SLA urges action on the proposed National Agricultural Library budget cuts.
Starving libraries into submission by cutting their budgets is a great way to distribute & grow information about health, food, etc., in a democracy. Elsewhere in this blog we have commented on the struggle of EPA & other federal libraries to stay funded and stay focused on delivering excellent, timely information to their constituencies during these turbulent budget years. The struggle continues. As the EPA pendulum finally swings back the other way, Agriculture is taking the hit. This month's "Information Outlook" (v 12 no 5) the cover story is: "Public Affairs: Keeping a State Library Open & EPA Libraries Coming Back". Coming full circle from 2006 when they were weeding their collections and selling off their furniture while they were under GAO investigation ordered by the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committe , the EPA will now reopen regional libraries in Chicago, Dallas, and Kansas City, plus the headquarters repository & chemical library in Washington, D.C. at least four days a week with professional librarians at each site. The libraries will re-establisha nd maintain on-site collections & will provide core services of reference/research assistance & interlibrary loan/document delivery. All libraries in the EPA network will follow standard procedures implemented to sensure that all EPA libraries maintain or exceed standard service lievels in accordance with library best practices.
