From the Director: "Since it was created within the Department of Agriculture in 1862 and established by the Congress as a national library in 1990 charged to 'serve as the primary agricultural information resource of the United States,' the National Agricultural Library (NAL) has continued to grow in size, capability, and mission." Click on cover image to enlarge.

• Cover key
• Prefatory Materials including From the Director

• Mission 1: nal serves as a national library of the United States and as the library serving the USDA.
• Mission 2: NAL acquires, preserves, organizes and provides access to information and provides quality stewardship of its unique collection.

• Mission 3: NAL Assists, trains and educates people based on an assessment of their information needs.
• Mission 4: NAL provides leadership in information management.
• Mission 5: NAL maximizes access to information through collaborative efforts and utilization of technology.

• Mission 6: NAL enhances global cooperation through international exchange of information and the provision of services and technical assistance.
• Selected Statistics 2000-2002