The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) holds the records of the United States Federal Government . For NARA, a “record” is any type of document (textual, electronic, or audiovisual) created or received by the Executive, Legislative, or Judicial branches of government.  These records capture information about how the government interacts with itself and its citizens.  Some records are very personal, like census schedules that describe where people lived and worked, while others illustrate how the government works, like a memo to the President discussing a policy decision.  Latest figures estimate that NARA currently holds 21.5 million cubic feet of textual records.  Unfortunately, NARA cannot keep all of its records at one location (and, because the government generates such huge quantities of records, they are not able to keep all of them either).  NARA has facilities across the country that store governmental records: two large facilities in Washington, DC; Regional Archives; Federal Records Centers; and Presidential Libraries.  Each facility holds a unique body of records, but they are all part of the NARA network.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt believed that the papers, books, and memorabilia from his Administration were part of the heritage of the United States and as such should be preserved and made available to the public.  In December 1938, President Roosevelt announced plans to build a new facility – a Presidential Library – on his estate in Hyde Park, New York.  Roosevelt raised the money to build the Library, and then donated the building to NARA.  Following Roosevelt’s example, twelve other Presidents have established Libraries to hold and make their Presidential records and artifacts publicly available.  Because Presidents build their Libraries themselves, they can choose the location of their facility – and Presidents have chosen sites all across the country.  The process for providing a Presidential Library to NARA was formalized through the Presidential Libraries Act of 1955, which was amended in 1986.  Not all Presidential records, however, are immediately available for research.  Each Library follows laws and regulations that govern specifically when and how certain records are made available.  The Herbert Hoover through Jimmy Carter Presidential Libraries follow a deed of gift model, where the former President determines access to certain records.  Prior to the passage of the 1978 Presidential Records Act (PRA), Presidential materials were seen as the property of the President, so NARA gained possession only through a deed from the President that contained guidance on access.  From the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library forward, the PRA changed the fundamental disposition of Presidential materials, stating that any records created or received by the President as part of his constitutional, statutory, or ceremonial duties belong to the people, and therefore automatically come to NARA at the end of the administration.  Under this law, however, the former President still retains privileges, including special access, the right to review materials slated for opening, and the ability to restrict access to certain categories of information for up to twelve years after he has left office.  The PRA stipulates that records are closed for five years after the end of an administration, but after that time, are accessible through the Freedom of Information Act.  During that initial five years, the records can be accessed only by the current President, the former President, the Congress, and the courts, under the special access terms of the PRA.  For the archivists, the PRA provides guidance on restrictions that must be applied to the materials to protect matters, such as personal privacy and national security.  It should be noted that Libraries covered by the PRA still have materials that are deeded.  The President may deed over to NARA personal materials, such as pre and post-Presidential papers and political materials.  Therefore, materials at Presidential Libraries are covered either by a deed of gift or by the PRA.  The Richard Nixon Presidential Library is an exception, as it is governed by the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974. 

http://www.georgewbushlibrary.smu.edu/About-Us/NARA-and-the-Presidential-Libraries.aspx

Presidential libraries serve as official cultural repositories for the legacies of their namesake commanders in chief.  More than 200 years after his death, it's hard to believe that the country's first president, George Washington, still lacks a library devoted to his remarkable life.   Mount Vernon, the Virginia home of Washington, has spent the last several years raising $100 million to construct an official library on its scenic grounds. Organizers announced an opening date of Sept. 27, 2013.  The library's website states that it will be the only presidential library built and maintained without government funding.  The 45,000-square-foot building will provide access to books, manuscripts and other archival material from Mount Vernon.  Visiting scholars will have the option of staying at a 6,000-square-foot residence next to the library.  The full title of the library will be the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington.  The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum is set to open its doors May 1, 2013 at its location at Southern Methodist University in Texas.  http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-george-washington-mount-vernon-20130217,0,3712109.story

Seventy-one murals were installed in post offices throughout Ohio, nineteen of which were done in the Cleveland vicinity.  Art created for Post Offices in Girard, Medina, and Willoughby are either destroyed or missing.  See list of Works of Art for Post Offices in the Cleveland Area
Commissioned by New Deal Art Programs at: 

http://www.clevelandartists.org/?subject=wpa&sub=wpa_postoffice_murals 

Throughout the United States—on post office walls large and small—are scenes reflecting America's history and way of life.  Post offices built in the 1930s during Roosevelt's New Deal were decorated with enduring images of the "American scene."  In the 1930s, as America continued to struggle with the effects of the depression, the federal government searched for solutions to provide work for all Americans, including artists.  During this time government-created agencies supported the arts in unprecedented ways.  As Harry Hopkins, Roosevelt's relief administrator said in response to criticism of federal support for the arts, "[artists] have got to eat just like other people."  Often mistaken for WPA art, post office murals were actually executed by artists working for the Section of Fine Arts.  Commonly known as "the Section," it was established in 1934 and administered by the Procurement Division of the Treasury Department.  http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/resources/6a2q_postalmurals.html

The National Postal Museum Library is one of twenty specialized libraries in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries system.  The National Philatelic Collection was the basis of the Library when it was established in 1993.  Now, with more than 40,000 books, journals, catalogues and archival documents, the National Postal Museum Library is among the world's largest postal history and philatelic research facilities. 

See description of collection at:  http://library.si.edu/libraries/postal-museum

The Other Side, an alcohol-free bar in Crystal Lake, Illinois to open April 27, 2013 

New Directions Addiction Recovery Services and The Other Side is a nonprofit organization, registered as a 501(c)3, dedicated to helping people in the McHenry County and Chicagoland area. The Other Side is the first step in establishing a series of programs to address the needs of young people in these areas.  At The Other Side, there are several forms of entertainment available throughout the week, including events that are hosted on a monthly basis.  There are also several lounge areas used for casual gatherings on the weekends.  Games include a pool table, ping-pong table, bag toss set, darts, and video games that are available during operating hours. 

 http://www.the-other-side.org/

In an epic clash between old and new media, Google Inc.'s video website YouTube has scored another huge victory in the long-running skirmish over copyright infringement brought by television giant Viacom Inc.  A federal judge in New York on April 18, 2013 ruled that YouTube had not violated Viacom's copyright even though users of the popular online site were allowed to post unauthorized video clips from some of Viacom's most popular shows, including Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants."  Viacom filed the copyright infringement suit in 2007 and demanded that YouTube pay $1 billion in damages.  The dispute erupted as established media titans, including Viacom, were struggling to cope with the disruption of digital media and trying to figure out how to rein in the unauthorized distribution of their content.  This is the second time that arguments of Viacom, which is controlled by media mogul Sumner Redstone, have been rejected.   In 2010, Stanton ruled against Viacom in favor of YouTube in the case, and Viacom appealed. A year ago, an appeals court panel revived the case. That group of judges said the safe-harbor provision protected Internet services companies from liability if they lacked specific knowledge that a piece of infringing material existed -- or if they acted quickly to remove the material once notified.  The case was sent back to Stanton. Viacom argued that it was impossible to prove that YouTube had specific knowledge that certain clips were protected.  But Stanton determined that the sheer volume of content uploaded onto YouTube made it impractical for the video site to know when an infringing clip appeared.  The burden, the judge said, fell to Viacom to alert YouTube when unauthorized uses of its copyrighted material popped up on the site.  On April 18, Viacom vowed to appeal once again.  Meg James   http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-youtube-prevails-copyright-suit-viacom-20130418,0,5832848.story