The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, located in Washington, D.C., and serves as the research library and research service for the United States Congress. It is also the de facto national library of the United States. Founded in 1800, it holds an immense collection of approximately 173 million items, including books, films, audio recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps, manuscripts, and more, in over 470 languages

. The Library of Congress functions as the main research arm for Congress, administers the U.S. copyright system through the Copyright Office, and serves government agencies, libraries, scholars, and the public. Its collections include rare and historical items such as the rough draft of the Declaration of Independence and a Gutenberg Bible. The library also developed the Library of Congress Classification system used widely in research libraries

. Physically, the Library occupies three buildings on Capitol Hill-the Thomas Jefferson Building, the James Madison Memorial Building, and the John Adams Building-and has additional storage and conservation facilities in Virginia and Maryland. It offers public access to its collections and hosts exhibitions, concerts, and lectures

. In summary, the Library of Congress is a vast cultural and research institution preserving and providing access to a universal collection of knowledge to support the legislative process, scholarship, and public education in the United States