LAWMAKERS, May 24, 1984
LAWMAKERS, May 24, 1984
20.57.10-WERTHEIMER introduce report on LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 20.57.22-Shot of tourist bus, stopping at LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. External shot of front of LIBRARY. Shot of library tour director Brian WILSON. WILSON discusses the public's perceptions of L.O.C. Shot pans from CAPITOL to LIBRARY OF CONGRESS building. Shot of man entering Bronze Doors of LIBRARY. Shots of tourists in library. Shot of vaulted ceiling, columns of LIBRARY, WERTHEIMER v.o.-brief discussion of building as expression of expansionist 1890's when LIBRARY was built. Shots of details of library hall, 20.59.22-Shot of historian Daniel BOORSTIN, LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS in office. BOORSTIN discusses the burning of original LIBRARY in 1812, JEFFERSON'S donation of his own collection. Shot of man standing in RARE BOOKS vault, amid shelves of books. Discussion of JEFFERSON collection. Shots of extremely old leatherbound books. Closeup of inscription on title page of book, from JOHN ADAMS to JEFFERSON. Shot of domed ceiling in LIBRARY, pan down over balconies and statues, to a large reading room. Shot of patron examining CARD CATALOGUE. Pullback to show massive cluster of card cabinets. V.O. comment that that is only the first five letters of the alphabet. 21.00.51-Shot of WILSON outside LIBRARY doors, discusses massiveness of the LIBRARY. Shot of bookshelves in storage area. Shot of BOORSTIN, discusses use of technology to preserve music, photography, and film, and use of computers to give people access. Shot of MAP ROOM, endless rows of storage racks housing maps. Shot of an old MAP carried by LEWIS AND CLARK. More shots of old, PRE-AMERICAN maps. 21.02.15-Shot of Bill WELSH, deputy librarian, with LIBRARY building in background. Discusses urgent PRESERVATION mission of library. Crumples pages of old book to demonstrate. Page disintegrates. Shot of PRESERVATION staff at work, retouching pages, rebinding books. Shot of conveyor belts carrying books to READING ROOM. Shot of woman staffer of CONGRESSIONAL reading room, answering an inquiry. Shot of WELSH, discusses the library's mission to supply information to CONGRESS. 21.03.42-Shot of two staffers, discuss diversity of LIBRARY patrons. Novelists, genealogists, etc. Shot of LUREE MILLER, historical novelist, in office, praises the size of the collection. Shot of READING ROOM seen through arch of a wall. Shot of giant CARD CATALOGUE, early p.c. terminal in foreground. Details of decorative elements of LIBRARY. Close with shot of columns and vaulted ceiling of main hall.