Visiting the Library

Reference Desk

Abraham Lincoln Building, Beltsville, Maryland

The National Agricultural Library welcomes the public. Visitors may request materials to review or copy onsite, but Library policy restricts loans to the public.
Hours

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time
Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays)

Special Collections:
8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. / 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays)
Please contact us to schedule an appointment.
Location

The National Agricultural Library's Abraham Lincoln Building is located in Beltsville, Maryland, 15 miles northeast of Washington, DC, near the intersection of U.S. Route 1 and Interstates 95 and 495 (Beltway Exit 25-North). The Library occupies a 14-story building on the grounds of USDA's Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC).
Address and Phone

National Agricultural Library
10301 Baltimore Avenue
Beltsville, MD 20705-2351
(301) 504-5755
Maps

Directions

By Car:

  • Take I-95 / I-495 (Capital Beltway) to exit 25 - College Park/Laurel. From the exit ramp, follow signs for Route 1 (Baltimore Ave.) North, toward Laurel. Once on Route 1 North, travel approximately 3/10 mile before turning right at the stoplight into the Library's driveway. Park in the visitors parking lot (on the north side of the building) and enter through the main entrance of the building.
  • For custom directions, go to Yahoo Maps or Google Maps, enter your starting address, and click "Get Directions."

By MetroRail:

By Train:

  • Amtrak trains stop at:
    • New Carollton, Maryland. From there, call for a taxi (approximately 7 miles).
    • Union Station in Washington, D.C. From there take MetroRail or the MARC Train.
  • MARC trains along the Camden Line stop at the Greenbelt Station. From there, do one of the following:

By Plane:

USDA Shuttle (Employees Only):

  • Carver Center Shuttle
    • Serves the following stops in the Beltsville area:
      • Metro's Greenbelt Station
      • The George Washington Carver Center
      • The Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
      • The National Agricultural Library
    • Leaves from the first bus shelter in the bus lane at the Metro station and travels to the main entrance at each destination
    • Scheduled to run approximately every twenty minutes during peak hours, every sixty minutes off-peak.
  • Beltsville-South Building Shuttle
    • Runs between the George Washington Carver Center and USDA's South Building
    • Leaves from the South Building's First Wing Arch and the Carver Center's main entrance
    • Scheduled to run throughout the day
Dining

The National Agricultural Library does not offer food service of any kind. However, numerous restaurants of varying type and price range are just outside our door, particularly along U.S. Route 1 (Baltimore Avenue).
Lodging

Review the list of hotels and motels within approximately five miles of the Library.