Comments on: How Big Is The Library of Congress?

By: Hastings

Hastings — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:40:00 +0000

Only government building project to come in under budget! Make sure to check out the Rotunda…you won’t be able to stop staring. See how many different “occupational” cherubs you can find. All are intended to represent some occupation or technology (see if you recognize the telephone being used by one). The Library actually consists of three buildings, the Adams, the Jefferson and the Madison, but you can access all three via underground tunnels. The original collection of Law books and such actually burned and they purchased Thomas Jefferson’s extensive collection of books from him. Because his collection was so eclectic, the LOC decided to continue the trend. It contains the widest variety of items in the world.
@ Lynn: The Library does hold copyright items, so it’s possible they hold every book published AFTER COPYRIGHT. I know they have a copy of every film made in the US, though they are held at a different site elsewhere in Virginia.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:23:00 +0000

The LOC is not a circulating library. A LOC card grants you access to the collection and to read within the library, however you can’t take a book out of the library UNLESS you happen to be a member of Congress, the Supreme Court or have a nice office in the West Wing, you will not be able to take the Goblet of Fire out of the building.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:55:00 +0000

I’ve never been there, but I must ask, would people be able to go there to check out a book? Just like if a kid wanted a Harry Potter book, could he just stop by the Library and grab it?
Haha, recaptcha: 56,060 crawled, I dunno why, but that’s amusing…

By: Lynn

Lynn — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:38:00 +0000

When I was in elementary school (the same institution that tells you that Abraham Lincoln never told a lie and the Pilgrims and the Indians were BFFs, with somber conviction) I was told that the LoC contains a copy of every book published in the US. Is this true or convenient hyperbole they told me to impress the fact that the LoC has a lot of books?

By: PJ

PJ — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:36:00 +0000

I’m going to DC for the first time in about 3 weeks, with my family, and I think I’ll take the advice and check out the tour. I’ll see how much I can cram into 5 days…

By: Wendy

Wendy — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:55:00 +0000

One summer my husband was working in DC and I went down to visit him. He had a break, so one morning he went to the Supreme Court to hear an argument and I went and got my own LoC card (it’s crazy- I had to give them so much information AND tell them my purpose for being there before I could get one). I still have the card and yes, I know that makes me a nerd. Can you tell that my husband became a lawyer and I became an English teacher by this vacation story?

By: Becca

Becca — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:20:00 +0000

They host some of the best (and cheapest as you typically only have to pay for the ticket’s processing fee) chamber music performances in the DC area. Its a beautiful building as well.

By: Julia

Julia — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:09:00 +0000

We went on a family vacation to the area solely to see the Wizard of Oz exhibit they had in 2000. (Ok, we also visited family in New Jersey on the same trip, but the story’s better the other way.) I also went there the last time I was in the area which was crucial since now I’m a librarian.

By: Troy H.

Troy H. — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:42:00 +0000

Some information about what is involved in seeing some of the rare books would be interesting. Can any joe schmoe walk in there and listen to a recording?

I’ll have to check it out when I’m in the area in a month or so.

Recaptcha: large 828,740,913

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:16:00 +0000

As a student in DC (Go Colonials) I used to do research at the LoC. It is a great experience doing homework in the LoC reading room. Many times I ended up being part of the tour.