Archive for the Free to Use and Reuse Category (16 posts)

Join Us for a Serendipity Run – No Sneakers Required

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And now for something completely different. On November 8, Jer Thorp, the Library of Congress Innovator-in-Residence, will take over the @LibraryCongress Twitter account to host a #SerendipityRun.

What’s a #SerendipityRun? Let’s ask Jer:

#SerendipityRun is an experiment in collaborative serendipity. During the run, we’ll see how far and wide we can range across the Library’s vast collections, riding waves of whimsy, curiosity and chance. On November 8, join an all-star cast of artists, writers, curators and Library staff as we explore the endless sea of possibility that can be found in the Library!

It can be challenging to find what you’re looking for in the Library’s enormous collections. We are always working on new ways to help you get the content you want. The #SerendipityRun is an opportunity to discover what you didn’t know you wanted and what you happen upon by chance. We’re excited to go where this experiment takes us, to see what you find and to hear your stories.

What: #SerendipityRun on Twitter

When: Thursday, November 8, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET

Where: We’ll kick it off from the @LibraryCongress Twitter account. Follow the activity using the #SerendipityRun hashtag.

Why: Take a serendipity-powered tour through the Library of Congress collections. Connect with others and share stories through primary sources.

Who: You! We will have special guests joining us throughout the three-hour run and we want you to participate, too.

How: During the run, if someone tweets an item from the Library’s collections that connects with you, look at the item on loc.gov. What did the item make you think of? Does it remind you of something or make you curious to find other content? If you find a new item that interests you, tweet that item using the #SerendipityRun hashtag and share your story. Be sure to add the loc.gov link and attach an image, so others can use it as a jumping-off point for their discovery.

Join us Thursday on Twitter!

Free to Use and Reuse – and Animate! A Parade of Posters

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This month, we’re highlighting selections from the Library’s vast international poster collection on our Free to Use and Reuse page – and an animation contest. The posters we’re showcasing – on themes from travel, sports and entertainment to consumer goods and more – reflect a special collaboration between the Library and Poster House, a new […]

Free to Use and Reuse: Pilot Browser Extension Supports Exploration of Historical Images

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This is a guest post by Flynn Shannon, who interned this summer in the Library’s Communications Office through the Junior Fellows Program. He is a student at Kenyon College, where he is pursuing a degree in classical mathematics with a concentration in scientific computing. The post was first published on “The Signal,” a blog covering […]

Irish-American Heritage Month: New Resources

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To celebrate Irish-American Heritage Month—and of course St. Patrick’s Day!—we’re adding new images to our Free to Use and Reuse archive and releasing a new resources guide associated with the Irish-American experience. Last month, we launched our Free to Use archive featuring sets of themed content: travel posters, presidential portraits, Civil War drawings and all […]

Free to Use and Reuse: Making Public Domain and Rights-Clear Content Easier to Find

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One of our biggest challenges is letting you know about all of the content available at loc.gov. Another challenge we have is letting you know what you can do with it (in a nice way). We are working on several fronts to improve the visibility of public domain and rights-clear content. We moved one step […]

Calling All Photo Fans and History Detectives: Flickr Commons, 10th Anniversary

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The following is a guest post by Helena Zinkham, chief of the Library’s Prints and Photographs Division. It was first published on “Picture This,” the division’s blog. It’s a remarkable achievement for any social media program to still be going strong after 10 years. But the most important part of the Flickr Commons is the […]

Free to Use and Reuse: Selections from the National Film Registry

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The Library of Congress is offering film lovers a special gift during the holiday season: Sixty-four motion pictures, named to the Library’s National Film Registry, are now available online. The collection, “Selections from the National Film Registry,” is also available on YouTube. These films are among hundreds of titles that have been tapped for preservation because of […]

Free to Use and Reuse: The Story of Abraham Lincoln

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Last week, the Library announced a new online presentation of Abraham Lincoln’s papers from his time as a lawyer, congressman and the 16th president. The refreshed digital collection follows a multiyear project to update the Library’s previous presentation with additional features, full-color images and new material. To celebrate, we’re highlighting items from the Library’s vast […]