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What is the WIRC?
The Washington Information Resource Center (WIRC) serves as the library for the National Association of Realtors' staff in Washington. Part of NAR's Information Central, the WIRC was founded in 1989.
What is Information Central?
With the goal of serving as the single point of contact for members, boards, affiliates, staff, government agencies, consumers and academic communities worldwide, Information Central was formed in 1997 by combining the forces of three groups within the National Association of REALTORS®: Customer Service, Library Services and Membership Services. On an annual basis, Information Central handles over 80,000 telephone calls, 50,000 e-mail requests, 45,000 follow-up contacts, 15,000 pieces of written correspondence and 8,000 research requests. Information Central is the place where incoming Toll-free telephone calls and e-mail requests yield lightning-speed results. Our knowledgeable staff of experts is on hand to answer questions, provide assistance and help locate information in an efficient and timely manner. Follow this link to find out more about Information Central.
How do I contact the WIRC?
Call, send an e-mail, send an instant message, or visit:
What resources are available in the WIRC?
The WIRC's collection includes approximately 2,500 books and working papers, 100 periodicals, several resources on CD-ROM, and numerous maps and atlases. Online databases include Factiva, Proquest, Lexis-Nexis, Westlaw, OCLC Firstsearch, and DIALOG. Other resources include a color scanner, video player, and a conference table for small meetings.
What services does the WIRC provide?
The possibilities are endless! If you need information or want to make it available to NAR's members and others, the WIRC is here to help. Our many services include quick & in-depth reference, legal & legislative research, assistance with online searching, regular news updates ("Eclipses"), reprints of articles & other documents, print and electronic journal routing lists, inter-library loan (ILL), ordering of books (current or out-of-print) and periodical subscriptions, image and document scanning, assistance with creating PDFs and image files, organizing Web browser bookmarks, creating Realtor.org webpages....
How do I make a request?
Just call x1157 or x1251, visit the WIRC, or send us an e-mail detailing what you're looking for and how soon you'll need it. We'll contact you ASAP to answer any other questions that might assist in answering your request. If you need a particular book, study, or article, please pass along the title, author, date, and any other details you have about the publication.
Can I check out books from the WIRC? How?
Yes. To check out a book from the WIRC, just fill out the card at the back of every book. Include your name and today's date, then give the card to Frederik or Michele or leave it on the conference table. There's no loan limit -- keep the book as long as you need it, and return it when you're done.
Can I check out books from the Chicago library?
Yes. To check out a book from the Chicago library, fill out the "Request This Item" section on the book's record in the library catalog. Include your name, e-mail address, extension, and department. Material from the Chicago collection can be borrowed for 30 days, and can usually be renewed if necessary.
How can I get books that aren't listed in the library catalog?
Contact the WIRC. We can often borrow publications from other libraries in the DC area through inter-library loan, o r we can locate it through a vendor.
How can I get on the routing list for a publication?
To help you keep up with the publications you need, the WIRC offers routing lists for all of its journal subscriptions. The routing list takes two forms, depending on the publication: either an e-mail notification sent out when the latest issue is available, or the latest issue is sent to the distribution list via inter-office. For inter-office routing lists, we ask that you send the publication on to the next person on the list within 24 hours. To be added to a routing list, send us an e-mail with the name of the publication(s) you'd like to receive. For a complete listing of the WIRC's current subscriptions, visit the Periodicals page.
What are eclipses and how do I receive them?
Eclipses regularly track articles and other information on a given subject. They are sent via e-mail, and include links to articles on the Web or in Proquest from various newspapers, magazines, and industry newsletters. Nine eclipses are currently offered to NAR staff:
 NAR in the News (Daily)
 Affordable Housing (Fridays)
 Commercial Property Trends (Tuesdays)
 Federal Housing Programs (HUD, FHA, VA, USDA) (Tuesdays)
 Insurance Issues (Tuesdays)
 International Property Trends (Mondays)
 Real Estate Business Trends (Thursdays)
 Smart Growth & Land Use Issues (Wednesdays)
 Technology & Real Estate (Mondays & Thursdays)
To be added to an eclipse distribution list, or to have an eclipse set up (long- or short-term) on a particular topic, contact the WIRC.
Information overload! How do I get OFF of a routing list or eclipse distribution list?
Just call x1157 or x1251, visit the WIRC, or send us an e-mail. We'll take your name off of any of the WIRC's e-mail or inter-office distribution lists, no questions asked!
What are Field Guides?
One of the most popular resources in the Virtual Library on Realtor.org, Field Guides are a one-stop source of information on topics of interest to REALTORS and/or association staff. Each Field Guide includes links to full-text articles and studies available on the Web or in Proquest, links to relevant websites, books & videos from the Library's collection, statistics, and other information. Visit the Virtual Library to browse the list of all 150+ Field Guides or to search the Field Guides by keyword.
With tens of thousands of visitors each month, Field Guides are an excellent way to get information out to members about an issue or new law. The WIRC can set up Field Guides on any issue or subject you'd like to promote to your committee members or the general membership.
Does the WIRC have any maps?
Street atlases covering the DC area and Chicago are available in the WIRC, along with overview maps of most major US cities. The WIRC also has several state maps and US and world atlases available for use anytime.
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