International Institute for Social History in Amsterdam

The IISG (International Institute for Social History) was an old cocoa warehouse in the Eastern Docklands of Amsterdam. Today it is a fabulous archive and library. The reading room looks out over a large canal filled with boats and birds. The IISG has one of the best cafeterias around (cheap and delicious cheeses), serves free coffee and tea, has wifi, and houses some of the most important papers of left-wing and now right-wing movements and people from around the world. It's yet another free and public library for all.

Adolf Cluss thinks the Library of Congress is Great

Adolf Cluss, American Communist and Washington DC architect extraordinaire, thinks the Library of Congress is great, and it's better than the Smithsonian Institute. He's sorry it's closed after a December 1851 fire.

Die Kongressbibliothek, wo man Bücher geliehen bekommen konnte durch Rekommendation von Abgeordnete, ist abgebrannt, d.h die einzige sie noch bestehend, diejenige in Smithsonian Institut ist blos für Rentiers offen, d.h. in den regelmäß. Arbeitsstunde von 9-3 Uhr. Ausgeliehen wird gar nichts. Dies Anstalt wurde trotzdem von dem Engländer Smithson mit einem fond von 500,000 dollars dotirt zu den Zweck: Ausbreitung von nützlichen Wissen unter den Menschen.

"The Library of Congress, where one can borrow books with the recommendation of a representative, has burned down, so that the only [library] that still exists is the one in the Smithsonian Institute, which is open only for rentiers, that is, during the regular working hours of 9-3. They do not loan out books at all. This institution is nonetheless funded with 500,000 dollars by the Englishman Smithson for the purpose: Spreading useful knowledge among people."

Adolf Cluss, Washington, DC, to Joseph Weydemeyer, New York City, March 17, 1852, Joseph Weydemeyer Papers, IISG.

Lisbon's Central City Library Photos

Pretty great public library with peacocks in action, free wifi, a beautiful interior space (though it would help to bring an extension cord to use the many electrical outlets), and a beautiful garden in back with a cafe selling sandwiches, espresso, and all you need for a great day at the library.

Lisbon's Central City Library

Sometimes working in a library for a couple of hours on a trip can be very relaxing. Other times, we have done "Library Tourism," when we choose to write in libraries abroad. Today, we're working in Lisbon's beautiful Central City Library. It is a big pink building with a wonderful park in the back. The park has peacocks, a nice cafe, and an expanse of green grass, palm trees, flowers, etc. Tomorrow, I plan to be working in the Amsterdam city library or the University of Amsterdam main library. Viva as bibliotecas publicas!

Stephen sent this photo and comment

I love the Atlas columns on the Jefferson Building.

Now wait a minute, which libraries are truly amazing?

In honor of National Library Week 2010, the Huffington Post is celebrating America's most amazing libraries. Here are America's most amazing libraries from the list, but I am rejecting the private libraries because they do not provide free, public access.

America's Most Amazing Libraries
Boston Public Library
*Library of Congress*
NY Public Library
Salt Lake City Public Library
Seattle Public Library

Some Other Terrific Libraries
Exeter Academy Library
George Peabody Library
Yale University Rare Book and Manuscript Library

You can vote for your favorite library on their website!

Jorge Luis Borges said, "I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."

The Writer's Almanac this morning talked about libraries, which you can also listen to:

It was on this day in 1833 that America's first tax-supported public library opened, in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Today, there are more than 9,000 public libraries in the United States, including the Peterborough Town Library, which is still going strong.

Jorge Luis Borges said, "I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."

Dr. Samuel Johnson said, "No place affords a more striking conviction of the vanity of human hopes than a public library."

Richard Stites

Extraordinary human being and fellow scholar in the European Reading Room, Richard Stites, sadly passed away earlier this month in his second home of Helsinki, where he regularly worked in the Slavonic Library. The Post obituary reports: "A faculty member until his death, Dr. Stites always insisted that his students, whether freshmen or postgraduates, make use of the Library of Congress." The Library of Congress and his fellow scholars will miss him greatly.

Michael wrote

Great--no question about that. I used to complain about the closed stacks, but having tramped around Firestone library in Princeton yesterday balancing a huge stack of books on my winter coat, hunting for books not in their proper place, I have come to appreciate even the convenient delivery of LC books straight to the European reading room. Is it the "greatest"? One could make a strong claim in terms of the collection and environment. But the great cafe in the Staastsbibliothek in Berlin, which is a modern architectural masterpiece (see the film "Himmel ueber Berlin") certainly prompt the observation that all the great libraries have some pluses and minuses.

Eric said

The Library of Congress is THE greatest library in the world--a cathedral of learning. Good things happen when one maintains a regular reading schedule. There's always some unexpected source that makes the article/book chapter so much better.

Most Amazing Place in DC: The American Folklife Center at the LC

Wow, what amazing recordings, photos, songbooks, interviews, etc. in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Just as a small sample: on the left, we have Bluesman Mississippi John Hurt, Rae Korson (left), and Joseph C. Hickerson (center), in the Library of Congress Recording Laboratory, March 17, 1964. On the right, we have Jessie Lee Smith being interviewed by folklorist Beverly Robinson (right) on the porch of his home, Tifton, Georgia, August, 1977. But the Center also has slave narratives, veterans interviews, ghost stories, and just look at it all...

The LoC is Great for Researchers, Readers, and Writers

As an informal cheerleader for the Library of Congress, I came up with the bad idea of making a blog about why the LoC is so great, especially for researchers. Here is the LoC's general Researcher Webpage. The access to books and journals from all over the world and from centuries gone by is phenomenal.

To get started, one needs to get a new library card, which takes about 2 minutes. Just go in the main doors of the Madison Building (the most modern of the three buildings, closest to Capitol South Metro) and turn left for the registration room. There are three buildings (from oldest to newest): Jefferson, Adams, and Madison.

Unless you want to use particular collections such as Manuscripts, Prints and Photographs, or Motion Pictures, there are are basically three locations in which researchers work on a daily basis:

1) the Main Reading Room in the Jefferson Building
2) one of the area studies rooms (African & Middle East, Asian, European, Hispanic)
3) the Science and Tech reading room in the Adams Building.

The Main Reading Room is the most impressive space, but it is seriously cold. The area studies room are smaller, warmer, and often beautiful as well, and the staff are much more accessible. The European room even has a weekly tea on Fridays at 2:30pm. The Main Reading Room is open later and on Saturdays, but you can send books from the area studies rooms to the Main Reading Room, if you want to continue working after the area studies room have closed. The main positive about the Science and Tech room is that you don't have to put away your bag in the cloak room. Most academics don't choose to work there, but I find that it is good for social sciences (the social science books are in that building) and it requires less commitment since you get to keep your bags, coats, etc.

When you order books (which can be done online once you get a new library card), you can hold those books on the 3-day reserve shelf. These books have to be re-reserved after 3 or so days. Everyone can apply for a shelf, which allows you to store books indefinitely, but I think that you have to show that you have come into the Library once a month or something.

There is a cafeteria on the 6th floor and the basement of the Madison building. There is a cafe with great staff next to the basement cafeteria. There is also a small cafeteria on the first floor of the Adams building. Pete's Diner across the street has a great pan-Asian veggie combo that changes every day.

For more info: see the LoC's Researcher Webpage.

Gayle digs the Moving Images Reading Room

I love the LC, too. A big shout-out to the folks who work in the Moving Images Reading Room, where I have spent many an hour watching old TV shows and sorting through microfilm. The librarians are terrific, and the Reading Room is very generous with its access to researchers. Extras: You get your own "reserve" shelf in the back if you're viewing lots of materials over several visits; there are lockers on site for your things (so you don't necessarily have to relinquish everything at the entrance to the building).

Lori writes

I love the LOC, too, and I was on their Prints and Photographs website every day for the last two weeks, searching for high-quality images for a work project. Thank God for LOC because they keep original negatives and transparencies when lately it seems like all image collections are a 'race to the bottom' quality-wise.

Amy writes

Love the LC!