Jefferson's Legacy: A Brief History of the Library of Congress

Color illustrated softcovers. Fine, fresh example. 103 pp. with recommended further reading list. Illustrated with vintage black and white photos and reproductions and contemporary color photos. The Library of Congress is the United States' oldest cultural institution, founded in 1800 by Thomas Jefferson, and today is one of the largest research libraries in the world. Much of the library's collection was lost when the British burned Washington DC during the War of 1812. Afterward, Jefferson offered to sell his personal collection of some 6487 books to the United States to re-establish the Library. Another fire, in 1851, destroyed some two thirds of Jefferson's original books. After the Civil War, the Library secured the right to obtain two copies of every copyrightable book published in the United States and also grew through acquisitions and donations. This work gives a history of the institution as well as descriptions of the collections, the buildings, and the Librarians of Congress through the decades.…