2012 Best Practices for Government Libraries

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BEST PRACTICES 2012
Affairs, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management, the Department is
tasked with providing a number of unique services and functions across the United States.
The DOI Library’s primary mission is to help our agency meet its goals by providing timely
access and assistance to departmental employees around the country. In addition to
employees of the Department of the Interior, the library also receives visitors from other
federal Government agencies, law firms, associations, NGOs, research firms and the
academic community.
Over the past several years, however, the DOI Library has become known to the federal
library community as the home of the Park Ranger Speaker Series. This popular lecture
series has become the most well-attended regular event at the Library. These talks are
typically held during the third week of every month and feature a different topic for each
lecture. Each seminar is offered by a National Park Service Ranger or historian who
speaks on a subject of particular interest and professional knowledge. In most cases,
attention is focused on topics or events related to the Washington, DC area.
This year’s programming has focused heavily on the Civil War and the War of 1812, in
commemoration of the anniversaries of these significant conflicts. Although lecture topics
may vary quite a bit, Rangers will often speak about sites where they have worked,
including national monuments, parks and landmarks, or historical eras or events. A recent
lecture on the Doolittle Raid commemorated the 70 th anniversary of this famous World
War II event. Occasionally, Rangers or Park Service employees will even conduct talks in
the Library in period costume. During one recent talk on the history of the C&O Canal,
attendees were treated to a short musical interlude provided by two Park Service
employees in late 19th century costumes and performed on musical instruments from the
time period. In July 2012, park ranger Nikolette Williams gave an amazing lecture and
first-hand account of her experiences as one of 2 rangers on duty at the Washington
Monument during the 2011 earthquake. Her lecture included a fascinating discussion of
the history of the monument; including the issues and complexities surrounding its
construction as well as later renovation work and photos of some of the damage that the
monument sustained during the earthquake. Audience members also had an opportunity
to view the film footage from the cameras inside the monument during the earthquake.
The park ranger talks are a great opportunity for local residents to learn more about the
history of the Capital Area and some of the sites that residents take for granted as we
travel through our busy lives. All programs are open to the public and free to both
employees and visitors. Upcoming training sessions and events are available at the
library’s website at: http://library.doi.gov. Please RSVP to reserve a space in upcoming
training sessions and seminars. The Library also offers tours by appointment.