Ask a Librarian
Each library location has expert reference librarians available to assist with research and provide answers to reference questions received by phone, fax, or in person. To ask for reference assistance by E-mail, Ask a Librarian at library@usgs.gov.
Visiting
The public is welcome to visit the USGS Library and use the collections Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Photo identification is required to enter most federal government buildings. Expert staff is always available to assist visitors and give informal orientations. Tours by groups can be arranged upon request. Visitors may use library materials on the premises. Photocopiers are available at all locations. The online catalog is available on the World Wide Web.
USGS requires all visitors to present government-issued identification for access to its facilities. For visitors presenting a state-issued driver's license or identification card, USGS may only accept such documents if they are issued by states that are REAL ID compliant. If the state that issued your license is listed as noncompliant, please bring an alternate form of government-issued photo ID – such as a passport or Federal employee, military, or veteran identification card to facilitate access.
Help in the Library
Each library has expert reference librarians available to assist with research and provide answers to reference questions received by phone, fax, or in person. To ask for reference assistance by E-mail, Ask a Librarian at library@usgs.gov.
Borrowing
If the public wants to borrow books they must ask their local library (i.e. public, school, university, or corporate library) to borrow them from the USGS Library via a process called inter-library loan (ILL). Your local library may send ILL requests through either the OCLC electronic ILL system (see OCLC symbols below) or on the standard American Library Association (ALA) form by email, mail or FAX to the appropriate library location.
Library Locations and their OCLC Symbols:
- Reston Library: GIS
- Denver Library: GID
