[Genealib] ALA 2007 GODORT Program co-sponsored by RUSA-HS and ACRL-RBMS

[Mary K. Mannix]

What Difference Does It Make What Congress Published? American History
in the Earliest Congressional Documents

2007 ALA Annual
GODORT Program
Washington, D.C.
Monday, June 25, 2007
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

It is not known, for certain, what Congress published during the early
years of the Republic, especially prior to the 15th Congress (1817).
Although many Congressional publications from the period 1789-1817 are
reproduced in the American State Papers, an indeterminate number are not
included, some of which are known from scattered individual library
collections.  Others appeared with historically significant textual
variations from the officially reprinted versions in the American State
Papers, or are known through contemporary newspaper or later secondary
bibliographic citations.  Still others remain undocumented, scattered in
individual library collections, unbeknownst even to their collection
managers.  As a result of the burning of Washington by British armed
forces on August 24, 1814, which resulted in the complete destruction of
the Library of Congress as it existed at that time, this problem is all
the more acute for these very early documents.  Due to the pre-eminent
importance of Congressional publications as primary sources of
information concerning the early history of the United States,
establishing a complete inventory of all Congressional publications from
this period is a task of basic importance.

The 2007 GODORT Program, co-sponsored by the RUSA-History Section and
the ACRL - Rare Books and Manuscript Section, will examine the origins
of this state of affairs, the mystery concerning what Congress published
prior to the 15th Congress, the variability in the text of individual
surviving publications, the consequences for librarians and scholars,
and the implications for an understanding of the earliest American
history.  A presentation by August A. Imholtz, Jr., will address
"pre-Serial Set" publications which are not included in the Gales and
Seaton American State Papers, and the importance of examining individual
library collections, to locate and identify otherwise unknown fugitive
early publications of Congress.  A presentation by Fred Beuttler will
focus on one significant early Congressional publication concerning the
"John Jay Treaty," and the historical repercussions for the longer term
of the debate which it inaugurates.  Finally, a presentation by Jessie
Kratz will discuss early archival material and its implications for an
understanding of early Congressional publications and related issues in
the early history of the United States.  These will be preceded by a
Keynote Address by U.S. Congressman Rodney P. Frelinghuysen.

List of Speakers

Hon. Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, United States House of
Representatives
Keynote Address

Mr. August A. Imholtz, Jr., Vice President, Readex Digital Documents
Division
"The American State Papers:  The Incomplete Story, or What Was Selected
and What Was Omitted"

Dr. Fred Beuttler, Deputy Historian, United States House of
Representatives
"The Early House and the Early Presidents:  Conflict and Compromise"

Ms Jessie Kratz, Archives Specialist, National Archives and Records
Administration
"Recovering the People's Voice:  Unpublished Petitions and Their Impact
on Publications, Legislation, and History"


Bill Sleeman, M.L.S., M.A.
GODORT Chair-Elect and
Asst. Director for
 Technical Services
Thurgood Marshall Law Library
The University of Maryland School of Law
501 W. Fayette St.
Baltimore, MD. 21201
(410)706-0783: voice
bsleeman at law.umaryland.edu