This may sound like a dumb question, but what EXACTLY is the LoC? Do they have one of every book ever published in there? If not, how do they decide which books get in the library? Is it all non-fiction or is there some fiction in there as well? Why was it created?
I have wondered about this for years and I’d be willing to bet that there are other people out there who THINK they know what the LoC is, but if you really stop and think about it I’ll bet they don’t.
The Library of Congress is the copyright deposit library of the United States. In other words, any book copyrighted in the U.S. (and then means both fiction and nonfiction) has to submit a copy to the Library of Congress. It’s the world’s largest library, but it doesn’t have every book ever published. After all, some books which have been published are now lost forever, so obviously they’re not there. Did you attempt to do a Google search on “Library of Congress” before you asked this question? If not, why not?
Do they have one of every book ever published in there?
If not, how do they decide which books get in the library?
Is it all non-fiction or is there some fiction in there as well?
All types of copyrighted material, including things like maps and sheet music are held in the LOC collections.
Why was it created?
I have wondered about this for years and I’d be willing to bet that there are other people out there who THINK they know what the LoC is, but if you really stop and think about it I’ll bet they don’t.
The answers to these and other questions can be found at your local Library of Congress website.
[off-topic] If you ever get to visit Washington,DC, you will miss one of the great buildings in the US if you don’t visit there. The murals, the architecture, etc[/off-topic]
Library of Congress essentially does three things:
As people have said, it is the copyright library. It gets a copy of every book copyrighted in the U.S., but it only keeps the ones the librarians there choose.
It is also, duh, the library of Congress. Congresspersons and their staff can check out books and do research there. There is a section called Congressional Research Service that has tons of experts who do nothing but answer questions for congresspersons. I remember reading about scandalous rumors that they wrote term papers for congressperson’s kids, but that was long ago. This page links to some CRS reports that have been made available to the public.
http://www.house.gov/shays/CRS/CRSProducts.htm
Finally the Library of Congress is sometimes called America’s Library. Its wonderful website America’s Memory makes that claim look pretty reasonable. They also provide some services to libraries around the country. To be brief they provide cataloging and they also manage the Library of Congress classification system (used by libraries too big for Dewey Decimal).
The bitter joke among librarians is that when LC wants a bigger budget they claim to be America’s Library, and when one of America’s other libraries asks for service they claim to be just Congress’s library.
Fifteen Iguana
A little harsh, aren’t ya? Is there some rule somewhere that says we have to do a Google search before posting a question in GQ? Part of the reason that we–or I, anyway-- ask questions here is to see what a doper’s take is on it. And in this case, regarding the LoC, the responses were informative and interesting–including yours, WW.
Regards the OP,
I work as a librarian and I hear lots of people say, “This is a dumb question, but …”
My reply is “I’ll be the judge of that.”
It wasn’t that bad of a question, but it certainly isn’t one that’s hard to find the answer to.
From Moderator’s Notes on General Questions which is pinned at the top of the GQ forum.
Of course, I went and ahead and answered the OP anyway, by doing a simple Google search.
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/locis/search.html
Every now and then I go in here and look up my own name. There’s something about being a published author that gives the ego a real boost (even if only 3000 copies of your book were ever sold:rolleyes: )
One of my co-workers recently checked out a book from the Library of Congress. I didn’t know you could do that–especially since we’re all the way over in Oregon and she had to get it through the local library. But it’s a rare book, only 5 copies published, and the LoC was the only place that had a copy. Pretty cool 
What’s the overdue fine like?
It’s more or less a hijack, but I’m wondering : the National library in France also receive and keep a copy of anytyhing which get published in France. So, my question : is there an equivalent institution in all (western at least) countries? In the UK, Australia, etc…for instance?
From http://www.kb.se/ENG/kbstart.htm
(Apart from this all university libraries in Sweden get a free copy of every book that is published or printed in ther country).
The British Library gets one of everything that is published in the UK.
As for an overdue fine at LC, I don’t know if there is a per diem fine, but I imagine that if you return a book late to them, you are not likely to be given another book to check out or invited back into the Reading Room until you make good.
Back in the late 1980s I worked on exhibitions for the Smithsonian Institution, and managed to get a stack pass for the Library of Congress so I could do research more easily. It was astonishing to see those endless rows of books, containing most of the books published in the U.S. over the last two centuries.
Alas, due to the theft problem I believe it is much harder now to get a stack pass.
Just to add on… you can’t go in to the Library of Congress, grab a bunch of books and then check them out. LOC materials only circulate to members of Congress and congressional staff. They are also loaned out on a case by case basis to other libraries who sometimes can lend them out to patrons. You also need a special Library of Congress card to even go into the research areas and look at the books. Everyone can get a card to do that, but you have to go into the basement and get your picture taken for it.
$2.00 per day, but she was given an e-mail address to use to renew the book.
If you do have a LoC card you typically will go to one of their reading rooms and fill out a call slip with the books you want (identified through a search of the card catalogue, whether physical or on-line) and then wait for the staff to bring them to you. (Back when I was there researching some stuff for work I also used to make them bring me comic book compilations – man, did that tick them off!)
–Cliffy