Thomas Jefferson Building

Thomas Jefferson Building
Carol M. Highsmith · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Thomas Jefferson Building
Architect	Paul J. Pelz, John L. Smithmeyer
Location	Washington, D.C., United States
Client	United States Congress
Completion	1897

Thomas Jefferson Building is the oldest building of the Library of Congress and serves as the main research arm of the United States Congress. The building was named after Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, who sold his personal collection of over 6,000 books to the Library of Congress in 1815, including works by Aristotle, Shakespeare, and Voltaire. The building's construction was overseen by Paul J. Pelz and John L. Smithmeyer, and it was completed in 1897, with a grand opening attended by President William McKinley, Vice President Garret Hobart, and other notable figures, including Mark Twain and Edith Wharton. The building's design was influenced by the Paris Opera House and the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and it features a grand Great Hall with a Barrel vault ceiling, inspired by the works of Michelangelo and Raphael.

● History

The Thomas Jefferson Building was built during the Gilded Age, a period of significant cultural and economic growth in the United States, marked by the emergence of Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and other prominent industrialists. The building's construction was authorized by an act of United States Congress in 1886, and it was designed to be a symbol of American culture and learning, featuring a grand Reading Room with a Dome inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. The building was also influenced by the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which showcased the latest achievements in Architecture, Engineering, and Art, including works by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. The Thomas Jefferson Building was officially opened on November 1, 1897, with a ceremony attended by President William McKinley, Vice President Garret Hobart, and other notable figures, including Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Adams.

● Architecture

The Thomas Jefferson Building is a prime example of Beaux-Arts architecture, a style that emerged in France during the 19th century, characterized by the use of Classical elements, such as Columns, Arches, and Domes, inspired by the works of Leon Battista Alberti and Andrea Palladio. The building's design was influenced by the Paris Opera House and the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and it features a grand Great Hall with a Barrel vault ceiling, inspired by the works of Michelangelo and Raphael. The building's exterior is made of Marble and Granite, with a Copper roof, and it features a grand Portico with Columns inspired by the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. The building's design was also influenced by the works of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who designed Central Park in New York City.

● Collections

The Thomas Jefferson Building is home to a vast collection of books, manuscripts, and other materials, including the personal library of Thomas Jefferson, which includes works by Aristotle, Shakespeare, and Voltaire. The building also houses the Gutenberg Bible, one of the earliest printed books in the world, as well as the Bay Psalm Book, the first book printed in what is now the United States. The building's collections also include materials related to American History, such as the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address, as well as works by Abraham Lincoln, Robert Frost, and Langston Hughes. The building is also home to a significant collection of Rare Books and Manuscripts, including works by William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens.

● Restoration

In the 1980s, the Thomas Jefferson Building underwent a major restoration project, which aimed to restore the building to its original grandeur, inspired by the works of John Ruskin and William Morris. The project was overseen by the Library of Congress and the United States Congress, and it involved the restoration of the building's exterior and interior, including the Great Hall and the Reading Room. The project also included the installation of new Elevators and Air conditioning systems, as well as the restoration of the building's original Plaster and Woodwork, inspired by the works of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. The restoration project was completed in 1997, and it was officially reopened by President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton, who were joined by Vice President Al Gore and other notable figures, including Toni Morrison and Stephen King.

● Public Spaces

The Thomas Jefferson Building features a number of public spaces, including the Great Hall, which is one of the most iconic spaces in the building, inspired by the works of Michelangelo and Raphael. The Great Hall features a grand Barrel vault ceiling, as well as a Fountain and a Statue of Thomas Jefferson, inspired by the works of Auguste Rodin and Constantin Brancusi. The building also features a Reading Room, which is one of the most popular spaces in the building, and it is used by researchers and scholars from around the world, including Harvard University, Yale University, and Stanford University. The building's public spaces are also used for exhibitions and events, including concerts and lectures, featuring notable figures such as Yo-Yo Ma and Doris Kearns Goodwin.

● Operations

The Thomas Jefferson Building is operated by the Library of Congress, which is an independent agency of the United States Congress. The building is open to the public, and it offers a range of services and resources, including research assistance and access to the building's collections, inspired by the works of Melvil Dewey and S.R. Ranganathan. The building is also home to a number of Exhibitions and Programs, including the National Book Festival, which is held annually in Washington, D.C., and features notable authors such as Toni Morrison and Stephen King. The building's operations are overseen by the Librarian of Congress, who is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate, and who works closely with other notable institutions, including the National Archives and Records Administration and the Smithsonian Institution.