Headquarters and Chemical Libraries

National Services
for the Public:

Chemical Library Links:

The mission of the Headquarters and Chemical Libraries is to improve access to information for decision making and environmental awareness. The libraries support EPA Headquarters staff and make information resources accessible to the public.

Contact Information

We are located at:
Room 3340, EPA West Building
1301 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004

Visitors must enter EPA West at the Constitution Avenue entrance and check in at the security desk in the main lobby. A map and directions via Metro and car are available on the EPA Web site.

All EPA visitors are required to show photo identification, pass through a metal detector, and sign the EPA visitor log. Visitors will receive a visitor pass, which must be visible at all times and must be returned at the conclusion of the visit. Visitor materials, including purses, backpacks, briefcases, etc. will be processed through an X-ray machine.

Visitors will be escorted to the library by a security representative. From the 1st floor elevator lobby, take an elevator to the 3rd floor. From the 3rd floor elevator lobby turn right. At the end of the hall turn right, and at the end of that hall turn right. After you enter the library, turn right into the Reading Room for assistance.

We can be contacted at:
Phone: (202) 566-0556
Fax: (202) 566-0574
E-Mail: hqchemlibraries@epa.gov

Mailing Address:
EPA Headquarters and Chemical Libraries
MC3404T
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20460

Hours of Operation

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
Closed on federal holidays. All public visitors must have photo identification to enter the facility.

Services include reference/research assistance and interlibrary loan/document delivery. Core library services and local collections are supported and supplemented by additional services provided by Research Triangle Park, NC Library Services.

Borrowing Policy and Interlibrary Loans

Borrowing privileges are limited to EPA staff and onsite contractors.

To locate EPA library and repository materials, you can search the Online Library System (OLS), EPA Libraries' online catalog. If you have any questions, please call or e-mail.

Information For Other Libraries: We freely share materials with other libraries via the OCLC Interlibrary Loan system. The chemical library collection's OCLC symbol is EJE and the Headquarters library collection’s OCLC symbol is EJB. We are members of FEDL (Federal Libraries and Information Centers) and LVIS (Libraries Very Interested in Sharing). For libraries that do not have OCLC access, please contact the Headquarters and Chemical Libraries at (202) 566-0556 or hqchemlibraries@epa.gov for alternate methods for requesting materials.

EPA Library Services for the Public

The EPA National Library Network provides a variety of public services:

National Environmental Publications Internet Site (NEPIS), part of the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
Online Library System (OLS)
EPA Library Services and Repositories