Environmental Librarians

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

Tom,

The ERMD of SLA enjoys a particular favor of subject specialists 
in government, academic, corporate, and other "special 
libraries." ERMD does not have a strong representation from the
public libraries or academic libraries.

This also is the case for the American Library Association's Task 
Force on the Environment (details below). There is not a strong 
representation from public libraries or school libraries even
when MANY of TFOE's programs in environmental education, 
community right-to-know resources, and other issues of critical
importance to school children, teachers, parents, small business
owners/managers, local officials and agency staff -- all of whom 
are core users of school (K-12)and public libraries.

I would say that it is NOT FROM A LACK OF TRYING TO PROMOTE TFOE 
and ERMD to school and public librarians. So we must be doing 
something wrong in getting public and school librarians to join
the environmental sides of our professional organizations. 

I know ERMD and TFOE will not stop providing the services, 
resources, programs, and publications they provide. So...

To you public and school librarians out there:

                COME ON IN AND JOIN US

We need your perspectives, insights, expertise. We need to share
our prespectives, insights, and expertise with you. We are all in
this environmental arena together. Let's maximize our 
efficiencies while we are there.

Here is something about the American Library Assocaiton's
Task Force on the Environment:

Task Force on the Environment (TFOE) American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/rtables/srrt/tfoe/

Librarians, publishers, vendors, and others interested parties 
from a wide variety of settings -- public libraries, school 
libraries and media centers, college and university libraries, 
government agencies, public interest groups, publishers, and 
vendors and other information providers -- comprise the ALA
Task Force on the Environment. The Task Force on the Environment 
was created in 1989 in the spirit of the 20th Anniversary of 
Earth Day (1990). Issues-oriented task forces, including TFOE, 
comprise the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) of the 
American Library Association ALA. SRRT is administratively linked 
to ALA's Office of Literacy and Out Research Services (OLOS).

If you are a member of ALA and want to join TFOE, simply add to 
your ALA Membership the Social Responsibilities Round Table, and
indicate your desire to join TFOE. It's $12.00 per year to add the
SRRT Membership and as many of the SRRT task forces as you want.

If you are not a member of ALA, consider joining the other 60,000 
librarians that comprise ALA. When applying (there is a reduced 
rate for new members)indicate your desire to join the ALA Social
Responsibilities Round Table and TFOE.

TFOE has worked closely with the EPA Library Network with EPA
Librarians as speakers at TFOE Programs at the ALA Annual Meeting.
EPA Regional and Headquarters libraries have served as meeting
places for EPA-TFOE discussions, database demos, library tours, 
Internet site reviews, etc. TFOE also assisted EPA and EPA 
contractors in promoting this 2-week EPA Libraries Dialogue.

ALA Mindwinter Meeting is January 12-17 and we are working with 
the EPA Libraries for a Monday morning Open House of the EPA 
Headquarters Library and discussion of current topics (proposed 
just this afternoon: environmental education, grants, climate 
change).

ALA Annual Meeting is in mid-June in 2001 and will be taking 
place in San Francisco. The Mascone Convention Center is a short
10-minute walk away from the EPA Region 9 Library. I am certain
TFOE and EPA will be doing something there!

Join TFOE!!!!

Fred Stoss, Panelist
Past Chair, TFOE
Coordinator, Social Responsibilities Round Table/ALA

Past Chair, ERMD/SLA