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Founded by Act of Congress April 24, 1800, and permanently organized on the basis of a report made by John Randolph December 21, 1801, $5000 being appropriated for the purchase of books. It was and is now located in the Capitol Building. When the British held Washington for a single day, August 25, 1814, the Capitol was burned and with it the library. The same Congress bought 6700 volumes from Thomas Jefferson for $23,950. In 1824 an Act of Congress provided for an annual appropriation of $5000 for purchasing books, and the library was placed in the central Capitol Building. In 1851 a second fire destroyed about 30,000 volumes. In 1852 $75,000 were appropriated for the reconstruction of the rooms and $75,000 for the immediate purchase of books. The library numbered 75,000 books in 1860. A new and separate library building is now (1894) being constructed. The library now numbers more than 675,000 volumes.