Congressional Interdisciplinary Guides

From Wiki.lexisnexis.com

Would an art student or a biology student think of looking in LexisNexis Congressional for information? Perhaps not, but if they do take a look, they might be pleasantly surprised at the variety of content available.

**Updated November 20, 2008 with Land Use and Endangered Species Guides

1 Interdisciplinary Aspects of Congressional Information
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[edit] Interdisciplinary Aspects of Congressional Information

Researchers interested in biology, earth science, and other natural sciences can use congressional information to trace the history of science as documented in the public view from the time of our nation’s founding up through the present. Botanical, zoological, and geological drawings and descriptions accompany accounts of nineteenth century exploration in the American West, Mexico, and the Orient. Reports of the Smithsonian Institution and the Department of Agriculture document the development of knowledge about native and non-native plant life. Geological content includes historic charts, sketches, maps, and photographs. Zoological topics include animal health and reproduction, animal husbandry, fish and fisheries, animal fossils, veterinary zoology, animal experimentation, and endangered species.

Congressional publications of interest to art and architecture students include information on art in our Nation’s Capital. Publications reference the architecture of public buildings and artworks, and contain numerous illustrations, including drawings, architectural plans, construction documentation, reproductions of painting and statues, and photographs. This content is of use to researchers interested in artwork both acquired and commissioned for the national public space, as well as the original design and subsequent restoration of public buildings, grounds, and monuments. Paintings represented include works by John Trumbull, Constantino Brumidi, William H. Powell, Gilbert Stuart, and Thomas Moran. Historic drawings include works by Alfred Brennan, Jules Guerin, William Henry Bartlett, James Hoban, and Benjamin Latrobe.

Congressional publications also include numerous reproductions of painting and drawings of the American West. Artists represented include Charles Koppel, Thomas Moran, George Catlin, Karl Bodmer, and Albert Beirstadt. The images are typically presented in the context of reports prepared by Congress or submitted to Congress. Congressional information also includes significant content on Native American arts and crafts, as well as on Federal polices that impact the preservation and curation of indigenous American art and artifacts.

Congressional information includes numerous publications that reference photographic arts and reproduce photographic images. The reproductions include photographs and drawings from photographs by Albert B. Reagan, Charles Homan, William Henry Jackson, William Dinwiddie and other photographers of the American West and Alaska. Nineteenth century and early twentieth century scientific photographs document microscopic studies and provide examples of photographic techniques and equipment such as dry plate amateur process and the use of apparatus for taking composite photographs. In addition to the information of photographic arts, there is also content on Federal policies impacting photography, such as trade in photographic equipment, the use of cameras in courtrooms, and copyright. Images of buildings, industrial and rural life, and individual people provide a documentary record of society from the days of the Civil War to the time of modern spaceflight.