A Librarian responds to Jeffrey Brown's message of: Thu, 12 Jul 08:46

[Bill Walker <williamewalker@yahoo.com>]

    Hi. I have been a librarian at a large public library in California for 17 years. I think I can speak to some of the issues raised by Jeffrey Brown.

    I agree that we do a pretty good job of finding information for people who are motivated and have some idea of what environmental issue they are concerned about. As a public library, we try to buy up-to-date materials that deal with environmental problems: pollution (water and air), chemical hazards, oil spills, bioengineering-related concerns, etc. Libraries always strive for balanced coverage, but in practice for many of these topics, the slant of the books is quite often, "Here is a terrible problem, industrial interests or scientists have caused it, and here are some ways people can get involved to help correct it." There is no coverage of the polluters' side. Obviously, they are not going to document how they do their dirty work.

    With the advent of the Internet in the past 8-10 years, we have had much more capability to offer concerned citizens a way to find information. We can help them search, but it IS still a HUGE haystack. Finding information on specific topics is often still quite tough for patrons. There are many discussions ongoing in library circles about how to make the Internet more easily searchable, but since no one is truly in charge, there is no way currently to impose agreed upon subject headings like Library of Congress has done for library catalogs.

    The library periodically puts on book displays on current topics. When I put up information about water issues, unfortunately, very few of the items were checked out. So, I don't think it is for lack of availability at the libraries that people don't seek out the materials. Keep in mind that LOTS of people don't even use the public library anymore. They go to the big bookstores or watch information programs on cable or just surf the Internet for information they are seeking.

    I think librarians DO have a role in organizing accessibility to the Internet and a great example is the Librarians Index to the Internet ( http://www.lii.org ). All of the sites listed on the Index have been viewed and evaluated by volunteer librarians across the state of California. The most pertinent page of links for this discussion is: http://www.lii.org/search/file/environ

    Personally, I think that the average citizen is most likely to get his/her information from television, newspaper or (nowadays) the Internet. Television CAN provide good programming , such as World Link TV (available on Direct TV satellite), but most mainstream TV has no room for nitty gritty issues...AND they often stear clear of it for sponsorship reasons. There ARE small liberal newspapers (such as Connections published by the Peace and Justice Network in Stockton, California) 
    http://www.sonnet.com/usr/pjc/

    This publication, and others like it in the alternative press, DOES get the word out. It often seems like this is the main information source in our area that even covers the important issues. 

    I have probably rambled on enough. I guess my bottom line is that I think two of the best ways to inform people nowadays are the Internet and small newspapers that have no ties to big-time corporate entities. Thanks for reading this far.

    --Bill Walker
      Stockton, California