Introduction

[Rebekah Tanner <foxgull@foxgull.com>]

Greeting,

I am Rebekah Tanner, the Adult & Electronic Services Specialist for the Mohawk Valley Library Association located in Schenectady, NY. MVLA is one of NY State's 23 public library systems and we serve our 14 member libraries (including Schenectady County Public Library with its 9 branches) in Fulton, Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie Counties. With the support of Federal Library Service and Technology Act grants in 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 we began an intensive program of outreach to small and family farmers in our area. This project, entitled "Resources for Economic Viability in Sustainable Agriculture" was very successful, and after this year of haitus, we are now awaiting word on funding for another project "Safe Farms, Safe Food, Safe Futures" which will have both farmers and consumers as the target audience. 

Our Web-based agricultural resources can be found at:
http://www.mvla.org/revsa/
Our Local Agricultural Services Directory can be found at:
http://mvlafarm.org

In September 2000 I was a "front row" participant in the EPA Dialog on "Libraries as a Community Resource for Environmental Information" (see: http://www.info-ren.org/network-democracy/.) That was a great learning experience and one in which connections to other individuals and organizations were formed which I hope will continue to develop.

Additionally, in my role as a concerned citizen, I have been following very closely the process the EPA has used for public comment regarding the Hudson River clean up of PCBs. I attended one of the public forums and submitted my written comments. I have also watched, just as carefully, the GE advertising campaign and expressed by telephone my concerns to them. In all honesty, my belief that the issue of the clean up of one of this planet's great waterways is of such absolutely critical importance, prompted me to this level of action, unusual for me....

When I rceived the e-mail message announcing this Dialog I knew I had very little experience or knowldge of the topic, but I chose to participate because of that -- having had a positive experience with the last Dialog I was willing to take my chances but I also wondered .... Did the publicity for this event reach an arena where this would only be "preaching to the converted" -- Had "non-stake-holders" been sought out for participation? And what can be done to make participation in a Dialog like this, or a public hearing, or taking the time to submit written comment, appealing and important to those who are "out of the loop?" For my part, I forwarded the announcement to the addresses in my e-mail address book and told a number of other individuals. I know of one person who signed-on as a result, beyond that, I am unaware.

Because of my familiarity with the issue at hand in the previous Dialog, I was very active in reading and commenting (I have been a librarian for 20 years). Here, I am far less well-informed and will likely be an observer and learner, and as a result -- will probably be far more silent. Nevertheless, I will ask when I need help and am committed to following the agenda and offering written comment (which actually falls outside the actual goings on here, but I do thank you for providing the information on how to do so: http://www.info-ren.org/network-democracy/epa-pip/comment/comment.shtml among the many exciting resources on this site), before the 31 July deadline.

Sincerely,
Rebekah Tanner
foxgull@foxgull.com