Images from: Randall, Henry S. The Life of Thomas Jefferson. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott &

Images from: Randall, Henry S. The Life of Thomas Jefferson. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1865. Catalog record: https://bit.ly/3jDZyGV *NOTE: This post is one day late due to an inclement weather shutdown we experienced yesterday, April 13* On this day in 1743, the third president of the United States of America was born. Thomas Jefferson is known for such political accomplishments as drafting the Declaration of Independence and securing the Louisiana Purchase. He was also quite the bibliophile and played a crucial role in the founding of the Library of Congress as we know it today. The Library’s creation can be traced back to an act approved by President John Adams in 1800 that allocated $5,000 for Congress to start its own library. Disaster struck in 1814 when British troops attacked Washington, D.C. and burned the Capitol building. The fledgling Library of Congress, which was then housed in the Capitol, also went up in flames. Afterwards, Thomas Jefferson sold his personal library to Congress to make up for the loss. The U.S. Government paid $23,950 (roughly $390,000 in today’s currency) for 6,487 of his books. At the time, Jefferson’s library was the largest private library in the country, and the Library of Congress more than doubled in size by acquiring it. Jefferson’s collection not only rescued the Library of Congress but also fundamentally reshaped the institution. Whereas before, Congress collected books on subjects that were deemed most relevant to lawmakers, Jefferson’s library was comprehensive in scope. The former president’s collection extended beyond legislative books to include works of philosophy, the fine arts, and natural history, among other subjects. Jefferson’s universal collecting philosophy still guides the Library to this day. The creation of Jefferson Day, April 13, is thanks to FDR with a presidential proclamation in 1938, which was reissued in 2007 by President G.W. Bush. Want to know more about the third president of the United States of America? Then check out the links below for more information on items on the J.S. Noel Collection regarding Thomas Jefferson or his writings.  “Thomas Jefferson.” The White House. The United States Government, January 15, 2021. https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/thomas-jefferson/.Noel Collection books by Thomas Jefferson: https://bit.ly/3uGyA7VNoel Collection books about Thomas Jefferson: https://bit.ly/3JIJCOr -- source link

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