May I order a book to be held for me in the Law Library Reading Room in advance of my visit?
If you have an active Library of Congress library card, you may access the LOC Catalog and order most items in the law classification to be delivered to the Law Library Reading Room delivery shelves in advance of your visit. Items will be held on the delivery shelves for 48 hours and returned to the stacks if not picked up.
If you need help with ordering materials to the Law Library Reading Room in advance of your research visit, call us at (202) 707-5079 or Ask a Law Librarian.
NOTE: In June 2025, the Library of Congress launched a new online catalog platform. For information about using the new catalog, review the Catalog Help and Documentation guide.
Established by Congress in 1832, the Law Library has a collection of over 2.65 million volumes spanning the ages and covering virtually every jurisdiction in the world.
We cannot provide legal advice, interpretation, or analysis which could be interpreted as the practice of law; extensive bibliographies or legislative histories; or answers for student homework assignments.