[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 130 (Monday, October 11, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1896-E1897]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISPANIC DIVISION OF THE 
                          LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 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 Sanchez, Rosario Ferre, Rene Marques, 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

[[Page E1897]]

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.

                          ____________________