Abstract
The National Agricultural Library (NAL) was created by the first Commissioner of Agriculture after the establishment of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) by the Organic Act of 1862. The NAL now includes a diverse collection of 1.9 million items that are in English and many foreign languages, covering multiple subjects and different formats, including electronic. The Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) was established in response to the Animal Welfare Act of 1985 to provide information on employee training, to prevent duplication of animal research, and for improved methods of animal research. The services and access to these services are described. Many items on animal welfare have been collected with primary emphasis on training. Access to this information is through the bibliographic database AGRICOLA. Other available products and services, including references, referrals, database searches, bibliographies on special topics, fact sheets, and a traveling tabletop exhibit, are described, and means of obtaining materials are provided.