PrintLibrary Collections and Services
The Jeannette Rankin Library program offers a wide array of specialized collections and services dealing with topics of conflict prevention, management, and resolution, and more specifically, diplomacy, mediation, and negotiation. Below is an overview of the available collections and services.
Collections
The core of the Ron Silver Library collection encompasses more than 4,000 books, journals and magazines, newspapers, limited number of audiovisual material, and electronic files.
The primary subjects of the collections are:
- conflict prevention, management and resolution
- diplomacy, negotiation and mediation
Other basic materials include related topics such as:
- peacekeeping and peacebuilding
- rule of law, international law and international security regimes
- war, violence, regional conflict, low-intensity conflict and security
- human rights, humanitarian affairs, and ethnic conflicts religion and ethics
- United Nations, interstate organizations and transnationalism
- political systems, international relations and economic development
- arms control, disarmament and deterrence
The Reference Collection contains more than 800 specialized reference volumes, encyclopedias, dictionaries, indexes, yearbooks, almanacs, statistical publications and bibliographies.
The Periodical Collection includes subscriptions to approximately 160 journals and several newspapers in electronic format. Electronic journals and news archives and current issues can be accessed by eligible users via intranet.
The Circulating Book Collection encompasses more than 4,000 volumes. Books may be used on-site by visitors or borrowed for three weeks by patrons using interlibrary loan through their host libraries.
A small Audiovisual Collection contains video cassettes on topics relevant to the mission of the library. Viewing equipment is available for on-site use to library users.
The Oral Histories Project on Stability Operations, collects the full text of interviews with individuals involved in stability operations, to draw lessons learned and address the challenges of post-conflict intervention.
The Peace Agreements Digital Collection contains the full text of peace agreements related to worldwide inter- and intrastate conflicts since 1989 for 40 regions or countries.
The Truth Commissions Digital Collection, contains background information and descriptions of the establishment, mandate, composition and reports of truth commissions in 24 countries and selected commissions of inquiry and related bodies in 12 countries. The full-text charters establishing six commissions have been added, with plans to add more supporting documents and reports.
Services
LibraryPlus
Search USIP's Library print and digital collections for books, periodicals, audio-visual materials, digital files (documents, audio and video presentations), and more. Use the advanced search for full-text searching of USIP Special Reports, Peaceworks, and additional digital items.
Alternatively, you may search ALADIN, a network of selected research academic libraries in Washington, D.C. area, or the Library of Congress catalog.
Library Use and Interlibrary Loan
Visitors must make an appointment via email before their visit. All material may be used on-site only. Loans of circulating material are arranged between cooperating libraries. Please contact your library for an ILL service.
We are a highly specialized library with in-depth resources in a narrow subject area. We will be happy to assist members of the public with reference queries, but we may refer you to other libraries or information sources if we deem it appropriate.
Please send any recommendations, suggestions, or questions to library@usip.org or call us at 202-429-4742.