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Research Center Manuscript Reading Room

Orientation Form

Manuscript Division request form for virtual and in-person orientations for groups and undergraduate and graduate classes using Manuscript Division resources

Manuscript Division staff are available to provide virtual and in-person orientations for groups and undergraduate and graduate classes using Manuscript Division resources. If you have additional questions that cannot be answered in the form sections, please see our Orientation FAQ page.

Please use this form to begin the process. We ask that you submit your request at least 5 weeks in advance of your anticipated visit. Please note that submission of this form does not guarantee a reservation. A member of our staff will contact you directly regarding your request via email.

Scheduling Request Point of Contact

Please provide your name, phone number, email address, and organization/institution name. You will be contacted via email so please confirm that you have typed your email address correctly and completely before submitting your request.

Please complete Primary Contact Person
Please complete Affiliation of the group or class
  • Please complete Group type:
Type of Visit being Requested

We will work with you to figure out the best fit for your group, but generally, we offer orientations that include an element of display of items from our collections. We do not have the capacity to bring large groups through the facility, but are excited to engage with students and visitors to get them acclimated to our Reading Room and performing research in our collections.

Our staff can offer different types of sessions, which are described below.

Virtual Research Orientation

An orientation to the Manuscript Reading Room, focusing on performing research in the room and remotely. This is geared towards getting patrons started with their research and use of the room, covering use of the catalog, finding aids, and other procedural information. (Provided over Zoom, typically an hour long)

Assignment-based Class Visit

Librarians provide students with the research skills needed to complete a specific class assignment. An assignment-based class generally includes an introduction to basic search techniques and may include the library catalog, relevant article databases, and relevant web resources. A librarian will be available during the visit to respond to specific questions in the room and assist with more in-depth requests as students work.

Assignment-based virtual orientations also offered.

Please provide the following information about your request:

Please complete Number of Participants (max 20 for in-person visit)
Please complete Goal of visit

To minimize scheduling conflicts, requesting the session at least a month in advance is appreciated.

Please complete Preferred Date
(morning or afternoon; if you have a specific time block that you prefer, or have travel conflicts, please let us know here):
Please complete Desired Time of Day
  • Please complete Type of Session being requested
  • Please complete Type of Session

Additional information you would like to include:



Note: The Library of Congress Legal Notices page explains how email is treated with regard to privacy.

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Group type::
Type of Session being requested: Type of Session:

Location

Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave, SE
James Madison Building, LM 101
Washington, DC 20540-4810
View map External link

Hours

Public Hours
Monday through Saturday
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed Sundays & Federal Holidays

Reader Registration (Rm. LM 133)
Monday through Saturday
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.