RE: Talking to each other/libraries as neutral forums

[Chuck Thomas <cthomas@rcls.org>]

Bridging the gap

Libraries have always served as neutral forums for the exchange 
of information and ideas, controversial and otherwise.  I think 
that identifying libraries as a neutral, accessible and already
used source of mediated information is the direction that this
dialog should go. 

Our experience cannot yet serve as a "good example," as we have
only just begun, but it can certainly serve as an example of one
possible direction a library can take.  We look at our Library 
as a center of community activity and we know we are on the front
line when people begin to want information.  Perhaps as 
information needs become more sophisticated and detailed, the 
library must serve as a liaison, but for starters, libraries are 
the place to go.

We have received funding from the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation for a pilot project, the Hudson River
Resource Center On-Line.

Rather than approaching access to information on an air, water,
toxic, etc. basis, we are working around a "hot topic" in this 
case the Hudson River Estuary. We will attempt through a web site
(under the www.newburghlibrary.org page) to provide a nexus to
the realm of Hudson River information.  We are not attempting to
put the info on line but rather provide a roadmap to the
resources for environmental, historical and cultural data. 
With our information specialists (librarians) we can provide 
directed references to information sources.  We want to play an
active role. 

Please contact hudson@rcls.org for information on the project
and our project timeline.

Chuck Thomas
Newburgh Free Library
Newburgh NY