The collections of the Illinois Digital Heritage Hub are officially live in DPLA and ready to explore. Our newest hub from Illinois represents a collaboration between the Illinois State Library, the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI), Chicago Public Library, and, previously a Content Hub partner, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

With Election Day just three weeks away, we are pleased to announce the publication of our newest exhibition, Battle on the Ballot: Political Outsiders in US Presidential Elections. In Battle on the Ballot, the DPLA curation team digs into the vast collections of our partner institutions to explore the ways in which the 2016 race resonates with the legacies of the outsiders who have come before.

As our newest Service Hub, Recollection Wisconsin has made some 400,000 new records representing photographs, books, maps, artifacts and other historical resources from more than 200 Wisconsin collections accessible in DPLA.

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is very pleased to announce the release of its third group of Primary Source Sets about topics in US history, literature, and culture, along with new features for navigating our growing project.

Join the adult coloring craze and put your colorful spin on these illustrations from our collection.

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is very pleased to announce the release of its second group of Primary Source Sets about topics in US history, literature, and culture, along with new features for navigating our growing project.

What better time than Fall for a new craft beer recipe? This one, in particular, has a unique origin story—and it starts with Founding Father and first US President George Washington.

Fifty years ago this October, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 was signed into law, forever changing American immigration policy and the country’s demographics. The 1965 law abolished quota systems established in the 1920s that put restrictions on earlier waves of immigration, and allowed for many groups of non-European immigrants to enter the country.

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is very pleased to announce the release of its first group of Primary Source Sets about topics in US history, literature, and culture. These sets were developed and reviewed by a new Education Advisory Committee for use by students and teachers in grades 6-12 and higher education. Each set includes an overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to additional resources, and a teaching guide. This project was generously funded by the Whiting Foundation.

This month will mark the 111th annual World Series of Baseball. As the final teams of the National and American Leagues battle it out in their divisional series, DPLA takes a look back at a type of publication that arose during baseball’s formative years: 19th century sports or fitness manuals.

DPLA is pleased to announce the publication of 10 new exhibitions created by DPLA Hubs and public librarian participants in our Gates-funded Public Library Partnerships Project (PLPP).

Fifty-two years ago this week, more than 200,000 Americans came together in the nation’s capitol to rally in support of the ongoing Civil Rights movement. It was at that march that Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have A Dream” speech was delivered. And it was at that march that the course of American history was forever […]

We’ve always had a strange relationship with animals. Some are beloved family members, we farm, hunt, and fish others, and we are awestruck by some for their natural beauty and power. Whatever we think of them, we love to photograph them. And, that’s been the case since the camera started to capture their likenesses in the 19th Century.

This summer has been one full of space exploration. NASA’s New Horizons mission brought us new discoveries and breathtaking images of Pluto. July and August also marked a host of scientific milestones, marking man’s first walk on the moon, among other breakthroughs that helped pave the way for New Horizons. You can explore some of the milestones of American space exploration in the DPLA collections.

Americans across the decades have been drawn to the allure of the open road. It’s become a cultural touchstone, a theme in our music, our novels, our history, of getting behind the wheel and seeing the country. Here are some historic images and driving tips from the DPLA collection to inspire your next road trip.

This week in 1947, front page headlines reported a crash on a ranch outside of Roswell, New Mexico. The catch? The crash object was described as a “flying disk,” beginning decades of flying saucer theories and Roswell alien rumors. The idea of the flying saucer was so pervasive that it inspired countless books, movies, TV […]

The tune of the “Star-Spangled Banner” is one that will be played at picnics, fireworks displays, and other Fourth of July celebrations across the country this weekend. But the “broad stripes and bright stars” of the original flag that flew over Fort McHenry in 1814–inspiring Francis Scott Key to pen the iconic poem–have required some […]

This is the third post in our Unexpected series which covers thematic discoveries in our collection. In case you missed it, the first post covered unusual snow removal machines, while the second covered football.

For generations of Americans, a favorite kick-off to the summer season is taking to the trails on a camping trip. Whether it’s packing up the family RV, or kids kayaking at their favorite sleepaway camp, it’s a way Americans have enjoyed spending the summer for decades.

Earlier this month it was announced the President Barack Obama’s Presidential Library will be built on the south side of Chicago. It will be our 14th Presidential Library. The idea originated with FDR who in his second term “on the advice of noted historians and scholars, established a public repository to preserve the evidence of the Presidency for future generations” Then in 1955, Congress passed the Presidential Libraries Act, establishing a system of privately erected and federally maintained libraries. Here’s a sampling of images from the Digital Public Library of America related to our presidents and their libraries.