Literary Classics Of The United States Inc

THE LIBRARY OF AMERICA WAS FOUNDED IN 1979 TO UNDERTAKE A HISTORIC ENDEAVOR: TO HELP PRESERVE THE NATION'S CULTURAL HERITAGE BY PUBLISHING AMERICA'S BEST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT WRITING IN DURABLE AND AUTHORITATIVE EDITIONS.

THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE ORGANIZATION'S STATED EXEMPT PURPOSE IS TO ASSURE ACCESS BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO ESSENTIAL WORKS OF THE AMERICAN LITERARY AND HISTORICAL TRADITION IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE AMERICAN PAST THROUGH ITS LITERARY AND HISTORICAL ACHIEVEMENTS. ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANIZATION RELATE TO ONE PROGRAM, THIS PROGRAM IS KNOWN AS THE LIBRARY OF AMERICA. THE MISSION IS CARRIED OUT BY COMPILING, EDITING AND PUBLISHING INEXPENSIVELY PRICED AND TEXTUALLYACCURATE EDITIONS OF AMERICA'S BEST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT WRITINGS OF THE PAST. THE BOOKS ARE DISTRIBUTED TO LIBRARIES, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, BOOK STORES, AND DIRECTLY TO INDIVIDUALS, THUS MAKING THEM WIDELY AVAILABLE TO SCHOLARS, EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, AND THE ENTIRE GENERAL PUBLIC. TO DATE, THE LIBRARY OF AMERICA HAS PUBLISHED IN EXCESS OF 400 VOLUMES OF LITERATURE, POETRY, AND ANTHOLOGIES, AND, ON AVERAGE, TEN NEW VOLUMES ARE ADDED ANNUALLY. MOST OF THE WORKS ARE KEPTPERMANENTLY IN PRINT IN ORDER TO ASSURE CONTINUED ACCESS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE EXACT NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PROVIDED ACCESS TO OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE WORKS OF OUR GREATEST AMERICAN AUTHORS THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE LIBRARY OF AMERICA IS NOT KNOWN. HOWEVER, OVER 3,500 LIBRARIES WITH VERY LIMITED RESOURCES HAVE ACQUIRED THE WORKS FROM THIS PROGRAM, AND APPROXIMATELY 300,000 VOLUMES ARE DISTRIBUTED ANNUALLY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH BOOKSTORES. TO DATE OVER SEVEN MILLION VOLUMES HAVE BEEN PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED ACCESS TO THESE ESSENTIAL WORKS OF AMERICAN LITERATURE THROUGH THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED ON BY THE LIBRARY OF AMERICA.