UNC’s School of Information and Library Science received its largest grant ever to operate the Environmental Protection Agency’s Research Triangle Park library.

SILS Dean Gary Marchionini says the $25.3 million dollar contract will allow the EPA library to expand its services.

“They’ve put RTP, that library, in charge of serving most of the journals and subscriptions for the entire library system in the EPA.”

The library serves the 2,000 scientists, engineers and contractors working at the EPA in the Triangle. That facility is already one of the largest in the nation; now it will serve as an information hub for the EPA’s other libraries.

The School of Information and Library Science has run the EPA’s RTP library since 1975. While it’s aimed at those researching environmental policies, the library is open to the general public.

Marchionini says it’s also a great example of collaboration between a public university and a government agency. “It’s kind of a nice partnership that’s a win-win for everybody.”

You can learn about SILS and the EPA library here.