Library of Congress First Day of Work

Monday will be fifteen years since I started work at the Library of Congress. Who would have imagined I would end up there? It’s a roundabout story, but now that I’m retired I can say it was a great experience. I’m not talking about the work, but everything else. We moved to Capitol Hill from the Midwest. I got to walk to work because it was only two blocks away. I could come home for lunch every day. I worked in the Madison Building on Independence Avenue, but walked underground in the tunnels to the Capitol visitors center, the house office buildings, and the beautiful Jefferson building on afternoon breaks. My first event was a groundbreaking ceremony for the Capitol visitor center tunnel. I got a piece of a brick from the Jefferson building. I got to tour the infrastructure - most notably near the dome and statues in the great hall when it was being restored. The contents of Lincoln’s pockets were in the official office. The presidents papers before presidential libraries were in fashion are housed there. The book festivals were a treat - meeting favorite authors and getting autographs. It was not uncommon to see famous people in the hallway - and attend programs and concerts of artists and so many others. My pet portraits were displayed at the employee art contest for several years - what a great place to be noticed! Yes, I did actually work in the infrastructure services creating and implementing a performance management process measuring service and other outcomes - the same thing I did in health care. It was a great opportunity. We even took a ride out to Culpeper to see the Packard Building that houses all the old nitrate films. I certainly don’t miss the work. What I do miss most are the programs we still loved going to - especially in the Middle Eastern section. I love the great hall and the view of the Capitol across the street. The view from the sixth floor was even more spectacular. Hopefully we will be able to return to the place that I worked for ten years. When I think about it it’s hard to believe we moved to DC and I worked at the Library. Now we live in northern Virginia. We are still close enough to visit any time.