A hearty greeting from Buffalo, NY

[Fred Stoss <fstoss@acsu.buffalo.edu>]

Good morning!

I am one of the panelists for this National Dialogue.

I am Fred Stoss, Associate Librarian (Biological Sciences) in the Science and Engineering Library at the University at Buffalo, one of the university centers of the State University of New York. My first environmental class was as a sophomore biology major at Hartwick College in 1969. I fondly remember the first Earth Day the following April 22. A story of how things come full circle: I gave a presentation two weeks ago at the Annual Meeting of the American Library Association entitled, "Earth Day! @ your library" (the "@ your library" is a new "branding" for ALA, so in keeping with ALA's cuteness... ). The other speaker talking about Earth Days in the 21st Century was Denis Hayes, a person I have admired and had the honor of meeting for the first time. So for some of us that first Earth Day provided a lasting memory!

A MS in Zoology followed the biology degree and I worked for 8 years as an environmental toxicologist, taking along the way a handful of courses in environmental engineering, environmental geography, forest zoology, and a second Master of Library Science Degree. Since 1980 or so I have been involved with a variety of library and data/information management programs related to chemical hazard assessment, acid rain, climate change, recycling, toxicology, environmental education, and more...

My involvement with the EPA goes back a long way first as a user of EPA documents and reports, then as an author of EPA documents and reports. I have been involved with a wide variety of programs, presentations, workshops, and other activities involving the EPA Library Network. Most of these EPA Library connections were initiated by involvment with the Environment and Resource Managment Division of the Special Libraries Association and the American Library Association's Task Force on the Environment (for which I proudly say I have served as Chair).

Public access, participation, and involvement with environmental issues and concerns requires what I have called Environmental ICE: Information, Communication, and Education. I look at the core of PIP as simultaneously needing and providing Environmental ICE. 

I was a panelist in last year's EPA National Dialogue and look at my involvement this year as a continuation of the process of providing Environmental ICE. 

I look forward to observing, learning, and sharing thoughts and ideas on how to best accomplish that.

Fred