Date of Completion
2024
Thesis Type
College of Arts and Science Honors
Department
History
First Advisor
Nicole Phelps
Keywords
Library of Congress, Library, Smithsonian, United States, Nineteenth Century, Thomas Jefferson
Abstract
At its founding in 1800, the Library of Congress exclusively served Congress, the president, and the vice president. Over time, different crises, including two separate fires, created the opportunity to change the mission of the library. This thesis will assess how the collection that Thomas Jefferson sold to Congress in 1815 first altered that mission. Examining how the library fits into the larger narrative of Washington DC while considering the role of political parties and the enduring ideas of Jefferson all help to understand how the Library of Congress became the curator of knowledge it is today.
Recommended Citation
Turvey, Timothy S., "The Curation of Knowledge: How the Mission of the Library of Congress Changed in the Nineteenth Century" (2024). UVM College of Arts and Sciences College Honors Theses. 164.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/castheses/164