White House Library, John F. Kennedy Administration

This photograph is of the White House Library as it appeared before First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's refurbishment of the rooms in the White House. The Library is located on the Ground Floor of the White House. Although libraries have been a mainstay in the White House since the Millard Fillmore administration, it was not until 1935 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt formally designated a room for the library. The Library boasts thousands of books and the room occasionally serves as the backdrop for meetings, interviews, or televised speeches. The image was taken on August 14, 1961 by a National Geographic staff photographer for the White Historical Association's 1962 publication of "The White House: A Historic Guide". The publication serves as a companion book for tours of the White House, providing history of the rooms, architecture, and furniture.