Frequently Asked Questions: General

There are two options for requesting books and other materials from the Library of Congress.

• Interlibrary loan (ILL): You may request materials on ILL through your local library. We loan materials to other libraries on a case-by-case basis. These requests must be initiated through your local library. Generally, your local library will first attempt to request materials from another library before contacting the Library of Congress. We do not charge for this service; in some cases, local libraries charge a nominal fee for ILL. Additional information about our ILL service is available here.

• Duplication Services: You may purchase reproductions of some materials from our Duplication Services. This is a fee-based service. The Duplication Services website includes ordering and price information. You may also find this page for first-time users helpful. Please contact Duplication Services directly with specific questions at duplicationservices@loc.gov and/or 1-202-707-5640.

Please note that all orders must be accompanied by the reproduction number, call number, or digital ID for each individual item (these numbers can be found in catalog records and are often included in publications). If you are not sure how to find these numbers, please contact the Reading Room that has custody of the material via Ask a Librarian. A complete list of reading rooms at the Library of Congress can be found here.