Centralized Library of Servicewide Policies

1.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? This chapter establishes a centralized library of current Fish and Wildlife Service policies and management directives.

1.2 Why does the Service have a centralized library? The Freedom of Information Act requires each agency to maintain an index of policy/management guidance and to make the index and guidance available to the public. In addition, the library serves as a reference tool for Service employees. It gives them immediate access to the information they need to accomplish their duties.

1.3 What does the centralized library contain? The Division of Policy and Directives Management will publish an index of all Sevicewide policies on the Internet. We will publish the actual policy/management document on the Internet or Service Internal Internet (SII), as appropriate. The centralized library will include, but is not limited to:

(1) Legal authorities.

(2) Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Register documents.

(3) Service Directives System components (Fish and Wildlife Service Manual, Director’s Orders, and National Policy Issuances).

(4) Memorandums or other documents, including handbooks, bulletins, and material published on the Internet/SII containing policy/management guidance.

1.4 How is the library kept up-to-date?

A. Members of the Service Directorate will ensure that offices under their area of responsibility provide to the Division of Policy and Directives Management a copy of all policy/management guidance issued outside of the Service Directives System. This includes memorandums, handbooks, bulletins, emails, etc. Provide an electronic version of the guidance to PDM within 30 days of issuance.

(1) Legal authorities. For new legislation, provide the name of the Act, the U.S. Code citation, the public law number, the U.S. Code of Statutes citation, and a brief synopsis. For legal authorities published in the library, provide information needed for revision.

(2) Policy/management guidance. Provide a copy (paper and electronic) of all guidance (handbooks, Internet, email) issued outside of the Service Directives System.

B. The Chief, Division of Policy and Directives Management will use the information that the Service Directorate provides to keep the Centralized Library of Servicewide Policies up-to-date.