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The article focuses on the management of historical materials by congressional offices and committees, with archivists preserving these files to benefit future Congresses and researchers. Topics include variations in recordkeeping rules for different office types, status of materials in Members' offices as personal property, and the closure periods for public access to House and Senate records, along with guidance from the House and Senate archivists on accessing and managing archival records.

The article discusses the history of the U.S. presidential library and its role in maintaining and archiving the presidential records and returning them to the public realm. Topics covered include the establishment of the Executive Office of the President (EOP) in 1939, the concept of the presidential library advanced by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, and U.S. President Harry S. Truman's initiative to establish a presidential library, and the Presidential Libraries Act of 1955.

The article provides information on existing U.S. presidential library facilities and their locations. Topics covered include the traditions and patterns in the locations and operations of presidential libraries, the 13 official presidential libraries, and the funding for private facilities honoring former presidents. It also cites the libraries' use of the Internet to publicize and share curricular resources for educators, give researchers access to records, and offer virtual tours.

The article looks at the issues explored by various research and scholarship on the U.S. presidential libraries. Topics covered include the accuracy of the history presented in the libraries' exhibitions, the conflict between history and heritage, and the rationale for maintaining a federated system or keeping each library in a different physical location. It also examines the benefits and drawbacks of the relationship between the federal libraries and the presidential foundations.