NASA’s largest library to shut permanently, books set for disposal

NASA will permanently close its largest library at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, bringing to an end a research facility that has supported the agency’s scientific work since 1959.

The closure of the 100,000-volume Goddard Information and Collaboration Center forms part of a broader reorganisation of the campus under the Donald Trump administration, which involves the shutdown of 13 buildings and more than 100 science and engineering laboratories across the 1,270-acre site by March 2026.

A NASA spokesperson, Jacob Richmond, said the agency will review the library’s holdings over the next two months. Some materials will be placed in a government warehouse, while others will be discarded. The New York Times reported that remaining items not selected for storage would be “tossed away”.

“This process is an established method that is used by federal agencies to properly dispose of federally owned property,” Richmond said.

The library has played a role in the development of several landmark missions, including the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, serving as a central reference point for engineers and scientists at Goddard.

According to a statement published by the Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association, specialised testing equipment and electronics linked to spacecraft development have already been removed and disposed of as part of the consolidation.

The Goddard closure follows a wider contraction of physical research libraries within NASA. Since 2022, seven NASA libraries across the United States have shut down, including three closures in 2025, reflecting a shift towards digital research tools and shared federal resources.

The decision has drawn criticism from elected officials in Maryland. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, said he was concerned about the impact of the closures on NASA’s scientific mission and workforce.

“These reports of closures at Goddard are deeply concerning,” Van Hollen said, adding that he would continue to oppose actions that undermine the centre’s role in space exploration, Earth science and technological innovation.

After the library closes, NASA said researchers will be directed to digital services, including an “Ask a Librarian” facility and inter-library loan arrangements with other federal agencies.

Named after American rocketry pioneer Robert H. Goddard, the Goddard Space Flight Center was established in 1959 as NASA’s first space flight complex and remains one of the agency’s core research hubs.