October 10, 2014|Maura Gillespie Today marks the 200th anniversary http://history.house.gov/HistoricalHighlight/Detail/35613 of the resolution that permitted Congress to purchase Thomas Jefferson’s book collection to create a new Library of Congress (LOC). After the British burned the White House, U.S. Capitol, and Library of Congress in August of 1814, the rebuilding process required replacing the collection. The resolution passed and Congress purchased Jefferson’s books for just $23,950. To honor this important anniversary, here are five great things you may not know about the Library of Congress: 1) *Veterans History Project*. Through the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, the Veterans History Project http://www.loc.gov/vets/ welcomes stories and personal accounts of American war veterans from World War I to the present conflicts our troops face today. To date, Speaker Boehner, representing Ohio’s Eighth District, has contributed 172 interviews http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/search?query=%2Bboehner from his constituents to the Veterans History Project, one of which was with Colonel Tom Moe http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.81770/, the former Director for the Ohio Department of Veterans and a POW of the Vietnam War. Through this project, Boehner and his staff have helped veterans get the recognition they deserve for their service by awarding upgraded service medals and honorary high school diplomas. 2) *Promoting transparency and open-government*. The Library has been a leading institutional partner in making the legislative branch more open and accountable to the American people. In 2012, the LOC unveiled the new Congress.gov http://www.speaker.gov/general/library-congress-launches-new-congressgov, which has made it easier for citizens to find information about the legislative process and what bills are being debated. 3) *Legislative Branch Bulk Data Task Force*. This task force http://www.speaker.gov/general/opengov-xml-house-floor-summaries-now-availab... was created to examine how best to increase availability of congressional information in bulk while still considering costs, timelines, authenticity of data, and further the mission of increasing transparency for the American people. As the Deputy Librarian of Congress said last year http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2013/13-122.html, “The Library works closely with the Congress and related agencies to make America’s federal legislative record more widely available.” 4) *The Gershwin Prize for Popular Song*. Each year the Library of Congress recognizes an artist of popular music for their outstanding contributions to American music, theatre, and culture, and to the Library of Congress. Next month, the Library will present the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song to legendary singer-songwriter Billy Joel. Speaker Boehner congratulated the Long Island native on this well-earned honor http://www.speaker.gov/press-release/speaker-boehner-congratulates-piano-man..., saying, “The man makes great music, and we are grateful for his contributions.” 5) *Open door policy*. As stated earlier, the Library of Congress is architecturally and visually beautiful. From the Neptune fountain outside to the marble floors and custom arches inside, the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress is a stunning achievement for America. The preservation of our history, and accessibility of those resources, is at the forefront of its mission. So, with that accessibility comes one of the greatest things about the Library of Congress: it is open to the public and free to visit http://www.loc.gov/visit/tours/guided-tours/thomas-jefferson-building/. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Library of Congress and those lawmakers – and, of course, Thomas Jefferson – for making all of this possible. - See more at: http://www.speaker.gov/general/five-great-things-about-library-congress#stha... -- Thanks and regards. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jayadev P. Hiremath University Librarian Karnataka State Law University Navanagar, Hubli - 580 001 Tel : +91 836 2222901 Fax : +91 836 2323151 Mob. +91 9886080147 Website : http://www.kslu.ac.in/ E-mail : jayadevh@hotmail.com LinkedIn : http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jayadev-p-hiremath/44/12a/2a0 Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/people/Jayadev-P-Hiremath/603802230 -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.