and presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, May 7, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS JOHN HESSLER

This event has been POSTPONED to a later date.
Note: Once a date has been confirmed, the Library of Congress will alert all those who registered for the original event date via their email addresses. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to seeing you, your family and friends very soon.

John Hessler, specialist in the Library of Congress’ Geography and Map division and author of the best-seller MAP: Exploring the World, will discuss his new book on pre-Columbian cultures, Collecting for the New World. This event is free and open to the public. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: LJ-119, first floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

For more information about upcoming events, please visit the Poetry and Literature Center's website. 

Tuesday, March 10, 7:00 PM
LIFE OF A POET: WILLIE PERDOMO 

Poet Willie Perdomo will discuss his work with Ron Charles, book critic at The Washington Post. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required. Co-sponsored by Hill Center and The Washington Post.

Location: Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital (921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE)
Contact: (202) 707-5394

Wednesday, March 11, 4:00 PM
LIFE OF A POET: EDUCATOR WEBINAR WITH WILLIE PERDOMO

Following his featured event in the Life of a Poet series, Willie Perdomo will participate in a webinar conversation with educators to introduce his own approach to writing, share and discuss two of his poems, and dedicate time for Q&A. This webinar is free and open to educators. Registration is required. Co-sponsored by the Library’s Learning and Innovation Office and presented in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Contact: (202) 707-5394

Thursday, March 12, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS MARGARET ATWOOD AND NAN TALESE

This event has been POSTPONED to a later date. 
Note: Once a date has been confirmed, the Library of Congress will alert all those who registered for the original event date via their email addresses. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to seeing you, your family and friends very soon.

Legendary fiction editor and publisher Nan Talese will join one of her most successful novelists, Margaret Atwood, to discuss their work together. The event will be moderated by Library of Congress Literary Director Marie Arana. This is the kickoff of a new National Book Festival Presents feature called “Great American Editors,” which explores the vital role of editors in the writing and publishing process. This event is free and open to the public. Free tickets required; signed copies of Atwood's The Testaments are also available for pre-purchase with ticket reservation. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Friday, March 13, 9:30 AM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS THE WALTER DEAN MYERS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AND SYMPOSIUM

The Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature will be presented during a symposium featuring the honorees and winners. The symposium will be emceed by award-winning writer Grace Lin. This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents and We Need Diverse Books.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, March 19, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS JEFFREY ROSEN AND DAHLIA LITHWICK

Author Jeffrey Rosen will discuss his new book, Conversations with RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty and Law, with Dahlia Lithwick, a senior editor at Slate. This event is free and open to the public. Free tickets required; signed copies of Rosen's latest book are also available for pre-purchase with ticket reservation. Co-sponsored by the Law Library of Congress and presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: LJ-119, first floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Tuesday, March 10, 7:00 PM
LIFE OF A POET: WILLIE PERDOMO 

Poet Willie Perdomo will discuss his work with Ron Charles, book critic at The Washington Post. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required. Co-sponsored by Hill Center and The Washington Post.

Location: Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital (921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE)
Contact: (202) 707-5394

Wednesday, March 11, 4:00 PM
LIFE OF A POET: EDUCATOR WEBINAR WITH WILLIE PERDOMO

Following his featured event in the Life of a Poet series, Willie Perdomo will participate in a webinar conversation with educators to introduce his own approach to writing, share and discuss two of his poems, and dedicate time for Q&A. This webinar is free and open to educators. Registration is required. Co-sponsored by the Library’s Learning and Innovation Office and presented in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Contact: (202) 707-5394

Thursday, March 12, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS MARGARET ATWOOD AND NAN TALESE

Legendary fiction editor and publisher Nan Talese will join one of her most successful novelists, Margaret Atwood, to discuss their work together. The event will be moderated by Library of Congress Literary Director Marie Arana. This is the kickoff of a new National Book Festival Presents feature called “Great American Editors,” which explores the vital role of editors in the writing and publishing process. This event is free and open to the public. Free tickets required; signed copies of Atwood's The Testaments are also available for pre-purchase with ticket reservation. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Friday, March 13, 9:30 AM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS THE WALTER DEAN MYERS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AND SYMPOSIUM

The Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature will be presented during a symposium featuring the honorees and winners. The symposium will be emceed by award-winning writer Grace Lin. This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents and We Need Diverse Books.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, March 19, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS JEFFREY ROSEN AND DAHLIA LITHWICK

Author Jeffrey Rosen will discuss his new book, Conversations with RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty and Law, with Dahlia Lithwick, a senior editor at Slate. This event is free and open to the public. Free tickets required; signed copies of Rosen's latest book are also available for pre-purchase with ticket reservation. Co-sponsored by the Law Library of Congress and presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: LJ-119, first floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, February 6, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS ALICE MCDERMOTT, REP. MARY GAY SCANLON AND MARGARET BRENNAN

Prize-winning novelist Alice McDermott will join Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon and CBS anchor Margaret Brennan in a panel conversation titled “Fearless: A Tribute to Irish American Women.” This event is free and open to the public. Free tickets required; signed copies of McDermott’s latest novel, The Ninth Hour, are also available for pre-purchase with ticket reservation. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents and in collaboration with the Embassy of Ireland.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

Thursday, February 13, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS DOUGLAS BRINKLEY AND JEANNE THEOHARIS

Rosa Parks biographers Douglas Brinkley (Rosa Parks: A Life) and Jeanne Theoharis (The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks) will join moderator and NPR host Michel Martin in a panel discussion titled “Rosa Parks: The History and the Heart.” This event is free and open to the public. Free tickets required; signed copies of the authors’ books are also available for pre-purchase with ticket reservation. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

For more information on upcoming events, visit the Poetry and Literature Center website.

Visit the National Book Festival Presents website to learn more about the series.

Thursday, January 16, 10:30 AM
NATIONAL AMBASSADOR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE INAUGURATION: JASON REYNOLDS

Award-winning author Jason Reynolds will be inaugurated as the 2020-2021 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, the seventh writer to hold this position. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden will lead a conversation with Reynolds during the ceremony, which will also include a special appearance by 2018-2019 National Ambassador Jacqueline Woodson.

Tickets are not required for this event, which is free and open to the public. This event will also be livestreamed from both the Library's Facebook page and the Library's YouTube site (with captions).

Co-sponsored by Every Child a Reader and the Children’s Book Council, with additional support from Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394

To learn more about Jason Reynolds and his activities as National Ambassador, visit his Library of Congress resource guide. 

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