Tours
and Research Orientations
To acquaint readers with the genealogical
resources of the Library of Congress, the staff of the Local History
and Genealogy Reading Room conduct
group tours or orientations. Requests for such tours must be made
well in advance so that a staff member can be assigned to provide
the orientation or tour or can be available to answer questions
if
a formal tour is not necessary. If possible, the group's leader should
conduct a preliminary session on the Library's services and collections
before the group arrives. Upon request, the Library will furnish
materials
for use in such a session. It is particularly important for the group
to know that the bookstacks are closed to the public and that no
genealogy
or local history books may be borrowed unless they are on microfilm
and the Library holds a master negative. Anyone who wishes to arrange
a tour or who has questions about the Library's services to genealogists
should call the Local History and Genealogy Reading Room at 202-707-5537.
Orientation classes, taught by
reference librarians, are offered regularly. The "Resources
for Genealogical Research at the Library of Congress" course is
designed as a basic introduction for genealogical researchers
using the Library
of Congress collections. Each session includes an introduction
to genealogical research: what it is and what it involves; the
resources
and facilities of the Local History and Genealogy Reading Room:
compiled family histories, local histories, city directories,
telephone
books, the reference collection, how to search the Library's online
catalog, and an overview of automated resources on the Internet.
How to locate published census schedules and indexes, ship passenger
lists, military service and pension records, military lists and
registers, cemetery records, church records and registers, court
records, land records, and registers of births will be included.
A tour of the LH&G Reading Room will conclude the class. The
orientation classes are offered by the Local History and Genealogy
Reading Room
reference staff on the following Wednesday mornings during
2008 and Winter-Spring of 2009:
December 10; January 14 and 28; February 11 and 25; March 11 and 25; April 8 and 22; May 6 and 20
Sessions run from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. and will commence in the
Local History & Genealogy Reading Room, LJ G42 of the Thomas
Jefferson Building. For additional information, or
to register for a class, call the Local History and Genealogy Reading
Room at (202) 707-5537 Monday-Saturday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00
p.m. You can also register via an online registration
form.
Please come to the Library by 9:30 a.m. to apply for a Reader
Registration Card (picture identification required). The Reader
Registration Station is located in Room LM 140 on the first
floor of the Madison Building, near the Independence Avenue
entrance. The Madison Building can also be entered on the ground
floor through the C Street SE entrance.
The Humanities and Social Sciences Division periodically offers
a 90-minute research orientation for first-time users. This course
is a general introduction to the Library of Congress collections
and resources. More information and a schedule of research
orientations is available in the Library of Congress publication
Information
for Researchers.
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