March 8, 2018 (REVISED March 20, 2018) Library of Congress Offers Free Spring Activities

Spring season brings warm temperatures, fresh flowers and free Library of Congress programming celebrating women in history, poetry, literature, art and science while introducing patrons to international culture and history with lectures, symposiums, book talks and a pop-up display.

The Library recently announced the official events that will be held in conjunction with the National Cherry Blossom Festival , as well as a host of Women’s History Month programming.

Beginning in March, the Library’s Young Readers Center will host story time on the last Friday of each month in collaboration with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at 10:30 a.m. in the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building, located at 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Tickets are not required for these events, which are free and open to the public. Each story time will feature a reading of a book for children up to age 5, music and special guests.

The first Library open house of this year will be held on the Memorial Day holiday, Monday, May 28. The Jefferson Building, the Great Hall and exhibitions will remain open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Please note that events are subject to change. In the event of inclement weather or other issues, the Library of Congress follows the federal government operating status.

March

 
Lectures/Symposiums/Talks

Thursday, March 15
2017 National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman and the 2018 National Youth Poet Laureate finalists will participate in a reading and moderated discussion with Michael Cirelli, executive director of Urban Word NYC, at 6:30 p.m. in the Mumford Room of the James Madison Memorial Building. This event is free and open to the public. The event is co-sponsored by the Library of Congress Young Readers Center and presented in partnership with Urban Word. Contact: 202.707.5394.

Thursday, March 15 and Friday, March16
The Rare Book and Special Collections Division hosts “Imagining the Extraordinary,” a symposium that will examine how creative illustrations have extended human understanding of science. The symposium is free and will be held at 9 a.m. on both days in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building, but registration is required. To secure tickets, visit this event site: lcscientificillustration.eventbrite.com. Contact: 202.707.3404. 

Wednesday, March 21 - POSTPONED 
Poet Laura Kasischke will discuss her work with Ron Charles, editor of The Washington Post's Book World. The event will be held at the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital. This event is free and open to the public; reservations are required. Visit http://www.hillcenterdc.org/event/ for more information. Contact: 202.707.5223. 

John Strand, playwright of “Snow Child,” will be joined by the artistic director of Arena Stage, Molly Smith, for a spotlight interview at 7 p.m. in the Montpelier Room of the James Madison Memorial Building. Tickets are available, but not required. For more information, visit this event ticketing site. Contact: 202.707.5218. 

Monday, March 26
In this talk, Dr. Dafna Zur, one of the very few North Korea scholars in the U.S. who specializes in the humanities, will discuss new perspectives on North Korean youth literature and its relationship to the changing values assigned to scientific development. Noon in the Whittall Pavilion of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Her presentation is based in part on research conducted at the Asian Division in the Library of Congress. Contact: 202.707.5426.

Wednesday, March 28
Oscar P. Fitzgerald, lecturer in the Decorative Arts and Design History master’s program at The George Washington University’s Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, will discuss his new book, “American Furniture: 1650 to the Present,” at noon in the West Dining Room of the James Madison Building. Contact: 202.707.0945.

Thursday, March 29
The Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity Programs office hosts a panel discussion on “Access and the Arts: Disability Rights and Inclusion” at 11:30 a.m. in room LJ119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact 202.707.6024.

Friday, March 30
The Hispanic Reading Room and Dr. Fernando Ramo present “Movies and Popular Culture in Spain Under Francoism (1939-1975)” at noon in Dining Room A of the James Madison Memorial Building. Tickets are available for this free event, but not required. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit this event ticketing site for more information and to secure your ticket. Entry is not guaranteed. Contact: 202.707.5397.

Concerts/Performances

Thursday, March 8- SOLD OUT
Guitarist Julian Lage and with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Kenny Wolleson perform live at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Tickets are required. Contact: 202.707.5502.

Saturday, March 24- SOLD OUT
Colin Currie and Nicolas Hodges will unite in a special program of music for percussion, piano and their combination at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Tickets are required. Contact: 202.707.5502. 

 Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31
The Library of Congress presents “Spektral Quartet” with pianist Winston Choi at 9 p.m. on Friday and at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Tickets are required. For more information and to secure your ticket visit this event ticketing site. Contact: 202.707.5502. 

Family-Friendly Activities

Wednesday, March 14
Former U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera will be joined by local students for a lesson about “Jabberwalking,” writing poetry on the run based on what you see and hear in your surroundings, as described in his new book “The Fine Art of Jabberwalking.” The experience will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the Young Readers Center of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact: 202.707.1950.

 Webinars

Wednesday, March 21
This program provides an overview of the Library of Congress’ website, which serves as the portal to several million digital and digitized multimedia collection items—along with records for millions of additional physical holdings. The online class will be held at 2:30 p.m. Registration is required. For more information and to register, visit this event ticketing site. Contact: 202.707.3399. 

April

 Events

Friday, April 6 and 13, Saturday, April 7 and 14
“LOC Spring Fling,” a pop-up exhibition exploring the sights, sounds and smells of the spring season through treasures from the Library’s vast collections, including a host of cherry blossom-related items. More than 80 collection items will be on display for “Spring Fling.” The display will be on view in the Thomas Jefferson Building. Tickets are available for this free exhibition but not required. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit this event ticketing site .

Saturday, April 7
The Library’s Asian Division and Young Readers Center present “Japanese Culture Day,” an official event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival introducing children and adults to Japanese culture through hands-on origami artwork creation, trying on kimonos and other activities. The event will begin at 11 a.m. in the Young Readers Center of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact: 202.707.2990. 

Thursday, April 19
U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith will celebrate the conclusion of her first term as laureate at 7 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building. This event is free and open to the public. Book sales and signing will follow. Contact: 202.707.5394.

Monday, April 23
The Library of Congress celebrates Preservation Week 2018 with a full day of programming, including behind-the-scenes tours of the Preservation Directorate at the Library, a lecture focused on the Library’s enduring work to collect, preserve, and honor the legacies of our veterans, and a special display of collection items from the Library’s Veterans History Project presented by Library conservators and the Project’s archivists. Tickets are required for the behind-the-scenes tours. For more information visit this website. Contact: 202.707.8345.

Lectures/Symposiums/Talks  

Thursday, April 5
Thomas Burns, creator of the 2016 National Cherry Blossom Festival poster, will present a lecture about the poster, including his design process and ideas for the poster, at noon in the Mary Pickford Theater of the James Madison Memorial Building. This is an official event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Contact: 202.707.2990. 

Wednesday, April 11
Poet Matthew Zapruder will discuss his work with Ron Charles, editor of The Washington Post's Book World. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required. This event will be held at 7 p.m. at the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital. Visit, http://www.hillcenterdc.org/event/ for more information. Contact: 202.707.5223.

Thursday, April 12
Scholar Dr. Edmund Ghareeb will present a lecture titled "History of the Arabic Press in the United States" at noon in the African and Middle Eastern reading room located in the Thomas Jefferson Building.  Contact: 202.707.4188.

Carolyn Brown, former director of the Kluge Center and scholar of Chinese literature, will discuss her book "Reading Lu Xun Through Carl Jung" at 4 p.m. in room LJ119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building.  Contact: 202.707.5423

Friday, April 13
The Library’s Hispanic Division will host the first day of a two-day symposium on Chilean literature in the 20^th and 21^st centuries beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Whittall Pavilion of the Thomas Jefferson Building. The event also celebrates the career of professor Gwen Kirkpatrick, the retiring chair of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Georgetown University.  Contact: 202.707.5397.

Friday, April 13
In honor of the 275^th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s birth, Mark Dimunation, curator and chief of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division, will give a talk about Jefferson, his library and the Library’s ongoing efforts to re-create it. This gallery talk will take place at 11 a.m. in the Thomas Jefferson Library exhibition located in the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact: 202.707.0245.

Wednesday, April 18
Author Jeffrey Lilley will discuss and sign his book “Have the Mountains Fallen,” about Kyrgyz author Chingiz Aitmatov and Azamat Altay, a founder of Kyrgyz service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Noon in the African and Middle Eastern reading room located in the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact: 202.707.4188.  

 Concerts/Performances

 Friday, April 6- SOLD OUT
Germany’s stellar Artemis Quartet will perform at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Tickets are required.

Pre-concert lecture: A discussion with the artist at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion of the Thomas Jefferson Building. No tickets are required. Contact: 202.707.5502.

 Saturday, April 7
OrchKids of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will present an original performance, based on their 2017 fall visit to the Library exploring the Leonard Bernstein Collection, at 2 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Tickets are required. Visit this event ticketing site. Contact: 202.707.5502. 

Wednesday, April 11- SOLD OUT
Canadian pianists Louis Lortie and Hélène Mercier have been performing together since their student days and have developed a remarkable sensitivity to the four-hand and two-piano literature. Lortie and Mercier will perform live at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Tickets are required.

Pre-concert lecture: A discussion with Blair Johnston, associate professor of music theory at Indiana University at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion of the Thomas Jefferson Building. No tickets are required. Contact: 202.707.5502.

Wednesday, April 25
Canadian baritone Gerald Finley will be joined by collaborative pianist Julius Drake in a stunning program of Germanic and Russian art song at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Tickets are required. Visit this event ticketing site . Contact: 202.707.5502.

Family-Friendly Activities

 Wednesday, April 25
April 25 is World Penguin Day, timed to coincide with the annual northward march to the sea of Antarctic penguins. To celebrate, the Library is hosting a conversation with scientist and author Ron Naveen, who has spent more than 30 years working in Antarctica counting penguins.10:30 a.m. in the Young Readers Center of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact: 202.707.1950.

 
May

Lectures/Symposiums/Talks

Tuesday, May 1
The Law Library will spearhead the annual Law Day activities with a conversation featuring American Bar Association President, Hilarie Bass and Law Librarian of Congress Jane Sánchez at 3 p.m. in room LJ 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building. The topic of this discussion will be “Separation of Powers: Framework for Freedom.” Contact: 202.707.5079.

Friday, May 4
Conservators Sylvia Albro and Betsy Haude will discuss the conservation process for the Huexotzinco Codex. The presentation will include items used in the process in order to give visitors a deeper understanding of the Library’s conservation work. This gallery talk will take place at 11 a.m. in the Exploring the Early Americas exhibition space located in the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact: 202.707.0245.

Monday, May 7
In observance of Jewish American Heritage Month and in cooperation with the Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington, professor Hasia Diner will present a lecture titled “Roads Taken: Jewish Peddlers and their American Journeys” at noon in the African and Middle Eastern reading room located in the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact: 202.707.4188.

Thursday, May 10
Robert G. O’Meally of Columbia University presents “Transblucency: Duke Ellington, The Wahingtonians, and the Realm of the Visual,” a jazz scholar lecture brought to you by the Library’s Music Division. The lecture will take place at 7 p.m. in the Montpelier Room of the James Madison Memorial Building. Tickets are required. Visit this event ticketing site. Contact: 202.707.5502.

Tuesday, May 15
Daniel Callahan, assistant professor of music at Boston College, presents “Bernstein Conducting Himself,” an American Musicological Society lecture at 7 p.m. in the Montpelier Room of the James Madison Memorial Building. Tickets are required. Visit this event ticketing site . Contact: 202.707.5502.

Thursday, May 17
The Library’s Veterans History Project will host a panel discussion of experts in the field on Veterans Correctional Housing Units and the impact on the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, increasing safety and reducing recidivism. The event is free and open to the public. The panel will take place at noon in room LJ119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Contact: 202.707.4916.

Concerts/Performances

 Friday, May 4 – SOLD OUT
Grammy Award-winning artist Esperanza Spalding performs at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Tickets are required. Contact: 202.707.5502.

Friday, May 18 – SOLD OUT
The Library’s vast Leonard Bernstein Collection provides the world’s best vantage point to contemplate the career of this extraordinary man: composer, conductor, pianist, educator, and humanitarian. The Bernstein Centennial concert will be held at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building. The concert will feature Michael Barret, musical director; Julia Bullock, soprano; Amy Owens, soprano; Amanda Lynn Bottoms, mezzo soprano; Joshua Blue, tenor; and Adrian Rosas, bass-baritone. Contact: 202.707.5502.

Saturday, May 19
The Library of Congress presents “Leonard Bernstein's America: Celebrating the Collection,” a daylong program and an immersive experience anchored by an extensive display of manuscripts, letters, playbills, photographs and memorabilia, sketches, casting notes and designs. The program will begin at 11 a.m. in the Montpelier Room of the James Madison Memorial Building.  The Leonard Bernstein Collection includes over 400,000 items given to the Library of Congress by the composer and his family since 1953. Tickets are required. Visit this event ticketing site. Contact: 202.707.5502.

 Saturday, May 26
In observance of the Memorial Day holiday, this powerful one-man show follows the journey of soldier Irving Greenwald in World War I from training to the trenches and home again to his beloved wife and daughter. The presentation, developed by actor Douglas Taurel, draws directly from Greenwald’s diary, held in the collections of the Veterans History Project and currently on display in the exhibition “Echoes of the Great War: American Experiences of World War I” at the Library of Congress. The performance will take place at 2 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building Contact: 202.707.1071.

Spring Tour Offerings

Touch History 
“Touch History” is an accessible tour that brings building details to life for visitors through their sense of touch. Contact: 202.707.2153. 

Dates for the “Touch History” tour are: March 6 (9:30 a.m.) and 10 (9:30 a.m.)
April 3 (9:30 a.m.) and 14 (9:30 a.m.). 

Family Building Tour
This kid-friendly tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building is recommended for families with children ages 6-12. An adult must accompany children. Adult participation may be limited to two per extended family or friend group. Check-in is at the ground-floor information desk for availability. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Tours are approximately 40 minutes. Contact: 202.707.9799.

 Dates for the family building tour are: March 28 (10 a.m.), 30 (10 a.m.) and 31 (10 a.m.)
April 2 (10 a.m.), 4 (10 a.m.), 6 (10 a.m.), 7 (10 a.m.).  

 Spanish-language Tours
The Visitor Services Office of the Library of Congress will offer guided tours of the Thomas Jefferson Building in Spanish. The visits are limited to 25 people in order of arrival. Reserve your space 30 minutes before the start of the visit at the visitor information desk located on the ground floor. Contact: 202.707.9799.

Dates for Spanish-language tours are: March 3 (11 a.m.), 10 (11 a.m.), 13 (11 a.m.), 23 (1 p.m.), 30 (1 p.m.).

Mythology Tour
Patrons are invited to experience the Thomas Jefferson Building as Mount Olympus. The tour invites participants to discover your favorite gods, heroes and mythological characters at the Library of Congress. Check-in is at the ground floor information desk. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Tours are approximately 40 minutes. Contact: 202.707.9799.

Recommended for children ages 8-14. An adult must accompany children. Adult participation may be limited to two per extended family or friend group

Dates for mythology tours are: March 29 (10 a.m.), April 3 (10 a.m.) and 5 (10 a.m.).

Whittall Open House
Thursday, March 1, 10 a.m.-noon
The Visitor Services Office (VSO), in collaboration with the Music Division, will host an open house in the Whittall Pavilion. A VSO volunteer will engage visitors discussing the artwork and musical instruments in that beautiful space, as well as details and stories about the music and performing arts collections and programs. Contact: 202.707.9799.

Evolution of the Book Explore Cart
Mondays, periodic Thursdays, and Fridays, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Wednesdays and Fridays, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Explore the evolution of books, from prehistoric cave paintings to emoji and tablets. Activities may include writing with cuneiform on clay tablets, decoding oracle bones, practicing calligraphy with reed styluses and feather quills, or printing with metal, movable type. The carts can be found throughout the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building.  

Jefferson Building Architecture Explore Cart
Tuesdays: 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Wednesdays: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Explore the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the design and construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building; learn about architectural symbolism of the Gilded Age; touch materials and tools used to create the building that has become the heart of the Library of Congress.

 Public Tours Of…
“Echoes of the Great War”
Docent-led tour of the exhibition “Echoes of the Great War: American Experiences of World War I.” Meet the docent at the entrance to the exhibition to join the tour. Tours have currently been scheduled for 1 p.m. on: 

March 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 20, 22, 23, 27, 29, 30
April 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 24, 26, 27
May 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 18, 22, 24, 25

“Exploring the Early Americas”
Docent-led tours of the exhibition “Exploring the Early Americas,” which examines indigenous cultures, the drama of the encounters between Native Americans and Europeans, and the resulting changes caused by the meeting of the two worlds. Meet the docent at the entrance to the exhibition to join the tour. Tours have currently been scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on: 

March 5, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, 30
April 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 30 
May 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 30

Curator Lead Tours

Thursday, March 8
In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, Margaret Wagner, author of “America and the Great War: A Library of Congress Illustrated History,” will lead a tour of the “Echoes of the Great War” exhibition focused on the experiences of women “over here” and “over there,” including the fight for the right to vote, the Women’s Land Army, nursing, and Gold Star mothers. The tour will take place at 1 p.m. Contact: 202.707.0245.

Friday, March 23 and Wednesday, May 16
Exhibition curator and Prints and Photographs Division specialist Martha Kennedy will present highlights of the exhibition “Drawn to Purpose: American Women Illustrators and Cartoonists.” The tour will take place at 11 a.m. Contact: 202.707.0245.

Research Orientations at the Library of Congress

 The “Research Orientation to the Library of Congress” sessions are designed as a basic introduction for researchers using the Library of Congress collections and resources. Each session includes an introduction to the Library's reading rooms and collections; guidelines on how to locate and request materials in a closed-stack library; suggestions on how to conduct research efficiently in the Library of Congress; instruction on how to use Library of Congress Subject Headings and other sources for searching accurately by subject; information on how to find published bibliographies and topical indexes in print and automated formats; information on using the Library's catalogs in card and online forms; procedures for finding citations to journal articles; and an overview of electronic resources, including subscription databases.

Orientations are held Monday mornings and afternoons and Saturday mornings. There are multiple spring season dates currently available. The orientations are free, but due to expected demand, tickets are recommended, and there may be special restrictions. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit this event ticketing site  for more information and to secure your ticket. Entry is not guaranteed.

Exhibitions at the Library

Exhibitions are open Monday–Saturday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Exhibitions can be viewed online at loc.gov/exhibits/.

Thomas Jefferson Building

Through October 2018: “Drawn to Purpose: American Women Illustrators and Cartoonists” brings to light remarkable but little-known contributions made by North American women to two popular art forms—illustration and cartooning—spanning the late 1800s to the present. Graphic Arts Galleries, ground floor.

Through January 2019: “Echoes of the Great War: American Experiences of World War I” features 200 items that include correspondence, music, film, recorded sound, diaries, posters, photographs, scrapbooks, medals, maps and materials from the Veterans History Project. Southwest Gallery, second floor.

Ongoing: Herblock Gallery features a selection of 10 cartoons—with new drawings every six months— and provides an opportunity to learn more about Pulitzer Award-winning artist Herbert L. Block. Graphic Arts Galleries, ground floor.

Ongoing: “Mapping a Growing Nation: From Independence to Statehood” showcases the rare Abel Buell map of 1784, along with seven state maps and a railroad map. First floor, North Gallery.

Ongoing: “Hope for America: Performers, Politics & Pop Culture” focuses on Bob Hope and other entertainers who chose to involve themselves in the political climate of their times. Ground floor.  

Ongoing: The “Exploring the Early Americas” exhibition tells the story of the Americas before the time of Columbus, as well as the periods of contact and conquest and their aftermath. Visitors can also explore Thomas Jefferson’s Library, featuring thousands of original volumes that provided the foundation for the Library of Congress and its universal collections. Northwest Gallery, second floor.

Ongoing: “Here To Stay: The Legacy of George and Ira Gershwin” showcases items from the Gershwin Collection in the Music Division, the world's pre-eminent resource for materials about the Gershwins. Ground floor.

The Library of Congress occupies three buildings on Capitol Hill. The Thomas Jefferson Building is located at 10 First St. S.E., across from the U.S. Capitol. The John Adams Building is directly behind the Jefferson Building to the east on Second St. S.E. The James Madison Memorial Building, at 101 Independence Ave. S.E., is just south of the Jefferson Building.

Those interested in supporting free programs at the Library can contact devofc@loc.gov.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States - and extensive materials from around the world - both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office.  Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.