The Bicentennial commemoration has stimulated the most widespread national publicity for the Library in the institution's history. Grassroots projects such as Local Legacies, second-day issue ceremonies for the Library's postage stamp in libraries across the country and Favorite Poem events in dozens of communities have put meaning into the Bicentennial theme of "Libraries, Creativity, Liberty." Hundreds of articles, most of them in local newspapers, but just as many mentions on radio and television, have highlighted the Bicentennial and the Library's services to Congress, libraries, and individuals.
The most recent issues of the Library of Congress Information Bulletin and The Gazette.
Not surprisingly, many of the most detailed and accurate descriptions of Bicentennial activities have appeared in two Library publications: the Library of Congress Information Bulletin (1942-) and The Gazette (1990-), the weekly newspaper distributed to the Library's staff. Thanks to the skills and enthusiasm of the (mostly) staff authors, the articles have presented both in-depth coverage of the major Bicentennial projects and events and an overall sense of the commemoration's importance; that is, how the individual projects look to the Library's future and to strengthening the institution's ties to Congress and other key supporters and constituencies.
Coverage of Library events, even by the Library's own publications, has not always been as thorough as it is today. Created during World War II by Librarian of Congress Archibald MacLeish (1939-1944) in order to explain the Library's activities more widely and effectively to the staff, the Bulletin almost was a victim of wartime cutbacks at the Library. It survived, however, and since then has been shaped and reshaped by the needs and philosophies of Librarians of Congress Luther H. Evans (1945-1953), L. Quincy Mumford (1954-74), Daniel J. Boorstin (1975-1987) and James H. Billington (1987-) and their administrative colleagues. A short history of the Information Bulletin and the many changes in its format, content, frequency of publication and editorship was published in the Jan. 13, 1992, issue on the occasion of the publication's 50th anniversary.
The first issue of the Information Bulletin was published under the title Staff Information Bulletin in early 1942. It provided practical information for the staff through short notices, many of which reflected the wartime atmosphere. Here, for example, is the first article: "24-HOUR AIR RAID WATCH. An air raid precautions watch of 24 hours daily, 7 days a week, will be inaugurated at 8 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 25th. Fifty-four persons will divide the watch in the main building, working from midnight to 8 a.m. one week out of every nine."
Other items mentioned in the first issue included the appointment of Thomas Mann as consultant in German literature; the arrival at the Library of the "outstanding South American writer" Luis Alberto Sanchez and announcements of publications, exhibitions, meetings and luncheons, including the Tuesday Staff Luncheon during which "Alan Lomax, of the Archive of Amer. Folk Song, will sing, present documentary recordings on reactions of people to the war."
Following is a selective sampling of individual issues and historical highlights affecting the Information Bulletin and its development.
Jan. 23, 1942. The first issue of the Staff Information Bulletin is published as a two-page, mimeographed broadsheet.
Dec. 15, 1942. The first printed issue (left) is published, authorized by the Library's Advisory Committee on Publications.
April 12, 1943. The Staff Information Bulletin publishes its first photograph, "The Shrine"in the Great Hall, which displays the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The lead article describes the opening of the Library's exhibition commemorating the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's birth.
July 1943. The title changes to Information Bulletin.
July 25-Aug. 1, 1945. The Bulletin once again becomes a mimeographed publication. A "Notice" at the top of the first page announces that "Beginning with this issue, the INFORMATION BULLETIN of the Library of Congress resumes the weekly schedule under which it began publication on Jan. 23, 1942. The new format, as well as the change in the nature of its contents, follows a recommendation made by the Committee on Bibliography and Publications that the printed bulletin be suspended and replaced by a weekly calendar of events. Wartime printing conditions, as well as manpower problems incidental to its preparation, have made it impossible to continue the fuller, printed publication. No issues of the INFORMATION BULLETIN have appeared since last October."
Sept. 12-19, 1945. Approximately three months after taking office, Librarian of Congress Luther H. Evans begins contributing "The Librarian's Page" to the Bulletin. Here are two of the first entries: "Miss Bogan has begun her service as Consultant in Poetry in English. Members of the staff interested in the field of Miss Bogan's work are invited to call on her," and "John G. Bradley, Director of the Motion Picture Project, and his staff are occupying the office of the Chief Assistant Librarian until suitable quarters can be arranged for them elsewhere. Miss Pauline Evans has recently been appointed secretary to the Director."
Jan. 12, 1946. The first staff photo in the Information Bulletin, part of "The Librarian's Page," features Librarian Evans with uniformed members of "our acquisitions mission to Germany," just prior to leaving Washington, D.C., "to board the good ship Queen Mary in New York."
Jan. 2, 1951. A new Bulletin masthead includes, in one corner, a sketch of the Jefferson Building. A Table of Contents is introduced.
Jan. 4, 1954. A new masthead (above, center left) stretches across the top of the page and features an engraving of the Jefferson Building.
Jan. 3, 1956. The next new Bulletin masthead (above, center right) highlights a design based on the Library's government symbol as it has been adapted for use as endpapers in books belonging the Library.
Jan. 6, 1972. The Bulletin begins production (for the first time since 1945) as a printed rather than as a mimeographed publication.
Jan. 28, 1977. The Librarian's Task Force on Goals, Organization and Planning describes the Information Bulletin as "a melange of staff news, Library announcements, and professional news for the general library community" and recommends "a separation of these functions and a strengthening of each" by creating two different publications.
Jan. 5, 1979. In response to a readership survey, the Bulletin undertakes several changes in format and arrangement. One of the first is a separate insert, entitled "Staff News" and distributed only to Library staff members.
1989. Dr. Billington's Management and Planning Committee recommends the creation of a separate staff newsletter.
April 6, 1990. The Library publishes the first issue of The Gazette, "A Weekly Newspaper for the Library Staff" (above, right). Freed from the need of publishing staff news, the Information Bulletin broadens its editorial perspective and library community coverage and changes from a weekly to a biweekly publication.
May 5-May 19, 1997. A special Information Bulletin issue (above, left), with more than 30 color photographs, celebrates the centenary of the Library's Thomas Jefferson Building.
July 1997. The Information Bulletin becomes a monthly publication. Its circulation is approximately 12,000.
