Library of Congress Celebrates National Library Week with Card Catalog Kiosks Across the Country – Library of Congress

Library of Congress Celebrates National Library Week with Card Catalog Kiosks Across the Country

Release Date: 16 Apr 2026

Library of Congress Celebrates National Library Week with Card Catalog Kiosks Across the Country – Library’s Center for the Book Program Facilitated Card Catalog Distribution

The Library of Congress has brought 56 card catalog cases out of retirement, transforming them into Library of Congress information kiosks that have been distributed to each state and territory through the Library’s Center for the Book affiliate network. From the Washington State Library in Tumwater, Washington, and the Texas State Library and Archives in Austin, Texas, to the Mayagüez Children’s Library in Puerto Rico and the public libraries in Denver, Colorado; Ames, Iowa; and beyond, the kiosks help remind library patrons – especially during National Library Week (April 19-25) – that the Library of Congress is a library for all.

Each card catalog kiosk features signage indicating the card catalog was once in active use at the Library of Congress and explaining its history and original purpose. The front of each drawer includes the name of a Library of Congress service or program. Inside each of the 15 drawers is a card containing a brief description of the featured initiative, along with a QR code leading to the page on the Library’s website that contains more information.

The 15 Library of Congress services and programs highlighted are:

• Affiliate Centers for the Book
• American Folklife Center
• Ask a Librarian
• By The People Transcription Program
• Digital Collections
• Exhibitions
• Free to Use and Reuse Sets
• Law Library of Congress
• Library of Congress Blogs
• Literacy Awards
• National Book Festival
• National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled
• Teaching with Primary Sources
• U.S. Copyright Office
• Veterans History Project

“We are very grateful for the Library’s Affiliate Centers for the Book,” said Lee Ann Potter, director of Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives. “Not only does this community of 56 organizations regularly help the Library of Congress promote reading, libraries and literacy across the country, but all of them played an important role in finding fabulous homes for the card catalog kiosks in their states or territories. The responses we are getting from the Affiliate Center directors have been inspiring.”

“This card catalog represents far more than a collection artifact – it is a powerful symbol of knowledge, history and access, and it holds special meaning for our community,” Northern Mariana Islands Center for the Book Director Beth B. Demapan said. “For our island residents, educators, students and families, this gift connects us to the legacy of libraries and the enduring importance of information stewardship.”

“We’re excited about having a piece of the Library of Congress in our space because it makes the distance from California to Washington, D.C., feel much closer. Coming into America 250, it is a tangible way to connect West and East coasts,” California Center for the Book Director Dresden Vogt said.

The Library’s card catalog kiosk project is designed to facilitate exploration of its resources, as well as connect people to local library or library adjacent organizations. The locations of all 56 Library of Congress kiosks can be found here.

About Card Catalogs
Card catalogs were a familiar sight to library users beginning in the middle of the 19^th century and lasting for decades. Every drawer contained hundreds of individual cards that featured information about each item in a library’s collection. Arranged by title, author and subject, the cards helped people find materials and helped libraries to keep track of their collections. In the 1970s, the digitization of library catalogs began, and soon the physical card catalogs cases were retired.

The Library of Congress catalog – once held in card catalog cases – is now available online at catalog.loc.gov.

About National Library Week
National Library Week was established in 1958 by the American Library Association to encourage, support and promote library use while acknowledging the essential contributions of libraries and staff in strengthening communities. National Library Week runs April 19-25, 2026. This year’s theme is “Find Your Joy.”

About the Library of Congress Center for the Book
The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress is a community of 56 Affiliate Centers, promoting reading, libraries and literacy through the Library of Congress and its Affiliate Centers across the country. These Centers also elevate and advocate for their state’s unique literary heritage – developed by writers whose works reflect distinctively American places. Additional programs include “American Stories: A Reading Road Trip,” a video series in partnership with PBS Books that explores the vibrant literary heritage of the United States, and “Great Reads from Great Places,” a selection of books that are written by authors from an Affiliate Center’s state or territory, take place in their state or territory and/or celebrate local culture and heritage. There is an Affiliate Center for the Book in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and Northern Marianas.

About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States – and extensive materials from around the world – both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

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Media Contact: Deb Fiscella, dfiscella@loc.gov
Public Contact: Suzanne Walker, suwalker@loc.gov

26-027
04/16/2026
ISSN 0731-3527

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