Part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the USGS began in 1879 to study the nation’s lands and resources. Today, we monitor, analyze, and predict Earth’s changing systems. Our science provides clear, reliable data that protects lives and property, supports energy and mineral decisions, strengthens water infrastructure, and promotes economic growth.
The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections.
The Library's mission is to support the Congress in fulfilling its constitutional duties and to further the progress of knowledge and creativity for the benefit of the American people.