EMPACT: Libraries involvement lacking (Reply to: Effectiveness of the New EPA Office of Environmental Information

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

Tom,

Several years ago EPA embarked on a rather noble program, making
funds available to local communities through its EMPACT program.

MANY of the EMPACT topics call for development of means to 
improve public access to local/community environmental and 
ecological data and information. Many of the proposals EPA has
received and reviewed have included some rather nice descriptions
of out reach campaigns to share local information with the public
and developing issue-specific information clearinghouses or other
means to facilitate sharing of information.

Rarely, have public library systems--the county and city based 
information infrastructures--been included in the proposals as 
an effective means for getting information into the hands of the
public. In nearly every case those EMPACT proposals are submitted
by county or municipal agencies that are part of the same county
or municipal governments of which the library system is a part.

It becomes clear then, that county and municipal agencies do not, 
asa rule, think of libraries and library networks as an effective
means to share with the public environmental data and 
information.

The need for libraries and librarians that run them need to do 
some good old fashion PR work within the confines of their own
local governments.

I have posted EMPACT RFP notices to many library discussion lists
over the years. I have no idea if anyone ever acted on my 
suggestion to contact their county and city environmental 
agencies and offer their services in prepartion of EMAPCT
proposals.

So much work, so little time...

Fred Stoss
Science and Engineering Library
University at Buffalo