Reading Room

The Law Library Reading Room is the gateway to all of the Law Library’s collections. The Reading Room is located on the second floor of the Library of Congress James Madison Memorial Building in Washington, D.C. Researchers may request that items from the Law Library's unparalleled legal collection be delivered to the Reading Room for use there. Additionally, the Law Library Reading Room maintains a reference collection that includes primary sources for federal statutes, administrative materials, as well as selected materials for each of the fifty states and the District of Columbia. The Reading Room collections also contain an array of treatises and other reference works on federal and international law.

Appointments are optional, but encouraged. To help us better serve you, request a research appointment to ensure collection material is accessible during your visit to the Library. Request a research appointment here. The Library of Congress asks all visitors to follow our COVID-19 health screening protocols, which are based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the Office of the Attending Physician of the U.S. Capitol. For additional instructions, see the Researcher Scheduling page.

For more information on our products and services, review the information on the Researcher Resources page.

  • Policies and Procedures Learn about policies and procedures covering everything from use of the collection to computer use.
  • Services Services such as research assistance, photocopying, and computer use are provided.