Offices
The mission of the Library of Congress is to make its resources available and useful to Congress and the American people. The Library of Congress also sustains and preserves a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations. Since 1962, the Library of Congress (LC), through its African Asian Acquisitions and Overseas Operations Division (OvOp), has procured publications in various countries through programs designed to acquire research materials. The Library of Congress then distributes these publications to a group of primarily American research libraries, in support of their area studies programs. There are six regional overseas offices, including the one in Southeast Asia, supported by the general policy of the U.S. government to promote the flow of information between the countries of the world. The offices also facilitate the exchange of professional, technical, and bibliographical information.
In 1963, the Library of Congress office in Jakarta (JKT) was opened. Today, Jakarta serves as the regional center for Southeast Asia and has offices in Bangkok (BKK), Kuala Lumpur (KL), Manila (MNL) and Rangoon (Burma/Myanmar). There are also collection arrangements for Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Vietnam and Timor Leste (East Timor). Over 2,000,000 pieces of research material have been acquired for the Library of Congress and the Cooperative Acquisitions Program for Southeast Asia (CAPSEA) participants. The staff acquires, catalogs, and preserves publications from this region, including electronic resources. The offices provide assistance for the US Congress, particularly the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and news updates to relevant foreign affairs staff (SFRC and HFAC), Department of State and on occasion provides reference and assistance to program participants.
The Jakarta office collects a wide range of analog and digital materials from Southeast Asia. Some of the materials collected include monographs, maps, non-print materials, sound recordings, videos, pamphlets, magazines, newspapers, gazettes, and electronic media. The office has also started collecting grey literature documenting the growth of civil societies, local languages, religion, environment and works about the Chinese in Southeast Asia. The office also selectively archives digital data from the region's national elections. For further information, including joining the cost-recovery CAPSEA program, please contact JakartaAcquisitions@loc.gov.