In an effort to underscore the importance of the book and written word, Public Law 95-129 was signed by President Carter in 1977 establishing the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. This pamphlet reports on the progress made in the first year of planning during four meetings directed at potential activities, the international flow of…

The Islamic Republic of Iran's parliament, the Majlis, passed in 1990 a law setting out the functions of its national library. In 2005, the inauguration of the first stage of the new national library building was celebrated as a major national cultural and architectural achievement. This article looks at the origins and evolution of the National…