This post in the Botkin Folklife Lectures Plus series features Liam O’Connor of the Irish Traditional Music Archive. The post presents a video of the lecture, in which O’Connor discusses Ireland’s national reference archive and cultural resource center for Irish traditional song, instrumental music, and dance. Founded in 1987 and now the world’s largest specialist repository for Irish traditional performing arts, ITMA documents traditions and performers on the island of Ireland, within the Irish diaspora, and among global practitioners. The lecture explores how ITMA connects artists, archivists, and communities through archival preservation and creative programming, including initiatives such as the Drawing from the Well concert series, tours, and film projects that link archival research directly with the creation of new work, alongside expanding digital access to a living tradition. In addition, AFC folklorist Stephen Winick provides an overview of the AFC’s Irish and Irish American holdings. The post also presents a video conversation among O’Connor, Winick, and AFC folklorist Nancy Groce, in which they discuss O’Connor’s life and career.
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During an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) swim meet, Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku broke the world record in the 100-yard freestyle swim by 4.6 seconds in Honolulu Harbor on August 11, 1911. Continue reading.
On August 11, 1934, a group of federal prisoners arrived at Alcatraz Island, a twenty-two-acre rock outcropping one-and-one-half miles offshore in San Francisco Bay. Continue reading.
LC Organization Unit: Discovery and Preservation Services
Grade: GS-13
Series: 1320
Minimum Salary: $121,785.00 per year
Maximum Salary: $158,322.00 per year
Work Schedule: Full-time - Flexitime
Promotion Potential: GS-13
Duty Location: Washington, DC
Security Clearance: Not Required
Availability: Open to All
Telework Eligibility: Hybrid
Incumbent works only under the most general supervision of the Chief of the Preservation Research and Testing Division, who may outline in general terms the scientific and technical problems to be studied and the chemical areas of opportunity which will contribute to the Library's preservation research program. Work is carried on with a high degree of independence and originality with little if any technical guidance. Results are accepted as authoritative and are reviewed generally for usefulness and degree of solution of overall preservation problems. Scientific contribution made by the incumbent has significant potential for influencing the preservation of library and archival collections worldwide.
Learn about our new software release on GitHub that is transforming text quality across the Chronicling America Historic Newspapers collection, and how researchers and data enthusiasts can now pull bulk downloads for all 23+ million pages from our brand-new portal. Read all about it!
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Providence Federal Building and Courthouse: Pic of the Week
This post is a photo and brief description of the architecture and construction of the Providence Federal Building and Courthouse, and a brief retelling of one of its most famous cases, Fricke v. Lynch (1980).
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Analyzing historical primary sources can be a great way to teach students close observation and critical thinking skills, while providing them with insights into how everyday things have changed over time.
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United Kingdom: New Treaty Eliminates Routine Border Checks Between Gibraltar and the EU
On July 14, 2026, the government of the United Kingdom signed an agreement with the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community easing border controls in Gibraltar, an overseas territory of the U.K. The explanatory memorandum that accompanies the agreement states that the “treaty legally concludes the process for the UK, including Gibraltar, to exit the EU.” The government said the treaty delivers “economic and trade certainty for the people and businesses of Gibraltar, safeguards British sovereignty and protects the autonomous operation of UK military facilities.”Gibraltar-Spain BorderWhile the treaty addresses several items, one of the most pressing is the shared land border between Gibraltar and Spain. More than half of Gibraltar’s workforce—around 15,000 people—cross this border each day. Border controls implemented since the U.K....
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NLS BARD Support: Many Faces of BARD, August 2026
08/11/2026
Many Faces of BARD, August 2026
The topic for the Thursday, August 13, 2026, Many Faces of BARD program will be Updating the DA2. After the presentation and demonstration, we will take your questions about all things BARD for the remainder of the hour.
Remember that the meeting is recorded. Do not speak if you do not wish to be on the recording. If you wish to speak, you may request to do so by raising your hand. On a PC, press Alt Y to toggle raising and lowering your hand; on a Mac, press Option Y; and if dialing in via telephone, press Star 9. To mute or unmute yourself on a PC, press Alt A; on a Mac, press Command-Shift A; and on a telephone, press Star 6. If you choose to dial in to the call, use the telephone numbers provided below. The Zoom.gov ID will not work with standard Zoom.us.
For higher quality, dial a number based on your current location.
Dial:
+1 669 254 5252 US (San Jose) +1 646 964 1167 US (US Spanish Line) +1 646 828 7666 US (New York) +1 415 449 4000 US (US Spanish Line) +1 551 285 1373 US (New Jersey) +1 669 216 1590 US (San Jose)
LC Organization Unit: Researcher and Collection Services
Grade: GS-09
Series: 1001
Minimum Salary: $70,623.00 per year
Maximum Salary: $91,815.00 per year
Work Schedule: Full-time - Flexitime
Promotion Potential: GS-12
Duty Location: Washington, DC
Security Clearance: Not Required
Availability: Open to All
Telework Eligibility: Hybrid
The Folklife Specialist (Research and Programs) position is located in Researcher and Collections Services (RCS), of the Special Collections Directorate (SCD) in the American Folklife Center (AFC) at the Library of Congress. Pursuant to Public Law 94-201, the American Folklife Center was created in 1976 by the U.S. Congress to “preserve and present” American folklife through programs of research, documentation, archival preservation, reference service, live performance, exhibition, publication, and training.
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Law Library: News & Events: Join us this Thursday, August 13, for a Lunch and Learn Webinar on an Overview of Public International Law
08/11/2026
Join us this Thursday, August 13, at 1:00 PM EDT fora Lunch and Learn Webinar on an Overview of Public International Law. Our Lunch and Learn Webinar Series takes a deep dive into the Law Library's collections and other legal research subjects, exploring topics such as rare materials in our collection and the United States Serial Set, among many others.
This entry in the series will provide an overview of recent developments in U.S. foreign relations law, including statues, cases, and international agreements passed over the last two years. The webinar will also provide practical examples highlighting the various aspects of U.S. foreign relations law and strategies to effectively research this dynamic area of law. The presentation will introduce general concepts of public international law and a specific explanation of U.S. practice in international law or practice in foreign relations law.
This blog post features Olivia Piersall, the Serial & Government Publications Division’s Junior Fellow from the Library’s 2026 Junior Fellows Program. This summer, Olivia contributed to the processing and exhibition of newspaper issues as part of the “A Nation Changed: Preserving the 9/11 Newspaper Collection” project. In this interview with Malea Walker, a Reference Librarian …
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Five Questions, Intern Edition: Maile McCall 2026 Junior Fellow
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