DMV Academics: Think about working in the Library of Congress this winter break. It would send an important message about the importance of the collections and the reading rooms to your research. Right now the emphasis at the LoC is on realizing the dreams of visitors to have a LoC library card (to empower and bring joy to the pro-library constituency in the US) and to have events for visitors (Thursday night dance parties, etc.). The 19th and 20th Century collections (of books, newspapers, personal manuscripts, etc) on an international scale are amazing thanks to the Cold War, as well as their electronic journal and manuscript collections available only on site.
I am regularly in the European Reading Room, which is warmer than the Main Reading Room, and all the readings rooms (well, periodicals isn't as much) are spectacularly beautiful. The Hispanic Room has been reorganized with cute nooks and different kinds of places to read, write, and think wonderful thoughts.
Here is the info on renewing your card, which is speedy especially on Mondays: https://loc.gov/rr/
