Task Force on the Environment
Social Responsibilities Round Table
American Library Association
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The Task Force on the Environment (TFOE) was created in 1989 in the spirit of the 20th Anniversary of Earth Day (1990). TFOE is one of the issues-oriented task forces that comprise the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) of the American Library Association (ALA). TFOE includes librarians, publishers, vendors, and other interested parties from a wide variety of settings, from public libraries, school libraries, and college and university libraries, to government agencies, public interest groups, publishers, vendors and other information providers.
TFOE recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. A brief history of TFOE by Fred Stoss, "How and Why We Got Here Today: A History of the ALA Task Force on the Environment" appeared in the September 2009 SRRT Newsletter.
Objectives |
Issues |
Discussion List |
Join TFOE |
Conferences |
Contact TFOE |
Objectives
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Promote awareness of environmental issues within ALA
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Unite librarians and information professionals for mutual benefit and support
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Provide TFOE members with opportunities for career development, skills enhancement, and leadership experiences
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Facilitate networking among peers and professional associates
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Provide services, programs and publications that assist TFOE members and others in their careers, workplaces, homes and communities.
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Issues
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Discussion List
TFOE maintains an e-mail discussion list as a forum for librarians to discuss issues and resources related to the environment. To join the list, subscribe at http://lists.ala.org/wws/subscribe/tfoe.
Join TFOE
Membership in the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) includes membership in the Task Force on the Environment. Information about joining SRRT is available on the membership page. Membership dues (in addition to ALA membership rates): free (for non-salaried students), $5 (retired member), $15 (personal member), $20 (institutional member).
TFOE at ALA Conferences
The annual ALA Conference provides an opportunity to focus on issues related to the environment. Speakers engage in discussions and exchange ideas on specific services, information products, publications, and programs. The annual ALA Midwinter Meeting provides additional opportunities for networking and conducting business of ALA and TFOE.
Past TFOE programs and events have included:
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Is it Safe to Go Outside? Health Effects of Climate Change and Global Warming (Annual 2010-cancelled)
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GrassRoots Greening (Annual 2009)
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Kermit, It IS Easy Being Green! Librarians' Perspectives and Ideas (Midwinter 2009)
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Earth, Wind & Fire @ Your Library: Changing Climate and Changing Lives (co-sponsored by TFOE and International Responsibilities Task Force) (Annual 2008)
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Greening of the Presses (Annual 2008)
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Nature Journaling and Library Program Ideas discussion (Midwinter 2008)Cup by Cup for a Greener ALA (Midwinter 2008)
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Get the Lead (Information) Out! (2005)
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EPA Region 5 Library Open House (2005)
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Bicycle rental service for conference participants (2005)
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Are You Missing Any Information? Speaking and Publishing Freely on the Environment (2004)
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Clear the Air and Water: Environmental selections for children, the public and academic libraries (2003)
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Promoting Public Health and Community Protection: Can Libraries Help? (2002)
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Sustaining Libraries for the Future: Energy Efficiency, Friendly Buildings, and Libraries' Sustainability” (2001)
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Earth Day in the 21st century: Environmental Activism, with Denis Hayes, founder of the first Earth Day in 1970 (2001)
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GIS as a Tool for Collaborative Spatial Decision Making (CSDM):
Libraries Perspective (1999) -
Environmentally and Socially Responsible Business: Finding the Information to Make the Decision to Buy or Invest (1996)
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Poverty, Development and the Environment: Information Challenges for Libraries, with David Brower (1992)
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How Green is Your Library: Environmentalists at Work (1990)
Contact TFOE
Chair: Maria A. Jankowska (majankowska@library.ucla.edu)
Editor of Electronic Green Journal: Maria A. Jankowska (majankowska@library.ucla.edu)
Website manager: Mary Feeney ( feeneym@u.library.arizona.edu)
Past Chairs:
Fred Stoss
Jonathan Betz-Zall
Maria A. Jankowska
Terry Link
Irwin Weintraub
JEH&FWS 6-24-99
Updated 06/17/2011 by Mary Feeney (feeneym@u.library.arizona.edu)
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