There are reports that Mr. Obama used to be skeptical of having a library at all; a bold move would be to revert to tradition and deposit his papers at the Library of Congress….
Failing that, he should set himself apart by thinking small or, at least, smaller. Mr. Obama has written a moving book about his early life; there’s no need to retell that story. His library should be more of an archive and less of a museum, more of a house, less of a shrine. In an austere age, a modest library could be the grandest statement of all.
—Obama and His Library: Go Small, New York Times
Witold Rybczynski, the author of the above quote, is a professor emeritus of urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design. I agree with him that a modest library would make a grand statement, but it would be a miracle if that happened. As Mike and Alan pointed out in comments to yesterday’s post, presidential libraries are money makers — they spur economic growth.
Jennifer Epstein in Politico says,
The University of Chicago may be touted as the clear front-runner to host Barack Obama’s presidential library and museum, but universities from the East Coast to Hawaii aren’t ready to cede the race: They’re putting up a fight to claim a piece of the president’s legacy — and the cash that comes along with it.
It’s a logistical war that demands everything from close coordination with the National Archives on public records laws to the construction of roads and sewers. But to the victor goes some of the choicest spoils in academia: the chance to be linked to the glitz of an ex-president who will bring with him more than half a billion dollars to build and endow the library.
A modest library? Sorry, Professor Rybczynski, fat chance.
Do you think that’s necessarily a bad thing?
February 21, 2014
This is to a large degree a thought provoking post if you give it a moment to sink in. Certainly an admirable gesture with a measure of humility to presume a President would opt to downsize his legacy library which for his predecessors to date has been pretty much the opposite trend.
But there is something “extremely” different this time in this scenario that plays out at the end of every Presidential term, we are talking about the United State’s first black President. In historical context as well as within ethnic context, that is huge! This has, in my opinion, far reaching implications with regard both to the grandeur of the library and the location. As to the economic boom to follow, at least for the foreseeable future, this library could in fact shatter all previous numbers.
As to location, it’s hard to believe they would locate the library in Hawaii. That would make it just too inaccessible to the average American I would think. No matter how you cut it, it just seems logical that it should go to Chicago. On the other hand, given the fact that one of President Obama’s first acts was instrumental in pulling a large segment of the automobile industry from the brink, a more prudent location would be to locate the library in Detroit, a city that could possibly be raised from its own economic ashes with such a move.
So that’s it…. Locate it in Detroit and make it comparable to the grandest of any library previously built. And one more thing, remember I am not a Democrat, I’m an Independent! 🙂
Do you think the more words a person uses the more powerful his/her message? Not me. I’m still moved by the Eisenhower library/museum that we saw almost 20 years ago. It was a lot more powerful than the garish Clinton one.
My guess is the main library will be in Chicago, and if Andy and I are still around when it’s finished, we’ll no doubt see it when we visit our daughter. Someone suggested Hawaii might have something too, maybe something simpler?
The papers and records would not be submitted to the Library of Congress. They already belong to the National Archives, which is a separate governmental entity.
“By law, 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.” Wikipedia
Presidential libraries are an authorized depository for their records (Presidential Records Act of 1978) and are part 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.” Wikipedia
I agree with Alan that, by virtue of being the first black president, Obama’s library will have special significance. It’ll probably go to Illinois, though his alma maters might also be considered — Columbia in New York and Harvard in Massachusetts.
So far as politics, I, too, am an Independent — and, if I could, I’d go back and change my votes in 2000, 2004, and 2008.
Thanks for the correction. I knew about the NARA but didn’t catch the mistake in Rybczynski’s quote. In Presidential Libraries I mentioned, “Because these libraries have been getting more grandiose with time, the government is now requiring the size of the endowment to be proportional to the size of the library.” I haven’t figured out how much taxpayers still have to pay for the extra grandiosity.
I don’t regret any of my votes. As I recall, I voted Libertarian in 2000, against Bush in 2004, for Obama in 2008, Libertarian in 2012. I vote Libertarian whenever I can’t bring myself to either of the main candidates.
The library museums do charge an entrance fee with revenues going to support museum operations and programs.
A significant increase in the endowment requirements for facilities over 70,000 square feet has had the practical effect of limiting the size of newer libraries to less than 70,000 square feet. ( http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/faqs/ )
Notice it says, “NARA uses these endowments to offset a portion of the maintenance costs for the library.” Emphasis mine. The trouble is the exhibits are partisan and the government is paying about $100 million (as far as I can tell) to maintain the “libraries”. That would be fine if the money were going to make records available, but according to this article
This problem is going to get worse with all the looming budget cuts and the increasing numbers and costs of new libraries/shrines.
I am not qualified to comment.
Understandable.
you want a dyed in the wool minimalist and simplifier of life to weigh in?
my comment cannot possibly reach the heights and weight of the esteemed ability of those who’ve commented before me here.
but that has happened before and we know it has never stopped me yet! LOLOL.
i stood in line to vote. and one lone young black man with his little boy holding his hand stood in the line ahead of me just a few people away.
the rest of us had on sweat pants… jeans… hoodies… slacks… sweaters… sneakers…
the young black man had on a beautiful suit and tie and so did his little boy.
they were going to vote for the first black president (though at the time they couldn’t know it) but the fact that they were honoring the occasion… to first … get to vote… and then … to vote for one of their very own in a country that not that long ago would mean their great great grandfather was a slave…
and there they stood. waiting in line in their wonderful suits with solemn smiles…
i was moved to tears. and i have never forgotten them.
so yes. i think his importance as a representative of the black and white race is important. but i wish his library would be small. intimate. moving. and simple.
Me too. Thanks for the great story!