The Library of Congress, covert design repository
Posted in Guides on Mon Aug 14, 06 by Kyle under Architecture.
I would guess that when most people envision the Library of Congress they see a dusty old hall full of leather bound tomes with gilt binding holding the ponderous legal, um, heritage of the United States. Charges of dust aside, not a totally inaccurate impression, but in addition to its legislatively practical side the LOC also has an amazing and extensive archive of documentary material available for public perusal. Much of it is related to design and architecture.
“But wait!” you say, “I live outside the beltway and can’t travel to DC to go see it…” Never fear dear reader, this is where two of the most amazing internet buzzwords come into play. Digital archive. In a great example of government money spent well, the LOC has been quietly transferring its collection of documents, prints, and negatives into searchable databases available over the web.
Two of my personal favorites are the the Built in America: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record and the Nineteenth-Century Periodicals: 1815-1900 archives. The Built in America collection is an amazing resource for anyone who is researching or just curious about American architecture. The archive has photo collections of thousands of buildings, historic areas, and neighborhoods spanning the entire history of the country. Many of these photos are also accompanied by architectural drawings and other documentary information. The archive covers everything from this diminutive but exquisite Greek Revival rowhouse in Madison, IN to Mies van der Rohe’s High Modernist icon the Farnsworth House.
The best part is that not only are there browser sized JPG files for on-screen viewing, but the Library also provides high resolution TIFF files available for download. These TIFF files can be used to make high resolution prints. Of course you should inquire with the LOC about terms of use and copyright restrictions before using an image in a commercial or mass produced context. Enjoy!