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About the National Library of Education

Congress created The National Library of Education in 1994. The first Commissioner of Education Henry Barnard began the library when he brought his personal book collection on education to the Department in 1867. Congress appropriated funds for the Education Library, as it was known, in 1868. The Library maintains an historical collection including some 16,000 government reports on education dating back to 1870, education journals and monographs, and some 16,000 classroom textbooks on a variety of subjects.

Operating as a depository library under the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) of the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), the Library serves as the federal government's primary education information resource to the public, education community, and other government agencies. The Library's current collection, in print and electronic formats, focuses on education and includes subject matter such as economics, law, psychology, and sociology, as they relate to education.

Online Library Resources

Library Catalog

Education Resources Information Center (ERIC)

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)

U.S. Department of Education,
National Library of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

The library is open to the public by appointment. Please call or email the library to coordinate your visit with NLE staff.

Hours of Operation:
Monday–Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except federal holidays.

Contact Information:
Reference: 202-205-5015
Federal Relay Service: 1-800-877-8339

Email the Library