The Library of Congress was established under the law approved April 24, 1800, appropriating $5,000 "for the purchase of such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress' (2 Stat. 56). The Library's scope of responsibility has been widened by subsequent legislation (2 U.S.C. 131-168d). The Librarian, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, directs the Library.

Supported mainly by the appropriations of Congress, the Library also has the use of the income from funds received from foundations and other private sources and administered by the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board; it has the use also of gifts of money presented for direct application (2 U.S.C. 154-163).

Under the organic law, the Library's first responsibility is service to Congress. One department, the Congressional Research Service, functions exclusively for the legislative branch of the Government. As the Library has developed, its range of service has come to include the entire governmental establishment in all its branches and the public at large, so that it has become a national library for the United States.

Functions and Activities

Collections The Library's extensive collections are universal in scope. They include books and pamphlets on every subject and in a multitude of languages. Among them are the most comprehensive collections of Chinese, Japanese, and Russian language books outside Asia and the Soviet Union; volumes relating to science and legal materials outstanding for American and foreign law; the world's largest collection

of published aeronautical literature; and the most extensive collection of books printed before 1501 A.D. in the Western Hemisphere.

The manuscript collections relate to manifold aspects of American history and civilization and include the personal papers of most of the Presidents from George Washington through Calvin Coolidge. The music collections contain volumes and pieces-manuscript and published from classic works to the newest popular compositions. Other materials available for research include maps and views; photographic records from the daguerreotype to the latest news photo; recordings, including folksongs and other music, speeches, and poetry readings; prints, drawings, and posters; government documents, newspapers, and periodicals from all over the world; and motion pictures, microforms, and audio and video tapes. Reference Resources Admission to the various research facilities of the Library is free. No introduction or credentials are required for persons over high school age who wish to read in the general reading rooms; however, certain collections, like those of the Manuscript, Rare Book and Special Collections, and Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Divisions, can be used only by those with a serious purpose for doing so. As demands for service to Congress and Federal Goverment agencies permit, limited reference service is available through correspondence. The Library must, however, decline some requests with the suggestion that a library within the correspondent's area can provide satisfactory assistance. While priority is given to inquiries pertaining to its

holdings of special materials or to subjects in which its resources are unique, the Library does attempt to provide helpful responses to all inquirers. Copyrights Since 1870 the Library has been responsible for copyrights, which are now registered by the Copyright Office (acts of July 8, 1870 (16 Stat. 212-217), February 19, 1897 (29 Stat. 545), March 4, 1909, as codified and amended, and October 19, 1976 (90 Stat. 2541)). All copyrightable works, whether published or unpublished, are subject to a system of statutory protection which gives the copyright owner certain exclusive rights, including the right to reproduce the copyrighted work in copies or phonorecords and distribute them to the public by sale, rental, lease, or lending. Works of authorship include books, periodicals, and other literary works, musical compositions, song lyrics, dramas and dramatico-musical compositions, pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works, pantomimes and choreographic works, motion pictures and other audiovisual works, and sound recordings. Extension of Service The Library extends its service through an interlibrary loan system; the photoduplication, at reasonable cost, subject to conditions of law, copyright, and deposit of books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, and prints in its collections; the sale of sound recordings, which are released by its Recording Laboratory; the exchange of duplicates with other institutions; the sale of printed catalog cards and magnetic tapes and the publication in book format or microform of cumulative catalogs, which make available the results of the expert bibliographical and cataloging work of its technical personnel; a centralized cataloging program whereby the Library of Congress acquires material published all over the world, catalogs it promptly, and distributes cataloging information in machine-readable form as well as by printed cards and other means to the Nation's libraries; a cooperative cataloging program (NACO) whereby cataloging of data by name authority and bibliographic records, prepared by other libraries, becomes part of the Library of

Congress data base and is distributed through the MARC Distribution Service; a cataloging-in-publication program in cooperation with American publishers for printing cataloging information in current books; the National Serials Data Program, the national center that maintains a record of serial titles to which International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSN) have been assigned and serves, with this file, as the United States Register; and the development of scientific schemes of classification (Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal), subject headings, and cataloging, embracing the entire field of printed matter.

Furthermore, the Library provides for the preparation of bibliographical lists. responsive to the needs of Government and research; the maintenance and the publication of The National Union Catalogs and other cooperative publications; the publication of catalogs, bibliographical guides, and lists, and of texts of original manuscripts and rare books in the Library of Congress; the circulation in traveling exhibits of items from the Library's collections; and the provision of books in raised type and "talking book" records, as well as books on tape, for the blind and the physically handicapped through 159 cooperating libraries throughout the United States. American Folklife Center The American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress, established by the American Folklife Preservation Act (89 Stat. 1129; 20 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.), approved January 2, 1976, has a coordinative function both in and outside the Federal Establishment to carry out appropriate programs to support, preserve, and present American folklife through such activities as the collection and maintenance of archives, scholarly research, field projects, performances, exhibitions, festivals, workshops, publications, and audiovisual presentations. The Center is directed by a Board of Trustees consisting of four members appointed by the President from Federal agencies, four each appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the

House from private life, and five ex
officio members: the Librarian of
Congress, the Secretary of the
Smithsonian Institution, the Chairmen of
the National Endowment for the Arts and
the National Endowment for the
Humanities, and the Director of the
Center.

The Center has conducted a number
of projects, such as the ethnic
communities of Chicago, IL; southern
Georgia; a ranching community in
northern Nevada; the Blue Ridge
Parkway in southern Virginia and
northern North Carolina; the State of
Rhode Island; and a survey of folklife
resources in Montana. The projects have
provided large collections of recordings
and photographs which are being
incorporated into the Library's
collections. The Center administers the
Federal Cylinder Project, which is
charged with preserving and
disseminating music and oral traditions
recorded on wax cylinders dating from
the late 1800's to the early 1940's. The
Cultural Conservation Study was
developed at the Center, in cooperation
with the Department of the Interior,
pursuant to a congressional mandate.
Various conferences, workshops, and
symposiums are given throughout the
year. A series of outdoor concerts of
traditional music are scheduled monthly
at the Library, April through September.

The Folklife Center News, a quarterly
newsletter, and other informational
publications are available upon request.
Phone, 202-287-6590.

Archive of Folk Culture, a subdivision
of the American Folklife Center,
maintains and administers an extensive
collection of folk music and lore in
published and unpublished forms. It is a
national repository for folk-related
recordings, manuscripts, and raw
materials. The Archive reading room
contains over 3,500 books and
periodicals; a sizable collection of
magazines, newsletters, unpublished
theses, and dissertations; field notes; and
many textual and some musical
transcriptions and recordings.

For further information, call 202-287-6590.

Center for the Book The Center for
the Book was established in the Library
of Congress by an act of Congress
approved October 17, 1977 (91 Stat.
1151, 2 U.S.C. 171 et seq.), to provide a
program for investigating the transmission
of human knowledge and to heighten
public interest in the role of books and
printing in the diffusion of knowledge.
Drawing on the resources of the Library
of Congress, the Center works closely
with other organizations to explore
important issues in the book and
educational communities, to encourage
reading, and to encourage research about
books and about reading. Its goal is to
serve as a useful catalyst by bringing
together authors, publishers, librarians,
booksellers, educators, scholars, and
readers to discuss common concerns and
work toward the solution of common
problems.

Except for basic administrative support
provided by the Library of Congress, the
Center and its activities are privately
funded. Over 130 citizens serve on its
National Advisory Board. Three
committees reflect its primary concerns:
the book in contemporary society,
nationally and internationally; reading
and book promotion; and the history of
books. Major Center for the Book
conferences have dealt with "Television,
the Book, and the Classroom," "Reading
in America," "The Textbook in American
Education," and "Public Lending Rights."
For further information, call 202-287-5221.
National Preservation Program The
Library provides technical information
related to the preservation and
restoration of library and archival
material. A series of leaflets on various
preservation and conservation topics has
been prepared by the Preservation
Office. Information and publications are
available from the Preservation Office,
Library of Congress, Washington, DC
20540. Phone, 202-287-5213.

Sources of Information

Contracts Persons seeking to do
business with the Library of Congress
should contact the Procurement and

Supply Division, Library of Congress,
Landover Center Annex, 1701 Brightseat
Road, Landover, MD 20785. Phone,
202-287-8605.

Publications A list of Library of
Congress Publications in Print, many of
which are of interest to the general
public, is available free upon application
to the Central Services Division, Library
of Congress, Washington, DC 20540. A
monthly Calendar of Events, listing
programs and exhibits at the Library of
Congress, can be mailed regularly to
persons requesting it from the same
office.

Employment Employment inquiries and
applications (on Standard Form 171,
Application for Federal Employment)
should be directed to the Recruitment
and Placement Office, Library of
Congress, Washington, DC 20540.
Potential applicants are encouraged to
visit the Employment Office, Room LM-
107, 101 Independence Avenue SE.,
where current vacancy announcements
and application forms are available. A
recorded announcement on 202-287-
5295 provides general information on the
employment process.

Books for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped Talking and braille books
and magazines are distributed through
159 regional and subregional libraries to
blind and physically handicapped
residents of the United States and its
territories. Information is available at
public libraries throughout the United
States and from the headquarters office,
National Library Service for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped, Library of
Congress, 1291 Taylor Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20542. Phone, 202-
287-5100.

Copyright Service Information about
the copyright law (title 17 of the United
States Code), the method of securing
copyright, and registration procedures
may be obtained by writing to the
Copyright Office, Library of Congress,
Washington, DC 20559. Phone, 202-
287-8700. Registration application forms
may be ordered by calling the forms
hotline at 202-287-9100. Reports on
copyright facts found in the records of
the Copyright Office may be obtained for

a fee of $10 an hour; any member of the
public, however, may use without charge
the Copyright Card Catalog in the
Copyright Office. The Copyright Office is
located in Room LM-401, James
Madison Memorial Building, 101
Independence Avenue SE., Washington,
DC 20540.

Cataloging Data Distribution
Cataloging and bibliographic information
in the form of printed catalog cards,
microfiche catalogs, book catalogs,
magnetic tapes, bibliographies, and other
technical publications is distributed to
libraries and other institutions. Kits
describing the procedure for ordering
materials are available from the
Cataloging Distribution Service, Library of
Congress, Washington, DC 20541.
Phone, 202-287-6171. (Library of
Congress card numbers for new
publications are now assigned by the
Cataloging in Publication Division. Direct
inquiries to CIP Division, Library of
Congress, Washington, DC 20540.
Phone, 202-287-6372.)
National Referral Center The National
Referral Center directs those who have
questions concerning any subject to
organizations that can provide the
answers. A special subject-indexed
referral data base is maintained for this
purpose. Requests for referral service
should be directed to Research Services,
National Referral Center, Library of
Congress, Washington, DC 20540.
Phone, 202-287-5670.

Photoduplication Service Copies of
manuscripts, prints, photographs, maps,
and book material not subject to
copyright and other restrictions are
available for a fee. Order forms for
photoreproduction and price schedules
are available from the Photoduplication
Service, Library of Congress, Washington,
DC 20540. Phone, 202-287-5640.
Reference and Bibliographic Services
Guidance is offered to readers in the
identification and use of the material in
the Library's collections, and reference
service in answer to inquiries is offered
to those who have exhausted local,
State, and regional resources. Persons
requiring services which cannot be
performed by the Library staff can be

supplied with names of private researchers who work on a fee basis. Requests for information should be directed to the General Reading Rooms Division, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540. Phone, 202287-5522.

Research and Reference Services in Science and Technology Reference specialists in the Science and Technology Division answer without charge brief technical inquiries entailing a bibliographic response. Of special interest is a technical report collection exceeding 3 million titles; most of these are in microform and are readily accessible for viewing in the Science

Reading Room. Requests for reference service should be directed to the Science and Technology Division, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540. Phone, 202-287-5639.

An informal series of reference guides is issued by the Science and Technology Division under the general title LC Science Tracer Bullet. These guides are designed to help a reader begin to locate published material on a subject about which he or she has only general knowledge. For a list of available titles, write to the Reference Section, Science and Technology Division, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540. Phone, 202-287-5580.