LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Inform.ation

Bulletin JAMES H. BILLINGTON Vol. 67, No.3 March 2008 Librarian of Congress

On the Cover: Over the years, the work of the Library's Federal Research Division has covered topics of interest to federal government agencies on far-ranging subjects. Photo by Michaela McNichol

Cover Story: For 60 years, the Library's Federal Research Division (and its predecessors) has provided research and analysis services to other government agencies on a broad array of topics. 31

Library of Congress in the News 37

Organizer, Activist, Scholar: The Library has been given the papers of civil rights leader James Forman, who organized 38 many of the early civil rights campaigns of the 1960s, including the 1963 March on Washington. 38

Window of China: The National Library of China has begun to donate books to the Library of Congress through an innovative new program. 39

My Friend Flickr: Thousands of the Library's most popular photos are reaching a new audience of millions in a pilot test with Flickr, a photo sharing (and social networking) Web site. 40

NewViews of Old Abe: Photos in the Library's collection have been newly identified as those of President Abraham Lincoln at 40 Gettysburg and his second inauguration. 42

Lincoln Photos in the News 43

Fresh Verse: Poet Laureate Charles Simic introduced the 2008 Witter Bynner poetry fellows, Matthew Thorburn and Monica Youn, at a recent Library reading. 44

'Diversity Is Coming': WJLAanchorman Leon Harris delivered the keynote address for the Library's annual African American 44 History Month celebration. 45 News from the Center for the Book 46

The Library of Congress Information Bulletin (ISSN 0041-7904) is issued 10 times a year by the Public Affairs Office of the Library of Congress and distributed free of charge to publicly supported libraries and research institutions. academic libraries, learned societies and allied organizations in the United States. It is also available on the Web at www.loc.gov/today/. Research institutions and educational organizations in othercountries may arrange to receive the Bulletin on anexchangebasis by applying in writingto the Library's Directorfor Acquisitions and Support Services, 101 Independence Avenue S.E., Washington DC 20540-4100. All other correspondence should be addressed to the Information Bulletin, PublicAffairs Office, Library of Congress, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington DC 20540-1610, e-mail [email protected]. MATT RAYMOND, Executive Editor AUDREY FISCHER, Editor JOHN H. SAYERS, Art Director 46 CINDY MOORE, Designer

------"'" 0 _ " ~ // '" ..l :::-.;-: <; ," Organizational History vice (now the Congressional Research 'quick response' work to assist DINs The establishment of the Air Service) had been doing research exclu­ 'crisis demands.'" Research Unit at the Library of Con­ sively for members of Congress since The other Library division funded gress in 1948 was a move that made it was created in 1914. What was new by Defense, the Aerospace Technol­ sense at the time, because the Library about the Air Studies Division was the ogy Division, had continued its work of Congress held major collections of fact that it was providing direct services of screening hundreds of scientific aeronautical periodicals and technical to an agency in the executive branch of and technical journals and preparing reports, as well as captured German the federal government on a fee-for­ abstracts of selected articles. ATD staff and Japanese aviation documents that service basis, even though it was part also prepared annotated bibliographies had come to the Library after World of the legislative branch. and state-of-the-art studies for the War II. The exploitation and analysis of Additional responsibilities and sepa­ Defense Department as well as compil­ these unique Library collections could ration offunctions in 1951 led to a split ing specialized glossaries and diction­ be valuable to the United States during of the Air Studies Division into two aries to facilitate translation efforts. the uncertainties of the emerging Cold units: the Air Research Division and The two divisions thrived and War, and the Air Force wanted to make the Air Information Division, both still expanded during the 1960s, and their use of them. funded by the Air Force. The Air Infor­ staffs grew to the point that the two The work of the unit built up quickly. mation Division, which was renamed Library of Congress buildings on On July 22, 1948, it was made a full­ the Aerospace Information Division in Capitol Hill became pressed for space fledged division-the Air Research 1962 and then the Aerospace Technol­ to house them. ATD relocated to reno­ Division-in the Reference Department ogy Division (ATD) in 1963, prepared vated offices in the upper deck areas (forerunner of today's Collections and abstracts and bibliographies of scien­ of the Jefferson Building. DRD and Services Directorate). It was renamed tific and technical articles from foreign several other Library units moved to again on Jan. 17, 1949, as the Air Studies publications in the Library's collections. rental space at 214 Massachusetts Ave. Division, and by Sept. 30 of that year had These were made available to industry N.E., several blocks away, in Septem­ a staff of 98 people. In addition to its ser­ and the scientific community through ber 1967. By the end of fiscal year 1968, vices to the outsideagencies, the division the Department of Commerce. DRD had a staff of 229 people and a fulfilled a significant internal Library The Library's Air Research Division budget of almost $2.9 million. function: it paid for subject and descrip­ (later FRD) was renamed the Defense All of this activity came to an abrupt tive catalogers who worked on the Slavic Research Division (DRD) on Sept. 10, halt in 1969-1970, when government­ Union Catalog and on other materials of 1963, after Air Force research require­ wide budget cuts caused a major specific interest to the Air Force. ments and funding were reassigned to reduction in force among the Library's Recruitment for the new unit had the Defense Intelligence Agency (OlA). reimbursable programs. The Defense not been easy, though, according to the Its mission of performing science and Research Division survived, but the Librarian's 1949 Annual Report. "One technology research contin­ Aerospace Technology Division was of the Personnel Division's principal ued, according to Robert abolished. problems has been to find properly Worden, former chief of In 1970, the Defense Research Divi­ qualified candidates to perform highly FRD, "but the nature of sion was renamed the Federal Research technical work in the Air Studies Divi­ the work being performed Division, the name it still holds today, sion.... It had to discover reliable broadened as DRD began and strong efforts were undertaken to men and women who had not only serving all three armed broaden its mandate and expand its been trained in science but were services on a nearly client base to ensure its survival. Its well-versed in languages and global basis. staff had fallen from 279 to 113. New reasonably familiar with New work research programs for the National librarianship." also included Aeronautics and Space Administra­ Performing specific tion, the National Institutes of Health, research for outside the Naval Scientific and Technologi­ clients was not a cal Information Center and the Envi­ new activity for ronmental Protection Agency were the Library in 1948, undertaken in the following years, because the Legisla­ with a resulting resurgence in funding tive Reference Ser­ and staff for the division, which had relocated from Massachusetts Avenue to the Navy Yard in August 1982. New interagency agreements were also developed with several Department of Defense organizations during the early and mid-1980s, some ofwhich involved classified research, and FRD took over the Army-funded Area Handbook/ Country Studies Series program from American University in 1986. In the late 1980s, another monetary crisis hit FRD when the budget of the Defense Intelli­ gence Agency was cut drastically. Again FRD's staff was cut, this time to 35 people, and the division began a vigorous marketing effort to expand its client base from two or three large defense sponsors to a mix of more medium­ sized and small accounts. These included many of the executive departments as well as federal agencies such as Social Security, the Postal Ser­ vice and the Administrative Office of the U.s. Courts. This effort continues today. In 1994, FRD moved from the Navy Yard to the Buzzard Point Annex at 1900 Half Street S.w. Asked how the division dealt with working in locations so far removed from the Librarys collections, which the staff used heav­ ily in their research, Worden wrote: "Offsite work sites were the norm for much of DRD/ FRD's existence.... FRD funded a shuttle ser­ vice and driver/courier to haul materials and people to and from FRD to the Library and to client agencies. There was always at least one person (sometimes more) assigned to an FRD enclave in Adams or Jefferson to fetch and charge books, serials, etc. Other FRD annex staff spent lots of their time roaming around the libraries ofother agencies collecting materi­ als, books, serials, maps and photos." Sandra Meditz, head of FRD's Production and Management Support Section, added: 'We did a lot of walking. 1'm sure I was not alone in finding the walk across the Hill from Massa­ Michaela McNichol chusettsAvenue enjoyable. I can't say the same for the walk from the Navy Yard Annex." The Work of the Federal The Federal Research Division returned to the Research Division Adams Building on Capitol Hill in December 1996 As of fiscal year 2005, when it entered into an interagency agree­ with 45 staff members, almost 30 years after it had ment with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the left in 1967. Soon after the move, bad budget news division has carried out research for everyone of the federal govern­ hit again. Revenue shortfalls in two successive years, ment's Cabinet-level departments as well as many of the independent 1997-1998, led to a downsizing of the staff to only agencies of the executive branch. 14 permanent employees, an all-time low. Research "One of the most significant aspects of FRD is the scope of its activ­ was carried on with extensive help from contract ity," said David Osborne, head of FRD's Research Section. "We've and overtime employees in other Library offices. done disability research, research on alien smuggling and human Unlike other units in the Library, FRD receives trafficking, histories of federal agencies and programs, and detailed no appropriated funds. All of its functions are paid country studies on more than a hundred nations around the world." for with funds received as a result of agreements Also critical, according to Osborne, is the close association that FRD with other agencies, most of which are outside the has had throughout its history with U.s. defense and intelligence Library. Passage of the Library of Congress Fiscal agencies. Although the division no longer does classified research, Operations Improvement Act of 2000, which took some of its staff still have security clearances, can receive classified effect on Oct. 1,2001, has helped to stabilize the briefings and use classified documents for research offsite. Because fiscal operations of the Federal Research Division. of its foreign-language expertise and its long experience dealing with It gave FRD (and six other Library units, including intelligence issues, the division is still an important player in the FEDLINK, Retail Sales and Photoduplication) the intelligence field, especially in dealing with open-source materials, authority to establish a revolving fund in the U.S. Osborne said. Just over 50 percent of FRD's clients come from the Treasury and to deposit funds transferred from defense and intelligence agencies. other federal agencies without fiscal year limita­ All FRD researchers are required to be proficient in one or more for­ tion. This allows FRD to perform its research func­ eign languages; their capabilities cover some 25 different languages, tions and to manage its finances on a more reliable from Arabic, Bulgarian and Chinese to Hindi, Korean, Polish, and basis, according to Worden. Funds transferred Serbo-Croatian. FRD analysts are trained in a wide range of disci­ to the revolving fund remain on account until plines, including area studies, social sciences, physical sciences, infor­ expended for current- and future-year research. mation science, and law. They work closely with other divisions in

MARCH 2008 33 .,..~\~~Of.':;: ______."rt\\~!hl C:., _

-.~z"~r -'*.y (," ~" .y -l ::--c: S" '? the Library, especially the Law Library The series is highly valued by the puter Catalog Center in the Jefferson and other foreign area specialists, and library community. At one time, almost Building became an online database make heavy use of the Librmy's foreign all depository libraries selected this title to accessible on the Internet when the language collections. If a new project include in their collections, and theAmer­ Library was searching for more content requires a skill that is not available in­ ican Library Association lobbied hard for its developing Web site. house, FRD will hire an expert consul­ to have the program continued when it "That was a huge innovation," said tant to assist with the work. became apparent in 1998 that the Army Osborne, "because those individuals Senior project managers oversee was going to discontinue it. The series has who are interested in unaccounted­ all of the work performed for outside also been widely acknowledged by mili­ for Americans could research names, agencies. They coordinate the overall tary commanders and policy makers as places, dates, etc. from anywhere and effort, provide the principal interface a reliable source of in-depth background request the documents on microfilm with the agency, see that deadlines information on areas of the world that are through their local libraries. They no are met, and review the completed important and of growing interest to US. longer had to travel to the Library of research, before handing over the national security. Congress to use the database." product to the division's editorial "In times of immediate need, copies Each year FRD adds documents staff for further review and editing. of recently published or even draft to this site, which averages about All of the work that FRD does is pro­ manuscripts of country studies have 30,000 searches a month. It can be prietary to the agency that requests it; been distributed to U.S. troops during found online at www.loc.gov/rrlfrd/ it is given out to others or placed on overseas deployments," said Meditz. powmia-home.html. the division's Web site only with the Two more country studies-Cuba permission of the originating agency. and a combined volume on the Research Reports Dominican Republic and Haiti -were A major report prepared by FRD, Federal Research published in 2002, funded by the US. "Domestic Trends to the Year 2015: Fore­ Division Products Southern Command. New funds were casts for the United States," has been FRD's most recent catalog of stud­ provided in the 2004 Defense Appro­ one of its most frequently requested ies and reports, "Access to a World of priations bill to continue the coun­ studies since it was completed in 1991 Information," includes a listing ofmore try series publication program at the (www.loc.gov/rr/frd/domestic_trends. than 500 products it has prepared since urging of Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), pdf). Prepared by eight FRD specialists, 1974. It is one of the tools that Jane and five new studies were initiated by the report analyzes trends and agents of Garten, FRD's marketing liaison, uses FRD (Colombia, Indonesia, Iran, North change in the areas of demography, the to solicit new interagency agreements Korea and Sudan). They are all nearing economy, natural resources, education, for the division. completion. Unfortunately, the series technology, and geopolitics and threat. has not received the continued annual Many ofits predictions have been borne Country Studies and funding envisioned, without which out in the years since it was prepared. Country Profiles further updating of existing editions A particularly apt forecast was made Funded by the US. Army from 1953 in the series will not be possible. in that report by Osborne as one of the until 1998 for training ofand use by mil­ Related to the country studies are the "key judgments" in the area of geo­ itary personnel overseas, the Country country profiles - briefsummaries on a politics and threat: "Former 'client' StudiesSeries presents a description and country's historical background, geog­ states, most of which are located in the analysis of the historical setting and the raphy, society, economy, transportation developing world, are well-armed and social, economic, political, and nation­ and telecommunications, government equipped, and may pose security threats al-security systems and institutions of and politics, and national security. to the developed world. These poten­ countries throughout the world. In 1986, Introduced in 2005, approximately 50 tial regional hegemons will feel free to FRD took over the task ofproducing the country profiles are accessible online at pursue their own goals. Recognizing country studies from American Uni­ http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles. that ideology, religion, and territory versity. Published by the Government html. The profiles are featured in the still play significant roles in relations Printing Office, the country studies front matter of the published country between countries, the world is enter­ were the first works by FRD to receive studies volumes, butexpanded ver­ ing upon a very unsettled time." broad public distribution. They were­ sions are also prepared as stand-alone In the aftermath of the events of and still are-extremely popular. reference aids that can be updated Sept. 11,2001, an FRD report prepared FRD has prepared more than 100 online as needed. in 1999 came to the media's attention. studies of countries all over the world, 'The Sociology and Psychology of Ter­ from Albania to Zaire. Most of them are POW/MIA Database rorism: Who Becomes a Terrorist and online at http://memory.loc.govlfrd/cs/ Underan interagency agreement with Why?" predicted that such a horrific cshome.html. The site averages approx­ the Defense POW/Missing Person­ event might occur. imately 500,000 searches per month, nel Office, FRD began developing the FRD author Rex Hudson had written: attesting to the series' popularity. POW/MIA database in the early 1990s. "AI-Qaida's expected retaliation for the "The country studies are unique in Its purpose was to index and micro­ U.s. cruise missile attack against al­ the breadth and depth of analytical film declassified documents relating to Qaida's training facilities inAfghanistan coverage they provide for a general unaccounted-forVietnam-era American on August 20,1998, could take several audience in both the public and private personnel. forms of terrorist attack in the nation's sectors," said Sandra Meditz, who has What began as a searchable database capital. ... Suicide bomber(s) belong­ directed the project since 1989. on a dedicated computer in the Com­ ing to al-Qaida's Martyrdom Battalion

34 INFORMATION BULLETIN US Department of Defense In a report published two years prior to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Federal Research Division suggested that al-Qaida might strike at the U.S. by crashing an airplane into the Pentagon. An FRD staff member was on assignment in the Pentagon at the time of the attack. could crash-land an aircraft packed with Military Resources sive legislative history of the Uniform high explosives (C-4 and semtex) into The Federal Research Division's Code of Military Justice and selected the Pentagon, the headquarters of the Military Legal Resources Web site historical editions of the Manual for Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), or was launched in 2003 at the request of Courts-Martial have also been added the White House." the Army's Judge Advocate General's to the site by FRO over the years. After 9/11, Librarian of Congress Legal Center and School Library in "I have often wanted, in the course James H. Billington had asked FRO to Charlottesville, Va. The center acts as of research on the Nazi regime, to put the three terrorism studies it had executive agent for the Department of peruse the German-language docu­ prepared on its Web site (with approval Defense for military lawyers, judges ments ... at length, but been deterred, from the agencies that commissioned and civilian authorities. The Web site except in a few vital cases, by the the reports). One of them was Hudson's (www.loc.gov/rrlfrd/Military_Law/ crumbling orange pages of the origi­ report. Five months later, in May 2002, military-iegaI-resources-home.htmI) nal volumes," wrote an American a reporter in Illinois picked up on it. It is used heavily by military lawyers, professor at the London School of was not longbefore FRO's Web site was legal journalists, legal scholars, and Economics, complimenting FRO on flooded with hits, and press inquiries law professors, including those deal­ its Military Legal Resources Web site. started coming into the Library from ing with the invasion and occupation "But now these materials will be con­ around the world. The division sud­ of Iraq and the detention and adjudi­ stantly and widely available.... As an denly found itself the subject of unprec­ cation of prisoners, as well as by both American living and working abroad, edented media attention. the defense and prosecution of U.s. I often have reason to take pride in "The media reports on the division's military personnel accused of crimes my country's institutions-but rarely study gained the attention of the White and misconduct. The site has become more so than in the case of the Library House, members of Congress, and key increasingly popular, recording almost of Congress." federal agency managers as well as net­ 600,000 visits in February 2008, double "Over time," said David Osborne work and cable news anchors, talkshow that of the previous year. recently, "the FRO site has become hosts and others," noted the division's Documents now on the site (totaling known as a secure and 'neutral' loca­ 2002 annual report. The heightened nearly 1,100) include historical docu­ tion for agencies to make their reports awareness of the division's capabilities ments from the Indian Wars, the Civil available to the public. For example, had a positive side as well: it resulted War, World War II, and the Korean the Under Secretary of Defense for Per­ in additional requests for research and and Vietnam wars, as well as the Mili­ sonnel and Readiness opted to post the analysis from other federal agencies. tary Law Review (1958-2007) and The Military Compensation Background Fourteen reports that focus on terror­ Army Lawyer (1971-2007). The condi­ Papers, 6th edition, which we com­ ism and the connection among narcotics tion of some of these early documents piled, on the FRO site to avoid printing traffickers, terrorists and other extremist was quite poor, and FRO specialists thousands of copies for distribution groups, and organized crime are now Roberta Goldblatt and Katarina David and to make it available to the world." publicly available at www.loc.gov/rr/ had to work with them to make them It can be found on the Web at www.loc. frd/terrorism.htmi. text-searchable online. A comprehen­ gov/rr/frd/mil-comp.html.

MARCH 2008 35 US Department of Defense A new publication, "History of the U.S. Army Battle Command Training Program, 1986­ Civilian and military experts 2003," was co-authored by FRD staff members Osborne and Priscilla Offenhauer. Published alike-including then in 2007, the volume explains the development of the Army's program, which was created in Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, 1987 at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., to use battle simulation to train commanders and their staff. It U.S. commander in Iraq, provides stressful and realistic combined-arms training in a rigorous combat environment. above-have high praise To prepare the study, Offenhauer and Osborne visited Fort Leavenworth to view histori­ for the Federal Research cal documents and observed a fighting exercise at Fort Stewart, Ga. They also interviewed Division's work, including veteran commanders of the Battle Command Training Program, including retired Army the "History of the U.S. Gen. Wesley Clark. Army Battle Command Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, current commander of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, Training Program, praised the book, saying it was a significant contribution to the history of the Army. 1986-2003," below. "Offenhauer's and Osborne's meticulous research takes the reader through the Battle Command Training Program's birth, growth, and ultimate valida­ tion on the battlefield, and this makes for a fascinating story," wrote Petraeus on the back cover of the volume. "Enormously rich in detail and written with a novelist's style, this narrative explains how the Battle Command Training Program has made, and will continue to make such an enormously positive impact on America's Army." The Federal Research Division often contributes to larger studies for a federal agency, which was the case of their work last year for the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves. Created by Congress in 2005, the purpose of the commission was to conduct a comprehensive review and make recommenda­ tions for the future. FRD did nine studies for the commission, all of them in 2007. They ranged from a look at historical attempts to reorganize the reserve components to comparisons of pay and benefits. The final report, "Commis­ sion on the National Guard and Reserves: Transforming the National Guard and Reserves into a 21st Century Operational Force," was made to Congress on Jan. 31, 2008. At the January press conference when the report was released, the chairman of the commission, Arnold Punaro, thanked the Library ofCon­ gress, as well as other agencies, for their assistance.

FRO Today Today's Federal Research Division (FRD) is very much the offspring of the Air Research/Air Shldies Division, but it has greatly expanded its client base over the years and is now on a more stable budgetary footing. In fiscal year 2007, for example, the division's total revenue was about $6 million, about half of which was budgeted for expenses during the year. This allowed about $3 million to be carried forward to fund its work in fiscal year 2008. continued 011 page 47

36 INFORMATION BULLETIN By ERIN ALLEN "I was just so honored when the he Library of Congress exhibition Library of Congress and the Children's T"Exploring the Early Americas" Book Council guys called me," Sci­ (see Information Bulletin, January/Feb­ eszka told Greg Toppo of USA Today. ruary 2008) and its signature artifact, LIBRARYOF "I mean, atfirst I really did think they'd the 1507 Martin Waldseemuller World made some kind of mistake. But, I Map, continued to make headlines CONGRESS thought that was cool that they actu­ throughout February. ally thought, 'Yeah, let's start this with Edward Rothstein of The New York a guy who writes funny stuff.'" Times reviewed the Library's exhibi­ IN THE NEWS Walter Minkel, reporter for School tion and one at the Field Museum in Library Journal, said of Scieszka Chicago with similar themes. "With his good-natured wit and "One virtue of the [Library of Con­ positive. Within 24 hours of the proj­ knack for knowing what kids need, gress] exhibition is that it avoids the ect's launch, all 3,115 images had been [he] seems like the perfect guy for the distortions of sentimental history. viewed at least once (with 650,000 challenge." By illuminating multiple perspec­ total views), more than 500 pictures Scieszka told Roll Call reporter Jes­ tives tempered by careful judgment, had received comments, and 4,000 sica DaSilva that he is optimistic about in which the achievements of past unique tags had been added." He sparking increased interest in chil­ cultures are appreciated, the horrors added, "The [Library's] catalog is, of dren's literature and hopes to spread of the conquest chronicled, and the course, the property of We the People. the message that children should be legacy and subsequent interaction So in a way it seems nahlral to tap into involved in selecting what they read, reflected in documents and maps, the our aggregate wisdom to learn more both at home and in school. complexities of the past become more about the pictures that define us," Other outlets running stories about apparent." he said. NPR reporter Cyrus Farivar Scieszka and his new national role Frank Greve of McClatchy News interviewed Flickr's George Oates, in promoting literacy included Time Service interviewed John Hessler of who expressed the egalitarian aspects for Kids, Newsweek, The New the Library's Geography and Maps of the project. "Having content from York Times, The Washington Post, Division for a profile on the Waldsee­ the Library of Congress just nestled Christian Science Monitor, School muller map. Hessler recently penned amongst other photos from everyone Library Journal, Voice of America, the book "The Naming of America" else around the world creates a level NPR, Newsday, Seattle Post-Intelli­ about the map known as "America's playing field." gencer, The Seattle Times, Book Busi­ birth certificate. Greve discussed the Matt Raymond, the Library director ness Magazine, Los Angeles Times, map's "high-tech protection" in an of communications, spoke with Roll Columbus Dispatch, Sacramento argon gas-filled glass case "just like Call reporter Emily Yehle about the Bee and Web sites about.com and the­ the cases that hold the original Con­ initiative. "By catching the public's bookstandard.com. stitution and Declaration of Indepen­ interest on popular sites [like Flickr], • Roll Call's DaSilva also ran a dence, but bigger." the Library can reel people into its own story on the Library's acquisition of Greve's story was syndicated to Web site and gain more interest." the papers of civil rights activist James outlets including The Miami Herald, Other outlets running news of the Forman. (See story on page 38.) Chattanooga Times Free Press, The partnership included the Chicago Tri­ "James Forman Jr. said he vividly State (South Carolina), The Lexington bune, Government Computer News, remembers walking up the white Herald Leader (Kentucky), Knight American Libraries, Library Journal, marble stairs of the Library of Con­ Ridder Washington Bureau, Centre Arizona Daily Wildcat (University of gress with his father, who taught him Daily Times (Pennsylvania), The Arizona), Lowell (Mass.) Sun, WUSA­ about the importance of the Library," Kansas City Star, pantagraph.com TV9 (Washington) and Web sites she reported. and baltimoresun.com. spokesmanreview.com, CNETnews. Gloria Minot of Pacifica Radio's • When it comes to naming items com, popphoto.com, cinemablend. Washington, D.C., affiliate inter­ in its collections, the Library is hoping com, computerworld.com, photodis­ viewed Adrienne Cannon of the the public will help. The institution trictnews.com, thejournal.com and Manuscript Division who discussed has launched a pilot project with webpronews.com. the significance of the Forman collec­ Flickr, a popular Web-based photo • In another January announce­ tion. The story also ran in print and sharing resource, to make a selection ment, the Library named children's Web outlets such as Michigan Chron­ of its historical photographs available author Jon Scieszka as the first icle, New York Amsterdam News, for tagging, comments and notes. (See National Ambassador for Young Peo­ washingtonpost.com and Diverse­ story on page 40.) ple's Literature. (See story on page 47.) Education.com. • According to Brian Braiker ofNews­ His books "The Stinky Cheese Man" week.com, the response has been and "The True Story of the Three Little Erin Allen is a writer-editor in the "instantaneous and overwhelmingly Pigs" have received much acclaim. Library's Public Affairs Office.

MARCH 2008 37 Michaela McNichol James Forman Jr. chats with Librarian of Congress James Billington at the ceremony during which James Jr. gave the papers of his civil rights activist father, James Forman Sr., to the library. Forman Jr.'s mother, Constancia Romilly, looks on. James Foreman, Activist Children Donate Civil Rights Leader's Papers

By HELEN DALRYMPLE organizations wanted the Forman in organizing many of the major civil AND GAIL FINEBERG papers, but it was always his father's rights campaigns of the era, including ames Jr. and Chaka Forman gave wish that his papers should be housed the 1963 March on Washington. the papers of their civil rights at the Library of Congress. The Forman Papers-comprising Jactivist father, James, to the Library "It was not at all a complicated deci­ approximately 70,000 items-chron­ at a special ceremony in the Whittall sion," noted Forman Jr. "My father icle his life and the important role he Pavilion on Jan. 28. Their mother, moved to Washington, D.C., in 1980. played in the Civil Rights Movement. Constancia Romilly, also attended His office was in the United Method­ The bulk of the collection dates from the event, but Chaka Forman was ist Building near the Supreme Court. 1960. Included are letters, memoranda, not able to attend at the last minute When we were children, he brought diaries, speeches and other writings; because of illness. us to the Library of Congress nearly notebooks, transcripts of interviews, "We are proud and grateful to every day while he was doing his subject files, scrapbooks, appointment remember this remarkable man," research and writing. Here in this books and photographs; and video and said Librarian of Congress James H. building [the Jefferson Building], he sound recordings. Billington at the ceremony. "TheJames taught us to use the card catalog and Forman's activism is well-docu­ Forman Papers are a valuable addition later the computer catalog. He told us mented in the collection, particularly to the Library's unrivaled resources that this was our history, and it was his tenure with SNCC and the Unem­ for the study of the 20th-century Civil always going to be here for us. ployment and Poverty Action Com­ Rights Movement." "So I want to say 'thank you' to mittee (UPAC). His involvement in the Associate Librarian for Library Ser­ the Library of Congress," James Jr. Congress ofRacial Equality (CORE), the vices Deanna Marcum said: "These added. National Association for the Advance­ papers will give the first-person Both Marcum and Forman also ment of Colored People (NAACP) and account of what [the Civil Rights thanked Adrienne Cannon of the the Black Panther Party is also covered. Movement] was like. '" Thank you for Manuscript Division for her work on After serving in the Air Force at Oki­ entrusting to us the custody of this col­ the papers. nawa during the Korean War, Forman lection that will serve such an impor­ James Forman (1928-2005), execu­ graduated from Roosevelt Univer­ tant purpose." tive secretary of the Student Nonvio­ sity in Illinois in 1957. He pursued Marcum went on to tell the story that lent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) advanced studies in African affairs at James Jr. had related to her: that many from 1961 to 1966, was instrumental Boston University, then returned to his

38 INFORMATION BULLETIN ______~"'_,'l-," Of "c~------~~ ll~;i:l /-: ;,-;

~ '"l,. ~/ . '-l J. 11'';: ~ native Chicago to work as an elementary-school teacher Forman received a master's degree in African and Afro­ and journalist. American studies from Cornell University in 1980 and a An assignment to cover the desegregation of Little Rock's doctorate from the Union of Experimental Colleges and Central High School for The Chicago Defender in 1958 Universities with the Institute for Policy Studies in Washing­ ignited his interest in the burgeoning civil-rights move­ ton, D.C. After running unsuccessfully for Democratic Party ment. He became involved in CORE and the NAACP, and Senator from the District of Columbia in support of state­ in 1961 he moved to Atlanta to serve as executive secretary hood, he founded James Forman and Associates, a political for SNCC. From 1967-1969, he was director ofSNCC's Inter­ consulting group. During the 1990s, he taught at American national Affairs Commission in New York. University, the University of the District of Columbia and Forman presented his "Black Manifesto" at the National Morgan State University in Baltimore. Black Economic Development Conference in Detroit, where The Library's Manuscript Division houses the most com­ it was adopted in April 1969. The document called for repa­ prehensive civil-rights collection in the country, including rations to African Americans for slavery and its legacy. In the original records of the organizations that led the fight 1974, he founded the Unemployment and Poverty Action for civil liberties: the NAACP, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Committee (UPAC), a nonprofit social action organization, Car Porters, the National Urban League and the Leader­ and served as its president until 2003. ship Conference on Civil Rights. The Library also has the Aprolific writer, Forman founded the BlackAmerica News microfilmed records of the Southern Christian Leadership Service and published numerous articles and pamphlets, as Conference, CORE and SNCC. well as several books. These included "Sammy Younge, Jr.: In addition to these organizational holdings, the collec­ The First Black College Student to Die in the Black Libera­ tions of the Manuscript Division include the personal papers tion Movement (1968)"; "Liberation Viendra d'une Chose of other prominent civil-rights activists such as Thurgood Noir" (1968); "The Political Thought of James Forman" Marshall, Robert L. Carter, Roy Wilkins, A. Philip Randolph, (1970); "The Making of Black Revolutionaries" (1972); "Law Bayard Rustin, Arthur Spingarn, Moorfield Storey, Patricia and Disorder" (1972); "Self-Determination & the African­ Roberts Harris, Edward W. Brooke and Joseph Rauh.• American People" (1981, revised 1984); "Self-Determination: An Examination of the Question & its Application to the Helen Dalrymple is a retired Library staff member and former African-American People" (1984); and "High Tide of Black editor of the Library of Congress Information Bulletin. Gail Resistance and Other Political & Literary Writings" (1994). Fineberg is editor of The Gazette, the Library's staff newsletter.

Library To Receive Donated Chinese Volumes

he Library of Congress has begun to receive donated books Tfrom the National Library of China through the Window of China Project. Founded in 2006, the Window of China Project donates books to national libraries and other institutions around the world. Associate Librarian for Library Services Deanna Marcum and Yan Xiandong of the National Library of China signed a Memorandum of Understanding in January 2008 to formalize the project. Accord­ ing to the agreement, the National Library of China will donate approximately 3,000 publications to the Library of Congress over the course of the project, which lasts through 2010. Asian Division Chief Hwa-Wei Lee has provided the National Library of China with a list of selected titles. To date, the Library has received more than 2,000 books covering many subjects such as his­ tory, literature, archaeology, fine arts, travel and ethnic nationalities. At center, Minister Counselor of Culture Shu Xiao of The donated works have also included several lavishly illustrated the Embassy of the People's Republic of China (left) albums manifesting the cultural abundance and diversity of the reviews, with Asian Division Chief Hwa-Wei lee, Chinese people. a selection of the books being donated from the To celebrate the Library's participation in this project, a ceremony National library of China. Chinese CounselorYang was held on Feb. 12 in the Library's Asian Reading Room. A small Jian, right, and Anna Ho of the library's Chinese selection of donated books was on display. Acquisitions Team, foreground left, look on. The year 2008 marks the 80th anniversary of the Library's Chinese Section. In 1928, Librarian of Congress Herbert Putnam, with con­ now totals close to 1 million volumes. The collection gressional approval, established the Division of Chinese Literature, is considered to be the largest and most comprehen­ the forerunner of the Chinese Section. The Chinese collection, which sive outside of China. began in 1869 with a gift of 933 books from Chinese Emperor Tong­ For more information about the Library's Asian zhi (1862-1874) as part of an exchange authorized by the Congress, collections go to www.loc.gov/rr/asian/. •

MARCH 2008 39 (' ------">'" 0 _

New Audience for Photos Library in Pilot Program with Flickr Photo Service

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The Library pilot program on Flickr includes selections from two of the Library's popular photo collections: color images from 1930s and '40s from the Farm Security Administration/Office ofWar Information (FSA/OWI) collection, and 1910s-era pictures from the George Bain Collection.

By JOHN SAYERS laboration and sharing among users, more people, including those who Library patron examining Civil such as social networking, wikis, com­ don't realize that libraries have his­ A War-era images informs a Prints munications tools and folksonomies). torical photos." and Photographs (P&P) curator that Besides robust photo-display tools, For its part in the pilot, Flickr has two visually similar photos have rad­ Flickr is known for allowing its users created a new publication model for ically different identifications. Hun­ to describe their own and other photos publicly held photographic collec­ dreds of miles away, a woman and her through the practice of "tagging," or tions called "The Commons" (www/ father identify a photo shown on their describing individual items with one flickr.com/commonsl). While Flickr favorite Web-based photo-sharing ser­ or more descriptive terms. was started for creators of photos­ vice as a shoe factory where the father The Library test entails loading 3,100 and lets those creators indicate the worked as boy. images from two popular P&P collec­ rights to their photos from"All Rights Two very different ways of exam­ tions (color photos from the 1930s and Reserved" to a series of permissions ining Library photographs have 1940s from the Farm Security Admin­ for reuse-the new model allows for one underlying theme: users of the istration/Office of War Information a new rights category on Flickr: "No Library's collections can play an collection and 1910s-era news photos known copyright restrictions." Flickr important role in identifying assets, from the Bain News Service) for which hopes its Commons project will also assisting curators and reference staff, no copyright restrictions are known capture the imagination and involve­ and enhancing the overall user experi­ to exist. The pilot was set up with two ment of other public institutions who ence for their fellow researchers. goals: to give better and wider access serve as stewards of photos. In the first example, a user of the to the collections to a new and appre­ The pilot project team will continue Library's Prints and Photographs ciative audience, and to explore new to monitor the photos, how they are Online Catalog raised questions about ways to acquire the best possible infor­ tagged, and the many ways they may images that led curator Carol Johnson mation about these collections for the be used. P&P staff will evaluate the to discover three "new" glass nega­ benefit of researchers and posterity. comments and tags, not only to better tives from Lincoln's second inaugura­ "P&P has long done a great job of identify image content, but also to tion. (See story 011 page 42.) giving the visual collections strong establish best practices in collecting The second example is the result roots through cataloging, digitizing, and evaluating their reference use. of a new pilot project the Library has reference, curatorial and collection­ Flickr project manager George Oates undertaken with Flickr, the enor­ management services," said Helena joined Library project staff to discuss mously popular photo-sharing site Zinkham, acting chief of the Prints the pilot with Library staff at an over­ and innovator in Web 2.0 functions and Photographs Division. "With flowing presentation on Jan. 29, which (these include second-generation their new Flickr wings, our wonder­ can viewed online at www.Ioc.gov/ Web tools that emphasize online col­ ful images can bring enjoyment to lots today/cyberlc/.

40 INFORMATION BULLETIN flidu

The Library's "tag cloud" on Flickr to date includes the 150 most popular user-defined tags, with larger words indicating wider use. All 3,100 photos were tagged "Library of Congress" by the Library when uploaded.

flieRr David Bransby This 1942 photo of a worker at Vega Aircraft Corp., Burbank, Calif., has received dozens of user-generated tags from the Flickr community, from Wow. "B-17 Flying Fortress" to "war effort" to "working glamour," as well as comments on everything from the photo quality and color to the role of women in the workplace. Prints and Photographs Division

"It's especially gratifying to be Dozens of e-mails were received able to celebrate our dual roles," said from grateful users, often simple one­ Zinkham. "We make the collections line greetings, from "Thank you," shine through our own skill and expe­ to "I LOVE what you are doing," to rience, while also broadening public "You guys rock!" Other users were participation in developing access more specific: "This is one of the and knowledge for historic photos smartest things the federal govern­ through Flickr." ment has done." "I never would have More information on the pilot project accessed these photos under different Both the library and the Flickr can be found at www.Ioc.gov/rr/printJ circumstances, and I am very excited teams were overwhelmed by the flickcpilot.html. to go through them." "This is also a initial response, reflected in the great use of my taxpayer dollars, and headline of Flickr's day-after blog Overwhelming Response I dearly hope that the postings are post: "Wow." On the same day the new Lincoln expanded as time allows." negatives were announced, the pilot In a blog post on Day Two of the Outside of the Flickr community, team quietly launched the two col­ pilot, Library Director of Communica­ leading bloggers have been equally lections on Flickr (www.flickr.com/ tions Matt Raymond observed, "The effusive. More than 1,600 posts, includ­ photos/library_oLcongressl). The response ... has been nothing short ing opinion-leading blogs such as Library publicized the project on its of astounding. You always hope for a Boing Boing, TechCrunch, Life Hacker, blog (www.loc.gov/blog/?p=233) positive reaction to something like this, Mashable, Read/Write Web, Instapun­ as did Flickr (http://blog.flickr. but it has been utterly off the charts­ dit, Search Engine Land, Internet Mar­ net/200S/01/16/). The teams sat back from the Flickr community, from the ketingNews, Laughing Squid, Wired's and watched, curious about what blogosphere, from the news media-it Compiler, LAist, Foundation and Open the photo-sharing network and the is nothing short of amazing." Culture have praised the Library for its broader blogging community might By the end of the first week, the innovative partnership and speculated make of all this. Library's photos on Flickr gener­ at its potential. The response was staggering. ated 3 million page views. More than Mainstream media have also been By the end of the first day, according 7,000 Flickr account owners added complimentary, from NPR to Roll Call to Flickr's blog (http://blog.flickr.net/ the Library as a contact, the equiva­ to Newsweek.com. (See story on page en/200S/01l17/wowl), users "added lent of having the institution on their 37.) The images have even inspired cre­ over 4,000 unique tags across the col­ personal lists as a "friend." Just under ativity, from storytelling based on the lection (about 19,000 tags were added a third of the 3,100 photos generated photos to a YouTube video tribute to the in total; for example, "Rosie the Riv­ comments, and more than two-thirds project, "Flickr & Library of Congress: eter" has been added to 10 different have been noted by at least one user as It's a Beautiful Thing" at www.you­ photos)." a "favorite." tube.comlwatch?v=cOlIjWBhilQ.•

MARCH 2008 41 Red iscovering Lincoln 'New' Images of Gettysburg, Second Inaugural, Identified in Library Collections

early 200 years after his birth, Abraham Lincoln N remains a hot topic for historians, schoolchildren and Civil War buffs alike. With only about 130 photographs of the 16th president known to exist, the discovery of previ­ ously unknown Lincoln photos is cause for celebration. Such was the case with the recent discovery at the Library of Congress of "new" images of Lincoln at Gettysburg and at his second inauguration. Lincoln at Gettysburg the dedication ceremony at Soldiers' urday looked like with the massing In November, amateur historian National Ceremony. Direct links to the of the crowd. They also convey the and Civil War enthusiast John Rich­ images can be found at http://hd1.1oc. excitement of the people." ter found several interesting images gov/loc/pnp/cwpb.00652 and http:// Johnson was prompted to exam­ among the treasure trove of photo­ hd1.1oc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.17806. ine the negatives after an online graphs digitized and accessible on the researcher in Colorado alerted her Library of Congress Prints and Pho­ Second Inauguration to the fact that these visually similar tographs Online Catalog. He iden­ In January, details of Abraham Lin­ photos had radically different identi­ tified them as images of Lincoln at coln's second inauguration come into fications in the Library'S online Civil Gettysburg for the dedication of the clearer focus with the discovery at the War photographic negative collection. Soldiers National Cemetery on Nov. Library of Congress of three glass neg­ But instead of choosing between Grant 19, 1863. The stereographs (a photo­ atives that show the large crowd gath­ and the Grand Armies Review, she graphic technique popular during ered at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, opened a new door to the past by look­ the Civil War, which required a spe­ D.C., for the president's address on ing closely at the images and recog­ cial viewer to appear in 3-D) show a March 4, 1865. nizing Lincoln's second inauguration. figure on horseback believed to be a These negatives had been labeled The Library'S Prints and Photographs white-gloved Lincoln in his trademark long ago as being either the Grand Division has updated the catalog stovepipe hat, participating in a mili­ Review of the Armies or the inau­ records with the correct bibliographic tary procession. They are believed to guration of Ulysses S. Grant. Carol information. have been taken by Alexander Gard­ Johnson, a curator of photography at Below are links to the photographs: ner (1821-1882). the Library of Congress, spotted the • Soldiers and crowd: http://hdl. "This find doubles the number misidentification while checking old loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpb.01430 of apparent images of Lincoln at his logbooks and finding the annotation greatest moment," said Bob Zeller, "Lincoln?" in the margin. Only two • Soldiers lining up: http://hd1.1oc. president of the Center for Civil War other photos of Lincoln's second inau­ gov/loc.pnp/cwpb.00601 Photography, who is convinced of the guration were previously known, but • Soldiers lined up: http://hd1.1oc. photographs' authenticity. a careful visual comparison confirmed gov/loc.pnp/cwpb.00602 The images can be viewed by that these three negatives portray the • People arriving (previously searching "Lincoln at Gettysburg" on same event. known image used for comparison): the Library's Prints and Photographs "These negatives add to our knowl­ http://hdl.loc.govlloc.pnp/ppm­ Catalog at www.loc.gov/rr/print/cata­ edge of this special event," said John­ sc.02927 log.html and selecting the images of son. "They show what that wet Sat­ cOl1til1ued 011 page 47

42 INFORMATION BULLETIN photos of the crowd at Presi­ dent Lj co n's second inaugu­ ration, March 4, 865. Prints and Pho ographs D~vision

Lincoln in the News Newhouse News Service, The Inde­ check it out and see what an incredible By ERIN ALLEN pendent, Patriot News (Harrisburg, archive system we've got." he unearthing of never-before­ Pa.), The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Print and Web media nmning sto­ Tseen images of the 16th president Times of Trenton (New Jersey) and ries included Fort Wayne Journal was a popular story with the media. Web sites such as eveningsun.com Gazette, St. Paul Pioneer Press and "1 noticed there were three nega­ and foxnews.com. YubaNet.com. Television coverage tives from the dedication that were Lincoln was in the news again about the inaugural photos included taken close together," John Richter in January when another online NBC's Today Show and The Late told Washington Post reporter Linda researcher noted three glass nega­ Show with David Letterman. Wheeler about the images of Lincoln tives on the Library's Prints and Pho­ On President's Day, Feb. 18, at Gettysburg. "That stuck me as odd tographs Online Catalog, which he National Public Radio's "Morning because of the difficulty and cost identified as a large crowd gathered Edition" aired an interview with of taking pictures back then. 1 also at the U.s. Capitol in Washington, Johnson that was taped at the Library. noticed the camera was not pointed at D.C., for Lincoln's second inaugural "This is the first time that African­ the stand but more toward the right. 1 address on March 4,1865. American troops had marched in an zoomed in, and that was when 1saw "These photos matched [Lincoln's inauguration," Johnson pointed out the figure." inauguration] perfectly," said Carol to reporter Kitty Eisele. Said Eisele, Richter unveiled the finds at the Johnson, curator of photography, "What 1 know when 1 look at these annual Lincoln Forum in Gettysburg. who spoke with Los Angeles Times faces is what this crowd does not: "A new photograph of Lincoln is reporter Johanna Neuman about the That in one month, the war will be very precious and very rare," Harold previously mislabeled images. finished, but five days after that, Holzer told Wheeler. Holzer is vice Kyra Philips of CNN, who has used Lincoln himself will be dead at an chairman of the forum and a leading the Library's online photo archive, assassin's hand." • authority on Lincoln. called it "pretty awesome." She added, Also running stories on Richter's "It's an incredible resource ... You need Erin Allen is a writer-editor in the find were USA Today, CNN, CBS, to go to the Library of Congress and Library's Public Affairs Office.

MARCH 2008 43 ------(~:;------yW~ // '-, ­ -i ;~ -:. <; 'Hip, Savvy ... Unpredictable' Poet Laureate Introduces Witter Bynner Poets

By DONNA URSCHEL 1. .S. Poet Laure­ The hills fall away to a Uate Charles Simic shallow gully, bent reeds hailed the 2008 Witter yellow and green, and so Bynner fellows as there must be a hint of young poets who are water there. "hip, savvy, smart, or imaginative and, con­ In the Tuileries women sequently, completely wear scarves against the unpredictable in their brisk fall morning, don't poetry. They're also linger long. But the flow­ very good." ers still bloom. Oranges, The two poets, Mat­ reds: heart-colored thew Thorburn, a possibilities. business-development or writer, and Monica I see in its leaving why Youn, an attorney and you loved creative-writing pro­ the light. fessor, both from New 2008 Witter Bynner fellows MatthewThorburn and Monica Youn York City, accepted read from their work at the library March 6. In describing Youn, their fellowships at a Simic said, "She is a Library ofCongress reading on March Hiver' for a French Lesson.'" skeptical, intelligent, high-spirited 6. They each received a $10,000 award, Simic explained, "Thorburn has voice, alert and sharp. She is engaged provided by the Witter Bynner Foun­ some of that playfulness of Wallace by everything from Korean history dation for Poetry in conjunction with Stevens, and what I really admire to the subjugation of women and the the Library of Congress. about Thorburn is that he can do a lot torture of children and the history of a Every year the U.S. Poet Laureate of different things well. His poems comic strip." selects poets of distinction who are are wry, surprising, jovial and a little Simic added, "What she does is take not yet widely known for the Witter mysterious. He's a superb poet of love the lyric poem beyond its traditional Bynner fellowships. The award pro­ and writes about family and friends." form and re-invent it, and in the pro­ gram is in its 11 th year. Simic described Thorburn's poems as cess she reminds us what imagination "It's always nice to give out money," "distinctive, intimate and, above all, and playfulness can accomplish in Simic told the audience. "Some­ memorable. Despite all that, they're poetry." times reporters will ask me 'who are well-constructed." Youn is an attorney at the Brennan these angels who give out money to Thorburn is a graduate of the Uni­ Center for Justice at the New York unknown poets?' They can't figure it versity of Michigan and the MFA University School of Law and an out, and neither can 1. They are really program at The New School in New adjunct assistant professor of creative angels. What generosity! What a ter­ York City. He works as a business­ writing at Columbia University. She rific idea!" development writer for an interna­ is the author of "Barter" (2003). Her When he introduced the fellows, tional law firm in New York. His poems have appeared in numerous Simic said, "I like poets who have read poems have appeared in "The Paris journals and anthologies, including everything. Well, give the impression Review," "Poetry," "The American the "Norton Anthology: Language for they have read everything, at least Poetry Review" and other journals. a New Century." She earned a bach­ read poetry written in the last 150 From 2000 to 2004, Thorburn founded elor's degree from Princeton, a mas­ years. I like poets whose attitude is and co-edited the poetry journal Good ter's of philosophy from Oxford and a critical and downright irreverent." Foot. His work has been recognized law degree from Yale. Simic then described what he liked with the Mississippi Review Prize and Youn is working on a second about Thorburn and Youn. "Thor­ the Belfast Poetry Festival's inaugural volume of poetry titled "Ignatz," burn's first book, 'Subject to Change,' Festivo Prize. which is based on "Krazy Kat," the is really terrific," said Simic. "The At the event, Thorburn read 14 classic comic strip created by George titles of his poems are pure delight ­ poems, six from his book "Subject to Herriman that ran in U.S. newspapers 'Portrait of Former Lovers in the Spare Change" (2004) and the rest from a from 1913 to 1944. In the strip, a naive Style of the Past Century,' 'For Friends new manuscript called "Like Luck." cat is crazy in love with a disagree­ Who Are Married and Expecting More An unusual piece from "Subject to able mouse called Ignatz. "There's a Babies' and 'The Critics Interrupt Change" was a prose poem in three goofy desperation to the way love is Their Interpretations of 'Un Chat en parts titled "Variations:" portrayed," Youn said. continued on page 44

44 INFORMATION BULLETIN Diversity Comes of Age Anchorman: Race No Longer Matters So Much

By GAIL FINEBERG iversity is arriving soon with the coming-of-age of Da younger generation for whom matters of race and gender are irrelevant, ABC/WJLA-TV anchorman Leon Harris said in off-the-cuff remarks to an audience of mid­ dle-aged Library staffers gathered in the Mumford Room on Tuesday, Feb. 12, for his African American History Month presentation. "Diversity is coming," Harris announced. "It's going to come whether you are prepared or not." He described the excitement of throngs of young people trying to get into T.e. Williams HighSchool inAlexandria, Va., the previous Sundaynight to see and hear Sen. BarackObama, whose presidential campaign appeal for national unityseems to transcend race, gender, age, education,socio-economic class and other demographics of interest to pollsters. "The crowds were ridiculously enthusiastic and ridicu­ lously large, between 10,000 and 12,000," said Harris, who was assigned to interview Obama after the speech for a 30-minute WJLA broadcast. Harris said he was mobbed by kids wanting tickets to get in. '''Hey man, you got tickets? Surely you got tickets.' Since when do scalpers sell tickets to political events? These Michaela McNichol WJLA anchorman Leon Harris were 12-to-15-year-olds, white kids and black kids, who wanted to buy tickets to hear a politician give a speech." "This moment is a moment in history that probably After pleading with his WJLA boss to be let "outside" Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950, the father of Black History ("I'm not a house dog. I'm a yard dog."), he drew the Month) would never have dreamed he would see," Harris Obama assignment after Sen. Hillary Clinton had agreed said. "This is not just a black man running for the nomina­ to be interviewed the same length of time in the studio. tion, but he is running against a woman." An old hand at covering national politics for CNN, he To further illustrate his point that race is becoming a had interviewed presidential candidates, and reported nonissue, he reported a recent exchange with his young live from both the Republican and Democratic National son, who was getting ready for a date "with a young Conventions. Harris shared one question he asked both woman with an exotic name." Clinton and Obama in confidence: "What happens if the "Where's she from?" asked father Harris. superdelegates get to Denver [for the Democratic National "She's from Maryland. What's it matter? Dad, what's Convention] and make a deal in a back room, and you­ wrong with you?" know-who gets it? You know what that would mean-the "I just wanted to know what she looks like." "d" word-disenfranchisement. That would destroy the "She looks fine when she's with me," his son retorted. unity of this country. In other words, would you be willing For Harris, the assignment to interview Obama was a to be the person to heal this country, even if it means losing welcome break from the WJLA studio in which he anchors the nomination?" weekday newscasts at 5 and 11 p.m. and co-hosts Capital The unequivocal answer, he said, was: "Absolutely." Sunday, which requires late-night researching and writing Asked whom he would endorse for the Democratic in preparation. Party's presidential nominee, Harris responded that he An award-winning CNN reporter in Atlanta for more endorses no one, and he does not even vote in an effort to than 22 years before coming to Washington about six years remain objective in his treatment of the political candidates ago, he misses the excitement that came from the chance he covers. to report on the top stories of the day-Sept. 11 terror Then he thought for a moment and said: "However, if strikes, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Asian Tsunami my mother were to die, I would want Obama to deliver the of 2004, the explosion and crash of TWA Flight 800 and the eulogy and Clinton to serve as executor of the estate." • Los Angeles riots. His reports won commendations and awards, including Emmy awards and multiple Cable Ace Gail Fineberg is editor of The Gazette, the Library's staff awards for Best Newscaster. newsletter.

MARCH 2008 45 i 'i; 0 F J::<:...."'f. 1J..('. ------" ~------_._------" .y "'"" /r .f. ;:}.;: S'" . News from the Center for the Book National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Takes Center Stage

By JOHN Y COLE n Jan. 3, 2008, Librarian ofCongress OJames H. Billington appointed noted children's author Jon Scieszka (pronounced SHEH-ska) as the first National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. The announce­ ment, which was made before two classes of elementary school students seated on the floor at New York Public Library's Mulberry Street branch, gen­ erated instant excitement that has not subsided: The author of "The Stinky Cheese Man" is a huge hit. "The Library of Congress has long provided free, primary-source educa­ tional material for K-12 on the Inter­ net," Billington noted. "This new posi­ tion is a natural extension of that role. Jon Scieszka will be an articulate emis­ sary, promoting reading and literature among young people." Jon Scieszka has been named 2008 National Ambassador for Young "The position was created by the People's literature. Center for the Book and the Children's Book Council to promote books and • Expand the definition of "read­ many segments of the book commu­ reading for young people nationally ing" to include nonfiction, humor, nity. The selection criteria emphasize and in new and innovative ways," graphic novels, magazines, action the candidate's contribution to young said Robin Adelson, executive director adventure and Web sites. people's literature, ability to relate to of the Children's Book Council. "Jon's • Be a good reading role model. children, and experience and effective­ platform during his two-year term • Avoid demonizing television, ness in dealing with the media. spotlights the diversity and breadth of computer games and new technolo­ The Center for the Book in the books available to young people today gies. Library of Congress, the Children's and the need for kids themselves to Born in Flint, Mich., Scieszka earned Book Council (CBC) and the CBC choose what they want to read." a bachelor's degree in writing from Foundation are the administrators of Scieszka introduced himself in a Jan. Albion College and a master of fine arts the National Ambassador for Young 27 op-ed piece in the New York Daily degree from Columbia University. He People's Literature initiative. The News. held a number of teaching positions in CBC, one of the Center for the Book's "Kids are reading less and getting the first through eighth grades before national reading-promotion partners, worse at it. So the Library of Congress taking a year off to develop ideas for proposed the basic idea to the center and the Children's Book Council have children's books. He is the author of in the fall of 2006; it was approved by created a new position and named our several bestselling children's titles, Billington in the spring of 2007. first National Ambassador for Young including his Caldecott award-winning As National Ambassador, Scieszka People's Literature. That's me-the "The Stinky Cheese Man," "The True receives a $50,000 stipend for his guy with the impossible-to-pronounce Story of the Three Little Pigs" and the two-year term. Financial support for last name ... And my new job is to get Time Warp Trio, a chapter book series. the program is provided by leading our kids jazzed about reading." He is the founder of Guys Read (www. sponsor Cheerios, and the following In the editorial and subsequent talks, guysread.com), a nonprofit literacy publishers: Penguin Young Readers he presented four tips "learned from 20 organization. Group; Scholastic, Inc.; HarperCollins years of teaching, writing and listen­ The National Ambassador for Young Children's Books; Random House Chil­ ing to kids who weren't too crazy about People's Literature is named by the dren's Books; Houghton Mifflin Com­ reading." Librarian of Congress for a two-year pany; Macmillan Publishers; Harcourt • Let the readers choose what they term, based on recommendations from Children's Books; Holiday House; like and want to read. a selection committee representing Charlesbridge; National Geographic

46 INFORMATION BULLETIN Children's Books; Candlewick Press, Association's youth divisions: the Scieszka, who was a featured author and Marshall Cavendish Publishers. American Association for School at the first National Book Festival A drawing for a library visit from Libraries (AASL), the Association for in 2001, will participate in the 2008 Scieszka took place on Jan. 12 in the Library Services to Children (ALSC) National Book Festival on Sept. 27. Library's exhibit booth at the mid-win­ and the Young Adult Library Ser­ Other scheduled appearances in his ter meeting of the American Library vices Association (YALSA). Sarrett role as the inaugural National Ambas­ Association in Philadelphia. Nearly selected Spartanburg County Public sador for Young People's Literature 300 conference attendees entered the Libraries in Spartanburg, S.c., as the include National Children's Book contest, submitting their names and host institution for Scieszka's visit on Week in NewYork City in May and the requests for the new National Ambas­ March 5-7, 2009. He will be the fea­ Miami International Book Festival in sador to visit their institutions. tured speaker at the library's annual November. For further information The lucky winner was Janet Sarrett, Jamboread celebration, an event contact the Center for the Book at a retired school media specialist from held in cooperation with many other [email protected].• South Carolina who in her 35-year South Carolina library organizations, career served on several committees including the South Carolina Center John Y. Cole is director of the Center for in all three of the American Library for the Book. the Book.

FRD producing the Country Studies Series public in a way that was not possible continued from page 36 and the second was the availability of in years past," said Osborne. "Both FRD's products on Internet. the country studies and the POW/ FRD currently employs a staff of 60, "The division's Web site at www.loc. MIA database were very popular including about 20 people in perma­ gov/rr/frd/ is now probably its most in the 1990s. Today the studies and nent positions as well as contractors effective marketing tool, with some the various other online products and temporary workers. of its most popular products accessed have kept FRD in the public eye A number of factors have come hundreds of thousands of times each more than in its previous four or five together in the past few decades to year," said Jeremy Adamson, chief of decades of service." • make the work of the Federal Research the Collection and Services Director­ Division much more widely known ate in Library Services. Helen Dalrymple is a retired Library than it was in the past. The first was "The Internet has definitely put the employee and the former editor of the FRD's assumption of responsibility for Federal Research Division before the Library of Congress Information Bulletin.

Lincoln pihtmUpi022.htmI). Lincoln's second the presentation includes more than continued from page 42 inaugural address, coming just a few 200 sheet-music compositions that rep­ weeks before the end of the Civil War, resent Lincoln and the war as reflected Lincoln Online contained such stirring phrases as: "... in popular music. The collection spans The Library'S Manuscript Division With malice toward none; with char­ the years from Lincoln's presidential holds the papers of 23 U.S. presidents, ity for all; with firmness in the right, campaign in 1859 through the cente­ includingGeorge Washington, Thomas as God gives us to see the right, let us nary of Lincoln's birth in 1909. Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Com­ strive on to finish the work we are in; to This music was compiled by Alfred prising 20,000 items, the Abraham bind up the nation's wounds ..." Whital Stern (1881-1960), who is con­ Lincoln Papers are accessible online Lincoln's immortalization in song is sidered the greatest private collector of at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ the subject of another online Library materials relating to the life and times of alhtmUmalhome.html. presentation titled "We'll Sing to Abe Abraham Lincoln. Stern presented his Drawn from the Lincoln papers, the Our Song!": Sheet Music about Lin­ collection to the Library in 1953 and it Library's American Memory online coln, Emancipation, and the Civil continues to grow through an endow­ presentation "I Do Solemnly Swear" War" (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ ment established by his family. Today, offers a special look at presidential scsmhtmllscsmhome.html). Drawn the Alfred Whital Stem Collection com­ inaugurations, including Lincoln's from theAlfred Whital Stem Collection prises more than 11,000 books, pam­ first and second inaugural addresses of Lincolniana in the Library's Rare phlets, manuscripts, prints and posters (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ Book and Special Collections Division, as well as a variety of ephemera. •

Poetry Freshwater stunned the beaches. continued from page 44 I could sleep. Youn read 13 poems about Ignatz from her upcoming For further information on Witter Bynner Foundation book. Some of the titles included, "Letter to Ignatz," "The for Poetry, the fellowships and the poetry program at the Wedding of Ignatz," "Ignatz Infers," "Ignatz Pop Quiz," Library of Congress, visit the Library'S Poetry Web site at "Invisible Ignatz," and "Ignatz Domesticus." She also read www.loc.gov/poetry/.• four poems from her first book "Barter." The last poemshe read was called "Ending" and contained Donna Urschel is a public affairs specialist in the Library's Public only seven words: Affairs Office.

MARCH 2008 47 THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRESORTED STANDARD PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE POSTAGE & FEES PAID 101INDEPENDENCEAVE.S.E. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON, DC 20540-1610 WASHINGTON, DC PERMIT No. G-103

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