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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 17h

This World Blindness Awareness Month, we wanted to share with you some of the ways the Library makes its treasures accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. First up, the Touch History tour featured in this video. Contact the Visitor Engagement Office to learn more. loc.gov/visit 🧵

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

It’s #Inktober! The social media-based art challenge was created by artist Jake Parker to encourage daily artistic practice. Today’s prompt is “apple.” 🍎 Need ink-spiration? Check out the Library’s image collection. There are thousands of rights-free photos and prints to spark your imagination!

Fruit picker with truckload of apples. Camden County, New Jersey. Photographed by Arthur Rothstein. 1938 Oct. Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Here's what's going on Live! at the Library in October. Join us! ⬇️ newsroom.loc.gov/news/step-inside-t…

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

It’s the last day of Library Card Sign-up Month! But as long as you’re 16 or older, you can get your very own Library of Congress reader card any old time, including at Live! at the Library every Thursday night! www.loc.gov/research-cen...

People line up to get their Library of Congress reader cards at Live! at the Library on September 17, 2026. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

It's Silent Movie Day! Did you know not all silent films were black and white? Color processes like Kinemacolor were shown as early as 1909, and film was tinted and colored by hand even earlier. Here are some examples of early silent films in color from the Library's National Screening Room!

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

It's National Comic Book Day! Before he was famously depicted punching Hitler on the cover of the first issue of his comic, Captain America was a concept drawing. That drawing was donated to us in 2018, albeit a little worse for wear. Here's how it was repaired. ⬇️ blogs.loc.gov/preservation...

A photo of a damaged concept drawing of Captain America before it was treated by the Library of Congress.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

It’s fall, which for centuries has been wild ginseng harvesting season in Appalachia. The American Folklife Center collection includes images of the “ginsenging” tradition in West Virginia. What’s a beloved autumn tradition where you live? guides.loc.gov/west-virginia-folkli…

Joe Williams with ginseng plant in his hand. September 27, 1995. From the Coal River Folklife Collection.

Natalie Pettry with her seng (ginseng) hoe. October 5, 1996. From the Coal River Folklife Collection.

Ginseng drying in a window. October 5, 1996. From the Coal River Folklife Collection.

Randy Sprouse inspecting the ginseng he's dug. September 27, 1995. From the Coal River Folklife Collection.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

It’s the anniversary of Mary Church Terrell’s birth. The Library of Congress is home to her papers, which highlight her work as an educator, lecturer, suffragist, and civil rights activist. Explore them. ⬇️ www.loc.gov/collections/...

Mary Church Terrell, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing front.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

NEWS: Martha C. Nussbaum receives the 2026 John W. Kluge Prize for Achievement in the Study of Humanity. newsroom.loc.gov/news/library-of-co…

2026 Kluge Prize Recipient Martha C. Nussbaum. Photo courtesy of the University of Chicago Law School.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

MAGAZINE MONDAY | A new exhibition, “Alive In Many Hands” is open now at the Library of Congress. It explores the legacy of the American Folklife Center on its 50th anniversary. Read about it in the current issue of the Library of Congress Magazine. ⬇️ lcm.loc.gov/issue/septem...

lcm.loc.gov

‘Alive in Many Hands’

New exhibit explores the legacy of the American Folklife Center on its 50th anniversary.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The Library of Congress recently had the honor of hosting @kenjennings.bsky.social for an event, and we just couldn't resist testing him on his Library knowledge while he was here. 👀

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

For Constitution Day, a draft of the document with notes written in George Washington's own hand! It's from the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where delegates from each state met to draft the Constitution. Washington likely made these notes while discussing the text with his peers.

Image 3 of George Washington Papers, Series 4, General Correspondence: Constitution, Printed, with Marginal Notes by George Washington, September 12, 1787. From the George Washington papers in the Manuscript Division at the Library of Congress.

Reproduction of painting of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and others signing the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Original by Henry Hintermeister, 1925.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

NEWS: A new exhibit at the Library of Congress, celebrating 50 years of the American Folklife Center, shows how living traditions carry memory, identity and community across generations. It explores traditions of music, dance, storytelling, craft, foodways and more. newsroom.loc.gov/news/library...

newsroom.loc.gov

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

It's Hispanic Heritage Month! The Library will celebrate with new resources and programs inviting the public to explore Hispanic and Latino heritage through the Library’s rich collections. newsroom.loc.gov/news/library...

Visitors tour the Hispanic Division Reading Room during special open house hours as part of the ongoing Live! At the Library weekly series, July 21, 2022. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

On this National Voter Registration Day 🗳️, here’s a look at Rosa Parks’s 1962 voter registration card from the Rosa Parks Papers here at the Library of Congress. Parks was very passionate about voter registration, and it was a huge part of her work at the NAACP when she lived in Alabama. 🧵

Rosa Parks's voter registration card. It reads:

Registration Certificate
Detroit, Michigan
Rosa L Parks
3201 Virginia Pk.
Detroit Michigan
Ward 23 Pct. 21

I hereby certify that the above named elector registered as a voter of the City of Detroit in the Ward and Precinct indicated on Jan 23 1962.

Thomas D. Leadbetter
City Clerk

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

MAGAZINE MONDAY | Since its inception in 1991, the Library's junior fellows program has welcomed 1,100 students. Read about how they've made hundreds of thousands of items more accessible to Congress and the American public in the Library of Congress Magazine! ⬇️ lcm.loc.gov/issue/july-a...

lcm.loc.gov

Discovering Gems

For 35 years, junior fellows have explored the collections — and, sometimes, found a new career path.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

To mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the Library has launched an online collection of nearly 500 first-hand accounts that document what responders witnessed, why they responded, what they endured, and how the experience affected their health, families and lives in the years that followed. 🧵

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

In the fashion magazine world, the September issue is usually considered the most important of the year. We thought it would be fun to celebrate September by taking a look at the gorgeous vintage issues of Vogue (including copies from more than 130 years ago!) that are housed here at the Library.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Heads up! If you missed a session you wanted to see at the National Book Festival, or if you were not able to attend the festival in-person, sessions are up online now! ⬇️ #NatBookFest www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHBP…

Academy Award-winning filmmaker and preservation advocate Martin Scorsese speaks with Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz on the main stage at the 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival, August 22. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman speaks with Robert Costa on the Main Stage at the 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival, August 22, 2026. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

Kate McKinnon tosses a copy of her book into the crowd at the 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival, August 22, 2026. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

Authors Ann Patchett and Tayari Jones discuss novels about family and the passage of time with NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly at the 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival, August 22. Photo by Kimberly Powell/For the Library of Congress.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

This month marks the anniversary of George Eastman patenting the Kodak camera in 1888. The Copyright Office here at the Library of Congress has “The Kodak Manual,” copyrighted earlier that year. It proves that animals and kids have always been priority subjects of amateur home photography!

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Chef Carla Hall recently visited the Library of Congress to narrate her children's books for the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled! 📚

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

The most famous of Scotland's Highland games, the Braemar Gathering, takes place this weekend in Aberdeenshire. These photos of the 1950 Braemar Gathering by Toni Frissell are part of the large collection of her work she donated to the Library in 1970. 🧵

Ewen Ferrier "throws the hammer" at The Royal Braemar Gatherings. September, 1950. Toni Frissell.

The Royal Braemar Gatherings - dance and games contests. Two men in kilts and high socks on stage dancing. September, 1950. Toni Frissell.

A man in a green coat, kilt and hat stands in front of a castle. September, 1950. Toni Frissell.

A line of four men in traditional Scottish dress hold bagpipes, stepping away from the camera. September, 1950. Toni Frissell.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Live! at the Library this month: A new exhibit, Italian fashion night, and a recording of “The Omnibus Project" with Ken Jennings. Join us! newsroom.loc.gov/news/live--at-the-…

Graphic featuring Ken Jennings and John Roderick reads:

Live! at the Library. Sept. 3. Omnibus! with Ken Jennings and John Roderick.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Around this time in 1897, Thomas Edison was likely celebrating receiving a patent for the Kinetograph, his early motion picture camera. The first films ever copyrighted were made with it, including this one from 1894, which the Library has preserved. It's colloquially known as "Fred Ott's Sneeze."

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

MAGAZINE MONDAY | In his autobiography, Miles Davis called collaborator Gil Evans "probably my best and oldest friend." The Library's Music Division recently acquired over 350 of Evans' scores. lcm.loc.gov/issue/july-august-2026/…

lcm.loc.gov

Making Magic with Miles

Library acquires the papers of jazz legend Gil Evans.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

It’s the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. At the march, a souvenir booklet created by the National Urban League was sold for $1 a piece to offset the cost of the event. The Library has a copy of the "We Shall Overcome" booklet, which features powerful graphic collages by Louis Lo Monaco.

Souvenir booklet sales table at the March on Washington. Trikosko, Marion S., photographer.
1963 Aug. 28. U.S. News & World Report Magazine Photograph Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

The hands of a Manuscripts specialist at the Library of Congress hold the "We Shall Overcome" souvenir booklet from the 1963 March on Washington. It features a collage that shows three people in silhouettes, holding hands and running.

(Left) A letter from the NAACP dated September 1963 explaining that there is a 10,000-copy backlog of the official March on Washington momento, urging people to buy the remaining copies that weren't sold at the march from the National Urban League to help recoup costs of organizing the event.

The table of contents from the "We Shall Overcome" souvenir booklet from the 1963 March on Washington and two of the collage images contained inside. The image on the left is a Black individual with a concerned expression, overlaid with drawn American flag imagery, red and white stripes and one blue rectangle with white stars. The image on the right appears to be someone in KKK robes holding an American flag, with a Black individual in distress near the person's feet.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Ever wonder how maps are made accessible to the blind? A Library A250 project set out to do just that with some of our Revolution-era holdings, including this map made by George Washington! More accessible A250 materials: www.loc.gov/nls/services-and-resour…

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

On this National Dog Day, we're wondering if man ever had a best friend better than Laddie Boy, the first celebrity pet of the White House. President Warren Harding and his airedale terrier were often photographed together, as seen in these images from the Library's Prints & Photographs Division. 🧵

President Harding with pet dog Laddie, being photographed in front of the White House. 1922 June 13. National Photo Co.

President Harding with Laddie Boy at White House, Washington, D.C. Harris & Ewing, photographer. 1923.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

The Library is devastated to learn of the passing of Dolly Parton, a music legend and titan of children's literacy. Her Imagination Library program has earned multiple Library Literacy Awards and, in 2018, she visited us to donate its 100 millionth book to our collection and host a story time. 🦋❤️

Dolly Parton reads to children in the Library’s Great Hall in 2018. Photo by Shawn Miller.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

It's the National Park Service's birthday today! We're celebrating by sharing these photographs from the NPS Heritage Documentation Programs, which are archived here at the Library of Congress. 🧵

Lincoln statue, north view, detail. Mark Schara, photographer; 30 March 1995. - Lincoln Memorial, West Potomac Park, Washington, District of Columbia, DC. Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey.

Henry Rohrbach Farm, Barn, East of Burnside Bridge Road, Sharpsburg, Washington County, MD. Historic American Buildings Survey.

General view, looking north, showing the "bay" side of the structure - Golden Gate Bridge, Spanning mouth of San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA. Jet Lowe, 1984. Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey.

Historic American Buildings Survey F. D. Nichols, Photographer January 1938 Built by Father Stoner after Bartlett's sketch of Chapel San Cosme del Tucson - St. John the Evangelist Church, 3522 South Seventh Avenue, Tucson, Pima County, AZ.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

MAGAZINE MONDAY | On the anniversary of the British burning the U.S. Capitol in 1814, learn how this destructive act became part of the story of the modern Library of Congress. ⬇️ lcm.loc.gov/issue/march-april-2025/…

lcm.loc.gov

Thomas Jefferson’s Library

The president’s personal collection is the foundation of the modern Library of Congress.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

That's a wrap on the 2026 National Book Festival! We're thrilled to announce that next year's event will be on August 21, 2027. Mark your calendars!

The Naptown Brass Band from Annapolis, Maryland, plays on the L Street Bridge of the Washington Convention Center near the end of the National Book Festival. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

What’s your favorite National Book Festival poster? Whether you have a clear winner or can’t decide—all 26 posters are free to download! www.loc.gov/programs/nat...

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

We love seeing so many book lovers in one place! 📚

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

It's National Book Festival fit check time. 👀 We love seeing your book-themed fits every year! 🫶

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Lots of literary fun to be had here at the National Book Festival, but if collecting free swag and making bracelets is also on your to-do list today, make your way to Hall D!

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Lots of fun was had on the National Book Festival's Main Stage already this morning with Kate McKinnon and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman! If you didn't catch their sessions or couldn't make it to the festival at all, don't worry. They're online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgWFdWWagos

NASA's Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman at the National Book Festival on August 22, 2026. Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

Kate McKinnon throws a book into the crowd at the National Book Festival on August 22, 2026. Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

And doors are OPEN for the 2026 National Book Festival! Whether you’re joining us in person or virtually, check our pinned post/thread for all the info you'll need to find your way around today. #NatBookFest

People crowd the floor of the entrance to the National Book Festival on Aug. 22, 2026. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

It's almost time! The 26th Library of Congress National Book Festival is TOMORROW (Saturday, August 22nd) at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Are you coming? Read this #NatBookFest thread! 🧵

Colorful graphic reads: Library of Congress National Book Festival

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

It's World Photography Day, which commemorates the invention of the daguerreotype in 1837. The earliest surviving photograph of the U.S. Capitol, from 1846, is one of many early daguerrotypes in the Library's collection. 🧵

John Plumbe, Jr., the first professional photographer in Washington, D.C., made this daguerrotype image of the U.S. Capitol in 1846. The view of the east front elevation shows the former copper-sheathed wooden dome, and is the earliest surviving photograph of the Capitol.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

On this day in 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, prohibiting the denial of the right to vote on the basis of sex. The Library holds the records and library collection of the National Woman’s Party, which was instrumental in getting the legislation passed. 🧵

Photograph of Alison Turnbull Hopkins with banner, "Mr. President How long must women wait for liberty," picketing for suffrage outside White House gate. January 30, 1917. Photograph published in "The Suffragist."

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

NEWS: “Words Bridging Worlds,” Arthur Sze’s signature project as the 25th U.S. Poet Laureate, will launch next month with a national tour. newsroom.loc.gov/news/u.s.-poet-lau…

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Looking for things to do this weekend? Free, family-friendly activities will abound at the National Book Festival! newsroom.loc.gov/news/free-family-f…

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Concerts from the Library of Congress returns for the 2026-27 season with a lineup including a celebration of Miles Davis, violin-cello duo Sistastrings, Broadway star Audra McDonald and more! How to get your free tickets ⬇️ newsroom.loc.gov/news/library...

Graphic reads "CONCERTS from the Library of Congress loc.gov/concerts"

Image is of a four-person band playing cello and violins

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

MAGAZINE MONDAY | Roaring waterfalls and soaring granite domes, captured in graphite and ink. America fell in love with Yosemite for the very first time, thanks to a sketch by Thomas Ayres. Read more about this recent Library acquisition! ⬇️ lcm.loc.gov/issue/july-a...

lcm.loc.gov

First Light on the Valley

Thomas Ayres’ drawings revealed the rugged majesty of Yosemite to the nation.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

After World War II, the Japanese acknowledged they never broke the code of the Navajo Code Talkers. Today, on Navajo Code Talkers Day, explore the Veterans History Project's new online exhibit honoring them! ⬇️ blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2026/08/hono…

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

ICYMI: The full 2026 National Book Festival schedule is out so you can plan your day! We hope to see you at the Washington Convention Center on August 22nd! #NatBookFest 🔗 loc.gov/bookfest

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

August is National Make a Will Month, a great reminder to update your will or create one. By including the Library of Congress in your plans, you will help ensure generations to come can enjoy the nation’s greatest resource of history, culture, and imagination! www.loc.gov/programs/sup...

The Library of Congress Jefferson Building is illuminated in gold on October 26, 2022. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Something you may not expect to find at the Library: A collection of original courtroom sketches that provide insight into the drama and impact of events in American law during the past 50 years. These examples are of Charles Manson, John Hinckley and David Berkowitz. 🧵

Drawing shows Charles Manson, head-and-shoulders portrati, testifying during a trial for the Sharon Tate and the LaBianca murders.

Arnold Mesches, artist.

John Hinckley, leaning forward, chin cupped in right hand, listens to videotaped testimony of actress Jodie Foster, with whom he was obsessed.

Freda Leibowitz Reiter, artist.

Drawing shows "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz, handcuffed and screaming, as guards remove him from the courtroom where he appeared on May 22, 1978, for sentencing; he shouted "I will kill them all".

Joseph Papin, artist.

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