The Washington Geology Library was created in 1935, and was mandated to collect, archive, and provide access to materials on the geology of Washington State. In addition, publications on tsunamis and emergency management are collected on behalf of the NOAA National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program. The library has more than 80,000 items in its collection. Less than a quarter of the collection is available online. Links to those items can be found in the library catalog. A visit to the library is required to view the rest of the collection. Contact us about additional ways to access materials.
SEARCH THE LIBRARY CATALOG
The library catalog is available online. Uses of the catalog include:
- Browse the library collection online
- Determine if our library has an item you need
- Create publication lists based on topics and/or locations
- Find links to online documents
- Copy citations for reference lists
Visit the library catalog:
The LIBRARY COLLECTION
Type of Publications
- Maps—topographic, geologic, historic, coastal, etc.
- Theses and dissertations
- Environmental impact statements
- Watershed analyses
- Soil surveys
- Journal articles
- Reference materials and textbooks
- Popular geology books
Publishers
- Washington Geological Survey
- US Geological Survey (USGS)
- Various government agencies (local, state, and federal)
- Academic journals such as Geology, GSA Bulletin, AAPG Bulletin, Natural Hazards Review, and others
- Geotechnical consultants
- Universities
WHO WE SERVE
- The public
- Geotechnical consultants
- Academics and students
- Employees of all branches and agencies of government (federal, state, and local)
SERVICES WE PROVIDE
We help people perform basic geologic research and reference searches for topics such as:
- geologic hazards
- mineral resources
- Washington's geology
- rock hounding
- gold panning
- geophysics
- water resources
- environmental geology
- and many others
We also provide the following services:
- Help with online geologic tools such as our own Interactive Map Portal and Library Catalog
- Assistance with the USGS National Geologic Map Database
- Help finding online soil surveys via the Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Scan relevant maps and (or) documents into digital format (time permitting)
- Provide access to a geology-specific database (GeoRef)
- Provide educational packets for kids and teachers, including rock samples upon request
LIBRARY DONATIONS
The Washington Geology Library accepts donations within the scope of our collection (i.e. Washington or regional locale, and earth science related). Please review our donation guidelines (click here for printable version) or contact the librarian for more details.
LIBRARY HOURS, LOCATION AND CONTACT
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 Librarian: Stephanie Earls
(360)902-1473
Visits By Appointment
Hours: Mon/Wed
9am-12pm
Tues/Thur 9am-4pm
Closed Fridays and
Location: Rm. 173
Natural Resources Building
1111 Washington St SE
Olympia, WA 98501
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Data Preservation Website
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The Washington Geological Survey hosts a large collection of digital versions of physical items and documents, including scanned thin sections, field notebooks, coal mine maps, and historical photos. For many pieces in these collections there is only one surviving physical document or item, and many have been subject to damage and decay. Therefore, it is important for WGS to preserve these items before they are no longer usable. Check out our Data Preservation Website to learn more.
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