Teaching Opportunities with the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., is a research library for the public and Congress and is one of the largest in the entire world, serving as a kind of de facto national library of the United States. In addition to housing more than 170 million items across multiple buildings, the Library of Congress (LOC) also supports digital initiatives for education. 

Since 2006, the library, in conjunction with the federal government, has provided grants to educators to provide teaching materials based on the library's vast collections. Called the Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS), this grant provides moneys to educators in sums ranging from "$35,000 to $100,000," according to loc.gov. Specifically, the funds are used developing innovative strategies, tools, and materials for educators in schools, universities, historical societies, museums, and other educational institutions. 

"A 2017 evaluation of the TPS Regional program, conducted by Gallup, found that 83 percent of teachers who participated in professional development or academic courses funded through this program increased use of primary sources in their classrooms. Eighty-seven percent of respondents told colleagues about the primary sources and materials available on the Library of Congress Teachers Page." (Emphasis my own.)

Inside the Jefferson Reading Room

How could you use the LOC resources in your classroom? Well, consider American history. As the eminent research library in the US, the Library of Congress' archives contain more primary sources of American history than a typical library. A teacher can use, via their website, digital artworks, photographs, maps, recordings, and historical documents to incorporate into their lesson plans.