Interior Library

The Library Reading Room will be closed to patrons on Thursday, September 17, and Monday, September 21, 2026, due to special events. Reference Librarians will be available via e-mail at library@ios.doi.gov.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. 


The Interior Library provides a full range of professional reference and research services, available to Interior employees in both the Washington, DC, area and nationwide. The collections include Departmental publications, as well as related books, journals, electronic databases and other resources that support the mission of the Department, its agencies, and bureaus.
 

Search the Library's Catalog

The Library's own collections include some 170,000 current and historical publications.
 

Contact Us

A staff member is available Monday through Friday (except federal holidays) from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
 

Upcoming Programs

Park Ranger Speaker Series

Echoes of Antietam: Turning Point of a Nation
Wednesday, September 16, 2026, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET

Step onto the fields of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American military history, where the future of the nation hung in the balance. On September 17, 1862, two great armies collided in a battle that reshaped the course of the Civil War and transformed Abraham Lincoln’s relationship with General George B. McClellan. Discover how this single day carried enormous military stakes and far‑reaching political consequences. Join Rangers Paul O’Brian and Caitlynn Sublette for a gripping exploration of Antietam’s fierce combat, pivotal decisions, and powerful legacy—an unforgettable story that continues to echo through American history.

Please note: This program is only being offered as a simultaneous online webinar. Please contact the Library to obtain webinar information for this program.

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Training Sessions

An Overview of HeinOnline: Historical, Legal and Legislative Research on the Web
Thursday, September 24, 2026, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET

HeinOnline is an online research platform that provides more than 196 million pages of multidisciplinary periodicals, essential government documents, international resources, case law, and much more. It also contains complete access to the Congressional Record; the Federal Register; the Code of Federal Regulations; and U.S. Federal Agency Documents (including Interior Department administrative materials). A William S. Hein & Co. trainer will review modules like HeinOnline’s Law Journal Library, Congressional Serial Set, Session Laws/State Statutes and more to and reveal how to best search for specific documents that you may need. 

Please note: This program is only being offered as a simultaneous online webinar. Please contact the Library to obtain webinar information for this program.
 

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Electronic Resources for Departmental Employees

These databases are available to all departmental employees at their desktops. Employees who are teleworking may access them through the Department's VPN. Others must contact a Reference Librarian for assistance.

General Interest

Law and Public Policy

The Interior Library Reference Staff maintains access to the Lexis Advance, Westlaw and PACER online databases. Departmental employees can visit the Interior Library or contact the Library by phone at (202) 208-5815 or via the Library's Questions and Comments form if they would like a reference librarian to conduct a work-related search in any of these databases.
 

Find Electronic Books and Journals By Title

To help you determine whether and where a needed electronic book or journal is available among the databases listed above, we provide a complete, searchable alphabetical list of titles. If you're looking for a particular journal but aren't sure where it's indexed or is available among the Library's online databases, try this list first.

The list combines the full-text journals and other materials in all the database services to which Library users have access.

Also included are some single subscriptions as well as selected open access books and journals. Most entries include coverage dates, and all entries have links directly to the requested title.

Please direct your questions on database searching strategies to a Reference Librarian.
 

The Federal Depository Library Program     

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As a member of the Federal Depository Library Program, the Interior Library provides local, no-fee access to Federal government information in an impartial environment with professional assistance. Anyone can visit Federal depository libraries and use the Federal depository collections. The Interior Library has received Federal depository materials since its designation in 1895.