The Library of Congress was developed as a collection for the use of congressmen in 1800. Burned by the British in 1814, it was replaced by Thomas Jefferson's library which contained over 6,000 volumes.

Under Ainsworth Rand Spofford, director from 1864-1867, this small collection began it's growth to present day size. By 1897, a new building was completed to house the by then three million volumes - at that time the largest library collection in the world.