THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

A periodic report from

THE NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

JUNE 1996 • NO. 9

Reuters donates $1 million for digitization

of Washington and Jefferson papers

The Founding Fathers go digital

continued on page 2; see Reuters

Exactly 207 years after Washington’s inauguration in 1789, Reuters America Inc. and The

Reuter Foundation, during an April 30 news

conference, donated $1 million to the Library’s

National Digital Library (NDL) Program specifically for

the digitization of the papers of George Washington and

Thomas Jefferson.

The project will make it possible, for the first time, to

place unique presidential manuscripts from the Library

on-line. The Jefferson and Washington papers will be

digitized for inclusion in the National Digital Library’s

collection of American history materials available at

http://www.loc.gov/

“Today’s gift from Reuters will make it possible for

the Library to share widely two collections of papers of

the Founding Fathers,” said Librarian of Congress James

H. Billington. “Our manuscript collections of 23 presidents are among the most important in the Library, and

the generosity of Reuters will offer Americans everywhere the chance to view these key documents of their

nation’s history.”

The news conference, dubbed “The Founding Fathers

Go Digital,” was attended by Speaker of the House Newt

Gingrich (R-Ga.), Rep. Thomas Bliley (R-Va.), Reuters

Chief Executive Peter Job, students and a teacher from

Evans Junior High School in Washington and St. Christopher Middle School in Richmond, Va., and representatives from “What on Earth,” a multimedia project from

Reuters.

“Reuters is pleased it is working with the Library of

Congress to bring American history to the digital age,”

said Mr. Job. “Through the application of the latest technology, wider access to historically significant materials

has become possible. Scholars, local libraries, classroom

students and families in the home—indeed anyone with

access to the Internet—will now be able to see and use

these materials more readily.

“I congratulate the Library of Congress and thank

Speaker Gingrich and Rep. Bliley. We are delighted to be

associated with this program.”

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington and Peter Job, Chief

Executive of Reuters, at the ceremony that marked the special

Reuters gift.

Library of Congress photo by Jim Higgins
THE NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

2 JUNE 1996

Reuters, from page 1

continued on page 3, see Reuters

Rep. Gingrich said that “the Library of Congress is beginning the process of creating, on a

world basis, a shared set of information breakthroughs, and Reuters’s gift will help remind

people of the genius of freedom. ... When you

study Washington and Jefferson you are in

touch with the fabric that created the world you

live in. ... What did they think? How did they

pursue their goals? ... Through the Library of

Congress, people all over the world will be able

to ‘touch’ these documents, not just read what

a historian thinks.”

Rep. Bliley added an air of levity to the occasion by noting that the British burned the Library, then housed in the U.S. Capitol, during

the War of 1812. “It is so nice you have come

back to help us,” he said, looking at the chief

executive of Reuters, which is based in London.

“We will compress time and distance in ways

we can never imagine. Today is just the beginning,” predicted Rep. Bliley, who, as chairman

of the House Commerce Committee, was instrumental in the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, signed at the Library in

February.

Providing a demonstration of what is available today from the National Digital Library

and what will be possible in the future was

Robert Zich, director of electronic programs for

the NDL Program. Mr. Zich offered such initiatives as the digitized versions of the Gettysburg

Address and political speeches of U.S. leaders,

as well as a taste of the Washington papers as

they will appear on the Internet. Several of

Washington’s papers had been digitized just for

the occasion. Those who attended the conference were able to view the originals in a special exhibit prepared by Gerald Gawalt, Manuscript Division specialist in early American history, who explained the importance of the papers to guests.

Mr. Zich was introduced by Laura Campbell,

NDL Program director, who told the audience

that the contribution of Reuters will also enable the Library to expand the educational impact of the presidential papers through outlets

other than the Internet such as “What on Earth,”

a cable program from Reuters delivered daily

to 1,500 classrooms across the country.

The final part of the program was devoted

to a demonstration of “What on Earth,” during

which students from Evans Junior High and St.

Christopher Middle School answered questions

from Rep. Bliley relating to the Washington and

Jefferson papers. They had learned about the

papers from a “What on Earth” program developed by editors Katie King and Janet Walters.

Student-reporter Tomicah Tillemann-Dick, 16,

had interviewed Dr. Billington and Dr. Gawalt

for his story. His work brought a smile to the

faces of two guests in the audience: Rep. Tom

Lantos (D-Calif.) and his wife, who are his

grandparents.

Later that day, Reuters held a dinner featuring David Brinkley as the speaker in the Northwest Curtain of the Jefferson Building’s Great

Hall.

“We have here on the shelves not only the

history, dreams, fantasies and poetic longings

of the human race,” Mr. Brinkley said. “We also

have the mundane, a century or so of the Dow

Jones industrial average. All of it is gathered,

protected and enclosed here in an envelope of

limestone, granite and marble.

“Everything is here, yes,” he continued. “But

not everything is easily and quickly accessible.

... But there is help. The leadership of the Library of Congress—Dr. Billington leading the

way—is creating what they call the National

Digital Library.”

The goal of the NDL Program is to make

freely available over the Internet 5 million items

by the year 2000, in collaboration with other

institutions. The Reuters contribution will help

the Library meet that goal by providing the

funds necessary to digitize the approximately

65,000 items in the Washington Papers and

25,000 in the Jefferson Papers.

The George Washington Papers focus on the

first president’s career as surveyor, farmer, military leader and politician. Washington’s correspondence, account books and other papers are

The Reuters gift

will provide the

funds to digitize

approximately

65,000 items in

the Washington

papers

and 25,000 in the

Jefferson

papers.
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

JUNE 1996 3

Reuters, from page 2

—Guy Lamolinara

Public Affairs Office

the preeminent source for study of the military

aspects of the American Revolution. His correspondence, diaries, journals and meticulously

maintained records are unparalleled records of

the creation of the national government.

The Jefferson Papers reflect the more speculative and philosophical mind of the author of

the Declaration of Independence, reformer of

the Virginia Constitution and founder of the

University of Virginia. The third president’s

web of intellectual communication within the

North Atlantic community is clearly seen in his

extensive correspondence on subjects as diverse

as Native American languages, scientific farming and the best form of government for France

and Great Britain. His interest in the early history of Virginia led to the preservation of some

of the earliest known records of Jamestown and

the Virginia Company of London.

David Brinkley, a

leading journalist

and public

communicator,

was the featured

speaker at the

dinner Reuters

hosted on the

occasion of its

gift of $1 million.

He discussed the

great potential of

the NDL with the

Librarian of

Congress, James

H. Billington. Library of Congress photo by Jim Higgins

Associate Librarian SuzanneThorin spoke at the National

Diet Library Symposium in Tokyo

and Kyoto in March. Organized by

the National Diet Library of Japan,

“National Libraries in the 21st Century” featured participants from the

national libraries of the United

States (Library of Congress), Australia, China, France, Great Britain,

Japan, South Korea, Norway and

Singapore.

LIBRARY REPRESENTED AT

JAPAN SYMPOSIUM

action systems, access to numerical and textual

historical databases, news, graphics, still photos and news video. Reuters maintains an international network of about 1,860 journalists,

photographers and cameramen, and some

327,000 clients access Reuters information.

of Congress as a result of emerging technologies. These include delivery of the Library’s historical

collections, among other initiatives, via the World Wide Web and

THOMAS, a congressional database. Ms. Thorin also discussed the

collections recently added to the

American Memory collection, such

as daguerreotypes, pamphlets relating to slavery and the civil rights

movement and documents from

Ms. Thorin described changes the Constitutional Congress.

already being made in the Library

 —Virginia Sorkin

Reuters supplies the global business community and news media with a wide range of products including real-time financial data, trans-
THE NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

4 JUNE 1996

Where are the monarch butterflies,

peregrine falcons, loons, sea turtles

and bats? Are the tulips up and is

the dogwood in bloom? Is the grass greening

and the snow finally gone? On April 25th, the

Library of Congress was the place to find spring

and its migrating creatures. From 10 a.m. to 1

p.m., 20 Association of Science-Technology

Centers (ASTC) Honor Roll teachers went online to add their data to track spring’s progress

during the first “Science Online at the Library.”

The teachers’ search for spring took place under the watchful eyes of a live baby great

horned owl and a gyrfalcon.

The event, sponsored by the ASTC and the

Library of Congress, was held in the Library’s

Digital Library Visitors’ Center. During the day,

teachers went on-line with “Journey North”

and the “Science Learning Network,” two programs on the leading edge of Internet-based

science learning opportunities reaching out to

teachers and students.

Through “Journey North,” the teachers

added their hometown observations of the status of spring and its migrating animals. “Pilot

teachers” Sharon Prick and James Epperly, from

the Science Museum of Minnesota, guided the

voyagers. “Journey North” is located at

http://www.ties.k12.mn.us/~jnorth/jn-info.html

The teachers also experienced one of the

nation’s most advanced learning tools, the Science Learning Network (SLN). SLN is a partnership of the Franklin Institute in PhiladelScience at the Library is a hoot!

In real time, a

baby great

horned owl

took a bite out

of a pencil to

show off for

the teachers.

ASTC recognizes exceptional science teachers

ASTC

The Association of Science-Technology

Centers (ASTC) is a nonprofit organization of about 400 science museums in 36

countries that attract more than 100 million

visitors a year. Science museums feature interactive exhibits, hands-on science experience for children and education programs for

teachers. In addition, the centers serve as local resources for teachers, schools, families

and community groups. A list of science centers is available by writing ASTC, 1025 Vermont Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20005.

continued on page 5, see Science

Library of Congress photo by Yusef El-Amin
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

JUNE 1996 5

phia, the Exploratorium of San Francisco, the

Miami Museum of Science; the Museum of Science in Boston, the Oregon Museum of Science

and Industry in Portland, the Science Museum

of Minnesota in St. Paul and Unisys Corp. The

SLN includes an index of on-line science, math

and technology resources, and creates links

between information resources.

For example, a teacher researching astronomy activities for sixth graders could discover a hands-on activity that explains how to

make a telescope post, courtesy of the Franklin

Institute’s World Wide Web server. By clicking

on a highlighted word, the teacher can also obtain information explaining how students can

sign up for an opportunity to use the giant telescope on Mount Wilson in California. The SLN

is located at

http://www.sln.org

The teachers who participated in “Science

Online at the Library” are among 55 outstanding teachers from 25 states and 11 countries

named to the ASTC Honor Roll of Teachers for

1996. Since 1984, as part of its celebration of

National Science and Technology Week, ASTC

has recognized teachers who are exceptionally

creative and dedicated, who go above and beyond the normal requirements of their school

curriculum and who use the resources of their

local science centers to inspire and stimulate

their students’ interest in science and technology.

Dennis Wint, president of ASTC, explained

what made the ASTC Honor Roll–Library of

Congress event important: “On-line programs

developed by science centers as represented by

“Journey North” and the “Science Learning

Network” are revolutionizing science learning.

This event demonstrates how these electronic

tools can be used in partnership with dedicated

professionals to enhance their teaching and to

Another live

feathered guest

at the ASTC

meeting was this

gyrfalcon, who

kept a stony and

mysterious

silence while the

honoree-educators worked.

demonstrate science’s potential to their students.”

In addition to the on-line activities, the honorees met with members of Congress, toured

the U.S. Botanic Garden, visited the National

Zoo and attended a luncheon sponsored by

USA Today.

 —Virginia Sorkin

 National Digital Library Program

Library of Congress photo by Yusef El-Amin

See the next page for more about education on-line—The Learning Page, a powerful on-line tool demonstrated at the

ASTC meeting.

Science, continued from page 4
THE NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

6 JUNE 1996

The Learning Page—

reaching K–12 students

on-line

The National Digital Library (NDL) Program has launched an on-line gateway

to its digitized collections specifically tailored

to the needs of students and educators.

The Learning Page is part of the Library’s effort to

reach a new constituency, the K–12 community, which

is not served in its reading rooms. The page offers

organized help for searching the Library’s primary resource collections that have been on-line since 1994.

Martha Dexter of the NDL Program’s educational

services area said, “We are eager to serve students and

educators with free access to the Library’s primary

source materials of rare Americana. We also look forward to hearing from this new constituency with ideas

on how best to meet their needs.”

The Learning Page offers new, education-related

help in searching these collections categorized by the

Events, Topics, People, Time and Places of American

history. The Learning Page offers new pathways for

teachers and students to learn about the history of

America from the digitized versions of documents of

the Continental Congress, turn-of-the-century films

and Mathew Brady’s Civil War photographs.

Bernard Hollister, of the Illinois Mathematics and

Science Academy in Aurora, Ill.

Educators know that history is much more than

dates and facts. “The picture collections provide a

visual history which engages sutdents in new ways,”

said Gwen Harrison, of Hammond Middle School

in Alexandria, Va.

Most teachers, however, have little access to the

primary sources that can make history come alive

for students. Primary sources are the authentic documents, photographs and manuscripts that transform

history into a well-told story. Through the Learning

Page, students will have help accessing 29,000 photographs, 99 motion pictures, 5,900 documents and

59 sound recordings currently available on-line from

the Library of Congress. Over the years, items will

be continuously added to the on-line collections.

The Learning Page also features an e-mail gateway to a reference librarian and comment sections

that support the exchange of ideas among educators and students. The page includes a tutorial on

historical detection that encourages learners to solve

a mystery using information found in the on-line collections. An Educator’s Page offers files of teachergenerated project ideas for using the Library’s historical collections in the classroom. Links to other

history- and education-related Web sites for students

and teachers have been included as well. The launch

of the Learning Page coincides with the release of

five digitized collections from the Library.

Martha

Dexter

demonstrates

the Learning

Page in the

Digital

Library

Visitors’

Center.

The Learning Page is made possible by a grant

from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which is helping the Library identify educational uses of digitized

materials to develop students’ research skills and

critical thinking (see story, issue No. 2).

 —Guy Lamolinara,

Public Affairs Office

 Lisa Alexander,

National Digital Library Program

ACCESS TO

THE LEARNING PAGE

Uniform Resource Locator:

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu

“Primary source materials from the Library of Congress add flesh and blood to the story of history,” said

Educators

know that

history is much

more than

dates and facts.
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

JUNE 1996 7

Suzanne Thorin, associate librarian, accepts

head of libraries post at Indiana University

Sixteen-year Library of Congress career; editor of NDL Reports

Suzanne Thorin, associate librarian, is resigning from the Library to become deanof university libraries at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., on July 5. With Laura

Campbell, Ms. Thorin has provided the editorial direction for this publication, in addition

to other key achievements in the digital library

effort.

She will head one of the largest research library systems in the United States, with 7 million bound volumes, 27 million other items and

32 libraries, including the main library, the Lilly

Library—which houses a major collection of

rare books and manuscripts—and 15 departmental libraries.

The Indiana University board of trustees

confirmed her appointment May 3.

“This will be a wonderful job, and it is an

honor for me to be a part of this great university,” Ms. Thorin said. “This will be a great opportunity for me to use the broad experience I

have gained at the Library of Congress. It is

hard to leave the Library and my friends and

colleagues, but I am looking forward to being

part of an academic community again.”

“We will all keenly miss Suzanne’s remarkable skill in assessing problems, formulating

solutions and balancing the best interests of the

institution and staff, but we share her excitement as she embarks on the new opportunities

and challenges she assumes in Indiana. Her

successes at the Library have clearly prepared

her for this opportunity to direct a major library

system within a great university,” said Dr. James

H. Billington, the Librarian of Congress.

As associate librarian, Ms. Thorin has authority for administrative support services, including information technology, human resources,

security, space planning

and the National Digital Library Program. She was appointed by the White

House as the U.S. representative for the G-7 electronic

libraries project, one of 11

G-7 pilots for the Global Information Society (see box,

page 3).

Until her latest appointment, Ms. Thorin served for nearly four years

as the Library’s chief of staff. She was the acting director of Public Service and Collection

Management (PSCM) I, August 1991 to March

1992; chief, General Reading Rooms Division

1988 to August 1991; assistant chief of that division, 1985-88; head, Research Facilities,

1983-85; and head, Music Section, National Library Services for the Blind and Physically

Handicapped (NLS), 1980–82. She was associate professor of music and music librarian at

Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana,

Pa., from 1968–1980.

Ms. Thorin earned master’s degrees from the

University of Michigan in library science (1968)

and music history and literature (1964) and a

bachelor’s degree in music education from

continued on page 8, see Thorin

—SUZANNE THORIN

There is real

excitement at

Indiana

University,

with

Ameritech

building a new

on-line publicaccess catalog

and the Big 10

universities

working

together on all

sorts of

projects and

shared goals.
THE NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

8 JUNE 1996

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

A PERIODIC REPORT FROM

THE NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

Reports will be published about 12 times a

year, using gift funds. Comments and

suggestions are welcome.

Editorial Direction

Suzanne Thorin, Associate Librarian

Office of the Librarian

202/707-5220; SUTH@LOC.GOV

Laura Campbell, Director

National Digital Library Program

202/707-3300; LCAM@LOC.GOV

Managing Editor

Caroline Krewson

202/707-5220; CKRE@LOC.GOV

Associate Editor

Guy Lamolinara

202/707-9217; GLAM@LOC.GOV

* World Wide Web Access

URL: http://lcweb.loc.gov/ndl/per.html

ISSN 1083-3978

FIRST CLASS MAIL

POSTAGE & FEES PAID

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PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300

Printed on recycled paper.

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■ Produced by Nancy Brooks Publishing Services ■ Printed by Insty-Prints, Fairfax, VA

THIS REPORT IS ON THE WEB*

IN THIS ISSUE

REUTERS GIFT OF

$1 MILLION ALLOWS

THE FOUNDING

FATHERS TO

GO DIGITAL

. . . . . . . . .PAGE 1

SCIENCE AT THE

LIBRARY IS A HOOT!

. . . . . . . . .PAGE 4

THE LEARNING PAGE:

HISTORY ON-LINE FOR

K–12 STUDENTS

. . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 6

North Park College in Chicago (1963). She is a member of several professional associations and lectures

and gives speeches about library subjects.

One highlight of her 16-year Library career, Ms.

Thorin said, was serving as chief of staff, “which gave

me experience with the political process, formulating

the budget and working closely with the Librarian of

Congress, who is a visionary leader. I also learned a

lot working with our oversight committees.”

Another highlight was being involved in the beginning of the Library’s digital library effort, which

included planning and collaborating with 14 other libraries to create the National Digital Library Federation and creating the Digital Library Visitors’ Center.

“My involvement in the National Digital Library

made me realize I wanted to be more directly involved

again in the education of young people,” Ms. Thorin

said. “There is real excitement at Indiana University,

with Ameritech building a new on-line public-access

catalog and the Big 10 universities working together

on all sorts of projects and shared goals.”

Thorin, continued from page 7