- What materials are in the Library of
Congress collections?
- Where are the Library of Congress collections
stored?
- How do I find out if the Library of Congress
has the materials I need?
- Can I read the full text of books and journals
listed in the Library of Congress online catalog?
- Does the Library of Congress have the full text
of any of its collections available on the Internet?
- How can I read a book that is not available at
my library but is listed in the collections of the Library of
Congress?
- Can I ask reference questions of the Library
of Congress via email, letter, or telephone?
- Where can I find the full text of Congressional
bills online?
- Who is eligible to do research at the Library?
- Where can I find out about Library policies,
hours, services, and other information before coming to the
Library?
- How do I get to the Library of Congress?
- Do I need to register or pay a fee to use the
Library?
- Where do I go to begin to do research in the
Library?
- Does the Library offer any courses or training
for researchers?
- Once I've found materials in the catalog, where
do I go to see them?
- Can I set aside materials to use over more than
one day?
- Can I go into the stacks to browse or retrieve
materials?
- Are there restrictions on what sort of items
I can bring into the reading rooms?
- What online databases and indexes does the Library
make available to researchers on site?
- Can I make photocopies of materials at the Library?
- Can I borrow materials from the Library?
- Does the Library provide computer facilities
for word processing and other applications?
- Is there any place in the Library where I can
get change for photocopying or telephones?
- How can I identify and locate publisher addresses
for books and/or journals?
- Can I buy a book from the Library of Congress?
- How do I obtain information on an ISBN number
or an ISSN number?
- Can the Library of Congress tell me how much
my book is worth?
- What materials are in the Library
of Congress collections?
The Library has in its collections well over 100
million items, in hundreds of different languages and virtually
every format--not just books and journals, but also prints,
drawings, government documents, photographs, microforms, films,
sound and video recordings, manuscripts, and other formats.
As large and diverse as the Library's collections are, it
does not have every book ever published. While virtually all
subject areas are represented in the collections, the Library
does not attempt to collect comprehensively in the areas of
clinical medicine and technical agriculture, which are covered
by the National Library of Medicine and the National Agricultural Library, respectively.
Researchers should also note that the Library of Congress
is distinct from the National Archives, which is the major repository
for the official records of the United States government.
Back to Questions
- Where are the Library of Congress
collections stored?
Because of the extraordinary size and diversity
of the Library's collections, there is no one place for researchers
to access them. Most (but not all) of the Library's collections
are located in the three main buildings of the Library--the
Thomas Jefferson Building, James Madison Building, and John
Adams Building--near the U.S. Capitol. (The collections of
the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped are housed elsewhere; consult their web page
for more information.) Researchers coming to the Library can
access materials in over 20 public reading rooms in the Jefferson,
Adams, or Madison Buildings, depending on the format, subject,
or language of the materials they are using. Most researchers
use more than one reading room during their stay here. An
annotated list
of the Library's reading rooms is available on the Library
of Congress website, as is the full text of Information for Researchers, a
Library publication introducing prospective researchers to
Library policies and services.
Back to Questions
- How do I find out if the Library of
Congress has the materials I need?
There is no one resource which lists all of the
Library's holdings. Most of the Library's books, journals,
and microforms from 1968 to the present are listed in the
Library's online catalog. The online catalog also has partial
listings of some of the Library's non-book collections (e.g.
manuscripts, sound recordings, sheet music), and partial listings
of pre-1968 books, journals and microforms. You can search
the catalog via the Library
of Congress Catalogs web page. Library of Congress materials
are also listed in online bibliographic databases (e.g. OCLC,
RLIN), which are available at local libraries; consult your
local librarians for more information on these services.
Not all of the Library's collections are listed in the
online catalogs. The online catalog has only partial listings
for non-book materials, and for books and monographs older
than 1968. For older books, monographs, and serials, off-site
researchers can consult the various editions of the National
Union Catalog and the National Union List of
Serials, a listing of the holdings of many U.S. research
libraries including the Library of Congress. The National
Union Catalog is available at many local libraries.
The Library's main card catalog, which lists book and
journal holdings to the end of 1980, is located in the Main
Reading Room of the Thomas Jefferson Building (Room
100), and can only be searched on site. This is at present
the most reliable source of information for books and journals
older than 1968. Many of the Library's non-book materials
are listed in catalogs available only in the appropriate
Library of Congress reading room; consultation with reference
staff in the reading room is necessary to locate materials.
A list of the
Library's reading rooms, with information about their
collections and links to their web pages, is available on
the Library of Congress website.
Back to Questions
- Can I read the full text of books
and journals listed in the Library of Congress online catalog?
The files available through the online catalog provide
bibliographic information only. The full text of books and
journals is not available through the catalog. However, the
Library does make available the full text of some materials
via the Internet (see question "5" below).
Back to Questions
- Does the Library of Congress have
the full text of any of its collections available on the Internet?
Many Library
of Congress publications are available in full text online,
such as the Handbook for Latin American Studies and
Federal Research Division Country
Studies/Area Handbooks. Some of the Library's exhibitions are also available on the
Internet. The American
Memory project to present digitized versions of American
historical materials provides many examples of texts, photographs,
sound recordings, and other materials from our collections.
However, these are only a small percentage of the Library's
total holdings. Also, the Library provides full text of many
bibliographies
and guides to its collections.
Back to Questions
- How can I read a book that is not
available at my library but is listed in the collections of
the Library of Congress?
Many of the items listed in the Library of Congress
catalogs are available in other libraries. You can ask your
local librarian about interlibrary loan service from participating
libraries. Your library may be able to borrow a book from
the Library of Congress provided it is not available at any
other libraries.
Back to Questions
- Can I ask reference questions of
the Library of Congress via email, letter, or telephone?
Yes, the following provides guidance on our policy and
ways to communicate with us. The Library of Congress encourages
researchers to use local library
resources
first.
Your
local library
will
often be able to respond to your query more quickly than
the Library of Congress, and is better able to identify
and respond
to your specific and ongoing needs. In most cases, you
will find that the information you need is available at
your
local
library. Once you have exhausted local and regional resources,
you may seek the assistance of the Library of Congress
by using our online Ask A Librarian service at http://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/.
Your message should explain what resources you have already
consulted.
If you do not have Internet access, you may request
the Library's assistance by writing
a letter to the following address:
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE
Washington, D.C. 20540
For security reasons, all U.S. Postal Service and
private carrier mail is being screened off-site prior to
arrival
at the Library. This often causes delays in responding
to print correspondence. For this reason, we recommend
that researchers use the online
Ask
A LIbrarian
service.
The Library refers telephone reference questions to local
libraries, which in most cases will have the resources
to
answer those questions. Researchers with questions regarding
the Library's collections, services, and programs may
call
the Library of Congress operator at (202) 707-5000.
Back to Questions
- Where can I find the full text of
Congressional bills online?
The Library of Congress maintains the THOMAS legislative database. The full text of
bills is available for the 103rd Congress to the present.
For bills from previous Congresses and for government documents,
reports, and Congressional hearings, visit a Federal Depository
Library in your area. There is a database of Federal
Depository Libraries, searchable by state or area code,
available at the Government Printing Office website. Also,
your local librarian can give you the location of the depository
library in your Congressional district. There you can speak
with a government documents librarian.
Back to Questions
- Who is eligible to do research at
the Library?
The Library is open to all researchers above high
school age (18 years or older) possessing a valid photo identification
(e.g. driver's license, passport) with a current address.
High school students will be allowed to use the Library if
they meet all three of the following conditions:
- They have exhausted all local school, public, and university
library resources and have identified specific materials
available only at the Library of Congress. (This can be
determined by consulting a local librarian, and searching
the Library's website and catalogs).
- They have a letter from their principal describing in
detail their project and the specific materials they need
to use. However, having a principal's letter does not
guarantee the student access to the Library.
- They are interviewed by a reference librarian, who makes
the final determination as to whether or not the student's
project requires use of the Library's collections.
In virtually all cases, high school projects can be completed
using local libraries or interlibrary loan; the Library encourages
high school students to use these resources in their research.
Back to Questions
- Where can I find out about Library
policies, hours, services, and other information before coming
to the Library?
The Library has over 20 public reading rooms organized
by subject, language, or format of material. Hours and policies
vary for each. Each reading room has a web page with information
on its hours, access policies, and its collections. An annotated
list of the Library's reading rooms
is available on the Library of Congress website. You can also
find out about the Library in published sources such as the
American Library Directory (New York: R.R. Bowker,
published annually). Such sources are widely available in
local libraries. A recorded announcement of reading room hours
is available at (202) 707-6400.
Back to Questions
- How do I get to the Library of Congress?
The Library's three main buildings--the Thomas Jefferson
Building, James Madison Building, and John Adams Building--are
located on the 100 and 200 blocks of Independence Avenue SE
in Washington D.C. A map
of the Library of Congress buildings is available on the
Library's website. The Capitol South Metro station (First
and C Streets, S.E.) on the blue and orange subway lines is
across the street from the Madison Building. Information about
bus service is available by calling Metrobus at 202-637-7000;
several bus routes serve Capitol Hill. Union Station (for
the red subway line and for Amtrak and MARC trains) is five
blocks north of the Library. More information on subway and
bus service is available on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
home page at http://www.wmata.com.
Because parking facilties near the Library are extremely
limited, researchers are encouraged to use public transport.
Back to Questions
- Do I need to register or pay a fee
to use the Library?
A Library-issued Reader Identification card is required
of researchers using reading rooms in the Jefferson and Adams
Buildings; this requirement will be extended to Madison Building
reading rooms on Monday, March 6, 2000. The cards are currently
issued in the Reader Registration Station in Room LM 140 of
the Madison Building, near the Independence Avenue entrance.
More information on reader
registration is available in the Library publication Information for Researchers. Valid
photo identification with a current address is required for
reader registration. There is no fee for this service, nor
for use of the Library generally, although researchers have
to pay for photocopying and other services.
Back to Questions
- Where do I go to begin to do research
in the Library?
If after you have gotten your Reader Identification
card you are uncertain where to go to start your research,
you may seek reference assistance in the Main Reading Room (Room 100 in the Jefferson
Building). Many first-time researchers are referred to the
Main Reading Room to get oriented and plan their research
in consultation with a reference librarian. You may be referred
to another reading room, depending on the subject of your
research, or the format or language of the materials you are
using. In fact, many researchers need to visit reading rooms
in all three of the Library's main buildings to complete their
work.
Back to Questions
- Does the Library offer any courses
or training for researchers?
The Humanities and Social Sciences Division of
the Library offers a general research orientation to the
Library on most (but not all) Monday mornings from 10:30
a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and on some Monday evenings from 6:30
to 8:00 p.m. The orientations are held in Room G07 of the
Jefferson Building. A schedule and overview
of the research orientation classes is available in
the Library publication Information
for Researchers. The schedule for research orientations
can also be heard on a recorded message at (202) 707-4608.
Advance registration is required for all classes; to register,
call (202) 707-3370 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET
Monday
through Friday.
Back to Questions
- Once I've found materials in the
online or card catalogs, where do I go to see them?
With a few exceptions, the Library's collections
of books, journals, and other materials are in closed stacks,
and must be retrieved for researchers, who fill out call slips
to request the materials they need. Most of the Library's
general collection of books and journals is in the closed
stacks of the Jefferson and Adams Buildings; specialized collections
of books and other materials are in closed stacks in all three
main Library buildings, or are stored off-site. Delivery times
vary with the different reading rooms, ranging from a few
minutes to the next business day. You should consult the various
reading room home pages for more information on delivery of
materials. An annotated list
of the Library's reading rooms is available on the Library
of Congress website. Detailed information
on requesting materials in the Main and Science Reading
Rooms is also available in the Library publication Information
for Researchers. If you are not certain where to request
materials, consult a reference librarian.
All of the reading rooms have reference collections on
open shelves, where researchers may retrieve materials for
themselves and use them in the reading room. However, these
materials represent only a small fraction of the Library's
holdings.
In some cases, researchers may call ahead to have materials
retrieved from the closed stacks before their arrival at
the Library (e.g. if they have to coming from outside the
metropolitan Washington D.C. area, or if they have a large
amount of material to be retrieved). More information on advance
reserve is available in Information
for Researchers.
Back to Questions
- Can I set aside materials to use
over more than one day?
After materials are returned from use in the reading
rooms, it takes up to one week before they are reshelved and
ready for retrieval again. However, researchers may hold up
to five books for three days in the Three-Day Reserve areas.
Such areas are located in the Main Reading Room, in the Center
Room, Adams Building, fifth floor, and in the Local History
and Genealogy Reading Room. Each three-day reserve slip must
be completed with the researcher's name and the date of the
first day of reserve.
Other reading rooms may allow researchers to reserve materials
for future use. For more information, consult the appropriate
reading room home page. An annotated list of the Library's reading rooms
is available on the Library of Congress website.
Back to Questions
- Can I go into the stacks to browse
or retrieve materials?
Access to the closed stacks is not permitted under
any circumstances, except to authorized Library staff. Only
the reading room reference collections are on open shelves.
Back to Questions
- Are there restrictions on what sort
of items I can bring into the reading rooms?
Most of the Library's reading rooms have some restrictions
as to what items a researcher may bring with them. In June
1998, the Main Reading Room implemented new restrictions on
the type of items researchers can bring into the reading room
as a means of enhancing the security of the collections used
therein; these restrictions will be extended to Madison Building
reading rooms on January 10 or shortly thereafter, and in
the Adams Building reading rooms in the near future. Policies
differ for the various reading rooms; researchers should consult
the various reading room home pages for more details (an annotated
list of the Library's reading rooms
is available on the Library of Congress website). A cloakroom
is provided in the Jefferson Building near the 1st Street
entrance. Some reading rooms also provide lockers for researchers
to secure their belongings.
Back to Questions
- What online databases and indexes
does the Library make available to researchers on site?
The Library subscribes to two database services,
OCLC FirstSearch and EUREKA, which offer indexes to journals,
information on library holdings, and other online resources
in a wide range of subject areas. Workstations for searching
these services are available in many of the Library's reading
rooms. The Library does not offer access to these services
off-site, but they are widely available at public and academic
libraries. The Library also subscribes to a number of Internet-based
databases and full-text journal services, which are searchable
on any of the public Internet workstations in the Library's
reading rooms. Many of the reading rooms have networks of
CD-ROM databases and other online subscription services. Titles
in the Main Reading Room CD-ROM network,
online
newspaper indexes and full-text
journals in the Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading
Room, and Science Reading Room
database titles are all listed on the appropriate reading
room home page. Other reading rooms have their own CD-ROM
and other database resources; consult the appropriate reading
room home page for more information. An annotated list
of the Library's reading rooms is available on the Library
of Congress website. Please note that these resources are
available only on site.
Back to Questions
- Can I make photocopies of materials
at the Library?
The Library's reading rooms have differing policies
regarding the photocopying of materials. Some reading rooms
restrict self-service photocopying on certain categories of
material, based on preservation and security policies. It
is best to consult staff in the appropriate reading room for
specific information on its photocopying policy; an annotated
list of the Library's reading rooms
is available on the Library of Congress website.
Self-service coin-operated and debit card-operated copiers
and change machines are available to serve researchers in
most reading rooms. Prices vary depending on the material
to be copied and the machine to be used. To purchase a debit
card for copying, a one-dollar bill may be required on some
machines; value can be added to these cards with any denomination
up to $20. Also, Visa and Mastercard are accepted by some
of the debit card vending machines.
The Library's Photoduplication
Service can provide a wide range of reproductions of
items from the Library's collections. The ability of the
Library to furnish reproductions is subject to copyright
law and certain other restrictions; however, every effort
will be made to fulfill requests. Please provide specific
citations (title, author, number of pages, and LC call number)
for materials you wish copied. There is a minimum charge
of $10. The Photoduplication Service is open 8:45 A.M. to
4:45 P.M. ET Monday through Friday. Further information
about products, services, and prices can be obtained by
contacting:
Photoduplication Service
Library of Congress
John Adams Building, Room LA-120
Washington, D.C. 20540-4570
Phone 202-707-5640, Fax 202-707-1771,
Email photoduplication@loc.gov
Back to Questions
- Can I borrow materials from the Library?
The Library of Congress does not loan materials
to individuals, who must use Library materials on site. In
certain instances, the Library sends out materials to local
libraries on interlibrary loan. This process must be initiated
at your local library.
Back to Questions
- Does the Library provide computer
facilities for word processing and other applications?
While researchers may bring laptop computers into
the Main Reading Room and some of the other public reading
rooms, the Library does not provide computing facilities for
word processing and other software applications. Computer
workstations in the public reading rooms are for catalog,
database, and Internet searching only.
Back to Questions
- Is there any place in the Library
where I can get change for photocopying or telephones?
Some of the reading rooms and vending machine areas
have change machines primarily for $1 bills. The Photoduplication
Service (Room 120, Adams Building) is the only place in the
Library where you can get change for bills larger than $5.
Please note that the Photoduplication Service is only open
9:00 A.M. to 4:45 P.M. ET Monday through Friday. During evenings
and weekends, there is no place in the Library where you can
get change for bills larger than $5.
Back to Questions
- How can I identify and locate publisher
addresses for books and/or journals?
Local libraries have specialized reference sources
in their collections which identify the addresses of publishers.
Speak with your local librarian for specific sources.
Back to Questions
- Can I buy a book from the Library
of Congress?
The Library of Congress does not sell books from
its collections. See your local librarian or a book dealer
in your area to find information on how to purchase books;
or consult an online database with information on purchasing
books, such as Bookfinder.com.
The Library does photocopy materials from its collections
within copyright guidelines; see above under question "20"
for more information on photocopying materials.
The Library's sales
shops sell Library of Congress publications and other
items.
Back to Questions
- How do I obtain information on obtaining
an ISBN or an ISSN?
Information about ISBNs may be obtained from the
R.R. Bowker Company, 630 Central Avenue, New Providence, NJ
07974. Tel: 877-310-7333 Fax: 908-665-2895. They also maintain
an ISBN web page. Information
about ISSN numbers may be obtained from the National Serials
Data Program, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-4160.
The telephone number is 202-707-6452. Recorded information
is available at this telephone number 24 hours a day. The
National Serials Data Program also maintains an ISSN
Web Page. You may email inquiries to issn@loc.gov.
- Can the Library of Congress tell
me how much a book is worth?
The Library of Congress does not provide individuals
with information on the current market value of books. Such
a search would require extensive examination of published
sources, and the results would not necessarily indicate the
price that the item in your possession would bring in the
market. Standard reference sources on book prices, available
in most large libraries, contain records of auction sales
and may list pertinent transactions. See a reference librarian
at your local library for assistance.
Many used and rare book dealers often provide valuation
of books. Internet book databases such as Bookfinder.com
also provide price information for used or rare books. More
information on rare books and book values can be found on
the "Your Old Books" website, maintained
by the Rare Books and
Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and
Research Libraries.
Back to Questions
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