Which Is the Largest Library in the World?

Libraries are true treasures of mankind since they keep information, traditions, history, and discoveries for future generations. There might be libraries built in every country, but there is only one library can be considered to have the biggest collection, and that is the Library of Congress (USA). Library of Congress is located in Washington, DC. It is the biggest library in the world with over 178 million units on its shelves, and it has become one of the most important educational buildings in the world.

Which Is the Largest Library in the World?

The Library of Congress which is located in Washington, D.C., USA, it is the world’s largest library by both the collection size and shelf capacity.

According to the Guinness World Records, this library held more than 173.7 million items as of November 2021.

Its official collection has grown to over 178 million items, and it showcasing the continuous expansion through acquisitions, donations, and legal deposits.

The library’s shelves stretch for approximately to 838 miles (1,349 kilometers), it is distance greater than the road journey between many major cities.

What Does the Library of Congress Contain?

The Library of Congress is far more than just a collection of books. It preserves the extraordinary range of historical and cultural materials from around the world.

Its vast collection includes the,

• More than 25.7 million catalogued books
• Nearly 16 million additional printed materials are there
• Over 138 million non-print items, including manuscripts, photographs, maps, newspapers, audio recordings, films, microforms, posters, prints, and drawings

Among its holdings are the,

• More than 75 million manuscripts
• Around 15 million photographs
• More than 5.6 million maps
• Over 4 million audio recordings

The collection continues to grow every day, making it one of the most comprehensive knowledge repositories ever created.

Top 10 Largest Libraries in the World

Rank	Library	Country	Collection Size
1	Library of Congress	United States	Over 178 million items
2	British Library	United Kingdom	Around 170–200 million items
3	Shanghai Library	China	Over 56 million items
4	New York Public Library	United States	Over 55 million items
5	Library and Archives Canada	Canada	Over 54 million items
6	Russian State Library	Russia	Over 47.5 million items
7	Bibliothèque nationale de France	France	Over 40 million items
8	National Library of China	China	Over 37.7 million items
9	National Diet Library	Japan	About 35.6 million items
10	Royal Danish Library	Denmark	About 30.2 million items

Note: Collection figures may vary slightly because these libraries uses the different methods to count books, manuscripts, digital materials, and archival items.

History of the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress has a long history that goes back more than 200 years.

It was founded in the year 1800 to fulfill the research requirements of the United States Congress but was destroyed by British soldiers in 1814, during the War of 1812, and its original collection of about 3 thousand books was destroyed.

To rebuild the library, the U.S. government purchased the Thomas Jefferson’s personal library in 1815, adding 6,487 books and laying the foundation for the today’s world-famous institution.

The library continued expanding throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In the year 1897, the magnificent Thomas Jefferson Building opened to the public, followed by the John Adams Building and the James Madison Memorial Building, it creating one of the largest library complexes in the world.

In the year 1994, the Library of Congress launched its official website, and it significantly expanded digital access the its collections for users worldwide.

Interesting Facts About the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is filled with remarkable treasures and unique records.

Its smallest book, titled Old King Cole, measures only 1/25 inch by 1/25 inch, making it as one of the tiniest books ever produced.

The largest book in the collection measures approximately 5 feet by 7 feet, and it features stunning color photographs of Bhutan.

One of the library’s oldest printed works is the Buddhist sutra, dating back to around 770 AD, representing one of the earliest surviving examples of printed text.

The library also preserves the famous Gutenberg Bible, which is one of the earliest books printed using movable type, it was acquired in 1930.