The professor for my Science and Policy class took us on what amounted to a private tour of the Library of Congress (LOC) Jefferson Building. Now, I must say I spend a lot of time at the UNH library studying, and I like to think that we have a nice library, but to compare it to the LOC is to liken grape juice to fine wine.
The LOC is so much more ornate that I had initially expected. After all, its main purpose was to serve as a library for Congress...how nice did it really need to be? I was way off; the LOC is one of the most elaborate buildings I have ever toured. The ceilings all have beautiful art covering every inch, the walls are filled with moldings and enclaves with statues, and everything seems to have a deeper meaning. In the main reading room, although books were absent from view, there were several intellectual themes represented. For example, philosophy was illustrated in the space where the wall and ceiling met with art and continued down a portion of the wall. Each theme was depicted in two statues--one representing a figure related to the theme in the “Old World” and the other representing the same theme in the “New World."
The juxtaposition of the Old and New Worlds was evident all over the building. There were different colored marbles used, the colors being based on the marble’s origin in either the Old or New World. There were also some interesting representations of sports in the LOC. As our teacher explained (he gave the entire tour, providing us with information that I doubt the other docents even knew), the Old World way of depicting athletics--i.e. the Olympics--traditionally showed competitors in the nude. So, there were images of nude men playing both football and baseball--the two American or “New World” sports. It's funny because I find it hard to believe that either would ever really be played without a protective cup...nude seems out of the question.
Babies, representing the occupations of Americans (pre-Child Labour Laws?)
Overall I was very impressed with the LOC, I hope to obtain a reading pass before I leave DC so that I can go there to study, which in any case would be exciting, but for me would also being convenient given its general proximity to the EPA headquarters.
Minerva, goddess of wisdom (and war, among other things) and the "mascot" of the LOC.
At my internship, I had the opportunity to attend a significant meeting of the Science Policy Council (SPC). My experience working with the Science Advisor to the Air Office of the EPA has allowed me to see a great deal of interesting deliberation at the high management levels. Thus, I have had the chance to see some very real decision-making in action. There were representatives from a number of offices at the SPC, and it was interesting to see how they all interacted and discussed issues as a result of their different backgrounds. After all, some were more administrative...others came from the Office of International Affairs, the Office of the Science Advisor (for all the EPA), and others still came from the Superfund Office. So the conversations covered a wide array of issues pertaining to the orientations of the different offices.
I am glad to report no injuries this week, just some positive experience here in the nation's capital.
Until next week…
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