[United States Government Manual] [June 15, 2003] [Pages 55-62] [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, www.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 Beacher Wiggins, Acting Associate Librarian for Human Resources Services Teresa Smith Director, Congressional Research Service Daniel P. Mulhollan Register of Copyrights and Associate Librarian Marybeth Peters for Copyright Services Law Librarian Rubens Medina General Counsel Elizabeth Pugh Inspector General Karl Schornagel Chief, Loan Division (vacancy) Library of Congress Trust Fund Board Chairman (Librarian of Congress) James H. Billington (Secretary of the Treasury) John Snow (Chairman, Joint Committee on the Library) Vernon Ehlers (Vice Chairman, Joint Committee on the Library) Christopher Dodd Appointive Members Edwin L. Cox, Najeeb Halaby, John Henry, Leo Hindery, Donald G. Jones, John Kluge, Tom Luce, Ceil Pulitzer, Bernard Rapoport, (vacancy) [[Page 56]] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. Online reference service is also available through the ``Ask a Librarian'' site, at www.loc.gov/rr/ askalib. 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 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 [[Page 57]] ![]()
T193760.006 [[Page 58]] 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 more than 500,000 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 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 Catologing 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 books,'' and books on tape for the blind and the physically handicapped through 140 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 Congress created the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to serve its legislative needs for nonpartisan and objective research and analysis. CRS works exclusively for the Congress by providing timely and confidential research and analysis to Members, committees, and their staff on all public policy issues of interest to the Congress, at all stages of the legislative process. CRS staff is comprised of recognized experts in many disciplines, including American law, economics, foreign affairs, the physical sciences, environmental science, public administration, and the social and political sciences. The Service policy experts and information specialists work closely with [[Page 59]] Members and committees to help define legislative issues before the Congress; frame, examine, appraise, and evaluate legislative proposals and options; analyze previous legislative activity; explain policy alternatives and analyze their implications; and provide background and factual information. The Service also provides in-person and telephone consultations and memoranda in response to specific questions; written reports analyzing legislative issues of concern to the Congress; seminars on policy, budget, and legal issues; and legislative training on legislative procedure. 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 www.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 90 national educational and civic organizations participate in the Center's annual reading promotion campaign. All 50 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 [[Page 60]] 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, [email protected]. 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. National Sound Recording Preservation Board The National Sound Recording Preservation Board,established in 2000 by Public Law 106-474, includes three major components: a National Recording Preservation Advisory Board, which brings together experts in the field, a National Recording Registry, and a fundraising foundation, all of which are conducted under the auspices of the Library of Congress. The purpose of the Board is to create and implement a national plan for the long-term preservation and accessibility of the Nation's audio heritage. It also advises the Librarian on the selection of culturally, aesthetically, or historically significant sound recordings to be included on the National Recording Registry. The national recording preservation program will set standards for future private and public preservation efforts and will be conducted in conjunction with the state-of-the-art National Audio-Visual Conservation Center the Library is developing in Culpeper, VA. For further information, call 202-707-5856. 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 140 regional and subregional libraries to blind and physically handicapped residents of the United States and its territories. Qualified users can also register for Web- Braille, an Internet-based service. 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, [email protected]. 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 [[Page 61]] should contact the Contracts and Logistics Services, Room 325, John Adams Building, Washington, DC, 20540-9410. Phone, 202-707-0419. 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 www.loc.gov/copyright. 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, 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 www.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 Human Resources Services, 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, www.loc.gov/hr/employment. 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 www.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 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 provide a free service in answering 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, www.loc.gov/ rr/scitech. 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 [[Page 62]] 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 the 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. ------------------------------------------------------------------------