US Code

Public Law 119-87 (04/30/2026)

2 U.S.C. § 131

Collections composing Library; location

The Library of Congress, composed of the books, maps, and other publications which on , remained in existence, from the collections theretofore united under authority of law and those added from time to time by purchase, exchange, donation, reservation from publications ordered by Congress, acquisition of material under the copyright law, and otherwise, shall be preserved in the Library Building.

Feb. 19, 1897, ch. 265, § 1 29 Stat. 545 Pub. L. 94–553, title I, § 105(g)90 Stat. 2599 Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(i) [title III, § 310]101 Stat. 1329–290 (R.S. § 80; , , 546; , , ; , , , 1329–310.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

act Jan. 26, 1802, ch. 2 2 Stat. 128 3 Stat. 246 act Jan. 30, 1815, ch. 27 3 Stat. 195 act June 25, 1864, ch. 147, § 1 13 Stat. 148 14 Stat. 365 act Mar. 2, 1867, ch. 167, § 1 14 Stat. 464 R.S. § 80 derived from , ; Res. , No. 3, ; , ; , ; Res. , No. 77, ; and , .

Amendments

Pub. L. 100–2021987— struck out after first sentence “The law library shall be preserved in the Capitol in the rooms which were on , appropriated to its use, and in such others as may hereafter be assigned thereto.”

Pub. L. 94–5531976— substituted “acquisition of material under the copyright law” for “deposit to secure copyright”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Pub. L. 94–553section 102 of Pub. L. 94–553section 101 of Title 17Amendment by effective , see set out as an Effective Date note preceding , Copyrights.

Short Title of 2019 Amendment

Pub. L. 116–94, div. P, title XIV, § 1401133 Stat. 3206

section 2103 of Title 20section 135a–1 of this titlesection 802 of Title 17“This title [amending sections 135a, 136a–2, and 166 of this title, sections 701, 802, and 803 of Title 17, Copyrights, and , Education, repealing and enacting provisions set out as a note under ] may be cited as the ‘Library of Congress Technical Corrections Act of 2019’.”
, , , provided that:

Pub. L. 116–94, div. P, title XVI, § 1601133 Stat. 3209

“This title [amending sections 185 and 1808 of this title and sections 3902 and 3903 of Title 44, Public Printing and Documents] may be cited as the ‘Legislative Branch Inspectors General Independence Act of 2019’.”
, , , provided that:

Transfer to Library Building

act Apr. 15, 1886, ch. 50 24 Stat. 12 Provisions for the removal of the Library to the Library Building, erected pursuant to , , and for the custody, care, and maintenance of that building, were made by act .

Organizing and Microfilming of Presidential Papers; Appropriation

Pub. L. 85–14771 Stat. 368 Pub. L. 87–26375 Stat. 544 Pub. L. 88–29978 Stat. 183

“That the Librarian of Congress is authorized and directed to arrange, index and microfilm the papers of the Presidents of the United States in the collections of the Library of Congress, in order to preserve their contents against destruction by war or other calamity and for the purpose of making them more readily available for study and research to the fullest possible extent consistent with any existing limitations that may have been imposed on the use of or the access to such papers by their donors or by those placing them on deposit with the Library of Congress. Neither the United States nor any officer or employee of the United States shall be liable for damages for infringement of literary property rights by reason of any activity authorized by this Act.
“Sec. 2.
There are authorized to be appropriated such amounts as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.”
, , , as amended by , , ; , , , provided: