Scope and Content Note
The records of the Building and Grounds Division of the Library of Congress span the years 1871-1954, with the bulk of the material dating from 1886 to 1940. The records primarily document the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building through the activities of the Office of the Superintendent of the Library Building and Grounds. The collection also includes materials related to the Library of Congress John Adams Building. The records are in English, with some shorthand. Container types include boxes and bound volumes which are numbered sequentially beginning and ending with each series. The collection is arranged in three series: Construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building, General Records, and Oversize.
The collection’s series are listed and briefly described below. A fuller description of each series and a list of its contents can be accessed in the series descriptions within the container list.
The Construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building covers the activities leading up to the completion of the building for the Library of Congress. The records detail the commission, site clearance, design, materials, construction, and general operations as documented through the activities of the superintendent, Bernard R. Green.
The General Records primarily contain documentation relating to the functional operations of the Thomas Jefferson Building after it opened to the public in 1897. Also included are records pertaining to the commission, construction, and opening of the John Adams Building.
Oversize materials include a catalogue of photographic negatives, lists of property returns and sales, and printed matter.