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The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution, and it serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with more than 162 million items. The collections include books, sound recordings, motion pictures, photographs, maps, and manuscripts.
Use the online catalog to search the Library's collections by keyword or browse materials by subject, title, author & more. While much of our content is available in digital format, a majority of the collections have not yet been digitized. Use finding aids to discover the rich content within our thousands of unique collections.
Whether you are new to the Library of Congress or an experienced researcher, we have a world-class staff ready to assist you online and in person. I encourage you to visit the Library of Congress in person in Washington, D.C., explore the Library online from wherever you are and connect with us on social media. Sincerely, Carla Hayden
General Information. The Library of Congress occupies three buildings on Capitol Hill. The Thomas Jefferson Building (1897) is the original separate Library of Congress building. (The Library began in 1800 inside the U.S. Capitol.) The John Adams Building was built in 1938 and the James Madison Memorial Building was completed in 1981.
The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution, and it serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with more than 162 million items. The collections include books, sound recordings, motion pictures, photographs, maps, and manuscripts.
Know Before You Go. Welcome to the Library of Congress. We’ve added new policies to help keep our community safe. Free timed-entry tickets are required for entry. Groups of 21 people or more must request free timed-entry tickets by completing our group registration form. Masks are optional, but use is encouraged.
An agency of the legislative branch of the U.S. government, the Library of Congress encompasses several integral service units, listed below. Download a current Library of Congress organization chart. Office of the Librarian. The Office of the Librarian is the administrative branch of the Library of Congress and has overall management ...
