The Library That Held More Than Anyone Could Read

In 2003, a janitor named Emilio Sanchez worked the night shift at the Library of Congress in Washington, D. C. For years, he mopped floors and emptied trash cans, passing 170 million items on shelves stretching 838 miles. He never stopped to read a single one. The library was open to him — he had a badge, keys, full access — but he treated it like a hallway to walk through, not a treasure to explore.…