Related Posts:
- Buy Tickets for The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia – See 20+ Sites on a Primary Overview of Independence Park, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall
- Benjamin Franklin - One of America's Founding Fathers
- Library Hall (The Library Company of Philadelphia
The Largest Library in the World
Today, the Library of Congress is the largest Library in the world. It serves as the research arm of the United States Congress but over the years its mission has expanded beyond providing research materials for Congress. Today the Library of Congress also works to ensure that all forms of media including books, film and recordings, are forever preserved for posterity. The Library of Congress was established in 1800 by President John Adams, but what led to the creation of the Library of Congress and what did Congress do before it was created?
The First Library of Congress
When the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia there was no Library of Congress but delegates none the less had access to an impressive collection of books at the Library Company of Philadelphia, then one of the largest collections of books in the new world. Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1731, the Library was intended to improve the common man's access to knowledge and information. The Library Company of Philadelphia was never officially named the Library of Congress but it became the de facto place for congressmen to conduct research for most of the first quarter century of America's history.
During the brief time periods that the capital was located elsewhere during this time, Congress just made due with whatever library collections were nearby. While the capital resided in New York City for example, Congress used the New York Society Library. This worked fine until the capital moved to Washington D.C. in 1800. Washington D.C. did not previously exist and was built specifically to be the capital of the United States and so there was no enormous pre-existing library that congress could use. With no existing Library Congress had to take it upon themselves to create one.
The Library of Congress
The Largest Library in the world began with a sum of just five thousand dollars. The funds were provided through an act of congress that was approved by President John Adams. The Library of Congress continued to grow until the War of 1812 destroyed much of Washington D.C. including the Library of Congress which was located directly in the Capital building at the time. Fortunately former President Thomas Jefferson had an enormous collection of books and agreed to sell of thousands of them to Congress to help replenish the Library of Congress. Many of the Jefferson owned books are still in the Library of Congress today.
The building that currently houses the Library of Congress was constructed in Washington D.C. and was opened in 1897. The building was designed in the Italian Renaissance style.
If you would like to visit Library Hall in Philadelphia, you can join us on our tour of historic Philadelphia on the Constitutional Walking Tour. Get your tickets for the Constitutional now!
If you would like to visit the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, please click here.
Library Hall
105 S. 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.440.3400
The Library of Congress
Thomas Jefferson Building
10 First Street, SE
Washington, DC 20540
