C-SPAN Video Library

Like its television counterpart, the C-SPAN Video Library boasts a decidedly “no frills” design. Its interface is clean, clear and concise, making it easy for a user to dive right in. What he or she finds is a compilation of hundreds of thousands of hours of C-SPAN programming, archiving American history as it’s been made over the last quarter century’s congressional proceedings, subcommittee hearings, White House events, presidential debates and more, not to mention C-SPAN originals like Washington Journal and Book TV. The database is eminently searchable by date, bill, speaker, issue and many other criteria. Users can also browse by program or scan the site’s featured topics, which are updated regularly. With so many avenues for exploration, Washington insiders and average Americans alike may emerge from a trip through the archive with a renewed interest in the political process. For creating an enduring archive of the history of American policymaking, and for providing it as a free, user-friendly public service, the C-SPAN Video Library receives a Peabody Award.