Did You Know That The Largest Library Is…

14 Mar

…the Library of Congress in Washington, DC?Â Here’s some stats:

Total of 134,517,714 items in the collections, including:

20,532,692 cataloged books in the Library of Congress classification system
11,591,309 books in large type and raised characters, incunabula (books printed before 1501), monographs and serials, music, bound newspapers, pamphlets, technical reports, and other printed material
102,393,713 items in the nonclassified (special) collections. These included:
- 2,834,692 audio materials, such as discs, tapes, talking books, and other recorded formats
- 59,469,053 total manuscripts
- 4,807,827 maps
- 14,047,798 microforms
- 5,275,222 music
- 14,299,103 visual materials, including:
  - 1,023,909 moving images
  - 12,476,824 photographs
  - 92,960 posters
  - 542,315 prints and drawings

Circulated nearly 23 million disc, cassette and Braille items to more than 500,000 blind and physically handicapped patrons.

Registered 520,906 claims to copyright.

Completed 933,430 research assignments for the Congress through the Congressional Research Service.

Cade 14. Mar, 2008 at 5:11 pm #

It also has really pretty floors.

Yes, that’s about all I remember from my trip to DC in the seventh grade.
Suzanne 14. Mar, 2008 at 6:22 pm #

Yeah but they wouldn’t let me in! You have to be 18 or something? I have no idea. I just got to stare at the books through a glass wall, and whine.

I got a bag though! *hugs bag*
Tamora 15. Mar, 2008 at 12:39 am #

They have an age restriction on a library? Ae they trying to educate the nation or not? lol.

I like reading, but I don’t think anyone could get through all those books in one lifetime!
Nate 15. Mar, 2008 at 9:17 am #

There’s no age restriction. No idea why you weren’t able to get in though.
Sumi H. Inkblot 16. Mar, 2008 at 6:53 pm #

I read this post and started to drool.
lilymoore 05. Sep, 2009 at 5:22 pm #

I just thought I would mention I live 30 miles from the United States smallest library! Yay me!