ABSTRACT
As libraries move into the information age, it is instructive to consider the remarkably little-known history of the creation and growth of the Library of Congress, America's de facto national library. The Library of Congress was not the benefaction of a king or a prince or a dictator, but a totally new creation of the elected representatives of a new republic. In this chapter, the author believes that the new technology, properly employed, can spur learning and provide vital enrichment to previously isolated communities, libraries, and schools. The content and programming of the National Digital Library are being developed in collaboration with both the private sector and other libraries and institutions. The National Digital Library program is a new expression of the old American library ideal of providing the widest possible access to knowledge and information. Traditions of high-quality service, profound democratic instincts, and a firm belief in the importance of knowledge are deeply embedded in the library profession.
