Library of Congress

The Library of Congress, founded in 1800 by an act signed by President John Adams, is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States, a government research library serving Congress and the nation. Housed in three Capitol Hill buildings (Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison) plus storage facilities, it holds over 170 million items. Key activities include collecting comprehensive materials via copyright deposits since 1870, legislative research, preservation, and public access through digital and physical resources. Notable achievements: Thomas Jefferson's 1815 donation rebuilt it post-1814 fire; Ainsworth Rand Spofford expanded it nationally. Currently operational as the world's largest library, with no direct UAP/UFO research programs noted in available records.