Library of Congress Established by Legislation

Context

The founders of the United States placed high value on classical education and ready access to books, a priority reflected in the reading habits of early members of Congress. When the first sessions of the new national legislature convened in New York City and later Philadelphia, lawmakers relied on existing local institutions such as the New York Society Library and the Free Library of Philadelphia for reference materials.

What Happened

As Congress prepared to relocate the seat of government from Philadelphia to the still-developing city of Washington, D.C., in 1800, lawmakers included a provision for a dedicated legislative library within the larger appropriations measure authorizing the move. On April 24, President John Adams approved the act that set aside $5,000 specifically “for the purchase of such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress.” A Joint Congressional Committee, the first of its kind, was established to oversee acquisitions and operations.

Aftermath

The initial volumes, ordered primarily from London booksellers, reached Washington in 1801 and were shelved in the north wing of the Capitol, the library’s first home. A printed catalog issued in April 1802 recorded 964 volumes and nine maps. The small collection remained under the day-to-day supervision of House clerks until a professional librarian was later appointed.

Legacy

What began as a modest working library for legislators evolved into the Library of Congress, the largest library in the world and the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. Its comprehensive collecting policies, shaped early by Thomas Jefferson’s donation after the War of 1812, continue to support legislative research, copyright registration, and public scholarship while embodying the republic’s foundational commitment to knowledge as essential to self-government.