In Government Documents on the 6th Floor of the Library
Superintendent of Documents Number: LC 1.2 W15
On These Walls: Inscriptions and Quotations in the Buildings of the Library of Congress
By John Y. Cole
About this Book: The Library of Congress may hold the nation's collection of books, but those aren't the only words in the building worth a visit.
The white marble building is a cathedral to the written word. Lofty inscriptions peer out from among the stone columns, murals of classical figures and twining vines that decorate the Great Hall. All the inscriptions go together, says historian John Cole, author of "On These Walls: Inscriptions and Quotations in the Library of Congress." Cole has spent more than four decades in the building, and says it took him years to realize the message behind the quotations.
According to Cole, "There are very few buildings that really aspire in such a way to the noble side of life. Collectively, the inscriptions tell us that if this country can be an educated country, through books and the accumulation of other knowledge, then it will be a better country. It's a very optimistic message."
Take your own personal tour of the Library of Congress, courtesy of National Public Radio
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