NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE MANUALS

National Park Service History Collection RG 22

Preliminary inventory

A. Provenance

The manuals came in many accessions, chiefly from WASO and parks like Shenandoah and Great Smokies. Many of the early manuals were written by Hillory Tolson. NPS Guidelines were received by distribution. Directors Orders were printed from the Internet site: http://data2.itc.nps.gov/npspolicy/DOrders.cfm

In the form of guidelines and Director's Orders, this guidance still plays an important part in park management.

B. History

Manuals were first issued formally in the 1940s although governing directives from headquarters have been around since the early days of the National Park Service. These documents cover all aspects of administration and management. Director George Hartzog at first tried to abolish the manuals but under protest from the field, they were reinstated as handbooks. Director Gary Everhardt began issuing them as numbered guidelines in Fall 1975 as part of the NPS Directives Management System and they started to be converted to the current (2001) Director's Orders (DO) system in 1996 as part of the NPS Directives System.

C. Location

There are five shelves of notebooks in NPSHC under A66 and one shelf of notebooks in Y55 including ranger manuals and administrative manuals. There are also several shelves of current guidelines and Director's Orders in the work area of the main library.

E. Manual List
 

Notebooks and Reports

Accounting Handbook - 1959-1966

Accounting Handbook - 1967-1969

Accounting Handbook, Parts III and IV - 1962-1965

Accounting Handbook with notes - 1955-1960s

Accounting Handbook with index tabs - 1958-1965

Accounting Principles and Standards, September 1978

Activity Standards - 1971-72

Administrative Manual Vol. II Administration; Vol. III Conservation, Interpretation and Use; Vol. VI Design and Construction - 1962-63

Automatic Data Processing Application Plan - April 1969 Budgets - c1958

Boundary Adjustments Handbook - February 1961 with Land Management Handbook 1958-1965

Compensation - 1962; Employee Relations and Services - 1963-1967

Concessions Management - 1958-1967

Cooperative Agreements - 1945-1958

Cooperative Agreements and Historic Site Designation Orders - 1965

Cooperating Associations Handbook, June 1967-February 1971

Cooperating Associations Management Guidelines and Procedures

Cooperating Associations Management - 1971]

Correspondence Manual - 1962-1965

U. S. Government Correspondence Manual - 1968

Correspondence Procedures Handbook - 1965-1968

Records Management Handbook, National Archives Managing Correspondence Plain Letters - 1955

Records Management Handbook, National Archives Managing Correspondence Guide Letters - 1955

Correspondence Procedures 1965-1968 with SERO Correspondence Guidelines - 1972

Dedication and Special Events Handbook - 1959-1968

Dedication and Special Events Handbook - 1960-1965

Dedication and Special Events Handbook, May 1960-January 1968

Departmental Directives - 1972-1977

Notebooks and Reports Directives Management - 1961-1967

Emergency Operations Handbook, Civil Defense, July 1963

Emergency Operations Handbook with SERO Supplement - 1963

Guidelines for Preparation and Review of Environmental

Assessments and Statements - July 1974

Files Management Handbook - 1960-1970

National Park Service Filing System - 1977-78

Fire Administration Guideline - January 1971

Fire Control Handbook - 1965-68

Fire Lookouts - 1958

Fire Protection Training Handbook, U. S. NHS, Branch of

Forestry, March 1939

Fiscal Management - 1947-1955, 2 vols.

Manual of the Branch of Forestry (NPS) - 1938

Flag Procedure and Guidelines, February 1960-September 1965

Forms Management - 1959-1971

Forms Management Catalog - May 1978

NPS Glossary of Commonly Used Terms, January 1960 with Road and Trails Glossary 1963

Health Benefits Manual - May 1962

Historic and Prehistoric Structures - 1963

Historic Structures Inventory, Release No. 2, April 1963

History, Vol. 9, Chapters 1 and 2 - c1950

Incentive Awards, August 1968 with Civil Service Com. Federal Incentive Awards Program, September 1976

Information Handbook - 1954

Information Handbook Draft - 1953

Information and Interpretation in the Field - 1954-56

Interpretive Planning Handbook Draft - April 1965

It's to be Published Handbook - 1960-61

It's to be Printed - September 1949

Land Management Handbook - 1958-1965

Maintenance Handbook Part I Introduction - March 1967, Part II - March 1968, Part III Programming and Job Control - July 1968

Maintenance Handbook Part I, II, III as above plus Part V Safety - May 1960

Maintenance Handbook Part VI Roads, Trails and Airport Runways March 1967

Maintenance Handbook Part VII Buildings and Structures Chapters 1-7 - December 1967, January 1968

Maintenance Handbook Part VII Buildings and Structures Chapters 8-12 - January 1968

Maintenance Handbook Part VII Buildings and Structures

Chapters 13-18 - March 1968

Maintenance Handbook Part IX Sanitation - October 1967

Maintenance Handbook Part X Utilities - August 1968

Maintenance Handbook Appendices A, B, and C - December 1968

Management Policies - 1975

Master Plans Manual - 1941

Master Plan Handbook - 1959-1964

Master Plan Handbook 1967

Field Guide Package Master Plan - November 1962

Merit Promotion Plan

Motor Equipment Management Handbook - August 1961

National Registry of Natural Landmarks Handbook - 1966-1971

National Registry of Natural Landmarks Handbook, Release No. 2,

August 1966

Natural Resources Management Handbook - 1968-9

Natural Sciences Research Handbook - 1965-6

Operations Manual, Design and Construction, 1964

Organization Volume - 1959-1968

Organization Volume - 1963-1965

Park Planning Handbook - 1966

Personnel Management Series - 1962-1965

Pest Control Guidelines and Program - May 1977

1979 Pesticide Project Proposals and Guidelines,

January 29, 1979

Summary Report of Planning Techniques - July 1969

Handbook for Planning - Programming - Budgeting System - 1965 1967

Procurement and Contracting Manual Part 2 - 1959-1962

Programming Handbook - 1958-1963

User's Guidebook Programming and Financial Management System,
April 1973

Project Construction Program - 1952

Property Management Handbook - 1961-1967

Federal Property Management Regulations GSA - 1954-1969

Purchasing Handbook - 1962-1968

Purchasing Handbook - 1967-1972

Quarters, Subsistence and Service Handbook - 1960-1964,
1968-1971

Quarters, Subsistence and Disposition Handbook - 1973-1974

Records Scheduling and Disposition Handbook - 1961-1971

Recreation Fee Collection Handbook - 1966-1968

Reports Management Handbook

Reports Management Handbook - 1962-1971

Handbook for Reservoir Recreation Planning - January 1960

Handbook for Ruins Stabilization Part 1 Field Methods - January 1962

Safety Handbook 1963-1969 with documented safety program for Grand Canyon

Safety Handbook - 1964-1972

Sign and Wayside Exhibit Handbook - 1960-1963

Special Park Uses Handbook - 1961-1969

Statistical Surveys Handbook Design and Analysis - 1964-1967

Statistical Surveys: Design and Analysis Handbook -September 1964-July 1967

Student Trainee Program Handbook - 1960-1967

Standard Symbols Manual - 1936

Subsistence and Transportation Allowances - c 1966

Technical Information System Preliminary Working Draft -March 1979

Time and Attendance Reports Handbook - 1959-1961

Manual of Training Methods - 1956

Archives Box - Miscellaneous Maintenance Manuals  
Telephone Maintenance Manual - 1934

Forest Truck Trail Handbook, USFS, 1935

Telephone Handbook, USFS, 1937

Building Construction Manual - 1944-5

Soil Mechanics - 1937?

Sign Manual - 1940-1947

Ranger Manuals - Y55
  Manual for Park Rangers, Mount Rainier, 1920s

Manual of Instruction for Rangers and Ranger Naturalists, ROMO, c1929

Yosemite Ranger - Naturalist Manual, 1929, 3 Vols. in 1, Vol. I Manual of Instruction Vol. II Manual of Information Vol. III Plan of Administration

Ranger Naturalist Manual of Yellowstone National Park - 1928

Yosemite National Park Ranger Manual - 1953?

Park Ranger's Administrative Manual, Mount Rainier National Park, 1950

Manual for Rangers Administration, Glacier National Park, 1940

Manual for Rangers Reports, Glacier National Park - 1940

Ranger Manual, Grand Canyon National Park - mid-1950s early 1960s

Ranger Manual, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - 1959 & updated

Park Ranger's Administrative Manual - Yellowstone National Park 1959 & update

Ranger Manual - Shenandoah National Park - 1947 & update

Forest Fire Control Handbook and Lookout Manual, Great Smoky

Mountains National Park - 1958

Protection Operations Handbook, Blue Ridge Parkway - 1958

Report of the Chief Ranger, 1972 - Don Jackson.

Western Office of Design and Construction Handbook - 1962

Fredericksburg Emergency Manual - 1971

Manual of Procedure, 1958 - Everglades National Park
 

NPS Guidelines 
These were issued in various releases from 1975 until 1996 when they were phased out to be replaced by Director's Orders.

NPS 1 - Directives Management, June 1975
 

Release 2 January 1979

Release 2 Amendment 1, 10/1/83

Release 2 Amendment 2, 7/30/84

Supplement "Instructions for review of planning documents" 4/23/84


NPS 2 - Planning Process Guideline, Release 2, July 1978
 

Release 3 October 1982

Release 3 Amendment 1, March 1983

Release 3 Amendment 2, February 1985

Release 3 Amendment 3, March 1986


NPS 3 - Public Involvement June 1978

NPS 4 - Diving Management September 1978
 

Amendment 1, December 1979NPS 5 - Correspondence Procedures November 1977
  Release 2 June 1981


NPS 6 - Interpretation and Visitor Services Release 2, March 1980
 

Release 3 December 1986


NPS 7 - Volunteers in Parks February 1980
 

Release 2 June 1983


NPS 8 - Program and Budget Formulation November 1975

 
Budget and Programming 12/16/1994


NPS 9 - Law Enforcement October 1975
 

Supplement, May 1980, FLETC

Release 2, Amendment 1 March 1986

Release 3 October 1989


NPS 10 - Drafting Guideline for Design and Construction Drawings July 1981
 

Release 2 May 1986

Release 3 "Preparation of design and construction drawings" 7/27/95


NPS 12 - Environmental Assessments and Statements November 1976

NEPA Compliance, Release 2 September 1982
 

Release 2, Amendment 1 10/1984


NPS 13 - Other Federal Agency EIS Review December 1976

NPS 14 - Cave Radiation Safety and Occupational Health May 1980
 

Amendment 1 1/11/1985


NPS 15 - Radio Facility Management and Use September 1976
 

Release 2 July 1983

Release 3 June 1984

Release 3, Amendment 2 November 1986

Release 5 "Wireless systems: engineering and management 2/1/1994


NPS 18 - Fire Management August 1979

 
Amendment 1 March 1982

Wildland Fire Management, Release 2 August 1986

Amendment 2 June 1982

Amendment 3 June 1983

Release 3 June 1990


NPS 19 - Records Management May 1978
 

Amendment 1 August 1977

Appendix B, Records Disposition Schedules, Amendment 2 8/7/1979

Release 2 7/10/1985

Appendix A Release 2, Amendment 1 1/1/1987


NPS 20 - Cooperative Agreements, Amendment 1 February 1978

 
Federal Assistance and Interagency Agreements, Release 2, February 1983

Release 3 August 1986


NPS 22 - Recreation Fee April 1978
 

Release 3 September 1989


NPS 23 - Small Purchases August 1978

NPS 25 - Land Acquisition Policy Implementation 5/17/79

NPS 28 - Cultural Resources Management October 1980

 
Amendment 1 March 1981

Release 2 December 1981

Release 3 August 1985

Technical Supplement Draft October 1984

Release 5 (with DO 28) 1997


NPS 29 - Drawing and Map Numbers March 1980

NPS 30 - Hostel Planning and Management May 1980

NPS 31 - Travel policies and procedures 4/1/1982

NPS 32 - Cooperating Associations Guideline June 1981

 
Release 2 December 1986

Release 3 12/13/1994


NPS 34 - Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant Manual Release 144 11/29/1985

NPS 36 - Government Furnished Quarters Management April 1982
 

Release 2 1/18/1985


NPS 37 - Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program June 1982

NPS 38 - Historic Property Leasing October 1982

NPS 40 - Dams and appurtenant works, maintenance, operation, ans safety February 1983

NPS 43 - Servicewide Uniform Program February 1985

 
Release 2 6/3/1993


NPS 44 - Personal Property Management April 1983
 

Release 4 6/7/1994


NPS 46 - Micrographic Resources Management November 1983

NPS 47 - Government Property in Possession of Contractor November 28, 1983

NPS 48 - Concessions May 1986

 
Release 2 May 1986

Release 2, Amendment 1 March 6, 1987

Release 2, Amendment 2 August 10, 1987

Release 2, Amendment 3 3/22/1988

Release 2, Amendment 4 4/25/1988

Release 2, Amendment 5 6/16/1988
 

NPS 49 - National Register Programs 1/1/1985

NPS 50 - Loss Control Management Program August 1984
 

Release 2 9/5/1991

Release 2, Amendment 1 5/13/1993


NPS 51 - Emergency Medical Services February 1985

 
Release 2 January 1991


NPS 52 - NPS Traffic Control Sign System July 1, 1985

NPS 53 - Special Park Uses October 1986
 

Reference Manual (on CD)


NPS 54 - Internal Control System February 1975
 

Release No. 2 July 1987


NPS 57 - Health and Fitness Program (Project Sharp) 2/5/1993

NPS 58 - Structural fire June 1987

NPS 60 - Aviation Management May 1989

NPS 61 - Guideline for National Cemeteries November 1985

NPS 62 - Acquisition Guidelines January 1986
 

Chapter 12 Release 1, Amendment 2 September 1991


NPS 65 - Explosive Use Policy and Blasting Program May 1986

NPS 66 - Minerals Management 3/30/1990

NPS 70 - Design Process October 1986

NPS 74 - Audit Resolution and Tracking System July 1991

NPS 75 - Natural Resource Inventory and Monitoring 7/7/1992

NPS 76 - Housing Design and Rehabilitation Release 2 Sept.1988

NPS 77 - Natural Resources Management 5/16/1991

NPS 80 - Recreation Policies and Procedures 12/15/1988

NPS 89 - Space Management 10/9/1994

NPS 90 - Value Engineering 7/29/1994
 

DIRECTOR'S ORDERS
 
The HFC Library has printed out copies of the following:
Director's Order 1    NPS Directives System 3/29/00
  Things to Know About NPS PolicyDirector's Order 2    Park Planning 5/27/99

Director's Order 4    Diving Management 5/3/99.

Director's Order 5    Paper and Electronic Communications 7/10/00
 

Washington Office Correspondence Manual


Director's Order 9    Law Enforcement Program 3/21/00

Director's Order 12  Environmental Impact Analysis 1/8/01

Director's Order 15  Wireless Telecommunications 11/8/99

Director's Order 16A Accessibility for Employees and Job Applicants 5/4/99

Director's Order 16D Equal Employment Opportunity 10/16/01

Director's Order 16E Sexual Harassment 10/16/01

Director's Order 17  Tourism 9/28/99

Director's Order 18  Wildland Fire Management 11/17/98

Director's Order 19   Records Management 1/17/01

Director's Order 20  Agreements 7/23/99

Director's Order 21  Donations and Fundraising 9/18/98

Director's Order 24  Museum Collections Management 8/21/00

Director's Order 25  Land Protection 1/19/01

Director's Order 28  Cultural Resource Management 6/11/98

Director's Order 32  Cooperating Associations 3/17/98

Director's Order 35A Sale of Resources or Services to Support Activities Outside of Parks 7/7/00

Director's Order 41  Wilderness Preservation and Management 8/3/99

Director's Order 42  Accessibility for Park Visitors 11/3/00.

Director's Order 43  Uniform Program 10/1/00

Director's Order 44  Personal Property Management 12/31/97

Director's Order 47  Sound Preservation and Noise Management 12/1/00

Director's Order 50A Workers Compensation Case Management 3/30/98

Director's Order 52A Communicating the National Park Service Mission 1/31/01

Director's Order 53  Special Park Uses 4/4/00

Director's Order 57  Occupational Medical Standards, Health and Fitness 3/1/99

Director's Order 58  Structural Fire Management 1/19/01

Director's Order 65  Explosives Use and Blasting Safety 5/25/99

Director's Order 68  Notification Protocol for Conduct of Employee Investigations 1/5/98

Director's Order 70  Internet and Intranet Publishing 1/8/01

Director's Order 83  Public Health 8/3/99

Director's Order 93  Conflict Resolution 7/3/01.

December 18, 2001