The Library of Congress frequently has thousands of free books available for donation to eligible groups. These surplus books are not necessary for the Library’s own use, and so Congressional Representatives may donate them to schools, libraries, community centers, and other organizations in their district.
Eligible organizations and institutions must be located in the United States and fall into one of the following categories:
- Full-time, tax-supported or nonprofit educational institution: school, school system, college, university, museum, or public library.
- Agency of local, state, or federal government.
- Nonprofit institution or organization that has tax-exempt status under the provisions of section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (see 41 CFR 101-44.207 (a)(17)) and that operates a library and/or research center open to the public.
Team Pence would be glad to help facilitate your requests for surplus books of any genre, including children’s books, fiction, non-fiction, reference books, and text books amongst others. Please note that the books in the Surplus Books Program change frequently and are not listed in any database. We will try our hardest to find books that match your interests, but cannot ensure the exact books you request will be available. To increase the likelihood we can successfully fulfill your request, we ask you to keep your requests general (for example, children’s books rather than The Cat in the Hat).
To submit a request, enter your information below. Once a book request is made, our office will contact you. Please note that requests can take months to complete.
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