Library of Congress

Summary

Stuff You Missed in History Class: Library of Congress

Episode Release Date: May 28, 2025
Hosts: Holly Fry and Tracy V. Wilson
Production: iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction: Controversy Surrounding the Librarian of Congress

In this episode, Holly Fry and Tracy V. Wilson delve into the recent and highly controversial dismissal of Dr. Carla Hayden, the first woman and African American to serve as Librarian of Congress. The incident, which occurred on May 8, 2024, has sparked significant debate and concern across political spectrums.

Key Points:

• Unprecedented Termination: Dr. Hayden was dismissed by the sitting president, an action that deviates from the norm where Librarians of Congress typically serve ten-year terms or longer.
• Immediate Replacement: The president appointed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch, a personal attorney with no background in library science, as the acting head of the Library of Congress.
• Legal and Ethical Concerns: The appointment bypassed the standard nomination and Senate confirmation process, raising red flags among both Democratic and Republican Congress members.
• Support for Dr. Hayden: The American Library Association, under the leadership of President Cindy Hole, publicly expressed support for Dr. Hayden, highlighting her exemplary service and dedication.

Notable Quote:

"Dr. Hayden has long been described by her peers and her colleagues as an exemplary librarian in every position that she has had, without exception."
— Holly Fry (02:30)

The president’s spokesperson attributed the firing to allegations that Dr. Hayden was "putting inappropriate books in the library for children." However, the hosts clarified that the Library of Congress is a research institution with strict access policies, including age restrictions and no lending services, rendering this justification unfounded.

Notable Quote:

"The Library of Congress doesn't lend books to children. It's not a circulating library."
— Tracy V. Wilson (04:10)

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Early History of the Library of Congress

Establishment and Early Years (1800-1814)

The origins of the Library of Congress date back to the early 19th century, coinciding with the relocation of the United States government from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.

Key Points:

• Foundation: In 1800, the U.S. Congress allocated $5,000 for books, marking the inception of what would become the Library of Congress.
• First Collection: The initial collection comprised 152 items, housed temporarily in the Secretary of the Senate’s office.
• First Librarian: John James Beckley, an English-born political ally of Thomas Jefferson, was appointed as the first Librarian of Congress in 1802. Beckley was instrumental in cataloging the library’s initial holdings.

Notable Quote:

"He was responsible for creating the library's first catalog, a significant achievement given his simultaneous role as Clerk of the House of Representatives."
— Tracy V. Wilson (10:01)

Destruction During the War of 1812

In 1814, British forces set fire to Washington, D.C., resulting in the complete destruction of the Library of Congress.

Key Points:

• Impact of War: The burning of the Capitol led to the loss of the entire library collection.
• Thomas Jefferson’s Response: Upon learning of the fire, Jefferson, then retired at Monticello, swiftly offered his personal library to replenish the devastated collection. Despite initial controversies over pricing and the selection of volumes, Jefferson's contribution vastly expanded the library's holdings.

Notable Quote:

"I learned from the newspapers that the vandalism of our enemy has triumphed at Washington over science as well as the arts."
— Thomas Jefferson (additional context from Holly Fry)

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Rebuilding and Expansion (1815-1897)

Rebuilding Efforts and Additional Fires

Post-war reconstruction efforts saw the Library of Congress gradually rebuild its collection and infrastructure, though not without further setbacks.

Key Points:

• Temporary Accommodations: After the 1814 fire, the library's collection was stored in various temporary locations, including hotel attics and conference rooms within the Capitol.
• Subsequent Fires: Accidental fires in 1825 and 1851 caused significant losses, prompting debates on fireproofing and preservation methods.
• Enhanced Security Measures: Architect Thomas U. Walter spearheaded the design of fireproof rooms, leading to the construction of iron-lined areas in the Capitol by 1853, and additional fireproof wings in 1866.

Notable Quote:

"The 1851 fire made it apparent that the Library of Congress would always be vulnerable unless the steps were taken to help ensure the safety of the collection."
— Holly Fry (18:00)

The New Building and Classification Systems

As the collection grew exponentially, the need for a dedicated and expansive facility became evident.

Key Points:

• New Building Authorization: In 1886, Congress authorized the construction of a purpose-built Library of Congress building, which opened on November 1, 1897.
• Architectural Significance: The new structure, designed by Bernard R. Greene, featured an Italian Renaissance exterior and was lauded as the largest and safest library globally upon its completion.
• Library of Congress Classification (LCC): In 1898, catalogers were introduced to develop the LCC system, which remains a foundational classification method in academic libraries today.

Notable Quote:

"This building featured not only a beautiful Italian Renaissance exterior but an interior that was filled with art and sculpture commissioned from US Artists. It was nicknamed the Temple of the Arts."
— Tracy V. Wilson (22:45)

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20th Century Developments

Preservation and Digital Transformation

The 20th century ushered in significant advancements in preservation, cataloging, and digital access.

Key Points:

• World War II Safeguards: During World War II, critical documents like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were moved to Fort Knox for protection. Additionally, rare items like the Gutenberg Bible were secured in secret locations, including Lincoln Cathedral.
• Technological Innovations: In 1966, the Library of Congress pioneered Machine Readable Cataloging (MARC) records, enabling digital catalog searches and laying the groundwork for modern library databases.
• Digitization Efforts: By 1994, the library launched its website and the National Digital Library program, aiming to digitize primary sources to support historical and cultural studies. The World Digital Library, initiated in 2009 in collaboration with UNESCO, further expanded global access to primary documents in multiple languages.

Notable Quote:

"By December 31st, 1980, physical card catalogs were completely phased out in favor of digital cataloging, revolutionizing how libraries manage and share information."
— Tracy V. Wilson (40:37)

Expansion and Modernization

Throughout the 20th century, the Library of Congress continued to expand its physical and digital infrastructure to accommodate its growing collections.

Key Points:

• New Buildings: The James Madison Memorial Building opened in 1980, providing additional space and housing the Copyright Office. This expansion addressed the library’s swelling collection, which by then included millions of volumes.
• Preservation Science: Research into book preservation began in the 1960s, focusing on safeguarding more recent materials susceptible to degradation. This led to the establishment of standardized preservation practices still in use today.

Notable Quote:

"In 1944, the library was the debut location for Aaron Copland's ballet Appalachian Spring, highlighting its role not just as a repository of knowledge but as a cultural hub."
— Holly Fry (31:26)

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Modern Achievements and Dr. Carla Hayden’s Tenure

Growth and Accessibility

Under Dr. Carla D. Hayden’s leadership, the Library of Congress saw significant growth in both its collections and its outreach programs.

Key Points:

• Collection Size: As of 2024, the library boasts over 181 million items in more than 470 languages, with approximately 2 million new items added annually.
• Digital Presence: The library’s websites attracted 98 million unique visitors and amassed half a billion page views, indicating a substantial increase in digital accessibility.
• Services Expansion: The establishment of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in 1946, renamed in 1970, provided comprehensive research support to Congress. Additionally, the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled circulated over 22 million copies of accessible materials in fiscal year 2024.

Notable Quote:

"In fiscal year 2024, CRS handled over 75,000 congressional requests, published over 1,000 new products, and updated over 1,700 existing projects."
— Dr. Carla Hayden (47:09)

Dr. Hayden’s Advocacy and Vision

Dr. Hayden was a staunch advocate for making the library’s vast resources accessible to all, including children and underserved communities.

Key Points:

• Educational Initiatives: Hayden launched the National Digital Library program and a dedicated learning portal offering lesson plans and study guides for educators.
• Cultural Programs: She expanded the library’s cultural offerings, including concerts and public exhibitions, fostering a broader appreciation for the library’s collections.
• Inclusivity Efforts: As the first Black Librarian of Congress, Hayden emphasized the importance of diversity and representation within the library’s collections and programs.

Notable Quote:

"History is a long haul. Times we're going through now, yes, they're kind of rough, but there have been other rough times, and look what's happened and where we've come once again."
— Dr. Carla Hayden (45:44)

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Conclusion: The Future of the Library of Congress

The episode concludes by highlighting the Library of Congress's pivotal role in preserving American history and culture. Despite the recent controversy surrounding Dr. Hayden's dismissal, the library’s expansive collections and ongoing initiatives continue to serve as invaluable resources for researchers, educators, and the general public.

Key Takeaways:

• The Library of Congress remains the world's largest library, with a diverse and ever-growing collection.
• Technological advancements and digital initiatives have significantly enhanced accessibility and preservation.
• Leadership changes, such as the firing of Dr. Carla Hayden, have sparked important discussions about governance, oversight, and the future direction of this national institution.

Notable Quote:

"Today, the Library of Congress is the world's largest library. There are more than 181 million pieces in the collection, and 470 different languages are represented."
— Holly Fry (45:44)

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This episode of "Stuff You Missed in History Class" provides an in-depth exploration of the Library of Congress's rich history, its significant challenges, and its ongoing evolution as a cornerstone of American knowledge and culture.

Transcript

[Holly Fry]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.

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Amy Robach and TJ Holmes Here Diddy's former protege, television personality Danity Kang alum Aubrey o' Day joins us to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation.

[TJ Holmes]

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[Amy Robach]

Listen to Amy and TJ presents Aubrey O' Day covering the Diddy trial on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Explore the winding halls of historical true crime with Holly Fry and Maria Tremarchi, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the Highwayman suggests men dominated the field, but tell that to Lady Catherine Ferrers, Known as the wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s, her legend persists nearly 400 years after her death. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Find more crime and cocktails on Criminalia. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Holly Fry]

Welcome to Stuff youf Missed in History Class, a production of iHeartRadio. Welcome to the podcast. I'm Holly Fry.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

And I'm Tracy V. Wilson. So.

[Holly Fry]

Dr. Carla Hayden, who has been the Librarian of Congress since 2016, was fired by the sitting president on May 8 of this year. The president also fired Shira Pullmutter, the registrar of Copyrights, which is, of course, very linked to the Library of Congress. This has sparked a lot of controversy for a number of reasons. For one, Librarian of Congress at this point is a role that's typically appointed to 10 year terms. Many historically have served much longer than that. Dr. Hayden had not served that period of time. And for another, federal law outlines the process of appointing a librarian, and it, like many other positions, is filled by the President nominating a candidate, and then the Senate has to confirm that candidate. But it was very clear in this case that the intention was simply to replace Dr. Hayden. And the President named Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch as acting head of the library. He's the President's personal attorney. He absolutely does not have a library science degree or any practical knowledge of the field. And in addition to those reasons for this being controversial, another one that should not be overlooked is that Dr. Hayden has long been described by her peers and her colleagues as an exemplary librarian in every position that she has had, without exception. And in response to this dismissal, American Library Association President Cindy Hole issued a statement on behalf of the organization in support of Dr. Hayden. And this is a case where even GOP congresspeople have raised a red flag over this move, because in addition to feeling as though the power of Congress has kind of been sidestepped, there are also concerns about the White House having improper access to information regarding the Congressional Research Service, which handles confidential research requests all the time. We're going to talk about the origin point of that service today. When two officials from Blanche's office arrived at the Library on Monday, May 12, claiming to have jurisdiction there, they were denied entry. And that move on part of the library was supported by Congressional leadership from both sides of the aisle. And then when questioned about that dismissal, the President's press secretary said that Dr. Hayden was fired because she was, quote, putting inappropriate books in the library for children. Okay, that's a needle scratch moment for me, because the Library of Congress doesn't lend books to children. It's not a circulating library. It doesn't lend books to anyone. It's a research library. And that means that all of the books and other materials stay on the premises. There is also an age limit. No one under the age of 16 is allowed to do research there. So while there are some children's programs, anyone under the age of 16 even attending those has to be accompanied by an adult. And there are children's collections. But most of that material is held as part of the library's responsibility as the nation's center for Copyright. So that excuse didn't really hold water. And it also evidenced the fact that there are people that do not know what the Library of Congress is or does. So today we are going to talk about its, its history, how it came to have some of the responsibilities it does. I'm qualifying that by saying some of the responsibilities because the Library of Congress has a lot of responsibilities. It is a massive place in both physical scale and in the scale of its services.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

We're going to start in 1800, which was an important year in US history up to that point. As we've mentioned at various times on the show, the US Government was operating out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. But that year the government moved to Washington, dc. The move to DC had been planned for a decade. In the Residence act of 1790, Washington had been selected as the new capital in an effort to find a neutral spot that was not considered either north or South. This was part of a compromise over the issue of slavery pro slavery. Southern states were concerned that a capital in an abolitionist state would automatically be slanted against their interests, which meant that the other states are willing to kind of appease the south on this. There were other factors in the mix as well, but this decision was made that a new city would be developed on a tract of land that straddled Virginia and Maryland. And in the meantime, Philadelphia would continue to serve as the capital for another decade while this new municipality was being planned and built. That's a whole separate story.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. One of the elements that was on the wish list, of course, for the new federal city was a library. And this may not have been as much of a concern if the Capitol had stayed in Philadelphia where there were established library resources, or if it had been in New York, which had been another option and also had library resources. But because the new Capitol was also a new city, a library was gonna have to be created. On April 24, 1800, as part of a larger Congressional act that officially moved the government to Washington D.C. $5,000 was allocated for books and that made it the first budget of what would become the Library of Congress. A committee was also formed to administer those funds and oversee the day to day functions of this new library, which was going to be housed in the Capitol building. The first iteration of the collection was just 152 items and it was kept in the Secretary Senate's office. An order was placed in spring of 1800 with a bookseller in London to purchase 740 more items to expand the.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Library'S holdings in 1802, during Thomas Jefferson's presidency, the library was moved to its own room in the Capitol's north wing. That same year, the position of Librarian of Congress was established as a presidential appointment. So let's clarify this a little bit. This library is a legislative office. It's not a lending library like a local library branch. The Library of Congress was always intended to serve Congress. Research materials there were consulted when legislation was being drafted or when Congressmen wanted to study up on a topic that was being discussed in addition to books. That meant research materials like maps and surveys that could inform the way the country would grow. In that initial period, when the Librarian of Congress was paid $2 a day, only members of Congress, the President and Vice President, could access this collection.

[Holly Fry]

The first Librarian of Congress was John James Beckley. Beckley was born in England in 1757, and he had moved to the Virginia colony in the late 1760s, when he was still a boy, to work there as an office scribe. And as he grew into adulthood, he moved into politics. He actually became one of the first city councilmen of Richmond, Virginia. And as he rose through the ranks politically, he moved first to New York and then to Philadelphia. And along the way, he became a close ally of Thomas Jefferson. He actually campaigned for Jefferson and against Federalist politicians, often writing political commentaries in various papers under pseudonyms. When it came time to appoint a librarian in 1802, Jefferson immediately picked Beckley.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

In those early days of the institution, the Congressional committee was making most of the decisions regarding the library. But one of Beckley's important tasks was creating the library's first catalog, which was printed just months after he was selected for the job. That's an impressive feat because the librarianship was not his only job. He was also Clerk of the House of Representatives. The catalog of the books, maps, and charts belonging to the library of the two Houses of Congress was a guide to the initial collection of 964 items in that initial small offering. Beckley held the library in office until 1807 when he died. During the later part of his tenure, the collection moved from its dedicated space, as that area was reallocated to use for the House of Representatives. And the library was temporarily kind of nomadic. It moved from room to room, while a more permanent solution was sought after.

[Holly Fry]

I don't know why that tickles me, knowing it literally was getting shuffled around from, like, conference room to conference room.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

We need this one for a meeting.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, you gotta move the Library of Congress out of here. Before a permanent space was found, though, in 1814, during the War of 1812, Washington, D.C. was burned down by British forces and this destroyed the Library of Congress in its entirety. Thomas Jefferson, who had steered the early years of the library, as we've discussed, had retired to his home, Monticello, at this point. And he read about the fire in the paper. He almost immediately wrote to a friend, quote, I learned from the newspapers that the vandalism of our enemy has triumphed at Washington over science as well as the arts. By the destruction of the public library with the noble edifice in which it was deposited. Jefferson had himself amassed a pretty impressive library with a lot of rare volumes collected from Europe over the years. And he had always intended that he was going to leave the collection to the Library of Congress when he died, although he wanted the government to pay his estate for it. This is a thing that I find kind of funny. There are write ups about this that are like, he donated his. No, he didn't donate. He, he sold it. Let's be clear, there was a transaction involved, but in light of the fire, he just sped up his plan and he offered his full collection, which was believed to be 6487 books, to replace that lost Library of Congress collection, which had at that point been less than half that size. And he was paid $23,950 for the entirety of it, which it actually turned out was larger than he had realized. When he started really going through it and prepping it, it was 6,707 books total. He did not ask for any additional money for the extra books. This was actually kind of controversial in a variety of ways. Some people thought volumes in his collection were not appropriate for the government to own and that he was making a cash grab. But in any case, it did replenish the library and Jefferson used the money to settle a number of debts and he sent the collection, including its bookcases, to Washington. The last wagon load was sent to the Capitol on May 8, 1815.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Coming up, we'll talk about the newly replenished library collection and where it was stored. But first we will hear from the sponsors that keep the show going.

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[Amy Robach]

Amy Robach and TJ Holmes Here, Diddy's former protege, television personality platinum selling artist Danity Kang alum Aubrey o' Day joins us to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation.

[Aubrey O'Day]

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[TJ Holmes]

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[Amy Robach]

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[Tracy V. Wilson]

He texted, I've ruined our lives. You're going to want to divorce me.

[TJ Holmes]

Caroline's husband was living another life behind the scenes. He betrayed his oath to his family and to his community.

[Holly Fry]

She said you left bruises, pulled her hair, that type of thing. No?

[TJ Holmes]

How far would Joel go to cover up what he'd done?

[Holly Fry]

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[Holly Fry]

Initially, the new Library of Congress collection acquired from Thomas Jefferson, as well as new volumes as they were added, lived in the hotel that served as the temporary home of the Capitol post fire. And then in 1818, it moved back into the rebuilt Capitol building, where stored in the attic as a temporary option. This was like an attic that had functional use. It wasn't just like shoved up there. It took six years though, for a purpose built room in the building to be created by architect Charles Bulfinch. On December 22, 1825, just a year after that new room was ready, there was another fire. This one was an accident. It was started by a candle, and the fire was caught relatively early and extinguished. But it instigated discussions about fireproofing to prevent this growing collection from being lost as the first one was.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

But nothing came of these discussions. And on December 24, 1851, there was another fire at the Library of Congress. This one also an accident. 35,000 books were destroyed, including more than half of the books that had come from Jefferson's collection. The 1851 fire made it apparent that the Library of Congress would always be vulnerable unless the steps were taken to help ensure the safety of the collection. Thomas U. Walter was hired for another project which was designing a fireproof room for the library.

[Holly Fry]

That new room, which was made of iron and ran along the west front of the Capitol, was officially opened on August 23, 1853. Two additional wings, which were also fireproof, were added in 1866. Those wings, which had been built with a budget of $160,000, filled up very quickly. One of the big space fillers was the newly acquired library of the Smithsonian Institution. That new material on its own totaled about 40,000 volumes. It really was starting to seem like the library's physical home could just never keep up with its very rapid expansion. But things were actually about to get much more intense in terms of collection growth.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

In 1870, the Library of Congress became the center of copyright in the U.S. this happened as part of the Copyright Law of 1870, which began as an act to revise, consolidate and amend the statutes relating to patents and copyrights. By making the Library of Congress so central to copyright claims, Congress and President Grant had inadvertently created a new problem. As part of the law, the library was given two copies of all copyrighted items. Soon, that meant it was under an avalanche of copyright deposits and it ran out of room. That happened really quickly, really quickly, because.

[Holly Fry]

By the end of 1871, just 18 months after the library was made the Copyright Deposit Center, Congress received word from Ainsworth Rand Spofford, the librarian, that a new building was absolutely necessary. He had campaigned for the library to become the hub of copyright in the US but he had created a massive job for himself in terms of its management. He mentioned in an update the following year that library staff had resorted to piling books all over the floor because there was nowhere else to put them. Among other issues, the library had also continued to take in large collection editions, often in the form of gifts. In 1869, for example, nearly 1,000 books were sent as a gift from the Emperor of China.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Although there was an acute need for a new building, it took years for one to be built. It wasn't until 1886 that Congress authorized the construction of a purpose built building for the library. Yet another decade passed before that got built. Although Spofford made it clear that the crowding problems were just making it unfit to for use in a lot of cases, he also made growth predictions to make it clear that Congress needed to be thinking long term about this collection. He said that he expected that by the 1970s there would be 2.5 million items in the collection.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, that was an underestimation, but at the time it was a pretty good guess. The new building, though, did open on November 1, 1897, just 16 years from when Spofford notified Congress of the space issues. By that point, roughly 40% of the library collection had been acquired through copyright deposits. And along the way, Spofford had continued to write updated reports, noting in early 1891 that the collection had swelled to 650,000 books and more than 200,000 pamphlets. But the completed library, long though its gestation had been, was a marvel. It was touted as the largest and the safest library in the world. And it had also come with a very high price tag. It had taken years of process, arguments, debate, and setbacks. There had been two architects on it initially, although each of them had been dismissed along the way. And ultimately the second one was replaced in 1892 by Edward Pierce Casey. But then when Casey's father died in 1896, Bernard R. Greene stepped in to finish the building. And this building featured not only a beautiful Italian Renaissance exterior, but an interior that was filled with art and sculpture commissioned from US Artists. And it was nicknamed the Temple of the arts.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Also in 1898, the process for appointing a Librarian of Congress changed under the presidency of Grover Cleveland. From then on, the President has been able to select a candidate, but the Senate has to approve that candidate. The 1897 legislation also changed the role of the librarian officially. While it was initially a position that had less authority to make decisions about the collection than Congress did, Ainsworth Spofford had taken on a lot more responsibility in that role as the library had grown far beyond anything that could be managed as kind of a side job or part time project. So by the end of the 19th century, the role came with an established salary of $5,000 a year and a lot more autonomous autonomy about how the library was staffed and run. A separate role of Superintendent of Grounds was also created for the library, which also came with a $5,000 salary.

[Holly Fry]

And perhaps most important, at least to me, and we could talk about this on Friday. In 1898, catalogers were added to the library staff to review the collection catalog and to create a new classification system that could more effectively encompass the existing holdings and and those that would be acquired in the future. And this was the beginning of the Library of Congress classification system, or LCC, that's used in many academic libraries today.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Starting in 1902, the Library of Congress started selling pre printed catalog cards to other libraries. That meant that if a library was using the LCC system when it acquired a new volume for its own collection, it could just purchase the already cataloged record for it and add that card to the card catalog. That would save cataloging time for anybody young enough to have never used a card catalog. These cards were inserted into drawers in a specialty catalog cabinet. They were alphabetical, and users could search the catalog by looking for a subject, an author, or a title. So every volume typically had three cards, one with each possible search approach headlined on it. Every one of a volume's associated cards would contain the volume's catalog number so the user could jot that down and then go find the book or other material in the stacks. The money made from card sales went to the US Treasury. The card business grew rapidly as public and educational libraries signed on as subscribers. Soon it needed its own staff. My local library branch uses an old card catalog cabinet as a seed library.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, they've been repurposed in a lot of fun ways. I found myself so nostalgic trying to write out how a card catalog worked. I was like, oh, my gosh. We had to write down the call number.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah, I remember in elementary school being taken to the library and shown how the card catalog works and how to look things up in it, and there was, like, a little stack of little, little papers on top of it with little short pencils where you could write down the call number.

[Holly Fry]

Oh, yeah, that's like a dopamine hit thinking about that. In the early 20th century, the identity of the library evolved once more when President Theodore Roosevelt signed an executive order that made the library the home of a great many important documents. That executive order was dated March 9, 1903, and it made the personal papers of multiple founding fathers, records of the Continental Congress, part of the library's collection. And this was the beginning of a lot of growth under librarian Herbert Putnam, who not only enlarged the library's holdings, but also expanded the services that the library offered, creating more accessible research options for patrons, including a reference service with library staff available to assist with research requests. There were also new cultural programs like concerts added to the library's schedule. When World War I began, Putnam, at the request of the American Library association, headed up a project to send books, periodicals, et cetera, to US soldiers.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

In 1921, the two foundational documents of the United States, that's the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, were both added to the Library of Congress collection. Before this move, these two documents had been maintained by the State Department. The National Archives had not been established yet, so the library offered the best environment for preservation and care. The documents got a dedicated shrine on February 28, 1924. So not only were they carefully preserved, but visitors could also see them. They stayed in the library until 1952, when they were transferred to the National Archive.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, there's a little side trip that they took that we'll talk about in a minute. In 1939, the library got yet another building designed by the architecture firm of Pearson and Wilson. This building was simple in its layout, prioritizing workspaces for library visitors in addition to the book stacks. But simple did not mean small. This building was designed to hold 10 million volumes. This building was originally called the Annex, and it retained that name until it was renamed the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building in 1976 under President Gerald Ford. If you're familiar with the Library of Congress, you're like, that's not the Thomas Jefferson Building. That's because that was its name for only four years. In 1980, when another new library building was opened. That's the James Madison Memorial Building. When that happened, the main library was renamed the Thomas Jefferson Building. The former annex, slash Thomas Jefferson Building, became the John Adams Building.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

The 1940s were an interesting time for the library. For one, there was a recognition that some of the collection needed to be preserved in new ways. Things like archival newspapers, which had not been intended to last long term when they were initially printed, were literally falling apart. The library requested a small budget to commit some of the more important journals to microfilm for long term access. That would not further degrade the collection.

[Holly Fry]

And of course, their microfilm procedures and program grew a huge amount from there. For another thing, World War II was deeply impactful for the library. Just as the fires of the earlier years had given rise to considerations as to how the collection might be protected, the war made Congress, then librarian Archibald McLeish and President Franklin D. Roosevelt aware of the vulnerability of the nation's important documents and collections and should an enemy power choose to attack them for this reason, During World War II, the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, as well as the library's Gutenberg Bible were all moved to Fort Knox, although that was not public knowledge at the time. Other valuable items were also moved to secret locations. This also included the Lincoln Cathedral copy of the Magna Carta, which the British had brought to the US for safekeeping. The library also changed its hours and it was open 247 for government officials during the war. While public use hours were cut down, the items that had been moved out for safety were returned to the library in the autumn of 1944.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

In 1944, the library was also the debut location for a ballet called Appalachian Spring. One of my favorite pieces of music, please don't come at me for how I just said the word Appalachian. The music was composed by Aaron Copland and Martha Graham choreographed it. The story of the ballet, which was commissioned by Arts benefactor Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, was intended to capture a moment in the history of the US it's about a couple in a Pennsylvania Shakertown during westward expansion. It starts with their wedding and follows them through their lives in a small town that's just getting established. Graham named the ballet after a line in a poem by Hart Crane called the Bridge. When Copeland asked her if the poem had anything to do with the ballet, she told him, quote, no, I just liked the title and I Took premiered in the Library's Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Auditorium, which had been added to the Thomas Jefferson Library building in the 1920s.

[Holly Fry]

Story of that ballet and Copeland and Graham's collaboration and sometimes lack thereof, is its own fascinating story. I highly recommend if you like a little arts drama.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah. Many years ago I almost did an Aaron Copeland episode and I got like overwhelmed with it and I put it to the side and haven't returned to it.

[Holly Fry]

Every quote he has given about Martha Graham tickles the pants off me. It's so funny. It's very like, well, we were working on that. She didn't want him to see any of the ballet. He didn't see anything until the day before it debuted. He was still sending over music very late in the game. Like there was just a lot of back and forth. They weren't in the same place. So it was a very, a huge achievement in terms of two artists that are maybe struggling to connect, creating something that's really unique. But it also sounds like a wild ride. I can't imagine being one of the performers trying to like, okay, we don't have what now? How soon do we open? In just a moment we are gonna talk about some of the services that formally became part of the Library's offerings after World War II. But first we are gonn a pause for a sponsor break.

[TJ Holmes]

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[Amy Robach]

Amy Robach and TJ Holmes Here Diddy's former protege, television personality platinum selling artist Danity King alum Aubrey Oday joins us to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation.

[Aubrey O'Day]

Aubrey o' Day is sitting next to us. Here you are as we sit here right up the street from where the trial is taking place. Some people saw that you were going to be in New York and they immediately started jumping to conclusions. So can you clear that up? First of all, are you here to testify in the Diddy trial? Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise based on her firsthand knowledge from her days on making the band. As she emerged as the breakout star. The truth of the situation would be opposite of the glitz and glamour.

[TJ Holmes]

It wasn't all bad, but I don't know that any of the good was real. I went through things there.

[Amy Robach]

Listen to Amy and TJ presents Aubrey O' Day covering the Diddy trial on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[TJ Holmes]

I'm Andrea Gunning, host of the podcast Betrayal. Police Lieutenant Joel Kern used his badge to fool everyone, most of all his wife, Caroline.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

He texted, I've ruined our lives. You're going to want to divorce me.

[TJ Holmes]

Caroline's husband was living another life behind the scenes. He betrayed his oath to his family and to his community.

[Holly Fry]

She said you left bruises, pulled her hair, that type of thing. No?

[TJ Holmes]

How far would Joel go to cover up what he'd done?

[Holly Fry]

You're unable to keep track of all your lies and quite frankly, I question how many other women may bring forward allegations in the future.

[TJ Holmes]

This season of Betrayal investigates one officer's decades of deception, lies that left those closest to him questioning everything they thought they knew. Listen to betrayal on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Holly Fry]

In 1946, a specialized research department was created for the library through the Legislative Reorganization act of 1946. This was the library reference service which had already existed to assist Congress with research needs. But this act made it its own department with a budget so that specialists could be hired to make its offerings more robust. In 1970, the LRS was renamed the Congressional Research Service, or CRS. We referenced that at the very beginning of the episode, and it was restructured at that time with an expanded list of responsibilities, including assisting individual congresspeople and committees with policy research.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

In 1958, Librarian of Congress L. Quincy Mumford established an Interdepartmental Committee on Mechanized Information Retrieval. That committee was tasked with figuring out if there was a way to mechanize the catalog. We mentioned the card cataloging system earlier. Over the years, since the turn of the century, when the card catalog first started to be used, the Library of Congress's own card catalog had become so huge as to be unwieldy. There were more than 9 million cards in the catalog in the 1950s.

[Holly Fry]

In the autumn of 1958, an amendment to the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance act of 1954 made overseas acquisitions for the library more robust. The collection of foreign publications and materials was further bolstered in 1965. The Higher Education act of 1965, as the name states, mandated that the library provide more services to academic libraries. But it also enabled the library to use funds for collecting materials from around the world under the guiding principle that those materials had to be quote of value to scholarship. That also meant that those materials needed to be cataloged and for those cataloging records to be offered to other libraries quickly through their cataloging distribution program. This can be a huge challenge. Cataloging foreign language volumes requires a degree of linguistic proficiency on the part of the cataloger. So multilingual specialists became an important part of the cataloging staff. Within a short period of time, the library had office presences in both London and Rio de Janeiro to acquire books from abroad.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

During the 1960s, the library also spearheaded research into book preservation, focusing not on its oldest volumes, but books printed in the late 19th century. That's because changes in paper production actually made a lot of those books more susceptible to paper breakdown than a lot of older pieces in the collection. This was the beginning of the development of standards of preservation practices and ongoing research in preservation science that continues today under the library's preservation directorate.

[Holly Fry]

In 1966, the committee that we mentioned earlier that was formed to explore ways to automate search in the catalog came up with a system that was called Machine Readable Cataloging. MARC records, as they were called, still included all of the information that would normally be found on a catalog card, but they were the first digital cataloging records searchable through a terminal. Soon, subscribers could also get these digital files, just as they had catalog cards. Although they were initially shipped on magnetic tapes, there were still physical cards going into the Library of Congress's catalog and being shipped to libraries that had not transitioned to electronic data use. But the intention was to move everyone away from physical cards. I kind of marvel that this started in 1966. It seems so much earlier than I remembered. Even from when I was learning about it on the job, I had the.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Same response, which led me to Google it to check, which led to me learning that the person who was really the key in the development of this was named Henriette Avram. Which is. I was like, is this somebody we need to talk about on the show, maybe.

[Holly Fry]

I looked at her and I felt like I didn't have enough handy material to do an expansion. But she would be awesome if we had some time to really dig in. So the last day of 1980. So December 31st was also the last day that any physical cards went into the Library of Congress catalog. Starting in 1981, Mark supplanted physical cards completely, and cataloging new items moved entirely online. Older items, though, were still represented in the collection by catalog cards.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This is also why I remember in my youth there were some things that we would look up in the physical card catalog and some things that we would look up in this terminal thing that also existed in the library. In 1980, the James Madison Memorial Building was opened as the newest addition to the Library of Congress. This project had been in the works for more than 20 years. The first architectural proposal for it had been submitted in 1958. It eventually became a combination project as a Memorial to the 4th President of the United States and a much needed expansion of library space. The 2.1 million square foot building was one of the largest in Washington, D.C. and among other services, the copyright office was moved there. One of the Madison quotes on the exterior of the building reads, quote, knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives.

[Holly Fry]

I'm sure glad it fell to Tracy to read that, because I can't get through that sentence without crying.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I was thinking this too, because we were discussing that quote yesterday.

[Holly Fry]

I did not do that on purpose.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

It just.

[Holly Fry]

I lucked out. In June of 1994, the Library of Congress launched its website. That too seems earlier than my brain can handle. This site over the years has become a valuable tool for online research through the National Digital Library program, which also launched in 1994, although work did not officially begin on that program until 1995. The official mission of the program, per the Library of Congress website, is quote, assembling a digital library of reproduction of primary source materials to support the study of the history and culture of the United States. This project was only launched after a pilot program had been tested for five years, and it began with a really robust effort to use the best possible means available to accurately reproduce items digitally, ensuring that the results were functional research materials. So that meant that in addition to implementing processes for scanning and digitally photographing things like books and journals and photographs and manual manuscripts, they also had human beings working to review that material and create records that would make those newly digitized items findable.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This program also worked with K through 12 teachers and librarians to examine the ways that the digitized collections could be used by educators and what gaps existed in the system that were preventing educators and students from really being able to use digital collections effectively. As a result of this work, the Library of Congress launched a learning portal that offers things like lesson plans, study guides, and context for where digitized primary sources fit into history and culture.

[Holly Fry]

A related program, the World Digital Library, launched in 2009. For this project, the library joined forces with UNESCO and other organizations to digitize and share primary sources related to world cultures in a variety of languages, all of which is freely available online.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

On September 14, 2016, the first woman and first Black Librarian of Congress was sworn in, and that was Dr. Carla D. Hayden, who was recently terminated from that position. She was the 14th librarian of Congress. In her speech at her swearing in, she noted the vast distance between times when a person who looked like her was not allowed to learn to read and write night and the moment she was experiencing. Hayden's library background, which is impressive, as we mentioned at the top of the show, has always been hailed as exemplary by her peers. This includes training as a children's librarian, and she sought during her tenure as head of the nation's library to make its incredible collection accessible to all and to bring history alive to children and adults alike through the collection. In 2023, she gave an interview to the University of Chicago News in which she said, quote, history is a long haul. Times we're going through now, yes, they're kind of rough, but there have been other rough times, and look what's happened and where we've come once again.

[Holly Fry]

I'm so glad you had to read that. Today, the Library of Congress is the world's largest library. There are more than 181 million pieces in the collection, and 470 different languages are represented. These items include books, of course, but also manuscripts and, as we've mentioned, photographs, newspapers, et cetera. 12,000 items are added to the library each day, so about 2 million items each year. In a statement that Dr. Hayden gave to the Committee on House Administration two days before she was fired, the librarian noted that in fiscal year 2024, quote, CRS, that's that research service, CRS handled over 75,000 congressional requests, published over 1000 new products, and updated over 1700 existing projects. The law library fielded almost 1000 reference requests that year and, quote, the library welcomed more than 880,100,000 visitors to its historic Thomas Jefferson Building, a 22% increase from fiscal 2023. 98 million unique visitors made use of the library's websites, totaling half a billion page views. Additionally, Dr. Hayden added, quote, the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled circulated more than 22 million copies of Braille audio and large print material.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Those were all things that were cited in this, but those were really just a handful of the institution's accomplishments under her leadership.

[Holly Fry]

I have very strong feelings about the library. I have very strong feelings about kitties. Do you want to hear the funniest email of all time?

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I sure do.

[Holly Fry]

I'm not going to read the subject because it gives away.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I was gonna say, is it a spoiler?

[Holly Fry]

It is. This is from our listener, Carrie, okay, who I adore for this email, especially because I'm like so choked up over this episode that now I need this. Carrie writes, oh my gosh, you guys, I am laughing so hard right now. I just finished listening to the Altina Shinazi episode followed by its behind the scenes episode. When I read the description, before listening, I saw that it mentioned cat eye glasses. I know the hyphen is in the correct spot, so the following misunderstanding is completely my fault. For some reason in my head, when I read the description, I read cat eyeglasses. As in Eyeglasses for Cats. Now, an unfamiliar listener of the podcast may stop and think, why in the world would they do an episode about the inventor of eyeglasses for cats? It clearly didn't work since I've never seen a cat wearing glasses before. But I, a seasoned listener of many years who knows your love of cats and also knows that there have been several cat art themed episodes in the past just rolled with it. I kept waiting for it to come up. When you were talking about her art, I thought, oh, she probably painted or sculpted cats wearing glasses. But that didn't happen. Then when you were actually talking about the cat eye glasses, I thought, oh, the person probably turned her away with her glasses design because they saw that it was a ridiculous idea. And then when the designer saw the glasses and said he wanted to put them into production, I thought, huh, I wonder if he thought the glasses design was for people instead of cats and Altina just went with it. I wish I was kidding, I really do. By the end of the show, I had kind of forgotten about it because I got so caught up in Altina's life. It wasn't until the behind the scenes episode when Holly said cat eye glasses with the stress slightly different on the words that it clicked into place and the world made sense again. I had a good laugh about it after all was said and done, and it taught me something about myself. If mobsters came into my place of business trying to intimidate me, I would also completely misread the situation and probably offer them a snack for pet tax. I am attaching a photo of my Australian labradoodle, Coco. She is a pretty princess who loves to steal our food, cuddle and plop herself wherever she pleases. She has a crush on my fiance and always squeezes herself right between us when he is over and demands pets from him. And of course he obliges because she'll look at him with her golden eyes and some kind of enchantment takes over. She is irresistible. Thanks to the podcast. It really is one of a kind and I enjoy listening to it so much, even if sometimes I have a misunderstanding. This is the best email I've read in a hundred years. I love the trust, Carrie, that you were like, I'm just gonna roll with this. They're gonna explain this eventually and we never did. Also, Coco, I get it. I too would fall under her spell in a minute, but that did crack me up. And then I thought about what it would take to try to put glasses on cats and how much I enjoy, you know, retaining my limbs as unmarred by cat scratches as I possibly can, and how that would not play out at our house. I have had two cats that would have worn glasses I'm pretty sure that were just chill about having things put on them, but most of them would not be. But also, how would you test does this look better or does this look better? Meow. I don't know. I love everything about this.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah, I never know which email you have selected, except on a rare occasion when it comes up before we actually start reading. But you were a little ways into that when I remembered the email clearly and had to go move away from my mic so I didn't start laughing all the way through it. It's so good.

[Holly Fry]

It's so good, so good. That's just the best. And also I just appreciate your candor in explaining how you got confused because we have all been there and not everybody will talk about these moments, but it's important because we all have them. If you would like to write to us and explain something that was very confusing and became comedic or something else completely, you can do [e-mail] we are also very easy to subscribe to. You can do that on the ice iHeartRadio app or anywhere you listen to your favorite shows. We will be right back here again with more stories soon.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Stuff youf Missed in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Amy Robach]

Amy Robach and T.J. holmes here, Diddy's former protege, television personality Danity King Al Aubrey O' Day joins us to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation.

[TJ Holmes]

It wasn't all bad, but I don't know that any of the good was real. I went through things there.

[Amy Robach]

Listen to Amy and TJ presents Aubrey O' Day covering the Diddy trial on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Explore the winding halls of historical true crime with Holly Fry and Maria Tremarke, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the Highwayman suggests men dominated the field, but tell that to Lady Catherine Ferrers, known as the wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s. Her legend persists nearly 400 years after her death. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Find more crime and cocktails on Criminalia. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

A crime makes headlines. People talk about it for a few days. Then it disappears. But for the people left behind, their story is just beginning.

[TJ Holmes]

But at night, we hear the garage opening and my son hears it.

[Holly Fry]

We freak out. Honestly, I didn't tell my son this, but I thought that was it.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

From the exactly right network. This is the next Knife Real stories of crime's ripple effects told by those who lived them. New episodes every Thursday. Listen to the knife on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Aubrey O'Day]

I'm Jake Hanrahan, journalist and documentary filmmaker. Away Days is my new project reporting on countercultures on the fringes of society all across the world. Live from the underground, you'll discover no real fighting, Japanese street racing, Brazilian favela life, and much more. All real, completely uncensored. Listen to the Away Days podcast, reporting from the underbelly on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Holly Fry]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.