library of congress: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic, Institutional
Quick answer
What does “library of congress” mean?
The national library of the United States, located in Washington, D.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The national library of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., serving as the research library for Congress and the de facto national library of the U.S.
The world's largest library by shelf space and number of items, functioning as a major cultural and historical repository, copyright registration centre, and provider of bibliographic services and digital collections.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily an American institutional term. In British contexts, the equivalent national library is 'The British Library'.
Connotations
In the U.S., connotes authority, comprehensiveness, and national heritage. In the UK, recognised as a major world library but without domestic institutional resonance.
Frequency
High frequency in U.S. academic, governmental, and publishing contexts; low frequency in everyday British English.
Grammar
How to Use “library of congress” in a Sentence
[Subject] is housed in the Library of Congress.The Library of Congress holds [Object].According to the Library of Congress, [Clause].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “library of congress” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The collection was library-of-congressed for cataloguing purposes. (informal/rare)
American English
- The publisher will Library of Congress the new edition to obtain its LCCN. (informal/jargon)
adjective
British English
- The library-of-congress-style classification is used in some specialist collections here.
American English
- She is an expert in Library of Congress cataloguing rules.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in publishing and copyright contexts: 'We need to file for a Library of Congress Control Number.'
Academic
Central to research and citation: 'The dissertation was catalogued using the Library of Congress Classification system.'
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; might appear in news or travel contexts: 'We toured the Library of Congress on our trip to Washington.'
Technical
Used by librarians, archivists, and bibliographers regarding cataloguing, metadata, and collection management standards.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “library of congress”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “library of congress”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “library of congress”
- Writing in lower case ('library of congress').
- Using 'of' with a capital 'O' in the middle of the name (incorrect: 'Library Of Congress').
- Referring to a local library as a 'library of congress'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the Library of Congress is open to the public for research and tours, but a reader identification card is required to access the reading rooms and collections.
It is a system of library classification developed by the Library of Congress. It is used by most research and academic libraries in the U.S. and around the world to organise books on shelves, as an alternative to the Dewey Decimal System.
No, the Library of Congress is primarily a non-circulating research library. Books and materials generally do not leave the library buildings, but they can be used in the designated reading rooms.
It is a unique identification number assigned by the Library of Congress to the catalog record of a book or other publication. It is used by libraries and publishers for tracking and cataloguing purposes.
The national library of the United States, located in Washington, D.
Library of congress is usually formal, academic, institutional in register.
Library of congress: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlaɪbrəri əv ˈkɒŋɡres/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlaɪbreri əv ˈkɑːŋɡrəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's not the Library of Congress.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CONGRESS makes laws; the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS keeps all the records and books.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE IS A VAST REPOSITORY; THE NATION'S MEMORY.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of the Library of Congress?