NASA’s largest library at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, shut permanently on Friday (January 2). The library, operational since 1959, played a key role in supporting landmark missions such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope.
The closure of the 100,000-volume NASA Goddard Information and Collaboration Center is part of the Donald Trump administration’s reorganisation drive.
Under the plan, 13 buildings and more than 100 science and engineering laboratories at the 1,270-acre campus are set to be closed by March 2026.
NASA spokesperson Jacob Richmond said the agency will assess the library’s collection over the next two months, with some materials moved to a government warehouse, while others will be “tossed away”, according to a New York Times report.
The shutdown adds to a growing list of NASA library closures. Since 2022, seven NASA libraries across the US have been shut, including three in 2025.
‘Deeply Concerning’, Say US Lawmakers
US Senator Chris Van Hollen from Maryland criticised the move, saying, “The Trump Administration has spent the last year attacking NASA Goddard and its work force and threatening our efforts to explore space, deepen our understanding of Earth, and spur technological advancements that make our economy stronger and nation safer.”
