Interesting Facts About Presidential Libraries
Although they may seem dusty and dry, presidential libraries are home to some of the most intriguing tales in American history. They are time capsules that preserve everything from historic speeches to strange presents from foreign leaders; they are more than just buildings containing old documents.
Presidential libraries have developed into a distinctive fusion of museum and archive that chronicles the history of each presidency since Franklin Roosevelt initiated the concept in the late 1930s. 15 fascinating facts about presidential libraries are listed here.
FDR Started It All
Franklin Roosevelt created the entire presidential library system in 1939 when he decided to donate his personal and presidential papers to the federal government. Before FDR came up with this idea, presidential papers were considered personal property, and many documents ended up scattered across various collections, lost, or even deliberately destroyed.
Roosevelt built his library on his family estate in Hyde Park, New York, funded the construction through private donations, and officially opened it in 1941 before turning it over to the National Archives to operate.
They Hold Massive Collections
The presidential library system maintains over 400 million pages of textual materials, 15 million photographs, approximately 700,000 museum objects, and 40 million pages of electronic records as of 2024. That’s enough material to keep researchers busy for lifetimes.
Each library functions as both an archive and a museum, making presidential records accessible to scholars and the general public without political bias.
Private Money Builds Them
Presidential libraries get constructed with private donations, not taxpayer money. Former presidents and their supporters raise funds to build these facilities, which can cost anywhere from a few million to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Once construction wraps up, the completed facility is transferred to the National Archives under a donation agreement, and operational funding becomes a shared responsibility between federal appropriations and private foundation endowments.
Obama’s Library Broke the Mold
Barack Obama’s presidential library became the first fully digital library in the system, marking a significant departure from tradition. The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago is managed by the Obama Foundation as a private museum and community space, not by the National Archives.
Meanwhile, NARA stores and digitizes Obama’s presidential records at a separate federal facility, allowing researchers to access documents online rather than in a traditional reading room.
They’re Expensive to Maintain
Operating these libraries isn’t cheap. In fiscal year 2023, taxpayers spent approximately $104 million running the presidential library system, with costs varying considerably between facilities.
The John F. Kennedy Library’s operating budget reached about $7.8 million that year, while smaller operations cost significantly less to maintain annually.
Endowments Are Required
Since 1986, private foundations building presidential libraries have been required to es
tablish endowments to help cover operating costs. The endowment requirement has increased over time—initially at 20 percent of construction costs, then jumping to 40 percent in 2003.
The Presidential Libraries Act Amendments of 2008 codified the current 60 percent requirement, significantly reducing the long-term burden on taxpayers for maintaining these facilities.
Most Presidents Are Buried There
Most presidents since Herbert Hoover have been interred at or near their presidential libraries, with n
otable exceptions for Kennedy, Johnson, and Carter. Ronald Reagan rests at his library in California, and both George H.W. Bush and his son George W. Bush chose College Station, Texas.
John F. Kennedy is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Lyndon Johnson was buried at his Texas ranch, and Jimmy Carter is buried near his home in Plains, Georgia.
The Oldest Papers Are at the Library of Congress
Presidential libraries only exist for presidents from Herbert Hoover forward. For earlier presidents, the Library of Congress Manuscript Division holds papers from 23 presidents spanning George Washington through Calvin Coolidge.
These collections have been digitized and made available online, giving researchers access to some of the nation’s most treasured documents without traveling to Washington.
They Can Take Years to Process
Processing presidential records takes serious time and effort. As of 2022, the National Archives reported that roughly 90 percent of materials in presidential libraries had been processed and made available to researchers.
The remaining 10 percent represents thousands of documents still being reviewed, organized, and prepared for public access according to legal requirements and archival standards.
Nixon’s Library Had a Complicated Start
Richard Nixon’s presidential library opened as a private institution in 1990, operated by the Richard Nixon Foundation. The library didn’t join the federal system until 2007, becoming the twelfth federally managed facility operated by the National Archives.
This delay stemmed from complicated negotiations over Nixon’s presidential materials following his resignation and the unique legal circumstances surrounding his records.
They’re Not Lending Libraries
Despite the name, presidential libraries don’t lend out books like your local public library. They function as archival repositories that preserve and provide access to presidential papers, records, photographs, and artifacts.
Researchers visit these facilities to study original documents and materials related to specific presidencies and the eras in which those presidents served.
The Bush Library Is the Largest
The George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas holds the distinction of being the largest facility in the system at 226,560 square feet. The massive complex houses extensive collections of documents, photographs, and artifacts from the Bush presidency, along with interactive exhibits about major events like education reform and the response to the financial crisis.
Digital Records Are Exploding
Modern presidencies generate astronomical amounts of digital information. The George W. Bush Library holds over 200 million email messages and approximately 80 terabytes of electronic records created using White House systems.
These digital collections present unique preservation challenges compared to traditional paper documents, and the Obama administration’s records will likely surpass these numbers once fully digitized and processed.
Foreign Gifts Fill the Museums
Presidential libraries contain approximately 800,000 objects given to presidents, their families, and administrations. These items include State Department protocol gifts from foreign dignitaries, domestic donations from American citizens, and various artifacts managed under the Presidential Records Act.
The gifts range from homemade crafts to priceless works of art, and all become part of the permanent collection once a president leaves office.
Congress Passed a Law in 1955
The Presidential Libraries Act of 1955 formally established the framework for a system of privately constructed and federally maintained libraries. This legislation encouraged presidents to donate their historical materials to the government and ensured that presidential papers would be preserved and made accessible to the American people.
Harry Truman became the first president to build a library after the law passed, though Roosevelt’s facility predated the formal legislation.
Preserving Democracy in Action
Presidential libraries are used for much more than just keeping historical records. They protect democracy’s foundational elements and shed light on how presidents made choices that influenced the country and the rest of the world.
In order to ensure that future generations can study and learn from the achievements and shortcomings of previous administrations, these institutions enable citizens, students, and researchers to examine presidential records without political bias. In America, presidential records belong to the people, not to specific leaders, as the libraries remind us.
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