United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Information Resources
Management
(PM-211D)
Issue Number 3
March 1991
vtEPA INFO access
LIBRARY NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS
Federal Irm
This issue of INFOACCESS is devoted
to the Proceedings of the Information
Management and Services Confer-
ence, which was hosted by the Andrew
W. Breidenbach Environmental
Research Center in Cincinnati. In
keeping with EPA's goal to improve
access to environmental information,
the theme of the conference was
"Federal Information Access."
The conference was an opportunity to
share experiences, see new informa-
tion access applications and develop
effective access strategies. The IRM
Chiefs and Librarians attended
several joint sessions, including
speeches by Charlie Grizzle, Assis-
tant Administrator of OARM, and Al
Pesachowitz, Director of OIRM. These
two speakers challenged the informa-
tion professionals al the conference
to integrate the information and tech-
nology available to develop better
public access to EPA information. The
themes introduced by Charlie Grizzle
and Al Pesachowitz were echoed in ev-
ery session: the Agency has a responsi-
bility to provide information to the public
in a coordinated, comprehensive and
responsive way, and the information pro-
fessionals have the expertise to attain
that goal.

Nation
A number of sessions featured speakers
from agencies with environmental
interests including Joseph Coyne from
the U.S. Department of Energy, Janice
Kemp from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Janice Beattie from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, Larry Foster from
the National Institute of Occupa-
tional Safety and Health, and Gayle
Alston from the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Regis-
try. We hope the participation of
these speakers will initiate future
information partnerships between
and among the agencies.
The conference also included
discussions of new technology and
systems. Some of the information
delivery mechanisms discussed
were CD-ROMs, electronic bulletin
boards, and LANs. There were
demonstrations of EPA's IRIS and
ECLIPS databases. An OCLC rep-
resentative demonstrated EPIC and
PRISM, two OCLC databases.
Continued on page 8
"Federal Information Access," Proceedings of the Information Management and
Services Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio, January 15-17,1991
Conference Hosts	pg. 2
Sharing Environmental Information	pg.3
Hazardous Waste/Superfund Report	pg. 4
Federal Role in Information Transfer	pg. 5
OLS Update	pg. 5
Public Access and OIRM Priorities	pg.6
Implementing IRM Vision	pg. 7
Legal andLegislative Information	pg. 8
Records Management Report	pg.8
How to Give Effective Presentations	pg. 9
Around the Network	pg. 9
Role of EPA Laboratory Libraries	pg. 9
Public Access to Environmental Information	pg.7 Interagency Information Access	pp. 10-11
Printed on Recycled Paper

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From the Sidelines... by Mary Hoffman
The Information Management and
Services Conference was held in Cin-
cinnati, Ohio, during the week of
January 14th, 1991. During that week
a number of things were happening,
not the least of which was the start of
the war in the Persian Gulf.
News from the Front
Conference attendees were bleary-
eyed each morning as they boarded
the shuttle buses on their way to the
first morning sessions, after long eve-
nings in front of the television. They
were preoccupied with news of the
war, and its potential impact on friends
and relatives. A television was avail-
able in a nearby room for those who
wanted immediate access to the news
as it was reported. A few sessions
were interrupted by Pentagon brief-
ings. Stories from the war were punc-
tuated by reports of peace marches
and demonstrations around the coun-
try and the world.
The news from the war provided a
dramatic illustration of the topic of the
week: public access to information.
The issues discussed in the sessions
related to the information available on
the news, issues such as timeliness,
accuracy, interpretation, integrity and
relevance.
Comments from the Group
The conference was well received,
thanks to the hard work and planning
of a numberof people in Cincinnati and
around the Network. Among the
superlatives used to describe the con-
ference were excellent, well organized,
fantastic, great, commendable, well
planned, first class and impressive.
Attendees also shared useful sugges-
tions for the next conference, including
the following:
~ Set up smaller groups for group
sessions.
~ Plan more participative sessions.
a Continue to invite speakers from
outside EPA.
a Schedule an open session for brain-
storming on common problems.
a Include sessions on professional
development topics.
a Develop handouts on new Network
members or others introduced at the
conference.
a Schedule additional time for hands-
on use of databases and services
demonstrated.
a Change the date of the conference
to fall or spring.
a Set aside time for touring the host
facility or city. ~
INFOACCESS is produced
by the Information Access
Branch of the Information
Management and Services
Division, Washington, DC.
Staff
Mary Hoffman
Meg Schwind
Please send your comments
and suggestions to:
Mary Hoffman
Network Coordinator
EPA Headquarters Library,
PM211A
401M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
FTS 475-7762 III EPA30360
The OARM/IRMD staff in Cincinnati
hosted the conference, and arranged
such amenities as networking oppor-
tunities before, between and after
sessions, Email access, and a news
link to current events. William
Henderson, Director, OARM-Cincin-
nati and Robert Caster, Director,
IRMD, welcomed the attendees to the
conference and described the role of
the information professionals working
at the A.W. Breidenbach Environmen-
tal Research Center (AWBERC). Fol-
lowing are selected comments from
their remarks to the attendees.
A.W. Breidenbach Environmen-
tal Research Center (AWBERC)
There are about 1000 EPA staff work-
ing at six sites in Cincinnati, including
the Center at 26 W. Martin Luther King
Drive. The staff are active in important
research, including site cleanup engi-
neering for Superfund sites, ecologi-
cal biomarkers, and pollution preven-
tion. One of the laboratories at
AWBERC is a major Agency research
siteforpollutionprevention. AWBERC
is a disaster recovery site, backup to
Research Triangle Park for telecom-
munications and computing functions,
and the secondary site for statistical
analysis at EPA.
Information Resources
Management Division (IRMD)
Information is a critical focal point at
the Center for the researchers and for
the surrounding community. IRMD is
a highly visible organization specializ-
Continued on page 5
INFOACCESS
MARCH 1991

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Sharing Environmental Information
Excerpts from a speech by Charles Grizzle,
Assistant Administrator,
Office of Adminstration and Resources Management
You, the information professionals of
the Agency, are the people who must
provide the tools to help EPA evolve
with changing needs and expectations.
You are the ones who can make infor-
mation work for EPA, rather than
making EPA work for information. And
it is you who are responsible for as-
suring that accurate information about
our Agency and our environment
reaches the public who needs it most.
I think we have an uphill battle ahead of
us. We're in a society today that values
conveniences and instantaneous re-
sponse. Expectations about what
technology can deliver are very high.
In some cases, unfortunately, expec-
tations may never be met. I am sorry to
say that many people, especially top
executives, think they have all the
information they need. And unfortu-
nately, we're not in a field with a distinct
bottom line. Much of the value of our
work is in subjective benefits much like
research and development in industry.
The dissemination of environmental
information has never been more
crucial - not only here at home, but
throughout the world. For example, the
Budapest Regional Environmental In-
formation Center lor central and east-
ern Europe, with its latest technology,
will act as a focal point for environmen-
tal information for eastern Europe and
beyond. And I was really proud that our
staff was the driving force behind the
making of that center a reality. It will be
a focal point for lots of discussions on
environmental issues. It represents a
new venture for us in institution build-
ing for these emerging democracies
throughout the world and a new effort
for us in becoming the leader in envi-
ronmental information across the
globe.
We [EPA] are increasingly becoming
more and more recognized across the
Federal community as one of the best
and most progressive agencies in the
Federal government in the IRM field.
Our vision is increasingly a shared
vision. One of the most heartening
things in the summer budget process
in the Agency this year was to see the
initiative put forward for data integra-
tion and an investment in information
across the board.
What good is
information if
access to it is
denied or limited?
That means that the computer and
information technology that EPA em-
ploys today and in the future will be the
corner stone for protecting our natural
resources and EPA's overall integrity.
And I'd like to add that making that
information available for all who need
it is another of my top priorities. For
what good is information if access to it
is denied or limited?
The one thing I would like to see from
this group in the coming year is an
answer to the challenge of improved
public access to environmental infor-
mation. We must make significant
strides in providing information to the
public in a coordinated, comprehen-
sive, responsive way. Wealreadyknow
that expectations for public access to
environmental information are great.
By recent Congressional action,
access to information has been put on
the front burner and we expect to see
more of this in the near future.
Dealing with the demands of Title 3
has really been a catalyst for a lot of
our public access and information
sharing, and has put us in the forefront
of Federal agencies, but let me hasten
to add that we have only scratched the
surface. We need to assure that when
EPA speaks, it speaks with one voice
to the Agency staff and to the public at
large. The way we communicate must
be efficient, which means using the
latest technology. And it must be effec-
tive, which means we must be experts
in understanding user needs and
developing services to meet those
needs. We must take a national ap-
proach which means we must involve
the information experts from all the
EPA offices. It's not acceptable to
function as little satellites around the
Agency and that's why sessions such
as this conference are so vitally impor-
tant.
In providing a central information focal
point, we need to consider some of the
following:
~	A system to respond to and effec-
tively refer telephone requests.
~	Development of public information
centers in every EPA region.
~	A way to capture and catalog every
EPA publication for use by the public.
~	Consideration of public access
MARCH 1991
Ipipl
INFOACCESS

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Sharing, from page 3
needs in the development of every one
of our major environmental databases.
We need to be as concerned about our
external clients as we are about our
internal clients.
Because of my long-standing respect
for the work of information profession-
als, I know that you not only have ideas
but also may have the answers that
can help us evolve into a vision of the
future.
Let me urge you to take the initiative
with other staffs in other parts of the
Agency to share your successful tech-
niques of meeting information needs.
The EPA library network is a powerful
tool to improve productivity, and I am
looking for a lot from each of you in the
coming year.
Our network is not only the keeper of
EPA expertise, but is also a change
agent that can help the Agency move
forward with priorities such as better
management, cross media problem-
solving and interagency cooperation.
In addition to its proactive role in help-
ingtheAgencyworksmarter,the library
network is also a key voice to EPA's
clients and partners. The network has
much of the expertise needed to im-
prove information access to the public
and international community. You as
EPA's information professionals are
part of the greater community who
have been leading voices for the rights
of the citizens through the sharing of
knowledge.
The public expectations of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency have
never been greater. We need to take
advantage of Bill's [Reilly] high profile
in the country and the world at large
>' - *	4\


We must make
significant strides in
providing information
to the public in a
coordinated,
comprehensive,
responsive way.
and use that as an opportunity to shape
our vision and to meet the critical need
for better information access. It's a
good challenge and it's a very vital part
of what this Agency is all about. ~
-
Congratulations to Suzanne Annand
for her Coffee Cup Award which was
presented by Charles Grizzle on the
first day of the conference. Suzanne
made a presentation on federal
environmental information to an Oc-
tober 1990 conference of information
professionals in Buffalo and it resulted
in a warm laudatory letter to the Ad-
ministrator. Charles Grizzle presented
it to her with this comment: "I want to
thank you for making me look good."
We offer our best wishes and support
to Jonda Byrd, the new Manager of
the National Library Network Program.
She will be promoting the services of
the Headquarters, Regional and
Laboratory libraries as part of a con-
tinuing effort to strengthen the library
network's ability to provide products
and services integral to EPA's infor-
mation needs. Jonda will be based in
Cincinnati. ~
Excerpts from remarks by
Suzanne Annand,
Information Access Branch
The new Head Superfund librarian at
the Headquarters Library is Felice
Sacks. She will be marketing library
services to the Superfund staff
through a new newsletter, OERR
INFOLINE, which will highlight new
book titles, journal articles, confer-
ences and library service possibilities.
We are developing a strategy for
improved state access to hazardous
waste information, at the request of
the Office of Solid Waste and Emer-
gency Response (OSWER). The
strategy will recommend that each
region hire a state liaison librarian
(SLL). The SLL would develop work-
shops for state staff and produce a
newsletterto share information about
databases, publications and other
information resources. In addition,
the SLL would be a link between the
Library Network and the state envi-
ronmental libraries.
Felice Sacks revised the Hazardous
Waste Superfund Collection Data-
base Thesaurus. The new thesaurus
contains 333 keywords and a Corpo-
rate Source list. The hierarchical
display was dropped from this edi-
tion.
The database has a new update
schedule. It will be updated on OLS
monthly, and will also be available on
the OSWER Bulletin Board. We have
discontinued the distribution of the
database on disks. The public can
now access the database on OLS
through an account with NTIS.
The Superfund staff at the Head-
quarters Library are updating the list
of hazardous waste journals; the
update will include annotations and a
subject index. ~
INFOACCESS
MARCH 1991

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Federal Role in Information Transfer
Excerpts from remarks by Joseph Coyne, former Manager,
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Public access to information is a
complicated and difficult process. It
must be well-organized and address
the following issues:
~	Advances in information
technology.
~	Exponential growth of information.
a Disparity of user capabilities.
a Threats to data security.
a Intellectual property rights vs.
economic benefits.
a Globalization of information
management.
Office of Scientific & Technical
Information (OSTI)
At the Department of Energy (DOE),
the Office of Scientific and Technical
Information (OSTI) is responsible for
access to agency information. The
mission of OSTI is to provide informa-
tion management support and direc-
tion for DOE's scientific and technical
information program. It defines policy
for the management of all scientific
and technical information, including
implementation, dissemination and
access policies.
OSTI is the central facility overseeing
Research & Development at DOE. It
manages the results of DOE work, and
provides English language research
reports resulting from agreements with
more than 80 countries. Public access
is provided through the National Tech-
nical Information Service (NTIS), and
in some cases, through the Govern-
ment Printing Office's (GPO) deposi-
tory library program.
Domestically, OSTI represents DOE
in CENDI (Commerce, Energy, NASA,
NLM, Defense, and Interior), a group
created to elevate the needs of infor-
mation programs. Recently the Office
of Technology Assessment (OTA)
recommended that CENDI be reorga-
nized to include EPA, among others.
Federal Agency Information
Federal agencies are responsible for
making their information available to
other agencies and to the public.That
responsibility requires Agencies to
manage information uniformly from
cradle to grave, exploit available infor-
mation resources, including advances
in technology and staff, exploit the
use of intelligent bibliographic data
files more fully, routinize the full text
management of liles, mingle data files
with full-text files, breathe new life into
technology transfer, improve control
of security, press for improved
products and encourage innovative
thinking. ~

Excerpts from remarks
by John Knight, NDPD
Since the 1990 IMS Conference in
Atlanta, there have been a number of
improvements to OLS, including im-
proved report capability, a better
menu interface, new documentation
provided by the RTP Library, and an
enhanced circulation system. In ad-
dition, there are two new databases
available on OLS, the Climate
Change Database and the Chemical
Collection System.
The CSC staff is preparing for a
BASIS Upgrade/Conversion in the
coming months. The upgrade should
provide a substantially faster
response, more sophisticated screen
management and a circulation sys-
tem which will combine the circula-
tion records with the bibliographic
records.
The best news of the session is that
it is technically possible to achieve a
simple log-on to the system, and it
should be available to the Network
soon.
Bruce Almich, from the Telecommu-
nications Branch, is working on a
systems network interconnect, to
connect external legal/library services
to speed up the baud rate /rate of
transmission. This should improve
Network links to commercial data-
base systems. ~
Conference Hosts from page 2
ing in information delivery. The staff working with Robert Caster, including Margie Edwards, Jon Longtin and Jonda Byrd
are noted for their efforts.The AWBERC Library is an important asset for the city of Cincinnati and the University of
Cincinnati.
IRMD manages AWBERC's Information Center, which has the state-of-the-art equipment necessary to support the
laboratories. During the past 7 years at AWBERC, the computer inventory/capacity has increased dramatically. Current
IRMD projects include the installation of LAN workstations, provision of telephone support, including the FTS 2000 project,
and the development of Center-wide access to CD-ROM databases that are based in the AWBERC library. ~
MARCH 1991
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Public Access and Other OIRM Priorities:
A Summary of Remarks by Al Pesachowitz and Daiva Balkus.
Al Pesachowitz, Director of the Office
of Information Resources Management
(OIRM), and Daiva Balkus, Director of
the Information Management and Ser-
vices Division (IMSD), spoke about
OIRM and IMSD priorities for manag-
ing information sen/ices for Agency
clients. Following is a summary of their
remarks.
Meeting the Challenge of Public
Access
Charlie Grizzle has given us a chal-
lenge to develop a public access sys-
tem and work with EPA programs to
assure that major EPA databases are
appropriately available to the public.
This goal is very much in line with the
IRM strategic plan. It supports our
mission to "provide leadership in
managing and delivering information
resources and services." We have sig-
nificant resources for meeting the
challenge, including the expertise, the
ability to develop and manage techno-
logical tools, and the information.
To best utilize these resources, we
need to form strong teams - between
the librarians and the IRM managers,
between Headquarters and the Re-
gions, and between the research and
development experts in the Agency
and those who work with the public.
Scientific and Technical
Information
One area of environmental informa-
tion of most interest to many public
user groups is scientific and technical
information. EPA produces a great deal
of research and development informa-
tion that has a far-reaching effect on
the United States and international
public policy decisions. It is highly ap-
propriate that while we are holding this
annual meeting in one of our laborato-
ries, we focus on access to this critical
area of environmental information.
EPA's Center for Environmental Re-
search Information (CERI) is a highly
efficient and effective organization.
OIRM wants to support CERI's work
and assure that all EPA published
information is fully accessible in the
many forms used by organizations,
libraries and individuals. In our effort
we will need the full support of the
libraries and IRM technology.
Managing Client Expectations
A key to providing leadership is
thoroughly understanding client ex-
pectations. Often our job is to raise
their expectations, to let them know
we have the capabilities to meet the
tough problems they face. OIRM will
dedicate itself this year to outreach
to its major client, the EPA program
staff. OIRM managers will take ev-
ery opportunity, both formal and in-
formal, to listen to EPA senior man-
agers and those on the front line.
OIRM will try to find out what they
need, what they expect from OIRM,
how they are dealing with the tech-
nology, and what they'd like to see in
the future. This should result in in-
creased cooperation and commit-
ment from EPA offices to support
IRM initiatives.
Managing Diverse Client
Groups
During FY 1990, IMSD, a division
within OIRM, reorganized to posi-
tion itself so that it could more ef-
fectively serve its clients. It estab-
lished the Information Sharing
Branch (ISB) to focus on state and
international partners. Michele
Zenon, Manager of the State EPA
Data Management (SEDM) Pro-
gram, is Acting Chief of the new
branch.
SEDM, a data sharing program with
EPA's state partners, has established
links with the states, and is now
developing a strategy to focus on
communications and integration. The
SEDM staff are also conducting a pro-
gram assessment by visiting Regional
managers and state contacts.
The International Program which is cur-
rently working on East European initia-
tives, received a lot of publicity when the
Budapest Center opened in September
1990. Other international projects in-
clude an information sharing project with
South Africa, and the development of a
Carribbean Regional Environmental
Center.
IMSD's Information Management Branch
(1MB) is working to strengthen data ad-
ministration and policy capabilities. It is
also developing implementation guid-
ance for Facility ID and Locational Guid-
ance standards. These standards are
important to improved access to infor-
mation. Other 1MB projects focus on
information security issues (with NDPD),
electronic and communications forms,
and the strategic planning process.
Public Access Projects
IMSD's Information Access Branch (IAB)
has been restructured and renamed,
and now includes the Public Access,
Records Management and Library Net-
work programs. IAB can provide EPA
managers with the tools they need to
move toward better public access.
Some of lAB's Public Access projects
include development of a Public Access
Policy and Strategy, the ACCESS EPA
Series, coordination of an Interagency
Public Access Meeting to start a dialogue
with the Agency's Federal information
partners, and development of an infor-
mation system to help answer basic
questions and make appropriate refer-
rals.
lAB's Records Management Program is
working with NARAto accept Superfund
records, and records from the Contracts
Laboratory program. The Library Net-
work, under the direction of its new Na-
tional Program Manager, Jonda Byrd,
will address many library issues. ~
INFOACCESS
MARCH 1991

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After some preliminary words by Deborah Ross, the National Public Access
Program Manager, the large group split into discussion groups to brainstorm
about public access possibilities. Following is a summary of the group reports:
~	Understanding User Needs	\
Some of Group One's suggestions for identifying, defining and managing the
public were: 1) set priorities for service; 2) establish feedback loops; 3) develop
a communications plan; 4) try to anticipate demands; and 5) consider what is
really needed and respond appropriately.
~	Using Expertise Without Draining Resources
Group Two suggested the following as means of enhancing services without
spending more resources: 1) facilitate access to existing facilities; 2) develop
sources of compiled information; 3) distribute newsletters and similar informa-
tion products to a broader audience; 4) improve access to OLS and other EPA
databases; 5) provide better training for hotline staffs and others who answer
the phones; and 6) develop a better "pointer system" for the referral of calls.
~	Coordination of Services
Group Three developed the following ideas on coordination: 1) create a
workgroup; 2) develop an action plan and guidelines; 3) develop QA/QC
measures for hotlines and clearinghouses; 4) improve distribution of informa-
tion guides and disks; 5) create an enhanced locator service; 6) coordinate
improved training for secretaries & receptionists; and 7) develop an EPA "Off ice
of Scientific and Technical Information".
~	Technology/Distribution Mechanisms
Group four recommended the following means of reaching the public: 1)
develop radio & television public service announcements and press releases;
2) develop a direct mail program; 3) use FAX machines to accept and fulfill
requests; 4) utilize CD-ROM technology to disseminate information; 5) utilize
voice mail for receiving & routing calls; 6) develop electronic bulletin boards;
and 7) develop videotape presentations for regional, state, and local govern-
ments^	
Public Access to
Environmental
Information
Brigid Rapp, Chief of the Information
Access Branch, and Deborah Ross,
Manager of the National Public Ac-
cess Program, talked about public
access to environmental information
and facilitated group and panel dis-
cussions on the topic. Following is a
summary of their remarks.
Impetus for public access to informa-
tion continues to grow as a result of the
public demand for environmental in-
formation, Congressional mandates for
public access and Agency priorities
which deem public access instrumen-
tal in helping meet the country's envi-
ronmental goals.
Public access objectives can be
summarized into four functions: 1) to
increase the understanding of the
public; 2) to reach the public in the
most efficient and effective manner; 3)
to assure quality and confidentiality;
and 4) to coordinate activities at all
levels.
National Public Access Program
As part of the Office of Information
Resources Management (OIRM), the
Program supports the Office of Com-
munications and Public Affairs (OC PA)
in its efforts to introduce a standard-
ized numbering system for EPA pub-
lications, and also supports federal
printing regulations which promote the
use of the Government Printing Office
(GPO). By using the GPO, documents
are automatically sent to the deposi-
tory libraries and made available for
public access.
lAB's ACCESS EPA series, which
replaces the Information Resources
Directory, provides a path to informa-
tion sources. The series has expanded
to include seven titles, including State
Environmental Libraries, Clearing-
houses and Hotlines, Libraries and
Information Services, Major EPA
Dockets, Public Information Tools,
Records Management Programs and
Major EPA Environmental Databases.
Updates of the directories should be
available in the Summer of 1991.
Improving Public Access to
Information
How can public access be improved
today? Send all documents to the
library network. Use the depository
library system to provide access to
EPA publications. Utilize available
directories such as the ACCESS EPA
Series and the EPA Telephone Direc-
tory. Develop a knowledge of EPA
systems and services. Provide EPA
representatives for conferences open
to the public. Send non-technical
documents to PIC for distribution and
dissemination.
As information professionals, we must
take advantage of every resource
available to us and help the Agency
manage information wisely. ~
MARCH 1991
INFOACCESS

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Legislative and Legal Information
Excerpts by Joan Platten,
Legislative Reference Library,
Congressional & Legis. Affairs
Every Congress since 1789 has in-
cluded two sessions. The first session
for the 102nd Congress will meet in
1991, and the second session in 1992.
Approximately 1-2%of introduced bills
are passed. So far in the 1 st session,
500 bills have been introduced in the
House, and none in the Senate.
Several versions of a bill are pro-
duced as it moves through the pro-
cess. When it is introduced, it is called
a BILL. When it has passed the
Senate, it is called an ACT. When it is
reported out of committee, it is as-
signed a number. An AUTHORIZA-
TION bill states that dollars are au-
thorized for a Department or Agency.
An APPROPRIATION bill identifies
the amount of money actually given to
a Department or Agency. It is impor-
tant for the librarians to let managers
know which bills are important and
which unimportant.
The Legislative Library can provide
librarians with copies of bills unless
they are extraordinarily long. ~
Excerpts by Barbara Morrison,
Chief, Legal Information Services,
Office of General Counsel
OGC established a new division in
1990, the International Law Division,
directed by Edith Brown-Weiss. OGC
has contributed $15K to the library to
acquire international law materials, to
support the new division.
OGC is also working more with Native
American law on issues such as tribal
rights and water rights.
The Law Library has been working
with LEXIS to enhance existing online
environmental files and make addi-
tional files available, including FR no-
tices, decisions in Federal courts, leg-
islative histories, and OGC opinions.
It is helpful to check BNA Environment
Daily online daily for newly released
EPA reports, and other agency and
organization reports. The BNA Toxics
Law Reporter is another useful title
which can be checked daily.
I would recommend the following titles
for an environmental legal collection:
Selected Environmental Law Statutes,
Legal Writing: Getting it Right and
Getting it Written, Clark Boardman's
environmental law series, New Clean
Air Act by John Quarles (his book on
RCRA is a classic). ~


Excerpts from remarks by
Mike Miller, Records Manage-
ment Program Manager
The Agency's records management
program has been established to serve
Agency information needs and to meet
Federal requirements. A comprehen-
sive program encompasses three
major activities: planning, issuing
policy and guidance, and program
implementation and service, with the
last component the driving force. Ev-
ery EPA region and facility should
have a trained records manager, a
records management budget, and a
record center(s) to provide services.
In FY 91 our focus at the national
program level is on developing com-
munication links and revising policy
and procedures to assist Regional
programs.
The core records management staff
at Headquarters includes Harold
Webster, the HQ Record Officer; Gloris
Butler, Coordinator for Records
Management and Docket networks;
and myself. We are fortunate to be
able to call on the services of other
IMSD staff for assistance in micro-
graphics, public access and informa-
tion policy.
The libraries and record centers share
many interests and concerns, which
can be the basis for coordinated ac-
tion to increase access to information.
For example, both are involved in
capturing and maintaining a record
set of reports, directives, guidance
documents, films, photos, and a vari-
ety of other EPA information sources.
In addition, librarians and records
managers take a proactive approach
to information and users, believing
that effective and efficient access to
information, whatever its content or
format, is not only a basis for good
management, but a right. ~
Federal Information from page 1
Janice Beattie from NOAA presented an EPA/NOAA catalog of library holdings
from the two agencies in CD-ROM format.
The Proceedings comprise a summary of the conference, including excerpts
from speeches, and condensed versions of other sessions. This presentation
of material provides an abbreviated transcript of the sessions. ~ Mary Hoffman
rNFOACCESS
MARCH 1991

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Effective
Presentations
Excerpts by Lisa Young,
Information Services Manager
A presentation can be defined as the
process of asking someone to agree
with you, to make a decision, or to do
something. If you are clear and con-
cise, speak authoritatively and appear
to be in control of the situation, then
more action will be taken on the rec-
ommendations you present.
The most important variables in the
presentation are the audience, the
setting, the delivery and the audiovi-
sual aids. The presenter should ask
the following questions while prepar-
ing the presentation: what is the
listener's agenda? What are the
physical advantages and disadvan-
tages of the room? During the pre-
sentation, a good speaker will con-
sider the following questions: How
do I look and sound? Am I making
good eye contact with individuals in
the group? How is the pitch, inflec-
tion, and resonance of, my voice?
Remember that silence is better than
non-words; consider the silence a
"power pause".
It is extremely important to rehearse
your presentation ahead of time. And
you should learn how to handle ques-
tions. An effective speakercan defuse
aggressive or controversial questions
if they are handled properly.
If you would like to read more about
effective presentations, consider
these titles:
~	How to Hold an Audience in the
Hollow of Your Hand, by Art Fettig,
Fell, 1979.
~	Hqw to Prepare. Stage and Deliver
Winning Presentations, by Thomas
Leech, AMACOM, 1982.
a Speak to Win (audio), by Bert
Decker, Decker Communications,
1985.
~	What's Your Point, by Bob Boylan,
Warner Books, 1989. ~
Around the Network
~	Reminder...the National Cataloging Center needs updated journal informa-
tion from the libraries for the 1991 Journal Holdings Report. Gretl Cox sent out
forms and instructions to make the process less painful. If you have any
questions, or need more information, contact Gretl at FTS 475-7767.
A EPA's OW has published two documents on the management of water
information sources: OW Information Resources Management Annual Report
FY 1989-90, EPA500/9-90-001 A, and OW Environmental and Program Man-
agement Systems Compendium, EPA500/9-90-002. Both reports are available
from the Public Information Center, at FTS 475-7751.
~	Chemical Collection System (CCS) contains citations to 140,000 articles
published between 1901 and 1985 that were retrieved from OTS literature
searches. It can be searched using OLS commands. Copies of the articles are
available from the OTS Library through Interlibrary Loan. Please include the
CCS number, author, article title and journal title in your request. Send requests
to ILL/LABAT-ANDERSON Inc., EPA OTS Chemical Library (TS-793), 401 M
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, 202/8-382-3944, Email EPA7565. For
more information contact Lois Ramponi, OTS Library, at FTS 382-2321. ~



The librarians conducted informal telephone surveys with EPA Library Network
members to collect the information summarized in this panel presentation. The
librarians participating in this session each reported on a specific facet of the role
of the laboratory library.
Mission: All libraries have mission statements, consistent priorities, and a
variable workload. They spend a significant percentage of time on service to
the public. Some of the common concerns are the accuracy of telephone
referrals, the availability of EPA public information centers, and a desire to
spend more time providing service for EPA staff. - Renie McVeety, Corvallis
Reports: Most laboratories house reports for the lab. In addition, some track the
publication status, provide distribution, publish bibliographies or maintain
publications databases. In most there is some coordination with Public Affairs
and/or the Center for Environmental Research Information (CERI).
-	Rosemary Thorn, Research Triangle Park
Public Services: The amount of service available to the public is usually
related to the staff available. In general, the lab libraries serve the scientists first,
and then others. The public is demanding, especially requesters from academia.
Some of the libraries have strong working relationships with state and local
universities. - Joyce Bergin, Ada
Special Services: Some of the special services provided to EPA staff include
archival functions, maintenance of databases, records management responsi-
bilities, document delivery service, publication of divisional newsletters, end-
user searching, and the development of project profiles.
-	Jonda Byrd, Cincinnati
MARCH 1991
4' * '
9
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Interagency Information Access
;; ::	Agency for Toxic .Substances and Disease Registry
Excerpts from Gayle Alston, Health Education Specialist
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), is a federal public health agency located in Atlanta, GA.
Created by Superfund legislation in 1980, it's mission is to prevent or mitigate adverse human health effects anddiminished
quality of life resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment, including the following activities:
Public Health Assessments - evaluate data and information on the release of hazardous substances.
Health Investigations - increase understanding of the relationship between exposure to hazardous substances and
adverse human health effects through epidemiologic, surveillance and other studies of the effects of toxic substances.
Exposure and Disease Registries - establish and maintain a registry of persons exposed to hazardous substances and
a registry of serious diseases and illnesses in persons exposed to hazardous substances.
Emergency Response - provide health-related support to states, local agencies, and health care providers in public
health emergencies that involve exposure to hazardous substances.
Toxicologlcal Profiles - summarize and make available to the public data on the effects of hazardous substances.
Health Education - develop and disseminate materials on the health effects of toxic substances.
Applied Research - conduct or sponsor research to increase scientific Knowledge about the effects on human health.
ATSDR, Executive Park, Bldg. 31, 1600 Clifton Road (E33), Atlanta, GA, 30333 (404) 639-0607»	
National Institute for^	gnd Health
Excerpts from remarks by Larry Foster
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), is a Federal agency established by the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970. NIOSH is dedicated to protecting the safety and health of all American workers.
The NIOSH Headquarters is in Atlanta, and there is a liaison office in Washington, DC. There is a research facility in
Morgantown, WV that focuses on respiratory diseases, especially those in workers at industrial work sites, and safety
research, primarily focusing on traumatic injuries and worker deaths. There are also laboratories in Cincinnati that conduct
research in the physical sciences and engineering.
NIOSH provides a number of health-related information products:
~	NIOSHTIC is a database containing toxicological, chemical and behavioral science citations.
~	Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) contains references to 90,000 known toxic substances.
~	The Manual of Analytical Methods contains information on the air and biological analytical methods used by NIOSH.
~	The Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards is a good source of general industrial hygiene information.
The NIOSH 800 phone number [1-800-35-NIOSH] is a toll-free telephone information service that provides access to
NIOSH and its information resources. Please Note: This is NOT a hotline for medical emergencies.
NIOSH Headquarters, Bldg. 1, Room 3007, CDC, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333 (404) 639-3061 ~
INFOACCESS
MARCH 1991

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Interagency Information Access
; Wafer Quality information Center
National Agricultural library °
Excerpts from remarks by Janice Kemp, Coordinator, Water Quality Information Center
The Water Quality Information Center (WQIC) is part of the National Agricultural Library (NAL), which is located in
Beltsville, MD. The Center was established in 1990, as part of USDA's coordinated plan responding to the Presidential
Initiative on Water Quality. WQIC will serve as a focal point in the dissemination of information related to water quality
and is developing ways to facilitate communication among interested professionals, organizations and members of the
general public.
What can WQIC do for you? Here are some of the services the WQIC staff offer:
~	Assist in locating information on a specific topic relating to water quality.
~	Refer callers to organizations or experts in the field who can provide additional information.
~	Identify current research and applied projects conducted by USDA and other agencies.
~	Determine the status of pending legislation related to water quality.
a Link interested callers through the Water Quality conference on NAL's electronic bulletin board.
Water Quality Information Center, National Agricultural Library - Room 1402, Beltsville, MD 20705 (301)344-4077 ~
1tyqflgndito	Atmospheric Administration
Excerpts from remarks by Janice Beattie, Regional Libraries Coordinator
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was established in 1970 by President Richard Nixon to
provide better protection and understanding, exploration, development and intelligent use of marine resources. In 1971,
the NOAA library was established through the merger of the National Weather Service, National Marine Fisheries Service
and Coast and Geodetic Survey library collections. It was founded to provide information to scientists and other NOAA
related professionals.
NOAA's Central library contains materials from the historical collection of the predecessor libraries, and a modern
collection which has been developed since 1971. This is the center of a network with approximately 25 libraries, each of
which focuses on a local or regional topic, such as severe weather, shrimp, turbulence or green turtles. The Central Library
has recently contracted with Library Corporation to put the network libraries holdings onto a CD-ROM file.
Following are some of NOAA's information products:
~	Coastwatch Data Program, an online database featuring real-time data such as wind and water temperature.
~	COMPASS, the Coastal Ocean Management Program Sysem, which allows the user to manage and access
information on modelling techniques.
~	CAMEO, a database with information about chemical hazards.
a The NOAA Earth Stations Data Directory, which includs over 300 file describing the earth's movements.
NOAA Central Library, WSC-4, 6009 Executive Blvd., Rockville, MD 20852 (301)443-8330 FTS, 443-8330 ~
MARCH 1991
INFOACCESS

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OS EPA
mH Pkar
^ , , Directory of EPA Librarians,
LIBRARIAN
EMAIL
fts ewSH>o/i«: 20004


ro
Annand, Suzanne, IAB, DC
S.Annand
475-8671
38Z-3923
Bankson, John, Duluth
ERUDuluth
780-5539
780-5539
Bergin, Joyce, Ada
EPA/Ada
743-2241
743-2256
Biggs, Dorothy, NEIC, Denver
Library. NEIC
776-5122
776-5116
Bundy, Annalee, DC
A.Bundy
382-5930
382-3923
Byrd, Jonda, IAB, Cincinnati
J. Byrd
684-7183
684-7186
Cox, Gretl, DC
G.Cox
475-7767
382-3923
Gamache, Rose, Narragansett
ERL/Narragansett
838-6025
838-6030
Garrison, Linda , IAB, DC
L.Garrison
382-6939
382-3923
Harris, Cherri, DC

475-7759
382-3923
Hoadley, Dave, IAB, DC
D. Hoadley
475-8672
382-3923
Hoffman, Mary, DC
M.Hoffman
475-7762
382-3923
Honeck, Joan, Cincinnati
J.Honeck
684-7707
684-7709
Johnson, Ann, Annapolis
Ann.Johnson
652-2103
266-9180(301)
Knight, John, RTP, NC
J.Knight
629-2784
629-1191
Lane, Leticia, Dallas
R6. Library
255-6444
255-2142
MacKinnon, Barb, Kansas City
Library. Reg7
276-7358
276-7467
Malone, Magi, NYC
Library. Reg2
264-2881
264-7610
McCreary, Diane, Philadelphia
Library. Reg3
597-0580
597-7906
McVeety, Renie, Corvallis
ERL/Corvallis
420-4731
420-4799
Morrison, Barbara, Law Lib, DC
Law. Library
382-5919
382-7883
Nelson, Peg, Boston
Library. Reg 1
835-3300
563-3346(617)
OAQPS, RTP
Libby.Smith
629-5514

Platten, Joan, Legislative, DC
J.PIatten
382-5425
382-7883
Pinnell, Liz, Gulf Breeze
E.Pinnell
686-9011
228-9201
Poole-Kober, Evelyn, ASRL, RTP
MAD/ESRL
629-4536

Pride, Priscilla, Atlanta
Library.Reg.IV
257-4216
257-4702
Ramponi, Lois, OTS, DC
Library.TSCA
382-2321
382-7883
Rapp, Brigid, IAB, DC
B.Rapp
475-8710
382-3923
Ross, Debbie, IAB, DC
D.Ross
475-7705
382-3923
Rosseel, Kevin, PIC,DC
K.Rosseel
475-7751
382-3923
Sears, Julienne, Seattle
Library. Reg.X
399-1289
442-4672
Sims, Janice, Athens
ERL/Athens
250-3324
250-2018
Sunnen, Linda, San Francisco
Library.Reg9
484-1517
484-1474
Szefczyk, Dorothy, Edison
C.Equo
340-6762
340-6622
Talsma, Debbie, Ann Arbor
OMS/AMS
374-8311
374-8368
Thorn, Rosemary, RTP,NC
R.Thom
629-0094
629-1191
Tilley, Lou, Chicago
Library. Reg5
353-2022
886-9096
Wagner, Barbara, Denver
Library.Reg.VIII
330-1444
330-1653
Wickman, Doreen, Las Vegas
Library. LV
545-2648
545-2637
York, Sandy, Denver
S.York (303)680-6576
330-1228
Young, Lisa, DC
L.Young
245-3533
382-3923
NOTE: Use E-mailbox name ALL.LIBRARIES to send messages to all EPA libraries, including all regional and laboratory
library sites. Use E-mail box name REG.LIBRARIES to send messages to all regional EPA libraries. Please send any
changes or corrections to Mary Hoffman at EPA30360/M.HOFFMAN or call FTS 475-7762.		 	
INFOACCESS
MARCH 1991

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