Title 2 — The CongressRelease 119-73
§135a National library service for the blind and print disabled
Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - LIBRARY OF CONGRESS › § 135a
Summary
The Librarian of Congress can lend eligible people in the United States and U.S. citizens living abroad books and other works in accessible formats, music scores and teaching materials in accessible formats, and devices that play those formats. All items are loans and stay the property of the Library of Congress. Priority goes to people who are blind or visually disabled and to eligible veterans with honorable discharges. The Librarian may work with public or nonprofit libraries and agencies as local or regional lending centers. The Librarian may also provide items online to authorized organizations in countries that are parties to the Marrakesh Treaty and arrange delivery to eligible people there, consistent with section 121A of title 17. Preference in buying and maintaining items will be given to nonprofits that serve the blind and disabled when prices are fair. The Librarian must write rules, with input from eligible people and authorized entities, including how someone proves eligibility. The terms “accessible format,” “authorized entity,” and “eligible person” mean what section 121 of title 17 says. Money may be appropriated as needed.
Full Legal Text
Title 2, §135a
The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)(1)The Librarian of Congress is authorized to provide to eligible persons who are residents of the United States (including residents of the several States, insular possessions, and the District of Columbia) and to eligible persons who are United States citizens residing outside the United States the following items:
(A)Literary works published in raised characters, on sound-reproduction recordings, or in any other accessible format.
(B)Musical scores, instructional texts, and other specialized materials used in furthering educational, vocational, and cultural opportunities in the field of music published in any accessible format.
(C)Reproducers for such formats.
(2)Any item provided under paragraph (1) shall be provided on a loan basis and shall remain the property of the Library of Congress.
(b)In the lending of items under subsection (a), the Librarian shall at all times give preference to—
(1)the needs of the blind and visually disabled; and
(2)the needs of eligible persons who have been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States.
(c)The Librarian of Congress may contract or otherwise arrange with such public or other nonprofit libraries, agencies, or organizations as the Librarian may determine appropriate to serve as local or regional centers for the circulation of items described in subsection (a)(1).
(d)The Librarian of Congress is authorized to provide items described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (a)(1) to authorized entities located in a country that is a party to the Marrakesh Treaty, if any such items are delivered to authorized entities through online, not physical, means. The Librarian may contract or otherwise arrange with such authorized entities to deliver such items to eligible persons located in their countries in any accessible format and consistent with section 121A of title 17.
(e)In the purchase and maintenance of items described in subsection (a), the Librarian of Congress, without regard to section 6101 of title 41, shall give preference to nonprofit institutions or agencies whose activities are primarily concerned with the blind and with other physically disabled persons, in all cases where, considering all the circumstances and needs involved, the Librarian determines that the prices submitted are fair and reasonable.
(f)The Librarian of Congress shall prescribe regulations for services under this section, in consultation with eligible persons and authorized entities. Such regulations shall include procedures that shall be used by an individual to establish that the individual is an eligible person.
(g)In this section—
(1)the terms “accessible format”, “authorized entity”, and “eligible person” have the meanings given those terms in section 121 of title 17; and
(2)the term “Marrakesh Treaty” has the meaning given in section 121A of such title 17.
(h)There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2019—Pub. L. 116–94 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “There is authorized to be appropriated annually to the Library of Congress, in addition to appropriations otherwise made to said Library, such sums for expenditure under the direction of the Librarian of Congress as may be necessary to provide books published either in raised characters, on sound-reproduction recordings or in any other form, and for purchase, maintenance, and replacement of reproducers for any such forms, for the use of the blind and for other physically handicapped residents of the United States, including the several States, Territories, insular possessions, and the District of Columbia, all of which books, recordings, and reproducers will remain the property of the Library of Congress but will be loaned to blind and to other physically handicapped readers certified by competent authority as unable to read normal printed material as a result of physical limitations, under
Regulations
prescribed by the Librarian of Congress for this service. In the purchase of books in either raised characters or in sound-reproduction recordings the Librarian of Congress, without reference to the provisions of section 6101 of title 41, shall give preference to nonprofit-making institutions or agencies whose activities are primarily concerned with the blind and with other physically handicapped persons, in all cases where the prices or bids submitted by such institutions or agencies are, by said Librarian, under all the circumstances and needs involved, determined to be fair and reasonable.” 2016—Pub. L. 114–219 substituted “and for purchase, maintenance, and replacement of reproducers for any such forms” for “and for purchase, maintenance, and replacement of reproducers for such sound-reproduction recordings” in first sentence. 1966—Pub. L. 89–522 amended section generally, extending availability of books and materials under this section by authorizing their loan to other physically handicapped residents, in addition to blind persons, certified by competent authority as unable to read normal printed material as a result of physical limitations. 1957—Pub. L. 85–308 authorized annual appropriation of necessary sums in lieu of provisions which limited annual appropriation to $1,125,000, and struck out limitation of $200,000 on amount of appropriated funds to be expended annually for books in raised characters. 1952—Act
July 3, 1952, included children within its provisions as well as adults. 1946—Act Aug. 8, 1946, increased annual appropriation from $500,000 to $1,125,000. 1944—Act
June 13, 1944, increased annual appropriation from $370,000 to $500,000, the amount allocated to sound-reproduction records from $250,000 to $400,000, and struck out provision allocating $20,000 to maintenance and replacement of Government-owned reproducers. 1942—Act Oct. 1, 1942, substituted “$370,000” for “$350,000”, and inserted clause at end of first sentence relating to expenditure of not exceeding $20,000 for maintenance and replacement of reproducers for sound-reproduction records. 1940—Act
June 6, 1940, substituted “$350,000” for “$275,000” and “$250,000” for “$175,000”. 1939—Act
June 7, 1939, inserted last sentence. 1937—Act Apr. 23, 1937, substituted “$275,000” for “$175,000” in two places and “$175,000” for “$75,000”. 1935—Act
June 14, 1935, substituted “$175,000” for “$100,000” and inserted provision that $100,000 of the $175,000 annual appropriation be expended for books in raised characters and the balance for sound-reproduction records. 1933—Act Mar. 4, 1933, inserted “published either in raised characters, on sound-reproduction records, or in any other form”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1957 Amendment Pub. L. 85–308, § 2, Sept. 7, 1957, 71 Stat. 630, provided that: “This Act [amending this section] shall be applicable with respect to the fiscal year ending June 30, 1958, and for each fiscal year thereafter.”
Effective Date
of 1946 AmendmentAct Aug. 8, 1946, ch. 868, § 2, 60 Stat. 908, provided: “This Act [amending this section] shall be applicable with respect to the fiscal year ending June 30, 1947, and for each fiscal year thereafter.”
Effective Date
of 1944 AmendmentAct
June 13, 1944, ch. 246, § 2, 58 Stat. 276, provided: “This Act [amending this section] shall be applicable with respect to the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1945, and for each fiscal year thereafter.”
Effective Date
of 1942 AmendmentAct Oct. 1, 1942, ch. 575, § 2, 56 Stat. 764, provided: “This Act [amending this section] shall be applicable with respect to the fiscal year ending June 30, 1943, and for each fiscal year thereafter.”
Effective Date
of 1937 AmendmentAct Apr. 23, 1937, ch. 125, § 2, 50 Stat. 72, provided that: “This Act [amending this section] shall be applicable with respect to the fiscal year ending June 30, 1938, and for each fiscal year thereafter.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
2 U.S.C. § 135a
Title 2 — The Congress
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73