Evaluating Success

[Gary Huggens <ghug@loc.gov>]

On a general, philosophical plane, we could say that we have had
success in connecting citizens to environmental information when
there are no longer any obstacles standing in the way to obtain
information, all information is made easily available through the
Internet and public and government libraries, and the public has
ample opportunities to learn HOW to gain access to this information.

But on a very practical level, in order to measure and evaluate
success, all of the lofty goals need to be reduced to more tangible
project segments.  A national environmental information action plan
could be devised by EPA (as a result of this dialogue) with long-term
and short-term objectives, and then specific projects and funding
requests assembled to achieve these objectives with more specific
step-by-step goals.  I believe it could take many years, but you
need to start somewhere and get some projects going. Within each
project the evaluation and measurement of "success" will need to
be spelled out BEFORE the project begins.  Certainly partnerships
between EPA and state and local public libraries, and between EPA
and private organizations and industry are needed in putting together
whatever environmental information projects are developed.

Gary Huggens
Automated Operations Coordinator
The Library of Congress
Social Sciences Cataloging Division
Washington, DC 20540
202-707-4439
ghug@loc.gov
Opinions are my own and not those of the Library of Congress.