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 Washington, DC
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It's World Series time! Before radio and TV broadcasts, if you wanted to watch the big game but couldn't attend, you might keep track via a "Playograph." This mechanical device was manually operated by people working behind the board, showing crowds where the ball and players were at any given time.
Photo shows crowd gathered outside the New York Herald newspaper building in New York City to watch a "playograph" during the World Series, 1911. Bain News Service photograph collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

ALT Photo shows crowd gathered outside the New York Herald newspaper building in New York City to watch a "playograph" during the World Series, 1911. Bain News Service photograph collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Advertisement in The Washington Daily News, Monday, Oct. 4, 1926 advises baseball fans to "See the World's Series on The Washington Daily News Playograph," an "ingenious mechanical devise that reproduces the actual game play by play" via "a special wire from the ball park to the rear of the Playograph" that "insures speed and accuracy." "As fast as a play is made a crew of three operators will reproduce it for you on the Playograph."

ALT Advertisement in The Washington Daily News, Monday, Oct. 4, 1926 advises baseball fans to "See the World's Series on The Washington Daily News Playograph," an "ingenious mechanical devise that reproduces the actual game play by play" via "a special wire from the ball park to the rear of the Playograph" that "insures speed and accuracy." "As fast as a play is made a crew of three operators will reproduce it for you on the Playograph."

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Spooky season special: The Library is home to the sole surviving nitrate print of the first film adaptation of "Frankenstein," produced in 1910 by the Edison Manufacturing Company! Watch the full film and learn how it came to the Library. ⬇️ blogs.loc.gov/loc/2018/11/th…
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The Library has recently acquired two letters written by former first ladies Martha Washington and Mary Todd Lincoln. They provide researchers and the public with a rare glimpse into the private lives of these remarkable women. newsroom.loc.gov/news/librar…
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The Library's Liljenquist collection of Civil War photographs contains several images, like these, of veterans who fought for the Union posing with family members (likely their grandsons) who served in World War I. More of the Liljenquist collection. ⬇️ loc.gov/pictures/collection/…
Photograph shows portrait of Union veteran in G.A.R. uniform with medals and World War I sailor, probably grandfather and grandson.

ALT Photograph shows portrait of Union veteran in G.A.R. uniform with medals and World War I sailor, probably grandfather and grandson.

Photograph shows portrait of Union veteran with World War I soldier in G.A.R. uniform with medals with World War I soldier, probably grandfather and grandson.

ALT Photograph shows portrait of Union veteran with World War I soldier in G.A.R. uniform with medals with World War I soldier, probably grandfather and grandson.

Photograph shows portrait of Union veteran in uniform, wearing a medal, seated next a World War I soldier in uniform, probably grandfather and grandson.

ALT Photograph shows portrait of Union veteran in uniform, wearing a medal, seated next a World War I soldier in uniform, probably grandfather and grandson.

Photograph shows portrait of Union veteran in G.A.R. uniform with medals and World War I sailor, probably grandfather and grandson.

ALT Photograph shows portrait of Union veteran in G.A.R. uniform with medals and World War I sailor, probably grandfather and grandson.

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MAGAZINE MONDAY | Read all about how the Library is digitizing the classic Farm Security Administration photographs (all 175,000 of them) in a massive, multiyear project. ⬇️ lcm.loc.gov/issue/september-…

Preserving the 175,000 FSA Photographs, One at a Time

In a yearslong project, the Library is making high-resolution copies of images in this iconic collection.

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Did you know the Wright brothers had a sister? Katharine Wright was not only a caretaker to the Wright family after their mother died and to Orville after a test flight injury, but also a college graduate, a teacher, a suffragist and a member of the Wright Company alongside her brothers. 🧵
Katharine Wright, wearing a leather jacket, cap, and goggles, aboard the Wright Model HS airplane with Orville, 1915.

ALT Katharine Wright, wearing a leather jacket, cap, and goggles, aboard the Wright Model HS airplane with Orville, 1915.

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The Library of Congress is home to the Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers, which also contain some of Katharine's correspondence. Check it out. ⬇️ loc.gov/resource/mss46706.02…

Family Papers: Correspondence--Wright, Katharine, May-June 1908

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The conservators at the Library of Congress mend a lot of paper by hand, but sometimes the situation calls for a different method. That's where this process comes in.
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Are you interested in earning your Eagle Scout badge or Gold Award? The Library of Congress has the perfect community project for you! Scouts can arrange and conduct interviews with veterans and donate them to the Veterans History Project. Email us at [email protected] for special Scout guidance!
Scout Connor Roberts hand-delivers multiple Veterans History Project interviews to the Library of Congress as part of his Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project in 2025.

ALT Scout Connor Roberts hand-delivers multiple Veterans History Project interviews to the Library of Congress as part of his Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project in 2025.

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Florence Pugh and Zoe Kazan, the star and screenwriter (respectively) of Netflix’s “East of Eden,” a fresh take on John Steinbeck’s classic 1952 California novel, recently came to the Library to get a look at some original Steinbeck material. Read more. ⬇️ blogs.loc.gov/loc/2026/09/ea…
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Did you know the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) at the Library of Congress also serves people with reading disabilities like dyslexia? If you find it difficult to use print because of a reading disability, you can still enjoy reading with free audiobooks from NLS! 🧵
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NLS has materials you won’t find anywhere else in audio, like cookbooks, crafting books, how-to guides and graphic novels. Find out more about NLS services and how to enroll at loc.gov/nls/who-we-serve/rea…. #DyslexiaAwarenessMonth

People with Reading Disabilities - National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS)...

Learn about NLS offerings, including audio reading materials at no cost to people with dyslexia or other reading disabilities.

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A treat for classic lit lovers from the Geography and Map Division: Ten beautiful literary map paintings commissioned in 1953 for the Harris-Seybold Company's “Maps of Books” calendars. Prints can be found in libraries around the world, but these are the originals! blogs.loc.gov/maps/2026/09/w…

Worth a Thousand Words: The Literary Map Painting Collection | Worlds Revealed

This post highlights the Geography and Map Division’s literary map painting collection. This collection was acquired in 2019 and consists of 10 original watercolor paintings of maps representing...

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On this day in 1923, the first section of the Appalachian Trail opened in New York. In "The Printed Walk," artist Lindsay Schmittle transforms her 2,180-mile journey along the trail into a striking artist’s book. Explore it with Library Rare Book curator Ashley Young. youtube.com/watch?v=1gBju97B…

The Appalachian Trail: A Printed Journey

Join Ashley Rose Young, American History Curator in the Rare Book D...

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For Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re celebrating Chilean American Camilo José Vergara’s photography. Vergara selected the Library of Congress as the permanent home of his photographic archive in 2013. Here are some gorgeous examples of one of his most expansive subjects: "Old New York City."
Several members of a wedding party, including the bride, ring bearer, flower girl and two bridesmaids stand on a New York City sidewalk. Puerto Rican Wedding, East Harlem, 1970. Camilo J. Vergara Photograph Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

ALT Several members of a wedding party, including the bride, ring bearer, flower girl and two bridesmaids stand on a New York City sidewalk. Puerto Rican Wedding, East Harlem, 1970. Camilo J. Vergara Photograph Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

A small child sips water from a New York City fire hydrant as another small child watches. People walk by on the sidewalk behind them. Avenue C, Lower East Side, 1970. Camilo J. Vergara Photograph Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

ALT A small child sips water from a New York City fire hydrant as another small child watches. People walk by on the sidewalk behind them. Avenue C, Lower East Side, 1970. Camilo J. Vergara Photograph Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Girls play with Barbie dolls on a New York City stoop. Girls and Barbies, East Harlem, 1970. Camilo J. Vergara Photograph Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

ALT Girls play with Barbie dolls on a New York City stoop. Girls and Barbies, East Harlem, 1970. Camilo J. Vergara Photograph Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

A child in a stroller sleeps outside what appears to be the window of a New York City butcher shop. Hunts Point, South Bronx, 1970, 1970. Camilo J. Vergara Photograph Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

ALT A child in a stroller sleeps outside what appears to be the window of a New York City butcher shop. Hunts Point, South Bronx, 1970, 1970. Camilo J. Vergara Photograph Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

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MAGAZINE MONDAY | A closer look at John James Audubon’s ambitious, inventive — and seriously heavy — books of winged things. Read more. ⬇️ lcm.loc.gov/issue/september-…

Big Birds

Audubon’s ambitious, inventive — and heavy — books of winged things.

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This World Blindness Awareness Month, we wanted to share with you some of the ways the Library makes its treasures accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. First up, the Touch History tour featured in this video. Contact the Visitor Engagement Office to learn more. loc.gov/visit 🧵
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Blind or visually impaired visitors to the Library can get a tactile map of the Thomas Jefferson Building, produced by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), at the Information Desk. You can also find a link to a self-directed, audio-described tour at loc.gov/visit!

Visiting the Library | Library of Congress

We’re excited to welcome you to the Library of Congress. Free timed-entry tickets are required to enter the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building.

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Find out more about NLS at loc.gov/nls. Note: The docent featured in this video, Norman Philion, passed away unexpectedly shortly after it was filmed. He volunteered at the Library for nearly eight years, and touch tours were a specialty of his. He is missed. ❤️

NLS at the Library of Congress - National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) |...

National Library Service is a free braille and talking book library service for people with temporary or permanent disability

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It’s #Inktober! The social media-based art challenge was created by artist Jake Parker to encourage daily artistic practice. Today’s prompt is “apple.” 🍎 Need ink-spiration? Check out the Library’s image collection. There are thousands of rights-free photos and prints to spark your imagination!
Fruit picker with truckload of apples. Camden County, New Jersey. Photographed by Arthur Rothstein. 1938 Oct. Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

ALT Fruit picker with truckload of apples. Camden County, New Jersey. Photographed by Arthur Rothstein. 1938 Oct. Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

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Get started: loc.gov/pictures/?loclr=twlo…
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