Library of Congress Research Guides

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

Library of Congress Research Guides provides authoritative, staff-curated guides to the Library of Congress's collections and subject areas to aid research.

Target Customer

Researchers, students, librarians, and other information seekers using Library of Congress resources

Key Differentiator

Authoritative LOC-curated content authored by Library of Congress staff, tied to the Library's collections and catalog, with subject-/center-based organization

Implementation Timeline

Immediate access to online guides; catalog-related actions (e.g., password resets) follow the catalog process described in the guidance, with typical short lead times for account activation

Pain Points

1Difficulty locating authoritative LOC resources across many guides
2Need for up-to-date guidance specific to LOC collections and tools (staff-created guides)
3Access challenges during transitions to the new Library of Congress Catalog and related systems

Key Features

1Guides organized by subject, research center, and type (BY SUBJECT, BY RESEARCH CENTER, ALL GUIDES, BY TYPE)
2Search and browse capabilities (Search: Enter Search Words; Alphabetical; Most Recent; etc.)
3Ask a Librarian feature for assistance
4A-Z Database List for LOC-subscription databases and free resources
5Links to related LOC catalogs, bibliographies, finding aids, and other research tools

Target Customer Industries

Decision Makers

1Librarian
2Library Director / Library Manager
3Research Services Manager
4Archivist
5IT / Library Systems Administrator

Client Results

1Improved discovery and access to Library of Congress resources and databases
2Centralized, staff-authored guidance to LOC collections and research topics
3Enhanced user support through Ask a Librarian and FAQs

Competitive Advantages

1Authoritative guidance directly from the Library of Congress staff
2Centralized access to LOC collections, databases, and finding aids
3Subject and center-specific guides tailored to researchers' needs
4Integration with LOC's catalog and research tools

Key Benefits

1Guided discovery of LOC resources

2Subject- and center-specific guidance

3Access to Library of Congress databases and catalogs

4Support from librarians via Ask a Librarian

Additional Product Information

Product Description

A collection of research guides to the Library of Congress collections and staff-created subject guides, with search and navigation features to assist research

Target Market

Researchers, students, librarians, educators, and institutions seeking Library of Congress resources

Unique Value Proposition

Authoritative LOC-curated research guides authored by Library of Congress staff, enabling direct discovery and access to the Library’s collections and databases

Technical Requirements

Internet access; some features require login via LibApps; uses Springshare platform for some tools

Pricing Model

Not disclosed in the provided content

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