Yes, most of the Library of Congress public reading rooms and computer catalog centers provide access to the Internet for research and reference searching only. The number of public access workstations varies per reading room. In accordance with Library of Congress Regulation 1812, Section 6, "Conduct on the Premises in the Public Reading Rooms and Research Facilities," the Library's reading rooms and computer catalog centers "shall be used only for quiet scholarly research or educational purposes requiring use of Library materials." Before using the Internet at the Library of Congress, researchers should consult the Library's conditions for use for its public Internet workstations. The Computer Catalog Center in the Jefferson Building and the Computer Catalog Center in the Adams Building have Internet workstations for general research and reference use. Specialized reading rooms with a subject, format, or language focus have Internet workstations for research related to those reading rooms. Requirements for using these reading rooms vary.
The Library doesn't, but training is available locally. Reading Room staff provide only a limited amount of technical support.
The Library of Congress is open to researchers over the age of eighteen. Researchers wishing to use any Library of Congress facilities, including public Internet workstations, should obtain a Reader Identification Card issued by the Library of Congress, in LM-G40, which requires a photo ID and proof of address. Users may be required to sign in before using a workstation in some reading rooms, which may have additional entrance requirements.
These workstations are intended for research and reference use only. The Library does not provide facilities for visitors or tourists wishing to check their email. Researchers may check their email, but content-based searching of the Library's online catalog and subscription databases takes precedence over email. Persons checking their email may be asked to vacate the workstation in favor of researchers conducting content-based searching.
No, the workstations are intended for research purposes only, as are all the collections, equipment, and materials of the Library of Congress.
Yes, electrical outlets are provided. However, the Library does not currently provide Internet connections for portable computers. Researchers may access the Internet using the designated public workstations provided in the Computer Catalog Centers and the reading rooms.
No, the Library does not permit the installation of personal software onto its public workstations.
No, the workstations are for searching the Library's online catalog, its subscription databases, and research-related Internet searching only.
Yes, you may download and print within posted time limits. Color printers are not available. Diskettes for downloading may be purchased in the Library of Congress Photoduplication Service in Room 123 of the Adams Building.
Most workstations have Netscape Communicator 4.5 for MS Windows. The Library is, however, continuously upgrading.
Most workstations are Dell Pentium II or higher. The operating system is MS Windows 95.
The workstations can accommodate many types of image and sound files. These may be accessed for research purposes only. Recreational use of sound and image files on Library of Congress public Internet workstations is prohibited.
Researchers without a Reader Identification Card should go to the reader registration station in Room 140 of the Madison Building. Once they have a Reader Identification Card, researchers may be directed to the reading room that matches their research topic.
No, reservations are not taken, but at some locations you may be required to sign in before using a workstation. Time limits for using the workstations vary.
The Library of Congress reading rooms and computer catalog centers are open to researchers over the age of eighteen with a valid Reader Identification Card. Families with children are encouraged to access the Internet from their homes, schools, or local public libraries. The Library of Congress has a website for children, America's Library, which features digitized materials from the Library's collections. There are a few workstations near the Visitor Information Center, below the Great Hall on the ground floor of the Jefferson Building, where visitors may search the Library's online catalog to see what books, journals, and other materials the Library holds.
A variety of equipment for people with disabilities is available to provide auditory and large print access to the Library's public Internet workstations. "Zoomtext" magnification software for large print access and "Window-Eyes" software (a speech synthesizer for auditory access) are both available in the Computer Catalog Centers on the first floor of the Jefferson Building and the fifth floor of the Adams Building, and in the Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room in the Madison Building. For additional information regarding special accommodations see the FAQ on Information for People with Disabilities.
The workstations provide access to the Library's online catalog in addition to Web browsing. The Library subscribes to a number of Internet-based subscription database services, including OCLC FirstSearch and RLIN Eureka. These services are available only at the Library and at other subscribing institutions; they are not available without a subscription. The workstations also have helper applications which supplement the Web browsing software. Some reading rooms and computer catalog centers have other workstations providing access to CD-ROM databases and other online subscription services. With this combination of workstations you can search the Internet; search the LC catalog; and search abstracts, indexes, and other research databases in a broad range of subject or topical areas.
For technical and legal reasons certain databases may only be accessed at the Library of Congress.
There are multiple ways to search the LC catalog via the Internet. A separate Web page is also provided for information and access to searching LC Catalogs via the World Wide Web.
The URL is http://www.loc.gov/ or http://www.loc.gov/.
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