EPA Library system in Shambles-according to PEER

[blondie58]

EPA LIBRARY SYSTEM IN SHAMBLES — On-Line System Unworkable After Physical Collections Dispersed


Washington, DC — The brave new world of electronic libraries at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is turning into a nightmare, according to librarian complaints released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). With nearly one third of its library network now closed, internal and external researchers are frustrated by being forced to rely on balky, incomplete digital inventories.

The EPA’s drive to close its physical libraries rests upon the premise that the same materials will be available electronically. The principal venue for this access is something called the National Environmental Publications Internet Site (NEPIS) but even experienced librarians are unable to find materials in the new system. Librarian e-mail messages posted during the past three weeks on the internal library intranet site indicate serious disruptions of research:

“It looks like the main search features aren't working (at least not for the searches I've run) and I have confirmed this with several librarians. I am asking my staff not to use NEPIS to search for documents until we feel confident that we can find what is in there…”

“My first comment is that there is no way a casual or new user would know to go to advanced search and enter the year of the publication because of the different indexes used. They probably won't know the year of the publication for a starter. Secondly, I don't have any confidence in finding what I need to find in this database other than doing it by report number.”

“I'm trying to locate this article/paper for a patron who needs it urgently. I suspect it's in one of the dockets, TSCA/OPPTS, but I've not been able to find an identifying number. And, even with an identifying number, I'm not sure the paper could be located in the docket given the flood damage and displacement of folks and documents, etc. I've been waiting on items from the docket for months and months....”

Citing copyright and other problems, EPA has admitted that large numbers of research materials boxed-up from closed libraries will not be included in NEPIS. In addition, large portions of crated collections will remain in storage for the foreseeable future.

“EPA is now experiencing the worst of both worlds: its physical collections are compromised and its on-line index does not work,” stated PEER Associate Director Carol Goldberg. “It is almost as if EPA’s leadership decided to sabotage its own scientific research program.”

EPA has reportedly pledged to delay any further library closures pending congressional review. The Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works will conduct the first legislative hearings on EPA library closures next Thursday, February 6.


This is according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility www.peer.org

This worries me that years of important tests and research will be lost due to this new system. It also makes me wonder if things will be 'conveniently lost' if they show sensitive data.

[patrice]

1. :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-(

no words for my disgust . . . .

[phantom power]

2. Coupled with the defunding of NASA climate satellite programs...

we'll be getting all our climate science from Europe and Asia, I guess. We're #1! We're #1!

:puke:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. ANOTHER pro-bizniz plan by BushCo. Mission accomplished indeed

them bastards. I have actually used the local EPA "libary" on pesticide litigation. it is gone now.

[KT2000]

4. A real Misson Accomplished

for the administration.
Stop all research that would adversely affect corporate profits. After all - human illnesses only add to the gross national product!

[tanyev]

5. Plot or incompetence?

That question comes up over and over again with the Bush administration. The end result is the same, though. The public does not get the services it expects from a government which no longer feels obligated to provide those services.

[struggle4progress]

7. It's deliberate

[tanyev]

8. Oh, yes, I agree.

Sorry, maybe I should have used the term "deliberate incompetence". They obviously have no qualms about giving the appearance of incompetence. Is it incompetence as a cover for diabolical plots, or incompetence as a cover for the general philosophy that governments have no obligation to serve its citizens? Perhaps both.

Hiding under the cover of incompetence may buy some time. Probably everyone has known a co-worker who didn't do a very good job, but was a nice enough person that nobody wanted to see him fired. But when a pervasive pattern of gross incompetence becomes apparent, there comes a time when the person responsible must be dealt with.

[Miss Chybil]

6. What has this guy done to our beautiful country?

There is no end to the damage Bush has done. No end.