Tours and Events
The 2008 Joint Study Institute will feature a number of tours and events. If you arrive in Washington early, you may tour a number of libraries Wednesday afternoon. The opening reception and dinner will be held at the conference venue, the Eric E. Hotung International Law Building at Georgetown. Following lunch at the United States Supreme Court on Thursday, JSI delegates will tour the Supreme Court building or the United States Capitol. Later in the afternoon on Thursday, all delegates and companions will join together for a tour and reception at the Law Library of Congress. We are also organizing "dine arounds" at area restaurants for Thursday evening should you wish to join. The closing event will include a reception and dinner at the National Press Club. An optional, separately priced tour of Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, first president of the United States, has been arranged for Saturday afternoon.
Registration for many of these events is made through the JSI registration system. Information on the system can be found on the Registration page of this website.
Wednesday, June 25
Library Tours
Tours of three unique Washington, DC libraries will be offered on Wednesday prior to the official start of the 2008 JSI. JSI delegates will have the opportunity to tour the library of Covington & Burling, the U. S. Department of Justice Law Library, or the National Archives and Records Administration. The tours will occur concurrently. The size of the tours will be limited due to the space available in the libraries. Registered delegates will be queried prior to the JSI regarding their tour preference.
Covington & Burling Law Library
Covington & Burling is one of the oldest law firm libraries in Washington, D.C., supporting one of the city's largest international law firms. Covington occupied its current space in 1981. While most firm libraries in D.C. have relinquished library space over the past 20 years, Covington is only somewhat smaller. The library is impressive in both decor and collection.
Covington & Burling was among the first D.C. law firms to hire a professional librarian, Elizabeth Finley. Ms. Finley was a demanding and dedicated librarian who built the initial collection between the years 1942 through 1963. She was succeeded by Jack Ellenberger, who also worked hard to make the library the finest in the city. Both were active in professional activities, serving as AALL President (Finley from 1961–62, Ellenberger from 1976–77). Finley and Ellenberger shared an affinity for the legislative process and were instrumental in building a first-class collection of bound legislative histories. Its legislative history collection continues to be equally strong and diverse. The staff includes two employees who follow the U. S. Congress' daily activities. The library's general law collection reflects the nature of the firm's national and international practice (with 5* offices in 3 countries).
The library is situated in a central location within the firm. It features mahogany cabinetry and furniture throughout, and has seating for 18 researchers. Although much of the library work now is performed online, the librarians still work one-on-one with attorneys by e-mail, telephone and through library visits. Presently, the library is very ably led by Director John H. Harbison. Additional information about the firm can be found here: http://www.cov.com/about_the_firm/firm_history/.
*Beijing office opening in 2008.
United States Department of Justice Main Library
Visitors to the Main Library at Justice, named for American patriot Patrick Henry, will find both an impressive legal collection and an architectural statement. Situated on a block between Pennsylvania Avenue and Constitution Avenue, it is just a stone's throw from the White House and a short ride to Capitol Hill. Although the current Justice Department building was opened in 1935, the libraries were actually commissioned in 1831 and celebrated their 175th anniversary in 2006.
The Main Library's beautiful reading room reflects an understated elegance of the 1930's, with abundant woodwork and exceptional murals on the ceiling. Recent renovations (2007) have added a multi-use area, dubbed the Information Commons, to the mix, blending the old and the new, not unlike many other federal libraries. The collections of the libraries (there are a total of eight libraries in the Washington, D.C. area) were created to support the work of the thousands of attorneys and staff of the Department's offices, boards and divisions. The collection has extensive holdings in American and British law.
Outside patrons are permitted access, by appointment only, to the Patrick Henry Library to use the library's collection of public documents. The building itself was renamed after Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy in 2001. Additional information is available at http://www.usdoj.gov/jmd/ls/index.html and http://www.usdoj.gov/jmd/ls/dir_welcome.htm. A DOJ library brochure is attached.
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) was created in 1934 to preserve and document the records of the United States government. Previously, each government department was responsible for its own records, which frequently resulted in accidents like the fire that destroyed the entire record of the 1890 census. NARA is officially responsible for maintaining and publishing the legally authentic and authoritative copies of acts of Congress, presidential proclamations and executive orders, and federal regulations. The collections of the Archives include items as diverse as Matthew Brady's Civil War photographs and the Nixon Watergate tapes.
Originally occupied in 1937, the National Archives building was designed by John Russell Pope who also designed the Jefferson Memorial and the original National Gallery of Art building. The rotunda features an exhibit of the three most important documents of American democracy: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Additionally, over 5 billion paper documents and millions of photographs, films, videos and recordings are housed in the Archives. In addition to the main National Archives building in Washington, NARA maintains 14 Regional Archives and 28 Research Centers across the U.S. The twelve Presidential Libraries are also part of NARA.
We hope to include a behind the scenes tour of the Research Center. Additional information about NARA can be found on their website: http://www.archives.gov/.
Opening Reception & Dinner
The Opening reception and dinner for the 2008 Joint Study Institute will be held at the Eric E. Hotung International Law Building, Sports and Fitness Center Lobby and Tower Green, Georgetown Law Center. The buffet will feature Native American food offerings.
Thursday, June 26
Lunch at the United States Supreme Court
The delegate lunch on Thursday will be a box lunch at the United States Supreme Court. Lunch will be followed by a JSI program session and a selection of tours.
Tours
Delegates will choose between an afternoon guided tour of the United States Supreme Court or the United States Capitol. The Supreme Court tour is limited to 30 participants.
Tour & Reception at the Law Library of Congress
Following the afternoon tours, delegates and companions will join for a reception and tour at the Law Library of Congress.
Dine Around DC
Members of the JSI Planning Committee and other Washington, D.C. law librarians will lead groups of 8 to a variety of Washington, D.C. restaurants within walking distance (or an easy Metro ride) of the conference facilities. The cost of this dinner is NOT included in the conference registration fee, and participation is optional. Sign up will be handled at the JSI registration desk during the conference.
Friday, June 27
Closing Reception & Dinner at the National Press Club
The final gala reception and dinner will be held at the National Press Club.
The National Press Club has been a part of Washington life for nearly 100 years. On March 12, 1908, thirty-two newspapermen met at the Washington Chamber of Commerce to discuss starting a club for journalists. The Club founders laid down a credo which promised "to promote social enjoyment among the members, to cultivate literary taste, to encourage friendly intercourse among newspapermen and those with whom they were thrown in contact in the pursuit of their vocation, to aid members in distress and to foster the ethical standards of the profession."
The current National Press Building, the club's fourth location, opened its doors in August of 1927. Regular weekly luncheons for speakers began in 1932 with an appearance by President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt. Since 1932 the Club has hosted an average of 70 luncheons each year. Membership in the club is open to all active journalists, former journalists, government information officers, and to those considered by journalists to be regular news sources.
CBS commentator Eric Sevareid described the National Press Club as the "sanctum sanctorum of American journalists.... It's the Westminster Hall, it's Delphi, it's Mecca, the Wailing Wall for everybody in this country having anything to do with the news business; the only hallowed place I know of that's absolutely bursting with irreverence."
Saturday, June 28
Optional Tour to George Washington's Mount Vernon
The JSI Planning Committee offers an optional tour of President George Washington's home, Mount Vernon, on Saturday after the conclusion of the JSI.
Located just 16 miles south of Washington, Mount Vernon was built by the Washington family around 1735 and was President Washington's home from 1747 until his death in 1799. The home is a wooden structure of Georgian design, two and one-half stories high, with a columned portico. The home has been restored and contains much of the original furniture and family relics.
Recent additions to the site include the Ford Orientation Center and Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center which provide extensive galleries and theatres devoted to the life and accomplishments of George Washington.
After touring Mount Vernon, the bus will return to the Hyatt via scenic Old Towne Alexandria. Founded in 1749 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Alexandria boasts many 18th- and 19th-century buildings.
This is an optional event for JSI delegates. The tour will last from 1:00 pm to 6:15 p.m. and the tour company requires a minimum of 30 participants for the excursion to occur. The excursion cost is $71 per person and includes transportation by bus, box lunch on the bus, and the entrance fee to Mount Vernon. The registration fee must be paid in advance to the tour company. Download the registration form here.
Registration fees will be refunded should there be insufficient interest in this optional excursion.