The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum is located on the campus of the University of Texas, Austin. On March 13, the Hauenstein leadership fellows toured the museum devoted to LBJ's life.

The Hauenstein leadership fellows checked out the LBJ Library. This is an interior cross-section of the multi-story archives, seen from the Great Hall of the LBJ Library. The library houses 45 million pages of historical documents, 650,000 photos, one million feet of motion picture film, and 5,000 hours of recordings from the public career of LBJ and those of his close associates.

Since 1971 research at the LBJ has resulted in or contributed to 80 books, 72 articles, 67 doctoral dissertations, 34 master's theses, and 36 term papers.

Lyndon in 1913, at the age of five.

This photo-engraved magnesium mural of Lyndon Baines Johnson, by Naomi Savage, is located on the second floor, near the archives.

Robert F. Kennedy bust in the LBJ.

The Hauenstein group got together with presidential historian H. W. Brands (second from right) to talk about their research projects. Brands has been a mainstay of the Hauenstein Center. He teaches at the University of Texas and is one of the most prolific presidential biographers/historians of our day. The Pulitzer Prize nominated finalist has written about Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Dwight Eisenhower, and a number of other presidents.

One professional tip that he passed along: when reconstructing dialogue, historians should use quotation marks only if they can verify the dialogue (1) in a sound recording they have heard with their own ears, (2) in a reliable printed source, and (3) in an oral interview they conduct with a reliable witness who can vouch that the president said thus and such.

Melissa and Brian arrived early at the LBJ to spend the day researching in the archives.

The LBJ Reading Room limits access to serious researchers. While there, the leadership fellows got to meet best-selling author Robert Caro, who has produced three masterful books about LBJ and is researching and writing a fourth.

Archivist Allen Fisher briefs Melissa and Brian on the proceedures and finding aids in the LBJ Library.

The director of the LBJ Library and Museum, Betty Sue Flowers, met with Hauenstein Center director Gleaves Whitney.

A reconstruction of the Oval Office as it appeared during LBJ's presidency is on the 8th floor of the Library, around the corner from the Reading Room. Note the portrait of George Washington.

At the other end of the Oval Office is a portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who helped Lyndon Johnson become an effective Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Bust of LBJ on the 8th floor of the Library, outside the Reading Room.

Hauenstein fellows Brian Flanagan (right) and Melissa Ware mining boxes and files for good material in the LBJ Reading Room. Robert Caro (in the dark shirt, seated) can be seen working on his book.