Interns Touch History

Office of Facilities Engineering and Operations Interns get an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the Library of Congress

The Smithsonian Office of Facilities Engineering and Operations (OFEO) Interns took part in a “once in a lifetime” behind the scenes tour of the Library of Congress on August 7, 2014.

The morning began at the new Dunkin Donuts/Subway (the first franchise business in a Federal building on the Hill) in the Madison Building with an overview of the project by Kevin Hornberger, Library of Congress, Facilities Management. The group then walked through the tunnels and ended up in the Thomas Jefferson Building for a Rare Books and Special Collections Reading Room tour provided by George Chiassion, Special Assistant to the Chief. All of the stops were pulled out for this group of 16; we learned about the history and importance of the Library of Congress, viewed over 15 items from the Rare Book collection to include pop-up books from the 1930s, the first book printed in the United States, an original letter from Christopher Columbus regarding his 1492 voyage, and were even able to touch the Lincoln Inaugural Bible!

To top it all off the tour concluded with a breathtaking view of Washington, D.C., from the dome of the Thomas Jefferson Building.