Art and Libraries

This will be a quick post since I think that, while my body is here at work, my brain is still on its way home from Washington DC.  I certainly don't cope with time zone changes and long flights the way I used to!

I had a spare couple of hours before my shuttle to the airport yesterday afternoon, so I took the opportunity to take one of the public tours of the Library of Congress - what a testament to the commitment our forefathers had to ensuring access to knowledge and ideas for all citizens.

Tours of the main Library of Congress buidling are led by volunteer docents who undergo six weeks of training and a comprehensive exam.  My tour guide was a gentleman named Gene Rowe.  Gene not only was extraordinarily knowledgeable about the history of the Library and about the facilities, but he positively sparkled with enthusiasm as he described the artwork that decorates the building and the way in which that art reflects and reinforces the Library's mission of fostering the pursuit of knowledge.  He also managed to get the 1/2 dozen or so adolescents on the tour caught up in his enthusiasm.

PVLD has several beautiful pieces of public art commissioned with the same intent, and has worked in the past few years to further integrate art into our service and program offerings, so it was wonderful to see that we share this vision with the Library of Congress and even more wonderful to see Mr. Rowe exemplify how art can engage people's imaginations and enhance the mission of the library.

Truly an hour well-spent!