Directions

NOAA Western Regional Center (Sand Point Campus)
Building 3 (campus map)
7600 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115-6349

Area map

Hours

The Library is open 24/7 to NOAA employees. Anyone with official access to the NOAA facility at Sand Point during off-hours may use the Library.

Library staff are available Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 PM PST. The public may use the Library for reference during this time, however, previous arrangements are required to allow access to the NOAA Western Regional Center (WRC) campus. Call 206-526-6242 or email: seattle.library@noaa.gov to make arrangements.

General use information

The Library may be used by all NOAA or JISAO employees and contractors in WA, OR, CA, AK, HI, ID and the Pacific Islands (list). Service may be requested by email, web-based forms, phone or mail.

Library collections (books, journals, reports, NOAA publications, maps, extra-curricular, etc.) may be searched online through the library and journal catalogs listed below, or browsed within the library. The Library staff can, in most cases, provide approved users with materials they need that are not available on-site through interlibrary borrowing agreements. Simply use the forms provided to make a request or contact the Librarian. The library floor plan (pdf) provides a general layout of where one may find the various types of items in the library.

Circulation

Circulation of library materials is limited to NOAA employees. Any item taken from the library must be checked out at the front desk. Books are available on an as-needed loan basis. We request that you return items as soon as you are finished with them. Circulating items are subject to recall at any time. If you receive a recall notice, please return the book to the library promptly. Journals are not allowed to circulate. The WRC Copy service is available through the Library providing 24-hour turn around on most types of copy requests.

We will start your borrower's account the first time you want to check something out of our library, or the first time you come in. Only books checked from our library (NOAA Seattle Regional) will show on your account. Though of the NMML and NWFSC Libraries' items are in the catalog, their checkout system is not online and they circulate materials independently.

New users

A library orientation is provided for all new employees and is required before receiving access to the collection. Please stop in the library anytime during regular hours for a full introduction to the library staff and our services. We look forward to meeting you!

Employees separating from NOAA must return all materials to the library and have form CD-126, Separation Clearance Certificate, signed by a library staff member during the last week of employment with NOAA.

Library catalogs

• NOAA Libraries (NOAALINC) - NOAA nationwide library catalog
• NOAA virtual publications gateway
• WorldCat (Worldwide catalog)

Journals

Journals cannot be checked out.

Current print journals are displayed in the main reading room on slant shelves, and an adjacent reading area provides users with a convenient and comfortable place to browse journals.

• Full text journals available through the library.
• Journal literature databases and search engines.
• Request articles not available through NOAA subscriptions.
  

Photocopying

A copy machine is available to users in the main entry of the Library. The WRC Copy service is available through the Library providing 24-hour turn around on most types of copy requests.

Quiet spaces

There are study carrels, tables and chairs in the Library where patrons can read and do research in a quiet atmosphere.