Library of the Congress

The Bibliothèque of the Congress ( Library off Congress in English) provides the function of National library for the the United States. It is located at Washington.

History

The Bibliothèque of the Congrès was founded in 1800 by the president John Adams at the same time as the transfer of the seat of the government of Philadelphia in Washington, cd. It is for this reason the oldest federal cultural institution in this country.

It was destroyed by the British troops in 1814: it sheltered 3000 volumes then. With died by the president Thomas Jefferson, it grew rich by its personal collections.

At the 19th century, the Library of the Congress is installed in a wing of Capitole where it is victim of a fire in 1851. It is in 1870 that it becomes Registration of copyright in the United States.

With the passing of years, it enriched its collection at the point to exceed of many works the collections located in Europe.

At the end of November 2005, the library announced the future launching of the project World DIGITAL Library, aiming at preserving under digital form the books and others Média S of the various world cultures.

In January 2006, its librarian ( The Librarian off Congress ) is the doctor James H. Billington. It was named by President Ronald Reagan in April 1987 and is for this reason the 13th librarian of the Congress.

Description

With more than 128 million documents, it is most important of the world and also the oldest federal institution in the United States. The library is distributed on three buildings, all in Washington:

In 2003, its financial resources were of 540 million dollars. 4800 agents work in the 350  000  m ² of the library and 850 km of shelves are intended for the universal knowledge.

Today, its collection includes in particular:

  • 29 million printed books and others (three times reserves of the National library of France)
  • 58 million Handwritten S
  • 12 million Photography S
  • 9 million photographs
  • 4,8 million plans and charts
  • 2,7 million discs

Its classification is essential in the world in spite of imperfections. The very bulky character of its catalog, the importance of its financial means and the professionalism of its teams are recognized. But they do not prevent it from having serious deficiencies, notorious in the bibliophilic spheres. As much it is remarkable as much for all that relates to the America S, the Europe and the political sciences, its weaknesses appear quickly as soon as it is about the Orient or of the the Middle East.

For lack of place, it develops a vast campaign of Numérisation of its documents. It undertakes research on the conservation of those and applies in this moment of important means to the Désacidification of paper of Bois produces at the 19th century.

Access

The library is opened with the public for research and visits are organized. Only the people having a chart of identification of reader ( Reader Identification Card ), available to Madison building, can reach the rooms of reading and the collection. This chart can be acquired by any person being 18 years old minimum on presentation of an official document having a photograph (like the Permis to lead, the indentity cards of a State or a Passeport).

Only the members of the Congress of the United States and their teams, certain official of the government and the members of the Supreme court and their assistants can borrow books. Agreements with college libraries can be make to exchange documents, provided that no institution of the United States needs some.

Its treasures

Rare editions Greek authors (Hérodote…), Latin (Lucrèce…), reappearing (Copernic, Vésale, Vasari) and French (Descartes, Bossuet, Montesquieu, inter alia) there is present. The Historien S can find there Manuscrit S medieval like the Institutes (13th century), the Usual Grand of Normandy illustrated (about 1500).

It preserves the largest Western collection of Incunable S (two thirds of the known European incunables); in particular, one of the three Bibles of Gutenberg printed in 1454-1455 and estimated at 200000 $ the specimen, rests in the building. Is also present the first complete edition of the Encyclopédie of Diderot.

It has old charts, like the first Géographie of Ptolémée published in Venice in 1475.

Data-processing management

The library of the Congress is best equipped in the world in computing systems. It established the Format MARC, a standard of communications for the exchange of Donnée S bibliographical.

Librarians of the Congress

The post of librarian of the Congress was created in 1802. It is allotted to life, by the President of the United States, on council and with the agreement of the Sénat of the United States. The Congress obtained this right only in 1897. Here the list of the librarians of the Congress:
  1. John James Beckley (1802 - 1807)
  2. Patrick Magruder (1807 - 1815)
  3. George Watterston (1815 - 1829)
  4. John Silva Meehan (1829 - 1861)
  5. John Gould Stephenson (1861 - 1864)
  6. Ainsworth Rand Spofford (1864 - 1897)
  7. John Russell Young (1897 - 1899)
  8. Herbert Putnam (1899 - 1939)
  9. Archibald MacLeish (1939 - 1944)
  10. Luther H. Evans (1945 - 1953)
  11. Lawrence Quincy Mumford (1954 - 1974)
  12. Daniel J. Boorstin (1975 - 1987)
  13. James H. Billington (since 1987)

References

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