Religion Collections in Libraries and Archives: A Guide to Resources in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia Table of Contents - Preface/Acknowledgements - Abbreviations Lists of Entries: District of Columbia - Maryland - Virginia

Historical Society of Washington, DC: Library of Washington History

Access Policies

Photocopying is done by staff upon patron request; photocopying charges are discounted for members. No library materials circulate via Interlibrary loan. The library has closed stacks.

Reference Policy:

Both telephone and mail requests are accepted. Reference staff will make brief searches in the library catalogs in response to these requests, primarily to allow researchers to make educated decisions about visiting the library or contracting for library staff research. Library staff conduct research in our collections for a fee of $30.00 an hour, which includes up to 20 related photocopies.

Borrowing Privileges:

The Library of Washington History is not a lending institution, however, they occasionally loan materials to other institutions for exhibit purposes.

Networks/Consortia:

A limited, but increasing number of the collections are available on RLIN and OCLC. Some special collections are also available on Collections DC. As more collections are available on OCLC, the number available on Collections DC will also increase.

Background Note:

Founded 1894.

Description of Collections

Books and monographs:

The collection holds approximately 350 religion-related volumes, published between 1855 and the present. All materials in the collection focus on Washington, D.C., local history. Religion-related books and pamphlets include histories of local churches, most published by the churches themselves. Some of these also describe the architecture of the churches. A small number of books on area church bodies and denominations are available.

The Library has a card catalog comprised of several small catalogs in addition to a standard author, subject, title catalog for published materials. To supplement this catalog, there are separate finding aids for uncataloged pamphlets.

Archives, manuscripts, correspondence, and oral histories:

The Library holds approximately ten collections with inclusive dates of 1829-1995. Highlights include histories of local churches.

Vertical files:

Approximately 25 files, most from the latter half of the 20th century. These consist primarily of newspaper clippings relating to individual places of worship in the District of Columbia.

Paintings, photographs, slides, and prints:

Approximately 1,200 images of places of worship in the District of Columbia from the late 19th century to the 1990s, including photographs, slides, and postcards. There is one photograph collection that is entirely of District of Columbia churches. The "Rambler" collection also includes images of some Virginia and Maryland churches.

A finding aid is available for the photograph collection of District of Columbia churches.

Subject Headings