The Joint Committee on the Library oversees the Library of Congress, the largest library in the world, as well as the U.S. Botanic Garden. It manages the library's operations and its role as a research resource for Congress and the American public.
The committee oversees the Library's vast collections — over 170 million items including books, recordings, photographs, maps, and manuscripts — and its services to Congress through the Congressional Research Service (CRS). It also manages the acceptance of gifts and artwork for the Capitol and oversees the development of the library's digital initiatives that make its collections accessible to the public worldwide.