Reading Room in the Library for the Blind at the Library of Congress, 1909-1922

THF628090 / Reading Room in the Library for the Blind at the Library of Congress, 1909-1922 / front
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Artifact Overview

In 1897, the Library of Congress inaugurated services for the visually impaired when it established a reading room containing about 500 books with raised characters. Services expanded when Congress directed the American Printing House for the Blind to begin depositing embossed books to the library in 1913. Congress later appropriated separate funds for books and services for blind U.S. residents in 1931.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Photographic print

Date Made

1921-1922

Subject Date

1909-1922

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

91.98.511

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford R. Bryan.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 6.5 in
Width: 8.5 in

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    The Library of Congress initially began as a service to help members of the United States Congress make laws needed to run the country. Over the years, the Library's mission and its collections expanded. Today, the Library of Congress is one of the world's largest libraries, and it seeks to acquire knowledge from all over the world to share not only with the U.S. Congress but with all Americans.