Alexandria Public Library
The Alexandria Library was founded in 1794 and has four branches.
Alliance Francaise
The Alliance Francaise of Washington offers a lending library for members, with print and multimedia materials in English and French.
American Institute of Architects
The AIA maintains an extensive circulating library of books on architecture, design, and construction; non-members can purchase annual borrowing privileges.
Arlington Public Library
Arlington maintains public libraries in eight County locations.
Assassination Archives and Reseach Center
The AARC acquires, preserves, and provides information on political assassinations. Open by appointment.
College Park Community Library
This all-volunteer community library is located in the basement of the Church of the Nazarene, and opened in February 2012. Hosts readings, films, community meetings. Has internet access and over 9,000 books.
Daughters of the American Revolution
The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution maintains one of the largest geneological libraries in the world.
DC Public Libraries
With 26 locations, the DCPL has extensive collections, offers public programs, and maintains special collections in DC History, the History of Georgetown, and African American History. Of special interest is the library’s online exhibit, “The Black Renaissance” and “DC By the Book,” an interactive map of literature set in the city.
Dumbarton Oaks
Dumbarton Oaks is a research institution associated with Harvard University. They operate a museum of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art, maintain magnificent historic gardens, and run a research library.
Fairfax County Public Libraries
Fairfax County maintains 22 library locations, and co-sponsors the annual Fall for the Book Festival (typically in September or October).
Foundation Center
The Foundation Center runs a non-circulating library with information on foundations, corporate giving programs, and government grants in the US and abroad. Provides resources for non-profit organizations and for individuals seeking financial support. Offers classes in fundraising. DC is the location of one of their five sites across the US.
German Historical Institute
The German Historical Institute of Washington maintains a free, public, noncirculating library collection. Specializes in materials on German history, and German-American relations.
Historical Society of Washington
The Historical Society maintains the Kiplinger Library, a research collection of DC history. They also host exhibitions and special events, publish the journal Washington History, and co-sponsor the annual DC Historical Studies Conference.
Library of Congress
The LoC is an amazing resource. Information on the extensive collections (books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, prints, recordings, etc.), as well as the numerous public programs including readings and films and author talks. Special features of the site include “This Day in History”; web exhibits on such topics as Thomas Jefferson, Russia, and Bob Hope; the American Memory section with connections to original reference materials; a children’s section, “The Poet and the Poem” webcasts, the Archive of Recorded Poetry and “Poetry 180,” an initiative begun by former poet laureate Billy Collins to provide daily poems designed to be read by high school students. LoC Publications prints books, catalogues, and pamphlets about the library and its holdings. Also of special interest is the National Book Festival, the Center for the Book, with affiliated centers across the nation, the US Copyright Office, and the Office of the US Poet Laureate.
Middle East Institute
The Middle East Institute maintains the George Camp Keiser Library, which houses a comprehensive English language collection on the Middle East.
Montgomery County Public Libraries
Montgomery County maintains 21 public libraries.
Moorland-Spingarn Research Center
The Moorland-Spingarn, housed at Howard University, is one of the best research collections in the world on African American history and culture.
National Archives
The National Archives and Records Administration has collections of government records, including census and military records. They maintain a museum, offer free geneology workshops, and host films and lectures.
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery is a renowned museum of visual art, with two buildings (an East and a West wing), and an outdoor sculpture garden. They also maintain an art research library, and sponsor tours, films, and lectures.
National Geographic
National Geographic hosts a museum, films, lectures, and concerts. They also maintain a library with a public reading room.
National Library of Medicine
The National Institutes of Health maintains the largest medical library in the world in Rockville, MD. They also offer rotating exhibits.
Organization of American States
The OAS maintains a museum, an outdoor sculpture garden, and a resource collection, the Columbus Memorial Library.
Pauli Bellet Foundation
The Biblioteca Catalana is the library of the Pauli Bellet Foundation, housed on the second floor of Kensington Row Bookshop in Kensington, MD.
Polish Library in Washington
The Polish Library is a membership organization with a circulating library serving the Polish community as well as others interested in Polish literature, culture, history, and present-day Poland.
Prince George’s County Libraries
The Prince George’s County Memorial Libraries operate in 19 locations.
Scottish Rite Temple
The massive Masonic Temple in DC offers tours and exhibits, and maintains a research library that was the first public library in DC.
Smithsonian Libraries
The Smithsonian Institution maintains 22 libraries to complement their museum collections, and offer a range of online exhibits. Of special note are the Dibner Collection on science and technology, and the Cullman Collection on anthropology and the natural sciences.
Society for Women Geographers
The Society for Women Geographers is a membership organization. They maintain a research library, open by appointment.
Society of the Cincinnati
The Society of the Cincinnati operates Anderson House, with mansion tours, lectures and concerts. They also maintain a library, open to researchers by appointment, on the people and events of the American Revolution.
Textile Museum
The Textile Museum at The George Washington University maintains the Arthur D. Jenkins Library of Textile Arts, with literature and visual resources. While international in scope, the holdings emphasize the traditional cultures of the Americas, Africa, and Asia.
The Haiku Foundation
The Haiku Foundation is a nonprofit based in Winchester, VA. Offers educational resources for aspiring and experienced haiku poets. Maintains a physical library, with over 10,000 items including archival holdings from many leading haiku poets of the western world. Also hosts contests, videos, lesson plans for teachers. Publications include Red Moon, the largest publisher of English-language haiku and related forms in the world; the Red Moon Anthology of English-Language Haiku series (an annual compilation of the best haiku and related forms published around the world); a contemporary haibun series; and an online journal of haibun.
US Geological Survey
The USGS has the largest earth science library in the world, with collections in the areas of geology, hydrology, cartography, and biology, in four locations: Denver, Flagstaff, Menlo Park, CA, and Reston,VA.
US Holocaust Memorial Museum
The Holocaust Museum hosts exhibits, films, lectures, and maintains one of the largest reference libraries of holocaust studies in the world.
US Naval Observatory
The Observatory is home to the James Melville Gillis Library, a noncirculating research collection.