The Library of Congress (LOC) is the world’s largest library and one of the United States’ national treasures. Thanks to an enormous digitization initiative, many of these resources are accessible online, making primary sources such as the letters and pictures of U.S. Presidents, photographs from the Great Depression, and recorded folk music easily accessible. The Library has an extensive and varied digital collection of more than ten million items. For teachers and students, the LOC resources make history come alive!

Creating curriculum that effectively, efficiently, and wisely uses technology is one of the primary challenges educators face in today’s classrooms. Teaching with Primary Sources meets this challenge by helping teachers use digital resources seamlessly while also giving their students important technology skills that they will use throughout their lives. By linking LOC resources with their own heritage and history, students connect with a variety of subject matters in new and exciting ways.

An Adventure of the American Mind began in 1999 in Western North Carolina as a pilot program sponsored by Congressman Charles Taylor. Through the efforts of other congressmen and senators, Teaching with Primary Sources continues to change and grow throughout the United States. Congressman Murtha is responsible for bringing Teaching with Primary Sources to Western Pennsylvania schools in the 12th Congressional District. Waynesburg University will work with ten school districts listed on the Participants page.