Origins
The Library of Congress was established on April 24, 1800, when President John Adams signed legislation appropriating $5,000 for books to serve the newly relocated Congress in Washington, D.C. The original collection of 740 volumes and 3 maps, housed in the Capitol, provided legislators with legal and parliamentary references. This modest beginning gave little indication of the institution’s future scale and significance.
The British burning of Washington in 1814 destroyed the original collection. Thomas Jefferson, whose personal library was widely considered the finest in America, offered his 6,487 volumes as a replacement. Congress purchased Jefferson’s collection for $23,950, acquiring books on science, philosophy, literature, and architecture that dramatically expanded the library’s scope beyond purely legislative materials. Jefferson’s encyclopedic vision—“there is no subject to which a Member of Congress may not have occasion to refer”—defined the institution’s mission.
Ainsworth Rand Spofford, Librarian from 1864 to 1897, transformed the Library from a legislative reference collection into a national institution. He secured the 1870 copyright law requiring two copies of every copyrighted work to be deposited with the Library, ensuring comprehensive coverage of American publishing. Spofford’s advocacy led to construction of the magnificent Thomas Jefferson Building, opened in 1897, providing the Library its own home outside the Capitol for the first time.
Structure & Function
The Library of Congress operates under the legislative branch, headed by the Librarian of Congress appointed by the President with Senate confirmation. With approximately 3,100 employees and an annual budget exceeding $800 million, it manages collections in three buildings on Capitol Hill plus off-site storage facilities. The Congressional Research Service, Copyright Office, and Law Library function as distinct divisions serving specialized constituencies.
The collections are staggering in scale: over 170 million items including more than 40 million books and print materials, 14 million photographs, 5 million maps, 8 million pieces of sheet music, and 3 million sound recordings. The Library acquires materials through copyright deposit, purchase, gift, and exchange with other institutions. Digital collections increasingly supplement physical holdings, with millions of items available online through the Library’s website.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) provides nonpartisan policy analysis exclusively to Congress, employing several hundred analysts, attorneys, and information professionals. CRS reports, requested by members and committees, cover every policy area from defense to healthcare to technology. The Copyright Office administers federal copyright law, registering claims, maintaining records, and advising Congress on copyright policy. The Law Library, with over 2.9 million volumes, serves as the world’s largest legal collection.
Historical Significance
The Library of Congress has preserved American cultural heritage while serving democratic governance. Its collections document American history through original manuscripts, including Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, and the papers of twenty-three presidents. The American Folklife Center has recorded traditional music, stories, and customs from across the nation. The National Film Registry preserves culturally significant motion pictures.
As the de facto national library, the institution has shaped American librarianship and information science. The Library of Congress Classification system, developed in the late nineteenth century, organizes knowledge for libraries worldwide. Its cataloging standards have become international norms. The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled provides accessible reading materials to hundreds of thousands of Americans. Leadership in digital preservation addresses the challenge of maintaining born-digital materials.
The Library’s role in copyright administration has made it central to debates over intellectual property. From the 1976 Copyright Act modernizing protection for the electronic age to ongoing controversies over digital rights management and fair use, the Copyright Office provides expertise while the Library implements deposit requirements. The balance between creator rights and public access remains contentious, with the Library positioned at the intersection of cultural preservation and commercial interests.
Key Developments
- 1800: Congress establishes the Library with $5,000 appropriation
- 1814: British troops burn original collection during War of 1812
- 1815: Congress purchases Thomas Jefferson’s 6,487-volume personal library
- 1870: Copyright law centralizes registration and deposit at Library of Congress
- 1897: Thomas Jefferson Building opens as Library’s first dedicated structure
- 1914: Legislative Reference Service (later CRS) established
- 1939: John Adams Building opens to house expanding collections
- 1965: James Madison Building authorized for further expansion
- 1980: American Folklife Center established by Congress
- 1988: National Film Preservation Board created
- 2000: Veterans History Project begins collecting oral histories
- 2010: National Digital Stewardship Alliance launched
- 2016: Carla Hayden becomes first woman and first African American Librarian of Congress
- 2023: Collections exceed 170 million items