Library of Congress Prints and Photographs: An Illustrated Guide

From the Preface of this 80 page book: "For nearly two centuries the Library of Congress has served as the national library of the United States. In this role it has become custodian of the record of the American people and an unparalleled repository of world history, knowledge, and achievement. Prominent among the Library's holdings are its pictorial collections. Unique in their scope and richness, these collections today number over 14 million works. These range from watercolor views, portraits, master prints and photographs to architectural renderings and working drawings, and mass-produced propaganda posters, news photographs, and printed ephemera." And from the Introduction: "The pictorial collections of the Library of Congress represent an immense fund of human experience, knowledge, and achievement. Works in these collections touch upon almost every realm of human endeavor: science, art, invention, government and political struggle, and the recording of history. In these realms, the arts of drawing, printmaking, and photography have served a multitude of purposes over the years. They have been the bearers of information, vehicles of commentary and persuasion, tools in the creative process, and media of artistic expression. All of these roles are represented in the drawings, prints, and photographs of the Library's collections." This book contains dozens of reproductions of art, drawings, photographs and more along with descriptive text of many of the Library's holdings.