    [United States Government Manual]
    [June 01, 2000]
    [Pages 54-60]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

    101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20540

    Phone, 202-707-5000. Internet, lcweb.loc.gov.
    Librarian of Congress                             James H. Billington
    Deputy Librarian of Congress                      Donald L. Scott
    Chief of Staff                                    JoAnn Jenkins
    Associate Librarian for Library Services          Winston Tabb
    Associate Librarian for Human Resources Services  Teresa Smith
    Director, Congressional Research Service          Daniel Mulhollan
    Register of Copyrights and Associate Librarian    Marybeth Peters
            for Copyright Services
    Law Librarian                                     Rubens Medina
    General Counsel                                   Elizabeth Pugh
    Inspector General                                 Dale C. Williams
    Chief, Loan Division                              L. Christopher Wright
    Library of Congress Trust Fund Board

    Chairman (Librarian of Congress)                  James H. Billington
    (Fiscal Assistant Secretary of the Treasury)      Donald V. Hammond

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    (U.S. Senator from Alaska and Chairman, Joint     Ted Stevens
            Committee on the Library)

    Appointive Members                                Wayne L. Berman, Edwin
                                                              L. Cox,
                                                              Patricia Duff,
                                                              Julie Finley,
                                                              Adele Hall,
                                                              John Henry,
                                                              Donald G.
                                                              Jones, John
                                                              Kluge, Ceil
                                                              Pulitzer,
                                                              Bernard
                                                              Rapoport

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States,
    offering diverse materials for research including the world's most
    extensive collections in many areas such as American history, music, and
    law.

    The Library of Congress was established by act of April 24, 1800 (2
    Stat. 56), appropriating $5,000 ``for the purchase of such books as may
    be necessary for the use of Congress . . . .'' 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.
        The Library's first responsibility is service to Congress. As the
    Library has developed, its range of service has come to include the
    entire governmental establishment and the public at large, making it a
    national library for the United States.

    Activities

    Collections  The Library's extensive collections are universal in scope.
    They include books, serials, and pamphlets on every subject and in a
    multitude of languages, and research materials in many formats,
    including maps, photographs, manuscripts, motion pictures, and sound
    recordings. Among them are the most comprehensive collections of
    Chinese, Japanese, and Russian language books outside Asia and the
    former 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
    in the Western Hemisphere of books printed before 1501 A.D.
        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. Readers must register by presenting valid photo
    identification with a current address and, for certain collections there
    are additional requirements. As demands for service to Congress and
    Federal Government agencies increase, reference service available
    through correspondence has become limited. The Library must decline some
    requests and refer correspondents to a library within their area that
    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  With the enactment of the second general revision of the
    U.S. copyright law by Act of July 8, 1870 (16 Stat. 212-217), all
    activities relating to copyright, including deposit and

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    registration, were centralized in the Library of Congress. The Copyright
    Act of 1976 (90 Stat. 2541) brought all forms of copyrightable
    authorship, both published and unpublished, under a single statutory
    system which gives authors protection immediately upon creation of their
    works. Exclusive rights granted to authors under the statute include the
    right to reproduce and prepare derivative works, distribute copies or
    phonorecords, perform and display the work publicly, and in the case of
    sound recordings, to perform the work publicly by means of a digital
    audio transmission. Works eligible for copyright include literary works
    (books and periodicals), musical works, dramatic works, pantomimes and
    choreographic works, pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works, motion
    pictures, sound recordings, vessel hull designs, mask works, and
    architectural works. Serving in its capacity as a national registry for
    creative works, the Copyright Office registers nearly 620,000 claims to
    copyright annually (representing more than 800,000 works) and is a major
    source of acquisitions for the universal collections of the Library of
    Congress. Most of the information available on paper is also accessible
    online, at www.loc.gov/copyright.
    Extension of Service  The Library extends its service through:
        --an interlibrary loan system;
        --the photoduplication, at reasonable cost, 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 CD-ROM cataloging tools 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 whereby the cataloging of data,
    by name authority and bibliographic records, prepared by other libraries
    becomes part of the Library of Congress database 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, a national center that
    maintains a record of serial titles to which International Standard
    Serial Numbers have been assigned and serves, with this file, as the
    United States Register; and
        --the development of general 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 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 exhibitions of items from the
    Library's collections;
        --the provision of books in braille, electronic access to braille
    books on the Internet, ``talking book'' records, and books on tape for
    the blind and the physically handicapped through 143 cooperating
    libraries throughout the Nation;
        --the distribution of its electronic materials via the Internet; and
        --the provision of research and analytical services on a fee-for-
    service basis to agencies in the executive and judicial branches.
    Congressional Research Service  The mission of the Congressional
    Research Service (CRS) is to provide to the Congress, throughout the
    legislative process, comprehensive and reliable legislative research,
    analysis, and

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    information services that are timely, objective, nonpartisan, and
    confidential, thereby contributing to an informed national legislature.
    In the past several years, CRS has responded to more than 500,000
    requests for services from the Congress annually. CRS evolved from the
    Legislative Reference Service, established in 1914 by an act of
    Congress.
        CRS provides multidisciplinary assistance to the Congress at every
    stage of the legislative process concerning subject areas relevant to
    policy issues before the Congress. Research at CRS ranges in the arears
    of American law; domestic social policy; foreign affairs, defense, and
    trade; government and finance; information research; and resources,
    science, and industry. In addition to responding to individual requests
    for information and analysis, CRS prepares products and services in
    anticipation of topics that likely will be on the legislative agenda,
    and develops and presents seminars that provide a forum for discussion
    among Members of Congress and their staffs, CRS specialists, and
    nationally recognized experts on important legislative issues.

    For further information, call 202-707-5700.

    American Folklife Center  The Center, which was established in the
    Library of Congress by Act of January 2, 1976 (20 U.S.C. 2102 et seq.).
    The Center supports, preserves, and presents American folklife by
    receiving and maintaining folklife collections, scholarly research,
    field projects, performances, exhibitions, festivals, workshops,
    publications, and audiovisual presentations. The Center has conducted
    projects in many locations across the country, 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; and the States of New Jersey, Rhode Island, and
    Montana. The projects have provided large collections of recordings and
    photographs for the Archive of Folk Culture. 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. A 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 symposia are given throughout the year.
        The Folklife Center News, a quarterly newsletter, and other
    informational publications are available upon request. Many Center
    publications and a number of collections are available online through
    the Internet, at lcweb.loc.gov/folklife.
        The American Folklife Center maintains and administers the Archive
    of Folk Culture, an extensive collection of ethnographic materials from
    this country and around the world. It is the national repository for
    folk-related recordings, manuscripts, and other unpublished materials.
    The Center's 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 202-707-5510.

    Center for the Book  The Center was established in the Library of
    Congress by an act of October 13, 1977 (2 U.S.C. 171 et seq.), to
    stimulate public interest in books, reading, and libraries, and to
    encourage the study of books and print culture. The Center is a catalyst
    for promoting and exploring the vital role of books, reading, and
    libraries--nationally and internationally. As a partnership between the
    Government and the private sector, the Center for the Book depends on
    tax-deductible contributions from individuals and corporations to
    support its programs.
        The Center's activities are directed toward the general public and
    scholars. The overall program includes reading promotion projects with
    television and radio networks, symposia, lectures, exhibitions, special
    events, and publications. More than 50 national educational and civic
    organizations

    [[Page 59]]

    participate in the Center's annual reading promotion campaign.
        Since 1984, 39 States and the District of Columbia have established
    statewide book centers that are affiliated with the Center for the Book
    in the Library of Congress. State centers plan and fund their own
    projects, involving members of the State's ``community of the book,''
    including authors, readers, prominent citizens, and public officials who
    serve as honorary advisers.

    For further information, contact the Center for the Book. Phone, 202-
    707-5221. Fax, 202-707-0269. E-mail, cfbook@loc.gov.

    National Film Preservation Board  The National Film Preservation Board,
    presently authorized by the National Film Preservation Act of 1996 (2
    U.S.C. 179), serves as a public advisory group to the Librarian of
    Congress. The Board works to ensure the survival, conservation, and
    increased public availability of America's film heritage, including
    advising the Librarian on the annual selection of films to the National
    Film Registry and counseling the Librarian on development and
    implementation of the national film preservation plan. Key publications
    are Film Preservation 1993: A Study of the Current State of American
    Film Preservation, Redefining Film Preservation: A National Plan, and
    Television and Video Preservation 1997: A Study of the Current State of
    American Television and Video Preservation.

    For further information, call 202-707-5912.

    Preservation  The Library provides technical information related to the
    preservation of library and archival material. A series of handouts on
    various preservation and conservation topics has been prepared by the
    Preservation Office. Information and publications are available from the
    Office of the Director for Preservation, Library of Congress,
    Washington, DC 20540-4500. Phone, 202-707-1840.

    Sources of Information

    Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped  Talking and braille
    books and magazines are distributed through 142 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 20542-4960. Phone, 202-
    707-5100.
    Cataloging Data Distribution  Cataloging and bibliographic information
    in the form of microfiche catalogs, book catalogs, magnetic tapes, CD-
    ROM cataloging tools, bibliographies, and other technical publications
    is distributed to libraries and other institutions. Information about
    ordering materials is available from the Cataloging Distribution
    Service, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20541-4910. Phone, 202-707-
    6100. TDD, 202-707-0012. Fax, 202-707-1334. E-mail,
    cdsinfo@mail.loc.gov.
        Library of Congress card numbers for new publications are assigned
    by the Cataloging in Publication Division. Direct inquiries to CIP
    Division, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-4320. Phone, 202-
    707-6372.
    Contracts  Persons seeking to do business with the Library of Congress
    should contact the Contracts and Logistics Services, Library of
    Congress, Landover Center Annex, 1701 Brightseat Road, Landover, MD
    20785. Phone, 202-707-8717.
    Copyright Services  Information about the copyright law (title 17 of the
    U.S. Code), the method of securing copyright, and copyright registration
    procedures may be obtained by writing to the Copyright Office, Library
    of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20559-6000.
    Phone, 202-707-3000. Copyright information is also available through the
    Internet, at lcweb.loc.gov. Registration application forms may be
    ordered by calling the forms hotline at 202-707-9100. Copyright records
    may be researched and reported by the Copyright Office for a fee; for an
    estimate, call 202-707-6850. Members of the public may,

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    however, use the copyright card catalog in the Copyright Office without
    charge. The database of Copyright Office records cataloged from January
    1, 1978, to the present is available through the Internet, at
    lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/rb.html. The Copyright Information Office is
    located in Room LM-401, James Madison Memorial Building, 101
    Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20559-6000, and is open to the
    public Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern time, except
    Federal holidays.
    Employment  Employment inquiries should be directed to the Directorate
    of Personnel, Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue SE.,
    Washington, DC 20540-2200. Vacancy announcements and applications are
    also available from the Employment Office, Room LM-107, 101 Independence
    Avenue SE. Phone, 202-707-4315. Internet, lcweb.loc.gov.
    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, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20540-4570. Phone,
    202-707-5640.
    Publications  A list of Library of Congress publications, many of which
    are of interest to the general public, is available through the
    Internet, at lcweb.loc.gov. A monthly Calendar of Events, listing
    programs and exhibitions at the Library of Congress, can be mailed
    regularly to persons within 100 miles of Washington, DC. Make requests
    to the Office Systems Services, Mail and Distribution Management
    Section, Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington,
    DC 20540-9441.
    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 that 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 Reference Referral Service,
    Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20540-
    4720. Phone, 202-707-5522. Fax, 202-707-1389.
    Research and Reference Services in Science and Technology  Reference
    specialists in the Science, Technology, and Business Division answer
    without charge brief technical inquiries entailing a bibliographic
    response. Requests for reference services should be directed to the
    Science, Technology, and Business Division, Library of Congress, Science
    Reference Section, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20540-
    4750. Phone, 202-707-5639. Internet, lcweb2.loc.gov/sctb.
    Research Services in General Topics  Federal Government agencies can
    procure directed research and analytical products on foreign and
    domestic topics using the collections of the Library of Congress through
    the Federal Research Division. Science, technology, humanities, and
    social science topics of research are conducted by staff specialists
    exclusively on behalf of Federal agencies on a fee-for-service basis.
    Requests for service should be directed to Federal Research Division,
    Marketing Office, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-4840. Phone,
    202-707-3909. Fax, 202-245-3920.

    For further information, contact the Public Affairs Office, Library of
    Congress, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20540-8610. Phone,
    202-707-2905. Fax, 202-707-9199. Internet, www.loc.gov.

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