Library of Congress Collections Policy Statement

Philosophy and Purpose

The Library of Congress aims to build a comprehensive collection that supports the Congress in fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities and serves the needs of researchers, scholars, and lifelong learners. The collections reflect America's history, creativity, and intellectual achievements, while also documenting global cultures and knowledge.

The Collections Policy Statement embodies this mission by ensuring that the Library acquires, preserves, and provides access to materials of enduring value across all subject areas and formats, while maintaining appropriate scope and balance within budget constraints.

Collection Guidelines

Breadth and Depth

The Library seeks comprehensive coverage of subjects related to American history, culture, government, and society. Additionally, it maintains representative collections from countries and cultures worldwide, with particular depth in areas where Congress has legislative or policy interests.

Format Diversity

Collecting extends across traditional print materials, manuscripts, maps, visual resources, sound recordings, moving images, born-digital content, and emerging formats. The Library recognizes the importance of capturing content in the formats in which it is created while maintaining preservation copies when possible.

Geographic Focus

While the Library prioritizes materials created in or related to the United States, it maintains significant collections from global regions, with particular emphasis on areas of historical or contemporary significance to U.S. interests.

Selection Criteria

Intellectual and Research Value

Priority consideration is given to materials that offer unique scholarly value, document significant historical events or ideas, represent high-quality creative work, or fill gaps in existing collections.

Historical Significance

Items that document important aspects of American and world history, culture, science, technology, politics, or society are actively sought regardless of potential contemporary popularity.

Originality and Uniqueness

Primary source materials, unpublished works, original creative content, and items that add unique perspectives to the holdings receive strong consideration for acquisition.

Diversity and Representation

The Library strives to ensure collections reflect the diversity of American society and the wide range of human experiences, including materials from underrepresented communities and perspectives.

Special Collections

The Library maintains numerous special collections dedicated to specific subjects, formats, or donors, including but not limited to:

• The Rare Book and Special Collections Division, housing books, manuscripts, and other materials notable for their antiquity, rarity, physical properties, or association with important figures or events.
• The Manuscript Division, containing personal papers and organizational records documenting American history and culture.
• The Prints and Photographs Division, with over 15 million visual images.
• The Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, preserving audiovisual materials.
• The Geography and Map Division, holding the world's largest collection of cartographic materials.
• The Music Division, with extensive holdings of musical scores, manuscripts, and related materials.
• The African and Middle Eastern Division, the Asian Division, the European Division, and the Hispanic Division, each specializing in materials from their respective regions.

Digital Collections Policy

Recognizing the growing importance of digital content, the Library has developed comprehensive strategies for acquiring, preserving, and providing access to born-digital and digitized materials. This includes:

Web Archiving

The Library archives selected websites and online publications, particularly those related to U.S. government operations, elections, and significant national events.

Digital Preservation

Sophisticated technical infrastructure and procedures ensure that digital materials remain authentic, accessible, and usable over time despite changing technologies.

Digitization

Materials from the physical collections are systematically digitized according to priorities that consider research value, preservation needs, and copyright status.

Electronic Resources

The Library subscribes to and licenses electronic databases, journals, and other digital resources that complement the physical collections.

Acquisition Procedures

The Library acquires materials through various mechanisms:

• Copyright Deposit: Through the Copyright Office, the Library receives two copies of all works registered for copyright protection, forming the foundation of many collection areas.
• Purchase: Materials are acquired from vendors, both domestic and international, through established procurement processes.
• Gift: The Library accepts donations that align with its collecting priorities and meet specific criteria regarding provenance, preservation needs, and processing capabilities.
• Exchange: Collaborative arrangements with other libraries and institutions worldwide facilitate resource sharing and collection development.
• Transfer: Materials may be transferred from other U.S. government agencies when they no longer serve the transferring agency's needs but have enduring value for the nation.

Preservation and Conservation

The Library employs comprehensive strategies to ensure the long-term preservation of its collections:

Environmental Controls

Temperature, humidity, light, and air quality are carefully monitored and maintained in storage and exhibition spaces to slow deterioration.

Treatment and Repair

Professional conservators employ both traditional techniques and innovative technologies to stabilize, repair, and restore damaged materials.

Reformatting

Materials are reproduced in more stable or accessible formats when original items are too fragile for handling or when access demand warrants creation of reference copies.

Disaster Preparedness

Comprehensive plans and procedures minimize the risk of damage from natural disasters, building failures, or other emergencies.

Access and Use Policies

While the Library serves the Congress as its primary constituency, it also provides access to its collections for researchers, scholars, and the general public:

On-Site Access

Reading rooms provide access to materials not readily available elsewhere, with appropriate registration and handling procedures to protect collections.

Digital Access

Millions of items are available through the Library's website and digital collections, with physical collections increasingly discoverable online.

Reference Services

Specialist librarians provide assistance in navigating collections and identifying relevant materials.

Copyright Considerations

Access is provided in accordance with copyright law and other applicable restrictions, with the Library neither granting nor denying permission to use copyrighted materials.

Conclusion

The Library of Congress Collections Policy Statement represents a living document that evolves to address changing technologies, research needs, and budgetary realities while maintaining core principles. It guides decisions that ensure the Library continues to fulfill its vital role as the custodian of America's cultural and intellectual heritage and a beacon of knowledge for the world.