Policies
Access
Access the USFWS Library’s catalog to view our electronic resources and print collections. The library uses a proxy service to provide access to electronic resources. FWS employees may use their PIV cards authenticate and view library resources. Other library patrons may work with their organization should work to request a library account for access. Partners can find details about access at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Library Resources for Partners.
Borrowing
FWS staff, NCTC students, and Army natural resource managers, and NAFWS members are eligible to check out circulating print titles, which may be mailed to their work locations or accessed on site at NCTC. Our lending period is 8 weeks with options to renew.
Public Visits
The public may arrange a visit to the library. However, library materials circulate only to FWS employees, NCTC students, and our partner patrons.
Library Resources Training for FWS Employees
The Library User Group offers regular webinars on library resources and services for FWS employees. For more information, contact library@fws.gov.
Interlibrary Loan
The USFWS Library participates in interlibrary loan and offers 8-week loans with renewal options. Service employees and NCTC students may request to borrow material not in the USFWS Library’s collection from other libraries. NAFWS members and Army natural resource managers may request interlibrary loans for articles, eBooks, and other digital content. Members of the public may request items from the USFWS Library via their home library using the interlibrary loan process.
Copyright Warning
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research". If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use", that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.
Collection Development
The selection of library materials, for both our literature collection and digital media collection, will be consistent with the mission and the needs of the Service, as well as:
- Demand, as demonstrated through usage statistics and Service employee requests
- Currency and timeliness
- Accuracy, quality, and depth of material
- Depth of coverage from the instructional to research level depending on FWS program needs
- Cost
- Availability in a variety of physical and electronic formats
- Scope and content (representing diversity and a variety of perspectives)
- Documents of the work of the Service and the history of conservation
Library materials will fit into one or more of these broad areas:
- Inspiration: Conservation literature, classic and contemporary, to inspire all FWS employees to engage with the wonder of nature
- Application: Publications and tools to assist conservation practitioners, land managers, scientists, and data managers in their work.
- Education: Resources for Education Outreach, NCTC course leaders, and others engaged with education and training
- History: Reports, publications by government agencies and non-governmental organizations, non-fiction on history of U.S., government, land, and conservation.
Image Policy
The National Digital Library accepts new images by Service employees as well as external photographers. External photographers need to fill out a Copyright Release Agreement (Form 3-2259) to dedicate their images to the public domain. Contact nctcimages@fws.gov for more information.
Electronic vs. Print Collections
Because the USFWS Library serves audiences throughout the United States and territories, our primary objective will be serving the best remotely accessible electronic resources. Print books will continue to be added to the collection to facilitate lending to employees on site as students at NCTC or through mail at their facilities.
Collection Maintenance
Weeding will be done methodically and in an on-going basis, according to accepted professional practices.
Donations
The USFWS Library accepts donations of books, periodicals, imagery, and other material benefits Service employees. Donations must be of use to Service employees and fit the scope of our collections. Please submit a list of the materials you wish to donate including author, title and copyright year before shipping donations. We will respond by checking off all items we would like to add to the library collection. Please send via email to library@fws.gov or mail to:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center
USFWS Library
698 Conservation Way
Shepherdstown, WV 25443-4024
Once we have determined what the library can accept, please use the above address for shipping.
We may refuse or dispose of donations if they are no longer useful or do not fit our collection scope.
We will not provide a value for donations received. We may provide a letter of receipt if requested.
