In the event of a temporary shutdown of the federal government effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, all Library of Congress buildings will be CLOSED to the public and researchers. All public events will be cancelled until the shutdown is concluded and federal funding resumed. More information.
While the online catalog is crucial to identifying what materials you need for your research, the Rare Book Division does not currently accept requests for materials through the online catalog.
To request items from Rare or Special Collections, you will be asked to provide your Library of Congress library card and fill out a request form in-person at the time of your visit to the Rare Book Reading Room.
We hope that this is helpful; If not, please feel free to submit your question to begin a conversation with a Reference Librarian.
This portal includes some of the most interesting and important items in the collection, including a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, Thomas Jefferson’s copy of The Federalist, medieval manuscripts, books relating to cookery, children's literature, and many more.
