To rebuild its collection, Congress purchased former president Thomas Jefferson's personal library of 6,487 books for $23,950 on January 30, 1815.
Notes on verification
Confirmed by multiple authoritative independent sources including Library of Congress, U.S. House history office, Monticello, and Founders Online/National Archives. Minor variance in emphasized date reflects legislative process stages, not factual dispute.
Sources
- Library of Congress | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica (britannica.com)
- https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-07-02-0484-0001 (founders.archives.gov)
- https://www.monticello.org/encyclopedia/sale-books-library-congress-1815 (monticello.org)
- https://guides.loc.gov/thomas-jefferson-library/about-the-collection (guides.loc.gov)
- https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1800-1850/Thomas-Jefferson-s-library/ (history.house.gov)