Read the text and match its parts with the following statements. There is one state. ment you don't have to use. a) This library once changed its name. b) This library is mostly used by scientists c) This library was first used by a rather sma up of d) This library changed the place of its locatia on! not so long to go. e) This library enlightens people in different ways.
The Famous Libraries of the World
1 The US Library of Congress is the largest in the world. It has about 90 million items books, manuscripts? s, maps, photographs, pieces of music ete. The library has about 350 miles of bookshelves in three gigantic (dgargentik) build- ings in Washington, Dc. The collection was started in 1800 to help congressmen in their work. When in 1814 the books were destroyed in a fire the Congress bought Thomas Jefferson's personal library of about 6500 books - the beginning of a new collection. Now the library is open to the public.
2 The Biblioteque Nationale (national Library) is the most important library in France and one of the oldest in the world. Its beginning was the first royal library started by Charles V in the 14th century. In 1692 the library was opened to the public and renamed the Bib- lioteque Nationale in 1795 The library's collection nowadays includes about 9 million books and 180 thou sand manuscripts from France and other countries.
3. The Russian State Library in Moscow is one of the tar. est in the world. It has more than 40 million items in 247 languages: books, newspapers, maps, music and others. The library is not only a place to read. It is also a a learning centre which organizes lectures (lekesl, discussions and presentations. The library was opened in the 18th century on the basis (bess) of Count Rumyantsev's collection and ince that time it has been used by millions of people who come to the library and use its Internet site.
4 The British Library is the national library of the UK. It has a large new building in London which was finished in 1996. Before that the li- ary was part of the British Museum. Nowa- days every visitor of the museum can see the fa- mous Reading Room designed as Rome's Pan theon Some of the greatest thinkers and the most famous people of their times have worked in this room: writers, dramatists, politicians such as Charles Dickens, Bernard Shaw, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Karl Marx, \aai- mir Lenin.