At a Glance

Description
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, the nation's oldest federal cultural institution, and the research arm of Congress.

Library of Congress

This expansive archive of American history and culture features photographs, prints, motion pictures, manuscripts, printed books, pamphlets, maps, and sound recordings going back to roughly 1490. Currently this site includes more than 9 million digital items from more than 100 collections on subjects ranging from African American political pamphlets to California folk music, from baseball to the Civil War.

American Memory is a digital arm of the Library of Congress, consolidating written and spoken files, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience.

Teachers is an umbrella for lesson plans, library services, resources, and highlighted collections to facilitate classroom teaching and learning.

The loc.gov Wise Guide offers frequently-changing highlights and links to the Library's online materials.