1. THE US LIBRARY of CONGRESS

2. It has about 90 million items –books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, etc.

3. The collection was started in 1800 to help Congressmen in their work.

4. Now it is open to the general public.

5. National Library is the most important library in France.

7. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world.

8. In 1692 the library was opened to the public and renamed the Bibliotheque Nationale in 1795.

9. The Russian State Library in Moscow is one of the largest in the world.

10. It has more than 40 million items in 247 languages: books, newspapers, maps, music and others.

11. The library was opened in the 18 th century on the basis of Count Rumyantsev’s private collection.

12. About 4 thousand people come to the library every day.

13. The British Library is the national library of the UK.

14. Everyone can visit the famous Reading Room.

15. Some of the greatest minds and the most famous people of their times have worked in the reading room.