Largest Library in the World
Posted on Sunday, April 4th, 2010
According to Guinness World Records, the United States Library of Congress, located in Washington D.C, is ranked as the largest library in the world. This priceless gem holds more than 118 million items – spanning more than 500 miles of shelving. Aside from the never-ending assortment of publications decorating the library, travelers come from near and far just to come closer to:
- The largest rare book collection in North America – including a rough draft of the Declaration of Independence and a Gutenberg bible (one of only four perfect vellum copies known today).
- 4.8 million maps
- 2.7 million sound recordings
- The Prelinger Collection – with more than 48,000 historical motion pictures, unique master materials, and items recently named to the National Film Registry.
The Library of Congress is found in three different buildings, each named after an influential president of the United States. The Thomas Jefferson Building is found between Independence Avenue and East Capitol Street on First Street SE. The John Adams Building is situated between Independence Avenue and East Capitol Street on 2nd Street SE. Between First and Second Streets on Independence Avenue SE, you will encounter the James Madison Memorial Building – home to the Law Library of Congress.
In case you were wondering where in the world you can find other spectacular libraries, consider the following:
- New York Public Library (New York City, NY – 11 million books+)
- Vernadsky National Scientific Library of Ukraine (Kiev, Ukraine – more than 13 million books)
- Harvard University Library (Cambridge, MA – founded in 1638 with more than 13.1 million books)
- Institute for Scientific Information on Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia – over 13.5 million books since 1969)
- British Library (London, England – home to 16 million books and counting since 1753)
- Deutsche Biblothek (Frankfurt, Germany – carries more than 18.5 million)
- National Library of Canada (Ottawa, Canada – home to more than 18.8 million books)
- Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg, Russia – stocks more than 20 million books since 1714)
- National Library of China (Beijing, China – with more than 22 million books since 1909).
