Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is a grand and robust testament of scholarship in every academic field and has the most complete United States national archives. You can find information in every form available on a broad range of subjects.
According to its website: “The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov, and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.”
We recommend every student, teacher and librarian plan a visit to the LOC at least once. The building is an architectural masterpiece and the interior features numerous historic works of art. The LOC also makes millions of items easily accessible online for free.
Sample Item
An example of the vast online resources the LOC freely makes available to the public is an audio recording of a speech by author James Baldwin (the speech begins at 04:38, after he is welcomed by thunderous applause and a brief introduction). Click here to listen: https://www.loc.gov/item/88752473/. This speech is one of 25 million records accessible through the LOC website at https://www.loc.gov.
Center for the Book
The LOC is also the home of the Center for the Book (https://www.read.gov/cfb), which is a catalyst for the enjoyment of reading by all, founded in 1977 and long under the directorship of librarian and historian John Y. Cole. It spawned state-level Centers for the Book in several US states, beginning with the Florida Center for the Book, which was originally housed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
John Y. Cole is the author of several books, including and not limited to Encyclopedia of the Library of Congress: For Congress, the Nation & The World (2004) and America’s Greatest Library: An Illustrated History of the Library of Congress (2017).
The LOC is the third stop on our District of Columbia Trail.
Patricia Smart
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