Frequently Asked Questions: American Folklife Center

Researchers are strongly encouraged to request an appointment or contact the American Folklife Center ahead of a visit. For best results, we recommend reaching out at least two weeks in advance. Collections may be stored off-site or have access restrictions. Some collections have been digitized and are available to patrons online from any location, but many materials are only available in the Research Center. 

The center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding Federal holidays. 

You must present a verified Library of Congress Reader Identification Card to access collections in the American Folklife Center Research Center. To save time you may pre-register online. Upon your arrival at the Library, you can store your coats, bags, and other bulky items in a cloak room. Make sure you have your government issued ID (passports are okay) before heading over to a station located in the Jefferson Building, Room LJ 139 to complete the registration process. Once your ID has been verified, Library staff will take a photo and issue your card. The card is valid for two years.

Once you have your card, you're ready to visit the research center. The American Folklife Center Research Center is located on the ground floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, Room LJ-G31. Researchers may bring pencils, notebooks, laptop computers, and their own books into the Research Center. You may take low-resolution cellphone photographs of most items in the collections, but must use existing light only; no flash photography is permitted. Always check with staff before photographing collection material.