Best Of MetaFilter

photo via loc.gov

adamsc links to a super secret stash of cunningly hidden Library of Congress cultural treasure in the Lizzo LOC thread

The Library of Congress - Reading Room by Glyn Lowe Photoworks (cc by)

Right now I am reading about how to make Mrs. Harriet Hubbard's Recamier Moth and Freckle Lotion. — jessamyn

A vast black hole of text waiting to suck you in, never to be seen again. Bye! — njohnson23

If you haven't explored it yet, don't miss A Random Walk Through The Library of Congress: LOC Serendipity, a fun discovery project by Mefi's own metasunday.

Alcove 5B by ep_jhu (cc by-nc)

Dr. Carla Hayden could be the #nextLOC: President Obama announces his intent to nominate Dr. Carla Hayden as the next Librarian of Congress

A peek into the traveling libraries of light house keepers: "When he visits a lighthouse that has a library he takes it away and replaces it"

"Obama's face has been etched out": A short video tour of the library at Guantanamo

Plus, a popular favorite from the vaults: Remember, if approached by a librarian, keep still. Do not run away.

And, recently in Ask Me: Why are comics and graphic novels catalogued as nonfiction in libraries?

Hollerith census machine dials by Marcin Wichary (cc by), more about this image

This is really, really important and it's part of a nasty larger trend that's beginning to emerge: Americans are losing access to government information that they previously had access to.

Actually, this raises a legitimate question: Who the hell is responsible for archiving and disseminating the activities of Congress via the web? There are a handful of agencies that could ostensibly be responsible for this, and none who actually want to step up to the plate.