• United States federal agencies (other than USDA)
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities
• 1994 Land Grant Tribal Colleges
• Chesapeake Information and Research Library Alliance member libraries (CIRLA)
• Agricultural Libraries Network (AGLINET) member libraries are not charged for copies of materials published in the United States. Member libraries will be charged the standard fees for copies of materials published outside the United States. To access the AGLINET website, go to www.fao.org/library and choose "Partnerships-Networks."

Fees for USDA Document Delivery

USDA employees are charged a flat fee for each item requested.

Fee Schedule for Interlibrary Loan (Last Revision: July 2000)

Fees include postage and handling, and are subject to change.

• Invoices are issued quarterly and each invoice will include an additional $10.00 bill processing fee. Unpaid invoices which require re-billing in the following quarter will incur an additional $10.00 fee.
• Invoices are issued by the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). All payments are payable to the National Technical Information Service. DO NOT SEND PREPAYMENT. You will be invoiced.
• Libraries submitting requests through the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) may choose to pay fees through OCLC's Interlibrary Loan Fee Management Service (IFM) rather than being billed.
• You are encouraged to set up a deposit account or arrange for credit card billing through NTIS. Payments must be drawn on a U.S. bank payable in U.S. dollars. NTIS accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. If you currently have an account set up with NTIS, you may use it to pay for your NAL services.
• For information about payment options or setting up a deposit account please contact NTIS:
  5285 Port Royal Road
  Springfield, VA 22161
  1-888-584-8332 or 703-605-6050
  e-mail: customerservice@ntis.gov

The National Agricultural Library (NAL) began a policy of charging for extended information and research services effective January 1, 1987.

The policy establishing User Fees was published in the Federal Register, vol. 49, no. 179, September 13, 1984, page 35929.

In accordance with this policy, most categories of users, with the exception of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) personnel, are billed for information support services in excess of the threshold level. Threshold level service is defined as one-half hour of staff time or $25.00 in computer usage costs.

Reference services are provided to users, subject to staff availability, as follows:

• U.S. Department of Agriculture staff are provided with a broader range of reference services without charge.
  
  
• U.S. state and local agencies, including state experiment stations and extension services, U.S. individuals, including college and university students and faculty who have made full use of their local, state, and/or university resources can receive services up to the threshold level without charge. Services beyond the threshold level are provided for a fee.
  
  
• U.S. high school, junior high and middle school students who have made full use of their local, state and/or university resources can receive services up to the threshold level without charge if the request is accompanied by a written or e-mailed request (with a contact telephone number) from the instructor/teacher. Services beyond the threshold level are provided for a fee.
  
  
• All organizations, societies, institutions, and businesses including contractors, both foreign and domestic, are provided services up to the threshold level without charge. Services beyond the threshold level are provided for a fee.
  
  
• Libraries and individuals in other countries are provided service up to the threshold level without charge. Services beyond the threshold level are provided for a fee.

Reference Services beyond threshold level:

• Professional time - $11.00 per hour or portion thereof
  
  
• Support time - $5.50 per hour or portion thereof
  
  
• Computer time -- Varies according to the database(s) searched, time spent online, and the number of references printed. Charges are for telecommunications linkages, direct online costs and for the offline prints, if any.
  
  
• Processing fee -- $10.00 per request--this is in addition to the above charges.

Billing and collection are done by the National Technical Information Service, 5825 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161, on a quarterly basis. No money should be sent until a bill is received. For further information contact, Leader, Reading Room Services Team, 1st Floor, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2351 (301) 504-5755.