Library Services for the Public
EPA Libraries provide a wide range of direct and online services to members of the public as well as EPA staff. Members of the public can visit EPA Libraries to use materials in-person. In addition, the public may request assistance via phone or email with finding and gaining access to EPA publications and web content.
Direct Services
Public Visits
Each EPA Library has their own procedures and requirements for public visits. Please contact your local EPA Library via phone or email to make an appointment to meet with a Librarian.
Interlibrary Loan
The public can borrow many EPA Library materials found in a search of the EPA National Library Catalog, such as books and EPA documents. Books and documents not published by the EPA can be borrowed by requesting an interlibrary loan from their local library. To access an EPA document, users can submit an interlibrary loan request to obtain the document or search the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) digital repository to determine if the document is available electronically.
Online Services
EPA National Library Catalog
The EPA National Library Catalog is publicly available online. The catalog enables users to search for materials in any EPA Library across the country. Books and documents not published by the EPA can be borrowed through interlibrary loan. EPA documents can be borrowed through interlibrary loan, however they may also be available online in the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP).
National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
Approximately 100,000 EPA documents (1970 - present) are accessible in digital form in National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP). EPA documents are continually being digitized and added to the NSCEP digital repository. Users can search the NSCEP digital repository either for a specific document or to find multiple documents on a topic of interest.
Frequent Questions
EPA Libraries provide online access to a broad-based, user-friendly, dynamic Frequent Questions knowledge base. In addition, some individual offices and programs maintain their own Frequent Questions web pages. If users cannot find an answer to a question, EPA accepts questions and provides replies within 10 days. The Frequent Questions knowledge base is always changing, with articles regularly being added, edited, and removed in response to questions received from members of the public.