Library of Congress

The Library of Congress began in 1800, when legislation concerning the federal government’s move to Washington provided five thousand dollars for books for Congress. The collection served legislators’ reference needs and was associated with the Capitol. Its first classified catalogue, published in 1812, recorded 3,076 volumes as well as maps and charts, giving a concrete view of the early holdings.

Legislation in 1802 established presidential appointment of the Librarian of Congress, while a joint congressional committee provided oversight. These arrangements placed the collection within the work of the legislative branch while giving the institution a continuing relationship with presidential appointments.

References: [1]

British forces burned the Capitol in 1814, destroying the congressional library. Congress then purchased Thomas Jefferson’s personal collection of 6,487 books in 1815 as a basis for rebuilding. Its range helped support a broader conception of what a library serving legislators might need to collect, beyond a narrowly defined stock of law and political reference.

Another fire in 1851 destroyed about thirty-five thousand volumes, including a large part of Jefferson’s collection. A remodeled fire-resistant iron library room opened in the Capitol in 1853. The sequence connects acquisition to the equally practical work of protecting collections, arranging space and securing resources for continued service.

References: [2] [1]

Copyright registration and deposit were centralized at the Library in 1870. The resulting flow of publications contributed to collection growth and reinforced the need for additional space. Librarian Ainsworth Rand Spofford advocated a separate building, and the structure now called the Thomas Jefferson Building opened to the public in 1897.

Copyright deposit is only one route of acquisition. Purchases, gifts, exchanges and material received from government bodies also contribute to the holdings, with selection decisions determining what enters permanent collections. The Library does not hold a copy of every book published in the United States. Its maps, music, photographs, manuscripts and recordings also make its historical resources much broader than printed books alone.

References: [2] [4]

The Congressional Research Service is a Library unit devoted to research and analysis for Congress. The Law Library supplies expertise and collections concerning foreign, international and comparative law. Copyright administration, acquisition, preservation and reader services are distinguishable responsibilities within the wider institution.

Public researchers register for a reader card and consult materials under reading-room rules. Books are held in Capitol Hill buildings and off-site facilities, and the stacks are closed to public browsing. Catalogues, digitized collections and staff-assisted consultation provide routes to materials kept in different places. Preservation is joined to the organization of access for particular research needs.

References: [3] [4]