Recognizing the 65th Anniversary of the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress

RECOGNIZING THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISPANIC DIVISION OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS -- (Extensions of Remarks - October 11, 2004)

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, October 12, 2004, marks the 65th anniversary of the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress. Since 1939, the Hispanic Division has been systematically collecting and acquiring Luso-Hispanic materials. Today, with more than 11 million items, it has one of the most extensive collections in the world on the history and culture of Latin America, Iberia, and the Caribbean.

Specialists in the Hispanic Reading Room help patrons from all over the United States, and indeed the world, find books and other materials from the Library's collections. The website (www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/) for the Hispanic Reading Room is tri-lingual, in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. This website is a wonderful resource for young students seeking to learn more about Hispanic culture, providing everything from manuscripts to films.

The Hispanic Division also compiles a number of widely used books and reference tools. The pioneering work, Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1822-1995, chronicles the distinguished personal histories of Hispanic members of Congress through the years. I am proud to have contributed to the book's compilation and publishing as the Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus during the 103rd Congress.

The Hispanic Division has also taken a huge step towards cataloguing academic literature dealing with Latin American issues through the annual, annotated bibliography entitled the Handbook of Latin American Studies, published by the University of Texas Press. All volumes of this publication are available online at Hispanic Reading Room website, and they receive more than 100,000 hits per month. In addition, the Division has been recording our great works of Hispanic literature for the Archive of Hispanic Literature on Tape. More than 670 Latin American and Hispanic authors have been recorded so far, including Luis Rafael Sánchez, Rosario Ferré, René Marqués, Ana Castillo, and Rudolfo Anaya.

Numerous other projects also chronicle the history of Hispanics in America. A project initiated by Dr. James Billington, the Librarian of Congress, illustrates the presence of Spain in North America from the 1500s to 1821. This project, "The United States, Spain and the American Frontier: Historias Paralelas" is designed specifically for school children, college age students and scholars to help them better navigate the Hispanic Division's rare books, manuscripts and maps.

Mr. Speaker, the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress is a wonderful resource that answers Hispanic-Americans' questions about their personal histories and helps them find information about current issues facing Hispanic-Americans today. For students and academics, the Hispanic Division provides valuable insight into the creativity and values of Hispanics in Latin America, Iberia, and the Caribbean. The Hispanic Division serves as a bridge from the past to the present, helping Hispanic-Americans to understand where they came from, and where they can expect to go in the years to come.

I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the good work that the Hispanic Division has done over the past 65 years, and in wishing them continued success in the years to come.