N.H. LIBRARIANS' DAY
Thursday, September 16, 2004

FROM THE DESK OF THE STATE LIBRARIAN......Forty-seven New Hampshire public, school, and academic librarians visited Washington, D.C. for the fourth time in six years for the N.H. Librarians' Day, sponsored by the N.H. State Library and Rep. Charles Bass. After an early morning flight from Manchester, the group arrived on the steps of the Supreme Court and met with Jennifer Warren, Legislative Assistant to Rep. Bass. The tour of the Supreme Court included a lecture in the Supreme Court room, where we were told of the history of the Supreme Court and the process to get a case heard by the Court. After spending time at the Supreme Court, we walked the short distance to the U.S. Capitol Building, where we met Rep. Bass on the back steps for a group photo. We were told of how he and House colleague worked to save the trees from being removed in front of the grounds of the Capitol Building to make way for the new visitors' center.

Congressman Bass provided lunch at his office and made himself available to speak with the New Hampshire visitors. After lunch the group headed to the Library of Congress (LC) for an in-depth/behind the scenes tour with John Cole, Director of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress. The tours included the Head Librarians' Office (historic) and the Congressional Members Reading Room. At the end of the LC tour the librarians had some free time to see a few more sights before heading for Union Station and our trip back to Manchester.

The trip to Washington each September by librarians continues to be a very popular event. Congressman Bass and his very able staff always go out of their way to make us feel welcome.

-Michael York, State Librarian

Comments and pictures from participants ~ (the following pictures contributed by Ann Wirkkala, NH Technical Institute, Concord, and Susan McCann, Portsmouth Public Library. Thank you.)

"The N.H. Librarians' Washington, D.C. trip was wonderful, we had the opportunity to sit in the Supreme Court chamber, which was really cool. The tour of the Library of Congress, of course, was the highlight of the trip for me. The special tour of the U.S. Capitol Building was very rewarding, and Rep. Bass and his staff were charming hosts. It is my hope that more librarians will ask their trustees to sponsor them for the opportunity to go on this trip.

Carol Riley, Director
Lincoln Public Library

"Everyone was friendly and helpful. The tour guides were very interesting and informative as they answered our questions and gave us personal stories of their tours through our nation's buildings. I was impressed with the size and grandeur of the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court, and the Library of Congress. It almost seemed like traveling in Europe and visiting the castles there. Learning about the cases heard in the Supreme Court and seeing the judges lifesize statues. Looking for New Hampshire's representatives in the Capitol, actually seeing the rotunda and visualizing presidents' laid at state with the public lining the stairways. The beautiful marble in the steps and columns was magnificent and knowing too that some of that marble actually came from New Hampshire! I was very interested to learn about the Library of Congress and how it all started, seeing the Head Librarians' Office was a treat! Such wonderful treasures to actually see!"

Claudette Welch, Circulation Supervisor
NH Technical Institute, Concord

"What a fascinating day, not the least of which was being with a whole group of interesting librarians. There were lots of happy surprises: the size of the Supreme Court (so much smaller than I had expected), the intriguing 2-from-each-state statues scattered around the Capitol (what a wonderful project that would make for a class trip), the elegant House members' room at the Library of Congress. I knew we were in a different place, too, when the woman we sat across from in the MARC train was looking at a school fund-raising catalog that was especially targeted to African-Americans. On the way back we had a stimulating discussion about No Child Left Behind and education in general with an engineer and a Ghanaian who was studying at Johns Hopkins. And who could forget the opportunity "to take a bite out of Congress" (see the picture). I came back with lots of brochures and insights that I can share with the kids and teachers here at school."

Ruth Stuart, Librarian
Laconia High School

"My first N.H. Librarians' Day was stupendously rewarding and enjoyable. I want to thank Michael York, Darlene Reinhard, Rep. Charlie Bass, Jennifer Warren, John Cole, and Justice David Souter for their expert planning. I learned so much about history and operation of the Library of Congress, Center for the Book, Supreme Court, and the Capitol from our cheerful tourguides. It was fund to talk with school, public, academic and librarians from all over New Hampshire. I would love to go again next year, but I think it will be time for my library aide to have a turn for this inspiring trip."

Maybeth Anderson
Dover High School

"It's 3:00 a.m., the alarm goes off, it's time to scramble out of bed. Today I'm going to the N.H. Librarians' Day in Washington. I have to get to the Manchester Airport for a 6:30 flight to BWI. On the road at 4:00 a.m., not much traffic this time of day, time to get coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, park the car and meet the rest of the group. Flight takes off on time, Southwest, great flight, smooth and fast. We don't even have time to finish the crossword puzzle in the airline magazine, of course we spend a lot of time chatting and not too much time on the puzzle. After arriving at BWI, we're in a hurry to catch the airport shuttle to the train station; make it to the train station with a few minutes to spare, but we have to buy our tickets into Washington on the train, too many of us to stand in line at the ticket window. Wonder what the regular commuters think when we all come trooping on board? We arrive at Union Station in the heart of the Capitol District. Union Station is a grand railway station that fits well with the national monuments. It's a short walk, about 15 minutes, to the Supreme Court building ~ our first stop in Washington, where we meet Jennifer Warren, Rep. Bass' Legislative Assistant. Our day has been planned down to the minute by the Congressman's staff and the State Library, which makes it easy to see and do so much. We have a little free time at the Supreme Court building and some of us find the cafeteria - no surprise! Justice Souter is in New Hampshire, but his office has made arrangements for us to see the courtroom and other special rooms in the building. The Supreme Court is a world unto itself. The justices, their offices, the courtroom, and the library ~ all are located in the one building, including a basketball court. One could literally bump into any of the justices, famous attorneys, or interesting litigants as they make their way around the building.

"At 11:45 a.m. we meet Rep. Bass on the steps of the Capitol. He spoke to us for a few minutes, have our picture taken, then off to lunch with the Congressman and his staff. After lunch his office staff gives us a tour of the Capitol. Of course, we see the Rotunda and the famous spot where John Quincy Adams sat listening to whispered conversations from across the hall. It is a phenomena of the acoustical properties of the Rotunda. Little did Adams' colleagues realize that he was not dozing, but actually very much awake and listening intently. We also saw the statues of famous New Hampshire citizens ~ Daniel Webster and John Stark. We also saw the first Supreme Courtroom and the first Library of Congress ~ both originally located in the Capitol Building. After the tour, we walk over to the Library of Congress (LC) where we meet John Cole, Director of the Center for the Book. He gives us a wonderful tour of the Library. He is so knowledgeable about the history of the LC, having researched and written extensively about the building and the various Librarians of Congress. He takes us to the special room for the Members of Congress and to the "historic" office of the Librarian of Congress. These rooms are not usually open to the public, so it is a special "treat" to be able to see them. We were also able to view the Gutenberg Bible and some of Jefferson's book from the LCs original collection ~ those that weren't burned by the British in the War of 1812. We amble around LC and go to the gallery to view the Jefferson Reading Room. Of course, we end our tour in the LC's Gift Shop, where we all spend too much... I finally breakdown and put on my sneakers for the walk back to Union Station. We all take different walkways back. Some see Senator Ted Kennedy and other Congressmen on their walk back ~ unfortunately, we must have taken "the road less traveled and that made all the difference" because I didn't have any famous sightings.

"We arrive back at BWI, eat dinner and generally collapse in various locations awaiting our return flight to Manchester. We board for our flight, it is fast and uneventful. We are all busy chatting about our experience and our "jet set" day in Washington. We arrive in Manchester, with no luggage to worry about, it's a quick exit from the plane and the airport. I'm back home by 10:30 p.m."

Diane Tebbetts
University of New Hampshire
Durham

NH Librarians enjoying lunch and a "taste of the Capitol," a white chocolate desert of the Capitol Building

The Rotunda of the Capitol Building viewed from Constitution Avenue

NH Librarians on a tour of the Library of Congress with John Cole, Director of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress

Michael York, State Librarian and Rep. Charlie Bass

The Capitol Building from Constitution Avenue

Back at Union Station, waiting for our train back to BWI

On the steps of the Supreme Court, reviewing our schedule of events and welcome letters from Rep. Bass and First Lady Laura Bush

Library of Congress, Constitution Avenue side of the Jefferson Building

On the steps of the Capitol Building with Rep. Bass

The Supreme Court Building