Using the Reading Room

Staff in the European Reading Room help researchers find materials on and from European countries, including the Russian-speaking areas of Asia, but excluding Spain, Portugal, and the British Isles.  We also assist researchers find materials published by U.S. diaspora communities from those countries. We provide materials held in the General Collections for anyone with an Library of Congress issued Reader Identification Card and we assist in identifying resources in other reading rooms at the Library.  

The European Reading Room has custody of and provides access to current, unbound Slavic and Baltic periodicals newspapers as well as more than 25,000 reels of Slavic and Baltic newspapers on microfilm. The reading room also has special collections materials, primarily related to Eastern Europe and Russia, including the Rubinov Manuscript Collection and several election-related collections of ephemera. The reading room provides access to selected microfilm collections, including microfilm of materials from military archives in Hungary, Romania, and Poland. Also available is a collection of uncataloged pamphlets from European countries. Patrons are encouraged to discuss use of European Reading Room special collections materials in advance using our Ask a Librarian service.

• Submit your questions through our Ask a Librarian service
• Call the European Reading Room at 202-707-4515, or
• Visit us in person in room 249 Thomas Jefferson Building, Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm EST

For your visit in person

• learn more about how to obtain a Reader Identification Card
• Leave your belongings, such as coats and backpacks, in the cloakroom
• Allow extra time on the first day of your visit to receive your Reader Identification Card
• Bring your card, laptop, camera, notebook, pencil, thumb drives, wallet, and cell phone (on silent or vibrate only mode) to the reading room
• Check in with our librarians and get started.

Requesting Materials

Most of the European Reading Room's collection materials other than reference collection items are held in closed stacks. Our materials are only served in the European Reading Room and cannot be requested via the LC Online Catalog system. You are encouraged to discuss requests with us before visiting the reading room via our Ask a Librarian service.  Or you can submit requests for European Reading Room collection materials when in the reading room.  Delivery time is generally 15 to 20 minutes for collection materials in our custody.  

Patrons who have a Reader Identification Card may request materials in advance of a visit to the European Reading Room and are encouraged to do so.  Books and bound periodicals in the General Collections that have call numbers with "Cabin Branch" or "Ft Meade" are held in remote locations and generally take at least 24 hours to arrive in the reading room.  Read more about requesting materials from the General Collections for delivery to the European Reading Room.

Making Paper or Digital Copies

The reading room is equipped with an overhead scanners, microfilm readers, and a multi-functional printer with photocopying and scanning capability.

Scanning

Scanning is free of charge and users can send digital files to an email address or save them to a personal USB storage device, depending on the device used. Public workstations, select microfilm readers, and overhead scanners accept USB storage devices so that users can save files.

Printing and Photocopying

There is no cost to print from Reading Room computers. If you need high quality copies, you can purchase them through the Library's Duplication Services.

Digital cameras or smart phones

Cameras may be used to photograph collection materials and are especially suitable for items too old or fragile for photocopying or scanning. Flash photography, however, is not permitted. Lighting conditions in our reading room are not designed for capturing publication-quality images. No external lights are allowed in the reading room. Please consult reference librarians if you have any questions on making copies.

Laptop, tablet, or smart phone with Wi-Fi capability

Use of a personal laptop, tablet, or smart phone with Wi-Fi is the most reliable means for saving files accessed through electronic resources at the Library. When using a public workstation, users can save files to a personal USB storage device. Bear in mind that USB devices may fail in transit. They may also not work as expected due to the operating system format compatibility between the LC workstations and the users’ home machines.

Copyright

Keep in mind copyright law and other restrictions associated with the collections. If you are planning to photocopy, download, publish, or distribute copies of items or images from our collections, be prepared to do some research or risk assessment. The Library of Congress does not hold rights to items in the collections and therefore, we are not in a position to grant or deny permission to use them. Tips for assessing risks, including the duration of copyright, can be found on the website for the US Copyright Office.

The principles of fair use apply when printing or downloading articles or e-books from electronic databases. Please review the information on Responsible Use of Electronic Resources at the Library of Congress.