ALA President Leslie Burger speaks of EPA Libraries' importance, calls for more openness at National Council Meeting

Contact: Andy Bridges


Communications Specialist


202-628-8410

For Immediate Release


December 14, 2006

ALA President Leslie Burger speaks of EPA Libraries' importance,


calls for more openness at National Council Meeting

WASHINGTON - Today, ALA President Leslie Burger spoke of the importance of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) libraries and librarians at a meeting of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT).

"The closing of these libraries initially took place under the guise of a proposed $2 million budget cut," Burger said. "Though recently, the EPA has backed away from the financial angle in favor of the approach that the process of digitization will help a 'broader audience' in gaining access to these materials, as EPA spokespeople mentioned in a teleconference on Monday, but many scientists, EPA staff, and librarians continue to dispute this contention."

Burger continued, "Without more information about the EPA's digitization project, we cannot assess whether they are digitizing the most appropriate materials, whether there is appropriate meta-data or cataloguing to make sure that people can access the digitized materials, etc. In the age of digital media it has become easier and easier for information to simply get lost in the shuffle, and there is simply no way of knowing if that's the case here."

"ALA asks that this Council recommend to the administrator that the EPA: a) halt all library closures; b) discuss a plan with your stakeholders on how best to meet user needs and plan for the future; c) stop dispersing and dumping of any of their library materials immediately; d) stabilize and inventory the collections that have been put in storage; and e) reestablish library professionals - inherently governmental library professionals."

Burger's full testimony is available at
www.ala.org/epalibraries.

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EPA established the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT) in 1988 to provide independent advice to the EPA Administrator on a broad range of environmental policy, technology and management issues. Council members include senior leaders and experts who represent academia, business and industry, community and environmental advocacy groups, environmental justice organizations, professional organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments.