Library of Congress

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Contact Information
E-mail: Ask a Librarian

Address:


 * 101 Independence Ave. SE
 * Thomas Jefferson Building, LJ G4
 * Washington, D.C. 20540-4660

Telephone: Reading Room: 202-707-5537 Fax:  202-707-1957

Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:30am - 9:30pm


 * Tuesday, Friday, Saturday 8:30am - 5:00pm
 * Closed Sundays and federal holidays

Public transportation, maps, and directions:


 * Exit Metro Orange or Blue Line Capitol South subway statiion, go one block north past the LC Madison Bldg. and across Independence Ave.,then most of a block east to the southeast LC Jefferson Bldg. entrance.
 * map of the location in the city
 * map of the Thomas Jefferson building
 * Local History &amp; Genealogy Reading Room is in southeast corner, Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Bldg.

Internet sites and databases:


 * LC Local History and Genealogy Reading Room Internet Site
 * Library of Congress Catalog Online
 * Internet Subscription Services List

Collection Description
Established in 1800, the original small library was destroy during the British invasion of 1814. A month later Thomas Jefferson offered his own personal library of 6,487 books as a replacement. Since becoming the U.S. copyright repository it has grown to the largest library in the world. It serves both houses of Congress, and is open to the public.

Library of Congress, Washington, DC, Local History and Genealogy Reading Room is part of the world's largest library including 50,000 genealogies, 100,000 local histories, rich in collections of manuscripts, microfilms, maps, newspapers, photographs, and published material, strong in North American, British Isles, and German sources

The Local History and Genealogy Reading Room has one of the world's premier collections of U.S. and foreign genealogical and local historical publications.

Tips

 * Before a visit to the LH&amp;G Reading Room, be sure to read Before You Begin about obtaining a Reader I.D. Card.

Guides

 * James C. Neagles, and Mark C. Neagles, The Library of Congress : a Guide to Genealogical and Historical Research (Salt Lake City, Utah : Ancestry Pub., c1990) [FHL Book 973 D23ne].

Substitute Repositories
If you cannot visit or find a record at the, a similar record may be available at one of the following.

Similar Collections


 * Family History Library, Salt Lake City, 450 computers, 3,400 databases, 3.1 million microforms, 4,500 periodicals, 310,000 books of worldwide family and local histories, civil, church, immigration, ethnic, military, Mormon records.
 * Allen County Public Library (Indiana) has a premier genealogical periodical collection, genealogies, local histories, databases, military, censuses, directories, passenger lists, American Indians, African Americans, Canadians.
 * New York City Public Library international genealogy, heraldry, personal and family names (in Roman alphabets), family papers, Dorot Jewish collection, maps, periodicals, American history at national, state, and local levels.
 * New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, national scope, 100 million name databases, 200,000 books, 100,000 microfilms, 20 million manuscrpt pages, vital records, periodicals for U.S., Canada, &amp; Britsh Isles.
 * Newberry Library a large Chicago repository with genealogies, local histories, censuses, military, land, indexes, vital records, court, and tax records mostly from the Mississippi Valley, eastern seaboard, Canada, &amp; British Isles.
 * California State Library - Sutro, San Francisco, best west coast genealogy collection for states outside California, 7,000 family histories. 35,000 local histories and vital records, federal census microfilms, and Mexican history.
 * Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center, Independence, MO, national censuses/indexes, 80,000 family histories, 100,000 local histories, 565,000 microfilms, 7,000 maps, and extensive newspaper clippings.
 * St. Louis County Library, mostly Missouri, but includes St. Louis Genealogical, and National Genealogical Societys' collections, online databases, federal censuses, African American records, &amp; access to LDS microfilms.

Neighboring Collections


 * National Archives I
 * National Archives II
 * DAR
 * DC Vital Records Office
 * Library and Archives Canada
 * MD State Archives
 * VA State Library