Title Page | Collection Summary | Biographical/Organizational Note | Scope and Content | Arrangement
Administrative History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1832 | Act of July 14 created a separate "Law Department” of the Library of Congress, establishing the Law Library and its statutory relationship with the Supreme Court Law Library moved into separate room in the United States Capitol adjacent to main library |
| 1833 | Charles H. W. Meehan appointed as “assistant at law,” becoming first law librarian |
| 1842 | Law Library moved to the United States Capitol's ground floor across from the Supreme Court Chamber |
| 1860 | Supreme Court moved to former Senate Chamber; Law Library moved to former Supreme Court Chamber |
| 1888 | Act of July 11 provided that Law Library must be kept open whenever either chamber of Congress was in session |
| 1897 | Thomas Jefferson Building opened to house Library of Congress; Law Library remained in United States Capitol |
| 1911 | Edwin Borchard appointed law librarian |
| 1914 | Legislative Reference Service, predecessor to Congressional Research Service, established under direction of law librarian |
| 1917 | Main site of law collection established in Northeast Pavilion of Thomas Jefferson Building; Law Library remained in Capitol Building |
| 1921 | Law Library made responsible for congressional requests for foreign law research; Legislative Reference Service made responsible for American law and public policy congressional requests Directorship of Legislative Reference Service made separate position |
| 1924-1943 | John T. Vance served as law librarian; helped establish Law Library as foreign law research center |
| 1932 | George W. Wickersham founded Friends of the Law Library |
| 1935 | Supreme Court Building opened; official administrative ties between Law Library and Supreme Court end |
| 1943-1946 | Eldon R. James served as law librarian |
| 1949-1963 | Lawrence Keitt served as law librarian and general counsel |
| 1940s | Law Library Reading Room opened in Thomas Jefferson Building, 1941 Foreign law divisions established |
| 1981 | Law Library moved into James Madison Memorial Building |
| 1990 | Law Library renamed Law Library of Congress |