The Library of Congress was established in 1800 when President John Adams signed a bill moving the capitol from Philadelphia to Washington. The legistlation provided a reference library for Congress only.
The library, which was started with $5,000.00 was housed in the new Capitol. August, 1814 invading British troops burned the Capitol and destroyed the small library.
Within a month, Thomas Jefferson offered his personal library, which he had spent 50 years collecting, as a replacement. Congress purchased his library for $23,950.00 in 1815. Another fire on Christmas Eve of 1851 destroyed nearly two thirds of the 6,487 books Congress purchased from Jefferson.
You can see his library on display in the Library of Congress.
You can also view the Gutenberg Bible and the Giant Bible of Mainz at the Library of Congress.
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