Library of Congress Finishes Digitizing of Presidential Collections

The world's largest library, the Library of Congress, has finished digitization of the collections of papers from 23 early presidents, from George Washington to Calvin Coolidge. The work has taken nearly two decades of effort, and the results -- 3.3 million images -- are openly available online. Along with images showing the original documents, the collection also provides text versions of the contents as well as descriptive information to provide context.

The collection for Abraham Lincoln consists of 20,200 items, including his first and second inaugural addresses and a preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation. For George Washington, there are 77,000 items, mostly diaries, financial and military records and letters. Thomas Jefferson left behind 25,000 items, primarily correspondence but also drafts of the Declaration of Independence.

The various items were acquired, according to the Library, through a combination of donation and purchase. In 1957, Congress passed a law directing the Library to "arrange, index and microfilm the papers," a project that was completed in 1976. With the advent of digitization, presidential papers became a ripe candidate for that too.

Library of Congress Finishes Digitizing of Presidential Collections

"The writings and records of America's presidents are an invaluable source of information on world events, and many of these collections are the primary sources for books and films that teach us about our nation's history," said Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, in a statement "We are proud to make these presidential papers available free of charge to even more researchers, students and curious visitors online."

"Arguably, no other body of material in the Manuscript Division is of greater significance for the study of American history than the presidential collections," added Janice Ruth, who runs the Division at the Library. "They cover the entire sweep of American history from the nation's founding through the first decade after World War I, including periods of prosperity and depression, war and peace, unity of purpose and political and civil strife."

The collections of items for presidents who followed Coolidge, from Howard Hoover onward, are maintained in presidential libraries, which are administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. Some are held elsewhere; for instance, the papers of John Adams and John Quincy Adams are housed at the Massachusetts Historical Society, much of which has also been digitized.

Links to each collection are available in a Library of Congress press release.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • students using digital devices, surrounded by abstract AI motifs and soft geometric design

    Ed Tech Startup Kira Launches AI-Native Learning Platform

    A new K-12 learning platform aims to bring personalized education to every student. Kira, one of the latest ed tech ventures from Andrew Ng, former director of Stanford's AI Lab and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning.AI, "integrates artificial intelligence directly into every educational workflow — from lesson planning and instruction to grading, intervention, and reporting," according to a news announcement.

  • toolbox featuring a circuit-like AI symbol and containing a screwdriver, wrench, and hammer

    Microsoft Launches AI Tools for Educators

    Microsoft has introduced a variety of AI tools aimed at helping educators develop personalized learning experiences for their students, create content more efficiently, and increase student engagement.

  • laptop displaying a red padlock icon sits on a wooden desk with a digital network interface background

    Reports Point to Domain Controllers as Prime Ransomware Targets

    A recent report from Microsoft reinforces warns of the critical role Active Directory (AD) domain controllers play in large-scale ransomware attacks, aligning with U.S. government advisories on the persistent threat of AD compromise.

  • Two hands shaking in the center with subtle technology icons, graphs, binary code, and a padlock in the dark blue background

    Two Areas for K-12 Schools to Assess for When to Work with a Managed Services Provider

    The complexity of today’s IT network infrastructure and increased cybersecurity risk are quickly moving beyond many school districts’ ability to manage on their own. But a new technology model, a partnership with a managed services provider, offers a way forward for schools to overcome these challenges.