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The General Collections

INTRODUCTION

USING THE GENERAL COLLECTIONS

SELECTED HOLDINGS

CONCLUSION

GENERAL COLLECTIONS EXTERNAL SITES

arrow graphicVISIT/CONTACT

VISIT/CONTACT

Items in the General Collections may be accessed from the following reading rooms in the Thomas Jefferson Building and the John Adams Building. General Collections materials may also be requested through the European, Hispanic, African and Middle Eastern, and Asian Reading Rooms, hours and access information for which are given in the Area Studies section.

MAIN READING ROOM

Thomas Jefferson Building, 1st floor, room LJ 100

LOCAL HISTORY AND GENEALOGY READING ROOM

Thomas Jefferson Building, ground floor, room LJ G42

MICROFORM READING ROOM

Thomas Jefferson Building, 1st floor, room LJ 139B

SCIENCE AND BUSINESS READING ROOM

John Adams Building, 5th floor, room LA 508

Hours: For the above reading rooms: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Sunday and federal holidays.

Access and use information for all Library of Congress reading rooms: For a brief overview on beginning research at the Library of Congress, see Planning Your Visit. To use any Library of Congress reading room, you must show a Library-issued reader identification card (see Reader Registration). For detailed explanations of each reading room and general Library procedures, consult the Library's Web site at <http://www.loc.gov/rr>.

Access and use for the General Collections reading rooms: Appointments are not required. The Library's bookstacks are closed to the public. Books and bound periodicals are delivered to patrons in the reading rooms (delivery time is approximately forty-five to ninety minutes for onsite materials).

Regulations vary from reading room to reading room, but researchers in the Jefferson Building must check almost all personal possessions, including large handbags, at the free cloakrooms in the building. Reference staff members are on duty during all hours the Library is open and should be consulted regularly for assistance.

Most juvenile literature is housed in the General Collections, but there is a separate center with a specialist and a reference collection for those doing research on children's literature.

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE CENTER

Thomas Jefferson Building, 1st floor, room LJ 100

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Closed weekends and federal holidays.

Telephone: 202 707-5535

E-mail: childref@loc.gov

Access and use for the Children's Literature Center: Appointments are recommended. Children's books can be requested from the General Collections through the other reading rooms listed above.

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