The Library of Congress is making it easier for children to get excited about history. In collaboration with the Ad Council, the Library of Congress on Monday launched a nationwide campaign promoting the library's educational Web endeavor. With the new "America's Library" site, children can log on and view the library's immense collection from the comfort of their own homes, without being intimidated by the process.

The campaign targets both parents and children and marks the first time in its 200-year history the Library of Congress has advertised itself.

The idea behind the site is to get school-age children more involved in self-education, to help them learn on their own by making the process fun, the Ad Council states. The ads will run on television and the Web.

The campaign is run by the Library of Congress, which is not only the world's largest library, but also houses the copyrighting office, a national library for the disabled, the Poet Laureate's office and more. It was founded in 1800 to serve the reference needs of Congress.

The Ad Council, a private nonprofit organization founded in 1942, has created many well-known public service ads including "A Mind is a Terrible Thing To Waste," "Take a Bite Out of Crime," and "Just Say No." The group receives donated air time from broadcast companies, which in turn receive government backing for the price of the spots. Last year, the Ad Council used $1 billion worth of donated air space.