Accessible Entrances
Adams Building (LA), Second Street and Independence Avenue SE. Enter on Second Street side of building.
Jefferson Building (LJ), 10 First Street SE. Enter on First Street or Second Street side of building.
Madison Building (LM), 101 Independence Avenue SE. Enter on Independence Avenue.
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 1291 Taylor Street NW. Enter on Taylor Street.
The Library has accessible rest rooms, water fountains and telephones. Locations are indicated by signs in each building. In the Madison Building the accessible rest rooms are in the blue and yellow corners, and a pay phone TTY is available on the first floor.
Accessible Public Tours
The information below is subject to change. For updated tour information, contact the Visitor Services Office (202) 707-9779 (voice).
Public tours of the Library are currently given at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday (with no 3:30 tour provided on Saturdays). These forty-five minute walking tours begin in the Visitors Center of the Jefferson Building. The Building is wheelchair accessible. Interpreters (American Sign Language, Contact Signing, Oral and/or Tactile) are available when requested in advance. To request a tour with an interpreter at other times, contact the Visitor Services Office. Deaf staff members are also available to serve as tour guides; please request their services, preferably two business days in advance, through the Visitor Services Office.
Tours with other accommodations can be scheduled in advance by calling the Visitor Services Office.
TTY Phone Numbers
TTYs are available for calls to the Library in the following offices/locations * (all area code 202):
- ADA Coordinator 707-9948 (LM 107)
- ASL Interpreting Services Program 707-6362 ** (LM 636)
- Copyright Information Section 707-6737 ** (LM 401)
- Disability Employment Program Manager 707-9948 (LM 107)
- Equal Employment Opportunity Complaints Office 707-9421 (LM 626)
- Health Services 707-8116 (LM G40)
- Library of Congress Main Switchboard 707-620 0** (LM SB14)
- Library of Congress Police 707-8792 ** or 707-7129 ** (LM G01) 707-4482 (LJ G26)
- Local History and Genealogy Reading Room 707-9958 (LJ G20)
- Main Reading Room 707-9951 (LJ 100)
- National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
- Handicapped (Network Division, Reference Section) 707-0744 (TSA)
- National Reference Service 707-4210 (LA 5117)
- Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room 707-9952 (LM 133)
- Visitor Services Office 707-9956 (LJ 104)
For an updated list of TTY locations, contact the ADA Coordinator (707-0698/Voice; 707-9948/TTY) or consult the LC Telephone Directory.
* = Madison Building, Independence Avenue entrance
** = TTY/voice
Assistive Listening Devices
Assistive listening systems are available for presentations in the following areas:
Mumford Room -- LM-649
LC Visitors Theater -- LJ, ground floor
Coolidge Auditorium -- LJ, ground floor
For information, or an updated list of locations, contact the ADA Coordinator.
Interpreting Services (American Sign Language, Contact Signing, Oral and/or Tactile)
The American Sign Language Interpreting Services Program (ASL ISP) manages a centralized system to assess and coordinate interpreting services for members of the public. For events that require registration, contact the event planner when planning to attend Library sponsored events and request an interpreter. For events that do not require registration call ASL ISP directly to request and confirm a need for interpreting services at least five days in advance of the event.
Wheelchairs and Wheelchair Access
Wheelchairs are available from the Visitor Services Office. A wheelchair-accessible online catalog station is available in the Jefferson Building, Computer Catalog Center -- LJ-108.
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
The resources of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), which in cooperation with a network of regional and subregional libraries provides a free library service to persons who are unable to use standard printed material because of visual or physical disabilities, are available by contacting the NLS Reference Section at (202) 707-9275 (voice) or (202) 707-0744 (TTY). The Reference Section will provide the telephone number of the nearest cooperating library and answer eligibility questions.
Food Services
The cafeteria, on the sixth floor of the Madison Building, is accessible and open to the public Monday through Friday 9-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-3 p.m. An accessible coffee shop on the Ground Floor of the Madison Building is open to the public Monday through Friday 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. and on Saturday 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. The Montpelier Room buffet is open to the public Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Employment
The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The general employment hot line number is (202) 707-4315 (voice). The Employment Office number is (202) 707-5627 (voice); (202) 707-9948 (TTY).
Qualified individuals with disabilities are invited to apply through, and may request reasonable accommodation from, the Disability Employment Program, by contacting the Disability Employment Program Manager.
Vacancy announcements, which provide detailed information on job requirements and application procedures, can be viewed in person in the Library's Employment Office, Madison Building, LM-107, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Eastern time; or 24 hours a day through the Library of Congress Web site at http://www.loc.gov/jobs/ .
The Library provides a printed listing of current job vacancies through the Disability Employment Program Manager.
Public Transportation
Access via Metrorail is on the Blue or Orange lines, Capitol South station. All Metro stations have elevator service and trains are accessible. The Library's Madison Building is on the northeast corner at First and C streets SE; the accessible entrance is one block away on Independence Avenue between First and Second Streets, SE.
Contact Information for ADA Services
ADA Coordinator/Disability Employment Program Manager (DEPM)
AASPO, LM-107
Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-2530
email: ada@loc.gov
(202) 707-9948 (TTY) or (202) 707-6362
(voice).
ASL Interpreting Services Program
ASL ISP, LM-636
Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-2270
email: isp@loc.gov
(202) 707-6362 (TTY/voice)
Visitor Services Office
LS/NSD/VSO, LJ-104
Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-4990
(202) 707-5458 (voice) -- for recorded tour information
(202) 707-9956 (TTY) or (202) 707-9779 (voice)
For hours of operation please call the following:
Visitors (202) 707-8000 (voice recording only)
Researchers (202) 707-6400 (voice recording only)