CRS VIEWS EPA LIBRARY CLOSURES

Last October the Environmental Protection Agency closed five of its
libraries, including the headquarters library in Washington DC, and
limited public access at four others.

EPA said the closures were part of an ongoing restructuring and that
public demand for EPA records would be increasingly satisfied online.
Public interest groups and librarians warned that valuable documentary
resources were in danger of being lost or destroyed.

A report from the Congressional Research Service fleshes out some new
details of the library closures and finds some cause for concern.

"EPA determined that the utility of some of its libraries had declined
as the agency has made more information available through the Internet,
and as heightened security at its facilities has led to fewer public
visitors," CRS observed.

But "Which materials will be retained, dispersed, or discarded, and the
amount of time and funding needed to complete this [restructuring]
process, are uncertain."

See "Restructuring EPA's Libraries: Background and Issues for Congress,"
updated January 3, 2007:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/secrecy/RS22533.pdf

Nellie S. C. Moffitt
Navy General Library Program
Media & Resource Branch
CNIC HQ Det
5720 Integrity Dr.
Millington  TN 38055
* 901-874-6711
* 901-874-6831 fax
* 850-450-7243 - cell
* nellie.moffitt@navy.mil