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

[Chrstine Siegel <jts@jack.sannet.gov>]

Depends upron your community.  In San Diego the local agency responsible for running the city environmental programs went directly to the public library system to create a venue to get environmental info to the public.  The public tends to try their public library first when they need information. They don't think to go to an academic library as their frist choice, probably as some have said earlier in this dialogue, because they don't know or think that they can.  That's our experience anyway.  I am speaking as not only the librarian for our city environmental library but also as a staff member of our public Central Library, a tremendous resource as well as a full government document depository library.  As stated many times in this dialogue every community is different, any national programs will need to rely on what works best in a given community and existing infrastructures.