Today is Monday, January 29, 2007. It might seem like any other day--nothing special, no reason to celebrate. But, did you know that today is Freethinker's Day, the annual celebration of Thomas Paine's birth? It is also Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, the anniversary of Kansas' statehood, and Oprah's birthday. You can find this information and much more in Chase's Calendar of Events, which the library receives each year. According to its cover, the book includes "4,000 notable birthdays, 1,400 historical anniversaries, 650 national and international holidays, 160 religious holidays, and thousands of additional days of note from around the globe." If you like fun facts, trivia, or history, you will enjoy this book.

Because Chase's Calendar of Events is a reference book, it must stay in the library (see Jenn's last entry). You can, however, find date-specific information online and in one of our databases. The Library of Congress website is a fantastic resource which features a “Today in History" link on its homepage. You will find information about an event that occurred the day of your search, possibly a map or photograph, and additional historical information that contextualizes or is related to the event. The site also includes a "yesterday" link and a search the Today in History archive option, just in case you missed a day. The information comes from the library's American Memory project, which features collections about advertising, immigration and American expansion, literature, sports and recreation, and many other topics. It is a great place to find photographs and other primary sources.

The History Channel's website, History.com, has a "This Day in History" link. The left side of the page lists significant events that you can sort by either year or category. The site also features a video clip that pertains to one of the historical events. Clicking on an event will give you additional information. If you are not interested in learning about what happened today, enter the day of your choice in the search field near the top of the page. The dropdown menu next to the date allows you to specify a category.

If you want to find out what happened on a specific date, check out Facts.com, one of NPL's databases. Click on iBrowse Databases on the NPL Homepage, then select either the adult or teen databases. Choose Genealogy & History from the adult menu or History & Geography from the teen menu. Scroll down to Facts.com, which draws its information from the Facts on File World News Digest. The database includes U.S. and world news from 1940 to today. Facts.com allows you to search for a particular topic or search for the news on a particular date (scroll down to the date search). Aside from educational or research purposes, Facts.com is the way to learn what happened on significant dates, such as your birthday.