The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum is on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin.

In the United States, the Presidential library system is a nationwide network of libraries administered by the Office of Presidential Libraries, which is part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). These are not traditional libraries, but rather repositories for preserving and making available the papers, records, and other historical materials of every President of the United States after Calvin Coolidge. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Lyndon B. Johnson library in Austin, Texas. ... The University of Texas at Austin, often called UT or Texas, is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. ... The United States National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records. ... The presidential seal was first used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America (often abbreviated to POTUS) is the head of state of the United States. ... John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. ...

Overview

Recent U.S. Presidents have established Presidential libraries in their home states in which documents, artifacts, and displays are kept that relate to the former president's career. Each library also contains a museum and provides an active series of public programs. When a President leaves office, NARA establishes a Presidential project to house and index the documents until a new Presidential library is built and transferred to the Federal government. The William J. Clinton Presidential Library became the eleventh Presidential library on November 18, 2004. The William J. Clinton Presidential Center is the presidential library of Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States. ... November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years), with 43 remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Image:Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Jfk library.jpg

The Presidential library system is made up of eleven Presidential libraries (see list of U.S. Presidential libraries) operated by the Federal government. Libraries and museums have been established for other presidents, but they are not part of the NARA Presidential library system. These include the Calvin Coolidge, Rutherford Hayes, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson and Richard Nixon libraries. For example, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is owned and operated by the State of Illinois. This is an existing list of United States Presidential libraries. ... John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. ... Rutherford Birchard Hayes (October 4, 1822 - January 17, 1893) was the 19th (1877-1881) President of the United States. ... Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president from the Republican Party. ... Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924) was the 28th President of the United States (1913–1921). ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum was built in Springfield, Illinois in the historic downtown section, near many other Lincoln sites. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 25th 149,998 km² 340 km 629 km 4. ...

The Nixon Presidential Materials Staff, which administers the Nixon Presidential materials under the terms of the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act, are part of NARA; however, the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace is not officially part of the Presidential library system. In January 2004, Congress passed legislation that provided for the establishment of a federally-operated Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda. In March 2005, the Archivist of the United States and the Director of the privately-run Nixon Library and Birthplace Foundation exchanged letters on the requirements that will allow the Nixon Library to become the twelfth federally-funded Presidential library operated by the NARA as early as February 2006. The Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace is the presidential library of Richard Milhous Nixon, 37th President of the United States, located at 18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard in Yorba Linda, California. ... The Archivist of the United States is the chief official overseeing the operation of the National Archives and Records Administration. ...

History

Presidential libraries postage stamp

Before the advent of the Presidential library system, Presidents or their heirs often dispersed Presidential papers at the end of the administration. Though many pre-Hoover collections now reside in the Library of Congress, others are split among other libraries, historical societies, and private collections. Unfortunately, many materials have been lost or deliberately destroyed. Image File history File links Presidential Libraries Stamp This image is of a United States postage stamp produced in 1978 or later. ... Image File history File links Presidential Libraries Stamp This image is of a United States postage stamp produced in 1978 or later. ... Library of Congress, Jefferson building The Library of Congress is the unofficial national library of the United States. ...

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York.

The Presidential library system formally began in 1939, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt donated his personal and Presidential papers to the federal government. At the same time, Roosevelt pledged part of his estate at Hyde Park, New York to the United States, and friends of the President formed a non-profit corporation to raise funds for the construction of the library and museum building. Roosevelt's decision stemmed from his belief that Presidential papers were an important part of the national heritage and should be accessible to the public. He asked the National Archives to take custody of his papers and other historical materials and to administer his library. Image File history File links From Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links From Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Franklin D. Roosevelt Library is the first of the United States presidential libraries. ... Hyde Park is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... Hyde Park is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. ...

In 1950, Harry S. Truman decided that he, too, would build a library to house his Presidential papers and helped to galvanize congressional action. In 1955 Congress passed the Presidential Libraries Act, establishing a system of privately erected and federally maintained libraries. The Act encouraged other Presidents to donate their historical materials to the government and ensured the preservation of Presidential papers and their availability to the American people. Under this and subsequent acts, nine more libraries have been established. In each case, funds from private and nonfederal public sources provided the funds to build the library. Once completed, the private organization turned over the libraries to the National Archives and Records Administration to operate and maintain. 1950 (MCML in Roman) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... For other people named Harry Truman, see Harry Truman (disambiguation). ... 1955 (MCMLV in Roman) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Dwight D. Eisenhower Library in Abilene, Kansas.

Until 1978, Presidents, scholars, and legal professionals held the view dating back to George Washington that the records created by the President or his staff while in office remained the personal property of the President and were his to take with him when he left office. The first Presidential libraries were built on this concept. NARA successfully persuaded Presidents to donate their historical materials to the federal government for housing in a Presidential library managed by NARA. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Eisenhower Presidential Center includes the Eisenhower presidential library, President Dwight David Eisenhowers boyhood home, Museum, and gravesite. ... Abilene is a city located in Dickinson County, Kansas, United States, 163 miles (262 km) west of Kansas City. ... Link title 1978 (MCMLXXVIII in Roman) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the successful Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and later became the first President of the United States, an office to which he was elected, unanimously, twice (1789-1797). ...

The Presidential Records Act of 1978 established that the Presidential records that document the constitutional, statutory, and ceremonial duties of the President are the property of the United States Government. After the President leaves office, the Archivist of the United States assumes custody of the records. The Act allowed for the continuation of Presidential libraries as the repository for Presidential records. The Archivist of the United States is the chief official overseeing the operation of the National Archives and Records Administration. ...

The Presidential Libraries Act of 1986 also made significant changes to Presidential libraries, requiring private endowments linked to the size of the facility. NARA uses these endowments to offset a portion of the maintenance costs for the library.

Holdings

The eleven Presidential Libraries (plus the Nixon materials project) maintain over 400 million pages of textual materials; nearly ten million photographs; over 15 million feet of motion picture film; nearly 100,000 hours of disc, audiotape, and videotape recordings; and approximately half a million museum objects. These varied holdings make each library a valuable source of information and a center for research on the Presidency.

The most important textual materials in each library are those created by the President and his staff in the course of performing the official duties. Libraries also house numerous objects including family heirlooms, items collected by the President and his family, campaign memorabilia, awards, and the many gifts given to the President by American citizens and foreign dignitaries. These gifts range in type from homemade items to valuable works of art. Curators in Presidential libraries and in other museums throughout the country draw upon these collections for historical exhibits.

Other significant holdings include the personal papers and historical materials donated by individuals associated with the President. These individuals may include Cabinet officials, envoys to foreign governments, political party associates, and the President's family and personal friends. Several libraries have undertaken oral history programs that have produced tape-recorded memoirs. A third body of materials comprises the papers accumulated by the President prior to, and following, his Presidency. Such collections include documents relating to Roosevelt's tenure as Governor of New York and Dwight D. Eisenhower's long military career. Cabinet meeting on May 16, 2001. ... This is a list of the Governors of New York. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American soldier and politician. ...

Ronald Reagan's grave at his presidential library in Simi Valley, California.

Every American president since Hoover is or has chosen to be buried at their presidential library, with the exception of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. Kennedy is buried at Arlington National Cemetery; Johnson is buried at his ranch in the hill country of Texas, west of Austin. This is a photograph of Ronald Reagans tomb at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. ... This is a photograph of Ronald Reagans tomb at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... The inner courtyard of the library. ... Simi Valley is an incorporated city located in the extreme southeast corner of Ventura County, California, bordering the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles in the Greater Los Angeles Area. ... For other uses, see John Kennedy (disambiguation) John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to as John F. Kennedy, JFK, or Jack Kennedy, was the 35th President of the United States. ... Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908–January 22, 1973), often referred to as LBJ, was an American politician. ... Arlington Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia, is an American military cemetery established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Robert E. Lees home. ...

See also

• List of U.S. Presidential libraries
• United States Presidential Memorial

This is an existing list of United States Presidential libraries. ... United States presidential memorials are created to honor and perpetuate the legacy of United States presidents. ...

References

• Portions of this article based on public domain text from the National Archives and Records Administration