Frequently asked questions about the Library of Congress.
The Library serves as the research arm of Congress and is recognized as the national library of the United States. Its collections comprise the world's most comprehensive record of human creativity and knowledge. Open to those ages 16 and older without charge or special permission, it is the world's largest library and a great resource for scholars and researchers.
Books and other materials are shelved in three buildings on Capitol Hill, our Packard Campus in Culpeper, Va. and other off-site storage facilities. All Library stacks are closed
No, but it does have millions of books and printed materials, maps, manuscripts, photographs, films, audio and video recordings, prints and drawings, and other special collections. Get more detailed statistics.
The Library receives new materials through exchange with libraries in this country and abroad, gifts, materials received from local, state and federal agencies as well as foreign governments, purchase, and copyright deposits. Thousands of items are added to the collections of the Library each working day. Selection officers review materials and decide which should be kept and added to the permanent collections. Copyright deposits make up the core of the collections, particularly those in the map, music, motion picture, and prints and photographs divisions.
The Library is directed by the Librarian of Congress, who is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. Since the Library’s founding in 1800, there have been 14 Librarians of Congress. Robert R. Newlen, who was appointed Principal Deputy Librarian of Congress on March 29, 2025, is currently serving as Acting Librarian of Congress.
Thousands of requests are received annually by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), one part of the Library that directly serves Congress. Staffed by specialists on a wide variety of topics, CRS supplies Congress with unbiased information on a wide variety of subjects. Another division of the Library that works closely with Congress is the Law Library of Congress. With collections in foreign, international and comparative law, it serves as the foreign law research arm of Congress.
After its founding in 1800, the Library was housed in a boarding house and later in the U.S. Capitol building. Its first permanent, dedicated location — now called the Thomas Jefferson Building — was opened in 1897. The John Adams Building was completed in 1939 and the James Madison Memorial Building in 1980. The Library's Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation in Culpepper, Va., was opened in 2007.
Its construction was based on a design, submitted in competition, by architects John L. Smithmeyer and Paul J. Pelz. The building cost almost $6.5 million, $213,443.40 less than expected.
More than 50 American sculptors, painters, and mosaic artists contributed their talents to the building. It was intended to be a showplace for the art and culture of the young Republic and remains one of the most admired buildings of the period.
The highlight of a visit to the Library of Congress is the glorious Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building, which rises 75 feet from marble floor to stained glass ceiling. Marble columns, staircases, mosaics and paintings make this one of the most beautiful public buildings in America. Visitors may also view special exhibitions drawn from the Library's collections.
By taking free, guided tours offered several times a day, you can see both the Great Hall and, from the Visitors' Gallery located just off of the Great Hall, you will be able to view the Main Reading Room from above. You also have the option of walking around on your own, using a self-guided brochure. Read more about visiting the Library.
The Library's calendar of events lists events and continuing exhibitions. You can also call (202) 707-8000 for a recorded listing of special events. Receive event announcements via e-mail.
Formal photography for personal use is permitted on Library premises only during specific times and in specific locations that the Library may prescribe.
“Formal photography for personal use” includes posed or staged individual or group portrait sessions, engagement or wedding photography, modeling shoots, graduation or other special occasion photography, non-commercial content creation, or any other photography involving directing or organizing subjects. The photographer may be paid or unpaid. The resulting photographs are for personal, non-commercial use.
Individuals or groups wishing to engage in formal photography for personal use must request a permit through the Library’s photography permitting system. Request Photography Session Permit | Visiting the Library | Library of Congress
Informal photography for personal use does not require a permit or specific permission from the Library. “Informal photography for personal use” is spontaneous casual tourist photography of the kind a typical visitor engages in and does not involve any supplemental equipment. The resulting photographs are for personal, non-commercial use.
The Library of Congress is a research library, and books are used only on the premises by members of the public. Anyone age 16 and older may use the collections. All patrons using the Library's reading rooms and/or collections must have a reader card with a photo on it. Learn more about how to research at the Library.
The U.S. Copyright Office is located on the fourth floor of the Madison Building. Congress centralized U.S. copyright registration and deposit in the Library in 1870. Tens of millions of works have been registered since then, and copyright deposits have come to make up the core of the Library's collections.
Some of the most historic and treasured items from the Library's vast collection are on display within the exhibitions in the Library's Thomas Jefferson Building. Ongoing displays include the map that first used the term "America" for the New World, Thomas Jefferson's original library (the basis for the Library of Congress), and the Gutenberg Bible. Learn more about exhibitions at the Library. View the Library's digital collections.
Throughout its history, the Library has been enriched by private citizens through the donation of collections, including manuscripts, books, audio, video, and film recordings, photographs and prints, maps, and musical scores, as well as financial gifts. If you are interested in making a gift please explore these options for supporting the Library.
Capitol South Metro, served by the Orange, Blue, and Silver lines, is near the corner of 1st and C Streets SE. Metrobus stops are located near the Library grounds, and schedules can be obtained at the Capitol South subway station. More information about getting to the Library.