49 U.S.C. § 6304 — National Transportation Library

(a) Purpose and establishment. To support transportation officials’ information-management and decision-making needs at Federal, State, and local levels, a National Transportation Library^* is established in the Bureau^*. It must (1) be headed by a person highly qualified in library and information science; (2) acquire, preserve, and manage transportation information and related products and services for the Department^*, other Federal agencies, and the public; (3) provide reference and research help; (4) be the central repository for Department research results and technical publications; (5) be the Federal Government’s central clearinghouse for transportation data and information; (6) coordinate transportation information access and lead policy for it; (7) provide transportation information and related products and services to (A) the Department, (B) other Federal agencies, (C) public and private organizations, and (D) individuals in the United States and other countries; (8) coordinate and cooperate with transportation libraries, information providers, and technical-assistance centers, with private industry and other transportation information centers, to develop a comprehensive information and knowledge network supporting section 6302(b)(3)(B)(vi); and (9) conduct other activities the Director^* considers necessary as Library resources permit.

(b) Access. The Director must publicize, facilitate, and promote access to the products and services in subsection (a), improving transportation-community information sharing and the Director’s ability to make statistics and other information readily accessible as section 6302(b)(3)(B)(x) requires.

(c) Agreements. (1) To carry out this section, the Director may enter agreements with, award grants to, and receive money from any (A) State or local government, (B) organization, (C) business, or (D) individual. (2) The Library may begin and support specific information- and data-management, access, and exchange activities related to the Department’s strategic goals, knowledge networking, and national or international cooperation by making contracts or other agreements or awarding grants. (3) Money the Library receives for library products and services or other activities must be available to the Director for this section, deposited in the Office of the Assistant Secretary^* for Research and Technology’s general fund account, and remain available until spent.