Analyzes presidential libraries as performances that encourage visitors to think in particular ways about executive leadership and about their own roles in public life. Kanter demonstrates how the presidential libraries generate normative narratives about individual presidents, historical events, and what it means to be an American. --From publisher description.

Presidential rankings emerged in 1948 when Life Magazine published an article by the prominent historian, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr., who had selected 55 experts on the presidency and asked them to rank the presidents. He asked his respondents to rank presidents into categories of "Great," "Near Great," "Average," "Below Average" and "Failure." The result was a substantial article that attracted wide public attention. His work and similar studies have not escaped criticism, however. Many general works on the presidency have discussed presidential greatness and identified presidents who stood out for good or ill. There are likely unavoidable inadequacies in all ranking schemes, regardless of the complicated measures that many authors employ in their attempts to be "scientific." This book provides useful criticism of these presidential rankings. It is arranged chronologically, and discusses each presidential performance and each ranking study in detail. Perhaps it would be sufficient to say that most who held the office were right for their time.

Presidential libraries and museums are national monuments dedicated to the memories of men who served as America’s commander-in-chief. There are twenty-five (soon to be twenty-six) presidential libraries and museums. Following an introductory overview of presidential libraries and museums and their history, comprehensive entries of each site are arranged from George Washington to George W. Bush, with information included about the current plans for Barack Obama’s library. Each entry contains information on: Location and history Endowments Opening hours, number of visitors, and other facts Collections and permanent exhibits This first reference guide to all twenty-five libraries and museums is a ready reference providing readers with quick and reliable information.

Through the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the federal government currently operates and maintains 13 presidential libraries, and it may soon assume responsibility for a new facility for the records of former President George W. Bush. The libraries, which primarily serve as archival repositories and museums in which the records and memorabilia of the former Presidents are held and made available to researchers, are privately constructed on behalf of former Presidents. This book details the legislative history of the Presidential Libraries Act and provides information on existing library facilities and their locations, as well as analysing legislative options for the act, including increasing endowment requirements for the library foundations and clearly delineating the relationship between NARA and the libraries' supporting organisations.

What a thrill it was to visit our first presidential library. It was the beginning of an incredible journey that resulted in visiting all of the presidential libraries, which we seek to share with you in this book. As of this date, there are thirteen presidential libraries, which belong to the National Archives and Records Administration. We would like to take you along on this journey, giving you our impressions and underscoring some of the historic events these visits called to remembrance. The libraries are a glimpse into the lives of the men whose decisions and actions have made our nation what it is today. What a fascinating and revealing journey this has been. To visit one or all of the presidential libraries is an extraordinary experience and has heightened not only our understanding of the presidents but also of American history. It did something else. It gave us a destination, making it possible for us to visit some very interesting places across the country. Both of us are now retired after each of us spent fifty years in our chosen professions. Not only do we have the time to travel but the continuation of our life-long pursuit to learn. Shortly after we began our visits, we broadened our goal to visit at least one or more historic sites associated with each of our former presidents, frequently that would be their birthplace or some major event associated with their life. Eight years later we have achieved our goalwe have visited all thirteen libraries and one or more sites related to each of our forty-three former presidents. We hope you enjoy visiting the presidential libraries through the reading of this book.