Are you a bibliophile? If you’ve never heard the term, it refers to someone who loves to read. You know who you are! You go everywhere with a book, just in case you have the opportunity to read. You make opportunities to read! Discount bookstores are your toy store or candy shop. You’ve never met a library you didn’t like. If this describes you, you are going to appreciate today’s opening story.
On this day in 1800, President John Adams approved legislation that allocated $5,000 for the purchase of books that would be a help and benefit to Congress. In 1801, the books arrived from London and were catalogued by April 1802. There were 964 volumes and nine maps. Thus began the Library of Congress.1
This meager beginning has morphed into something immense. From their website, we glean some amazing facts and figures. “Today’s Library of Congress is an unparalleled world resource. The collection includes millions cataloged books and other print materials in 470 languages; millions of manuscripts; the largest rare book collection in North America; and the world’s largest collection of legal materials, films, maps, sheet music and sound recordings.”2
As of 2023, the latest information posted on the Library of Congress website, they have:
- more than 25.77 million cataloged books in the Library of Congress classification system
- more than 15.99 million items in the nonclassified print collections, including books in large type and raised characters, incunabula (books printed before 1501), monographs and serials, music, bound newspapers, pamphlets, technical reports and other printed material
- more than 138.5 million items in the nonclassified (special) collections, including:
- 4.3 million audio materials (discs, tapes, talking books and other recorded formats)
- 78.5 million manuscripts
- 5.8 million maps
- 17.5 million microforms
- 1.8 million moving images
- 8.2 million items of sheet music
- 15.7 million photographs
- 870,000 posters, prints and drawings
- 1.4 million other items (broadsides, photocopies, etc.)
- 2 million machine-readable items
- Maintained a staff of 3,238 permanent employees; and
- Operated with a total budget authority of $875.4 million, including $828.5 million in appropriations and $46.9 million in offsetting receipts authority.3
Something this vast is hard to wrap our minds around. All of this is contained in three buildings: the Thomas Jefferson Building, the John Adams Building, and the James Madison Memorial Building. If we think that’s big, consider the library that could have been.
The last verse of the Gospels says, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” (John 21:25)
John 20:30 says, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.” It’s impossible to imagine all the things that could have been written but weren’t.
Now, the task of reading one Book divided into 66 smaller books might seem a lot more manageable! God’s Word deserves our time and attention. If you aren’t a reader and you read nothing else, always make it a priority to read your Bible and see what God has deemed worth sharing with His children.
“This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: (2) That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.” (2 Peter 3:1-2)
1https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-24/library-of-congress-established
2https://www.loc.gov/about/general-information/
3Ibid.
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