Identity area
Identifier
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Other form(s) of name
Type
- International
- Community
Contact area
Type
Address
Street address
Locality
Region
Country name
Postal code
Telephone
Fax
URL
Note
Description area
History
In 1800, as part of an act of Congress providing for the removal of the new national government from Philadelphia to Washington, President John Adams approved an act of Congress providing $5,000 for books for the use of Congress—the beginning of the Library of Congress. A Joint Congressional Committee—the first joint committee—would furnish oversight. In 1802, President Thomas Jefferson approved a legislative compromise that made the job of Librarian of Congress a presidential appointment, giving the Library of Congress a unique relationship with the American Presidency. Jefferson named the first two Librarians of Congress, each of whom also served as the clerk of the House of Representatives.
The 20th century would see that magnificent building welcome increased staff, diverse multimedia collections and a steady stream of new patrons. Most of this progress was shaped by Herbert Putnam, who was appointed Librarian of Congress in 1899, as the country entered the Progressive Era.
With President Roosevelt’s endorsement, a vote of confidence through an increased annual budget from Congress and the space provided by an attractive new annex building (today known as the John Adams Building), Putnam pursued his plan with what others described as “energetic nationalism.” The result, between 1901 and 1928, was a series of new national library services, research publications, and catalogs, cultural functions and new offices.
Having weathered two world wars, expanded its collections and constructed a second building, the Library of Congress approached the 1960s on firm footing. Challenges lay ahead, however, for a new global era of growth was underway. In response, the Library gradually took on a new international role. Hallmarks of the period were a continuation of post-World War II interest in international affairs (especially in relations with Soviet Union, Africa and Asia), accelerated technological change in all walks of life, and increased funding for libraries and research materials in the United States and abroad.
In 2016, President Barack Obama nominated librarian Carla Hayden, chief executive officer of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland, to be the 14th Librarian of Congress. The first woman and African-American to serve as Librarian, she inherited a unique, global institution, widely known for its free, non-partisan service to Congress, librarians, scholars, and the public—in the United States and around the world.
Geographical and cultural context
Mandates/Sources of authority
Administrative structure
Records management and collecting policies
Buildings
Holdings
Finding aids, guides and publications
Access area
Opening times
Access conditions and requirements
Accessibility
Services area
Research services
Reproduction services
Public areas
Control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
ISDIAH, 1st edition, 2008. Available online: https://www.ica.org/en/isdiah-international-standard-describing-institutions-archival-holdings
Date format: ISO 8601, 2nd edition, 2000.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Entry prepared in December 2021 and revised in January 2022
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
The historical section includes complete passages from the Libray of Congress website : Library of Congress, "History of the Library of Congress", [Online], accessed in December 2021. URL: https://www.loc.gov/about/history-of-the-library/
Maintenance notes
Entry prepared by Archival City