The Folger Shakespeare Library is an independent research library on Capitol Hill  in Washington, D.C.,  in the United States. It has the world’s largest collection of the printed works of William Shakespeare,  and is a primary repository for rare materials from the early modern period (1500–1750).

The library was established by Henry Clay Folger  in association with his wife, Emily Jordan Folger.  It opened in 1932, two years after his death.

The library offers advanced scholarly programs; national outreach to K-12 classroom teachers on Shakespeare education; and plays, music, poetry, exhibits, lectures, and family programs. It also has several publications and is a leader in methods of preserving rare materials.

It produces publications and resources—in print and online—to support teachers, students, and lifelong learners interested in Shakespeare’s plays and the world that shaped them, including the Folger Editions, which are the number one Shakespeare text used in American classrooms today.

It publishes Shakespeare Quarterly, the premiere journal for Shakespeare scholarship, as well as the award-winning Folger Magazine. Its wide variety of cultural and arts programs  includes theater, music, poetry, exhibitions, lectures, screenings, and family programs.

Web site Folger Shakespeare Library:  http://www.folger.edu/