Fire ravages Library of Congress
A devastating fire at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.destroys about two-thirds of its 55000 volumes including most of Thomas Jeffersons personal library sold to the institution in 1815.The Library of Congress was established in 1800 when President John Adams approved legislation that appropriated 5000 to purchase such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress.The first books ordered from London arrived in 1801 and were stored in the U.S.
Capitol the librarys first home.The first library catalog dated April 1802 listed 964 volumes and nine maps.Twelve years later the British army invaded the city of Washington and burned the Capitol including the 3000-volume Library of Congress.Former president Thomas Jefferson who advocated the expansion of the library during his two terms in office responded to the loss by selling his personal library the largest and finest in the country to Congress to recommence the library.
The purchase of Jeffersons 6487 volumes was approved in the next year and a professional librarian George Watterston was hired to replace the House clerks in the administration of the library.In 1851 a second major fire at the library destroyed about two-thirds of its books.Congress responded quickly and generously to the disaster and within a few years a majority of the lost books were replaced.After the Civil War the collection was greatly expanded and by the 20th century the Library of Congress had become the de facto national library of the United States and one of the largest in the world.
Today the collection housed in three enormous buildings in Washington contains more than 17 million books as well as millions of maps manuscripts photographs films audio and video recordings prints and drawings.
