I am fortunate enough to involve the Library of Congress Chronicling America. As soon as I started searching the databases, I noticed that the headlines of newspapers in different regions can be the same!! I work on the "Panic of 1907" topic and I found that some newspapers' headlines in New York Tribute can be found in mid-western newspapers! - exaactly the same. I am wondering whether those news were "flying" via telegraphs.
Another discovery is that even the Qing Dynasty Chinese Emperor's news can be found in American newspapers between 1860 to 1922!!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Library of Congress International Offices
I learned something "news" this morning.
(1) Library of Congress has six overseas offices - Egypt (Cairo), Indonesia Jarkata), Brazil (Rio), India (New Dehli), Pakistan (Islamabad), and Kenya (Nairobi).
(2) Library of Congress has the largest newspaper digitalization projects.
(1) Library of Congress has six overseas offices - Egypt (Cairo), Indonesia Jarkata), Brazil (Rio), India (New Dehli), Pakistan (Islamabad), and Kenya (Nairobi).
(2) Library of Congress has the largest newspaper digitalization projects.
Interesting Question at the Library of Congress Information Desk
A couple days ago I received a very intersting question when I was at the Information Desk. A gentleman asked me, "Are the tiles at the Library of Congress are as same as the ones at US Capital?"
The US Capital building is next to the Library of Congress. I guess that's why I received that question. I,, of course, do not know the answer. But I do know that the Capital building is about 100 years older than the Library of Congress Jefferson Building. So I replied the gentleman that I do not know the answer; but I told him that our building is at least 100 years younger than the Capital Building. Thus the tiles are probably NOT the same.
Later I asked my colleagues, none of them knows the answer.
The US Capital building is next to the Library of Congress. I guess that's why I received that question. I,, of course, do not know the answer. But I do know that the Capital building is about 100 years older than the Library of Congress Jefferson Building. So I replied the gentleman that I do not know the answer; but I told him that our building is at least 100 years younger than the Capital Building. Thus the tiles are probably NOT the same.
Later I asked my colleagues, none of them knows the answer.
Martin Luther King Jr. Public Library in Washington DC
The Martin Luther King Jr. Public Library is a very popular library. Thus I visited the library yesterday. First I found a very long line of people waiting in front of the main entranace. Then I found out that it is very common that the line is formed 15 minutes before the library open. Like many public libraries in the big cities, there are many (apparently) homeless people outside the library. As soon as the door opened, everyone marched in. I utilized one of the 15 minutes terminals to check my email message. I heard constantly that patrons were cussing and using "bad langauges" such the "F.." word just because the terminals are not fast enough for them. They literally yelled to the Information Desk staff. I felt so sorry for the library staff.
As a librarian, those behavior surely is NOT acceptable. I was so surprised that the Martin Luther Public Library staff allow its patrons to have those disturbance behavior at the library. I certainly cannot bear any longer and I left.
As a librarian, those behavior surely is NOT acceptable. I was so surprised that the Martin Luther Public Library staff allow its patrons to have those disturbance behavior at the library. I certainly cannot bear any longer and I left.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Thomas Jefferson's Collection at Library of Congress
Currently the exhibition of Thomas Jefferson Library collection is now located at the second floor of the Jefferson Building at the LOC. It is part of the collection that Jefferson sold his books to LOC in 1815.
The most intersting part of this particularly collection is the "classification" of the book. The classification scheme is BEFORE Dewey Classifiction Scheme. The books have been arranged in an order that Jefferson described as "sometimes analytical, sometimes chronological, and sometimes a combination of both." Jefferson followed a modified version of the organization of knowledge created by British philosopher Francis Bacon (1581-1626). The books were divided into categories of "Memory," "Reason," and "Imagination." Jefferson intepreted as "History," "Philosophy," and "Fine Arts." He then further divided the categories into forty-four "chapters."
I believe that is the earliest library classification scheme we can find.
The most intersting part of this particularly collection is the "classification" of the book. The classification scheme is BEFORE Dewey Classifiction Scheme. The books have been arranged in an order that Jefferson described as "sometimes analytical, sometimes chronological, and sometimes a combination of both." Jefferson followed a modified version of the organization of knowledge created by British philosopher Francis Bacon (1581-1626). The books were divided into categories of "Memory," "Reason," and "Imagination." Jefferson intepreted as "History," "Philosophy," and "Fine Arts." He then further divided the categories into forty-four "chapters."
I believe that is the earliest library classification scheme we can find.
U.S. News & World Report is going away!
Last week I heard that the U.S. News & World Report is going "away". ("sigh") Is it the trernd of our printed journals in the near future? It is very disturbing...
I don't know what to say...
I don't know what to say...
Monday, November 8, 2010
National Archives in Washington DC area
I visit the National Archive in Washington, DC two days ago. I am very impressed! There are so many valuable documents at the National Archive, including the Jewish people's Swiss Bank stattements during the WWII, Civil War documents, Executive Order of the Wesr Coast Japanese-American Concentration Camps. The original Declaration of Independence and other valuable documents are now displayed in the exhibition hall.
I found myself spending so many hours and still not enough time to read them all!!! - However the best way to read those documents is to obtain a research card.
I found myself spending so many hours and still not enough time to read them all!!! - However the best way to read those documents is to obtain a research card.
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