Frequently Asked Questions: General

Although the Library does not lend items to individuals, there are two options for requesting books and other materials from the Library of Congress.

• You may request materials on interlibrary loan (ILL) through your local library. The Library of Congress does not loan materials to individuals, but does send out 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. The Library of Congress does not charge for this service; in some cases, local libraries charge a nominal fee for interlibrary loan. Additional information about the Library's interlibrary loan service is available online at www.loc.gov/rr/loa
• 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, as well as a page for first-time users. Contact Duplication Services directly with specific questions:

    Library of Congress Duplication Services
    101 Independence Avenue SE
    Washington, D.C. 20540-4570
    Telephone: (202) 707-5640
    Fax: (202) 707-1771
    E-mail: duplicationservices@loc.gov
    Web Form: www.loc.gov/duplicationservices/customer-service/contact/

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 online catalog records and are often included in publications). If numbers are not found via these means, they must be identified through your research or by requesting research services in the reading room that has custody of the material. A complete list of reading rooms at the Library of Congress can be found at https://www.loc.gov/rr/ .