National Library of Education (NLE) US Department of Education

History and Founding

The National Library of Education (NLE) was formally created by Congress in 1994, though its origins trace back to 1867, when the first Commissioner of Education, Henry Barnard, brought his personal book collection on education to the newly established Department of Education. Congress appropriated funds for what was then called the Education Library in 1868, making it one of the oldest federal subject-specialty libraries. Today the NLE is administered by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) within the U.S. Department of Education and is located in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building at 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, D.C.

Collections and Holdings

The NLE is the federal government's primary resource center for education information, providing collections and information services to the public, the education community, and government agencies. The historical collection includes approximately 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. The current collection, in print and electronic formats, focuses on education and related fields including economics, law, psychology, and sociology. Operating as a depository library under the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), the NLE systematically collects U.S. government publications related to education. Most current Department of Education publications are available electronically through ed.gov and ERIC.

Notable Materials

For researchers in journalism and media, the NLE holds historical materials documenting federal education policy and communications, including government reports, press releases, and policy documents from the Department of Education and its predecessors. The ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) database, which the NLE supports, is a comprehensive digital library of education research and information.

Access and Usage

The NLE is open to the public by appointment, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding federal holidays. Visitors must be in a secure building and should contact the Library in advance by phone or email to arrange a visit. The library's catalog is searchable online via WorldCat.