National Agricultural Library
Annual Report for 1999
United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Library
Beltsville, Maryland, 1999
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library. 1999.
Mention of trade names, commercial products, or
companies in this publication is solely for the
purpose of providing specific information and does
not imply recommendation or endorsement by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture over others not
mentioned.
While supplies last, single copies of this
publication may be obtained at no cost from NAL
Public Affairs Office, National Agricultural
Library, Room 204, 10301 Baltimore Avenue,
Beltsville, Maryland 20705–2351.
Copies of this publication may be purchased from
the National Technical Information Service, 5285
Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161;
telephone 703–605–6000 or 1–800–553–6847.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
prohibits discrimination in all its programs and
activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political
beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family
status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program
information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.)
should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at
202–720–2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA,
Office of Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW,
Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call
202–720–5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal
opportunity provider and employer.
September 2000
National Agricultural Library
Cataloging Record
Title:National Agricultural Library. Annual Report.
LC control number:76–648056//r88
ISSN:0364–7730
NAL call number:aZ733.N3A56
Contents
Director’s Message
Improving Services
Renovating for a New Millennium of Service
Upgrading Utility Systems and Other Renovations
New Contract Provides Additional Staffing Options
Electronic Document Delivery
CALS Service Transitions to Current Contents
AgNIC Fully Under Way
Technology Update
Computer Security
Responding to Agricultural Concerns
NAL Helps Develop New Dietary Guidelines
The Food Safety Research Information Office Is Established at NAL
NAL Provides Support to the Food Supply Working Group for the Y2K Conversion
Dietary Supplements Information Needs Assessment Completed
AWIC Workshop
Interactive Training Initiative
General Accounting Office Requested AWIC Services
AWIC Representative on Animal Care, APHIS
On-line Water-Related Publications Added to AGRICOLA
Evaluation of Sustainable Agriculture Information Gaps
NAL Participates in USDA Millennium Council
Electronic Resources and Publications
Release of the IBIDS Database
Child Care Nutrition Resource System Web Site Established
Primate Enrichment Resource Publication Updated
AWIC Issues Four Publications
Translation Program With Mexican University
AWIC Web Site Activities
Enviro-News Remains Popular
Pfiesteria Web Page Cited
Water Resources Discussion Lists Noted
Electronic Bibliographies on Water Topics
RIC Web Site Recognized
RICHS Web Site Recognized
RIC Issued Internet FAQs
Four Revised RIC Publications
Support for Small Farms
Sustainable Agriculture Publications
Seed Trade Catalog Collection Featured
USDA History Collection Web Site Expanded
CD-ROM Sampler of Screwworm Eradication Collection Developed
Other Highlights
AWIC Staff Make Presentations at Two International Meetings
AWIC Usage Statistics
Sharing Experiences With Information Professionals
Paper Helps People Locate Water Information
Interagency Agreement With Forest Service
RIC Responds to Congressional Requests
Opportunities in Sustainable Agriculture
Document Delivery Services Proposes New Fee Schedule
Cooperation Continues With the Egyptian National Agricultural Library
USDA Celebrates George Washington Carver Week, October 4–8, 1999
NAL Expands National Microfilm Archive
Tables
Table 1. Growth of NAL Collections
Table 2. Technical Services Activities
Table 3. Information Services Activities
Table 4. Information Systems Activities
NAL E-mail Addresses
Director’s Message
“A New Millennium of Service”—that has been our mantra for the last few months as we
near the end of phase 1 of our building renovation.
For nearly 2 years, NAL, its customers, and staff have endured the chaos that comes with
tackling a much-needed renovation project while remaining open for business. It hasn’t been
easy and it wasn’t always pretty, but with hard work, the patience of our customers, and a sense
of humor from us all, we’ve nearly gotten through it. Our grand reopening event took place on
April 12, 2000.
The end result is a beautiful, new public area that allows us to serve our customers better,
as well as allows our customers to serve themselves better through dozens of new, on-line
customer work stations. Improved, larger spaces for the collection, better work areas for our
staff, and an improved building infrastructure also resulted from the renovation. I invite
everyone to come and view the new areas. They are quite impressive.
With all of the confusion that comes with a situation like this (lost power, crashing
computers, dust, noise, unusual odors, etc.), I’m proud to point out that NAL staff still managed
to provide first-rate service to the world agricultural community. The activities highlighted in
this annual report attest to this. From improving international cooperation in exchanging
agricultural information to developing procedures for full-text access, NAL continues its
distinguished service to science and world agriculture. It is my pleasure to be associated with
such a dedicated (and flexible) organization.
Pamela Q.J. André
Director
National Agricultural Library
Improving Services
Users in the temporary Public Services Room. (Click photo to enlarge.)
Renovating for a New Millennium of Service
Early in the 1990s, two major studies of the NAL facility were conducted. The first of these, a
space survey, determined that the library would run out of space for its collection by the end of
the decade. During 1999, NAL underwent a renovation of its first floor, with the immediate goal
of improving public services and reorganizing staff space for more efficiency. The long-range
goal was to free a floor in the tower that is now staff space and regain it for stack space. At the
beginning of the fiscal year, most of the planning was finished, a contract was awarded
September 29, 1998, and numerous preparatory moves were made. In October and November
1998, two suites of offices and workspace on the ground floor were remodeled to create a
temporary service area, and the reference and document delivery services moved in late
November. The employee parking lot, outdoor lighting and sidewalks, and the employee
entrance were reconfigured and upgraded to accommodate the public, and the new service area
opened on November 24, 1998.
In December 1998 and January 1999, the library completed moving the staff and parts of the
collection in preparation for construction. The construction crews set up a staging area in front
of NAL in January. Demolition of old offices, workspaces, reading rooms, and the lobby began
on January 25 and was completed on March 5. Thereafter, construction progressed through
several phases, beginning with plumbing and electrical work and continued with building walls,
ceilings, and new floors by the end of the fiscal year. In the last 3 months of 1999, finishing
work began, including the installation of paneling in the lobby, lighting, restroom fixtures, and
painting.
While construction was progressing, numerous library staff members, organized by task groups,
were busy selecting furniture, computer work stations and equipment, audiovisual equipment for
meeting rooms, and exhibits and wall displays, as well as completing myriad details related to
finishes—materials, textures, colors. Once decisions were made, orders and delivery dates were
set for early in 2000.
By the end of 1999, the staff looked forward to completion of the construction in early 2000,
with woodworking, carpeting, painting, and glazing remaining to be finished, and to the off-site
manufacture and delivery of the new service and guard’s desks. Using the theme “A New
Millennium of Service,” moving into the renovated space, the reopening for service, and a
number of ceremonies were planned for early in the year 2000.
Upgrading Utility Systems and Other Renovations
Workers checking out the new cooling tower, completed in FY 1999. (Click photo to enlarge.)
The second of the two studies of the NAL facility involved a comprehensive review of the
building components and utilities and identified numerous code, mechanical, electrical, and
architectural deficiencies, which were expanded by recent problems. To correct any problems, a
long-range plan was developed, and several projects were under way in 1999.
At the beginning of the fiscal year, the 14
thfloor sprinkler system project was completed. The
construction contract ran from August to November 1998 and included installation of the
sprinkler system, a new ceiling, and new lighting in some areas. Other lighting and audiovisual
equipment were dismantled at the beginning of the project and reinstalled at the end of the
project. Concurrently, the library had various areas repainted and recarpeted before the 14
thfloor
was completely reoccupied in December 1998.
The construction phase called the cooling tower replacement project began in early FY 1999. In
October and the first week of November 1998, workers prepared the NAL tower roof by
removing old pipe from a shaft on the west side. On November 7, the old cooling tower was
removed from the roof and the new cooling tower and pipes were lifted to the roof by helicopter.
Construction of the system and testing were completed in April 1999.
After testing, the drinking water from fountains in the NAL tower revealed higher levels of lead
than standards allow so the system was shut off and a water fountain system upgrade project
began in November 1998. The project was divided into two phases: in the first phase, asbestos
was removed from adjacent pipes in the various fountain locations and in the second phase, old
pipes and fountain fixtures were removed and new pipes and fixtures were installed. The project
was completed at the end of the fiscal year and use of the system resumed before the end of 1999.
In the interim, staff and customers were supplied with bottled potable water.
In March 1999, the construction phase of the air-handling unit #1 replacement project began.
Workers disassembled the old air-handling unit, pipes, and ducts and removed insulation on the
penthouse level of the NAL tower. The demolished materials were brought down mostly by
crane. Thereafter, the new air-handling unit, ducts, pipes, insulation, and related materials were
lifted to the roof by crane and construction began. The new unit was completed and began
operation in May, and testing and balancing were completed in June. Some aspects of this
replacement project were postponed until the second air-handling unit was replaced.
By the end of FY 1999, the contract for the air-handling unit #2 replacement project had been let,
and the project got under way during the remainder of the calendar year. Again, using a crane,
the contractor removed the demolished old unit before lifting the new unit and related materials
to the NAL tower roof. In conjunction with this project, modifications were made to the cooling
tower, the reverse osmosis system for purifying the water in the HVAC system, the relationship
to the first air handler, piping, and controls. The project was completed in early 2000.
Lifting part of the new air-handling unit to NAL's roof. (Click photo to enlarge.)
While all of these projects were being performed, planning was also under way for future
projects. For example, planning continued for the renovation of one floor in the tower (4
thor 5
thfloor) to convert it from office space to stack space. Planning continued for converting the
heating system from oil to a dual oil/gas system, upgrading the lighting system in the stacks, and
other upgrades in preparation for an energy savings performance contract. An electrical upgrade
project was also being planned to improve the equipment, capacity, and efficiency of the
electrical system throughout the building.
The crane for the new air-handling unit #2 project lifts new duct parts to the roof of the NAL tower. (Click photo to enlarge.)
New Contract Provides Additional Staffing Options
In September 1999, NAL implemented a 5-year contract with a firm from Fairfax, Virginia, to
provide project-based services in a variety of labor categories, including librarian and computer
programming services. This contract allows NAL to request specific projects or support from the
contractor as needed, while reducing the administrative efforts needed to put each project in
place. Implementation of this contract provides NAL with a valuable tool that can be used to
meet a variety of needs: short-term staffing for special projects, interim staffing during long-term
absences of Federal staff, special skills required for a particular project or initiative, consistent
level of staffing in traditionally high turnover clerical and service positions, and an extra level of
service when inhouse resources are not available. By creating additional options for staffing, the
contract gives NAL more administrative flexibility and allows for the right type of personnel to
be chosen for specific needs. Despite its relative newness, this contract is already being used to
support projects in all three divisions of the library. By partnering with an 8A company on this
contract, NAL supports USDA’s mandate to encourage small and minority-owned businesses,
while also providing additional flexibility in meeting its own staffing needs.
Electronic Document Delivery
Electronic receipt of document delivery requests continues to grow, although more slowly than in
past years. Electronic requests accounted for 69 percent of all requests received this year and for
84 percent of all document delivery (non on-site use) requests. Electronic delivery of materials
rose significantly this year, up 24 percent from FY 1998. Forty-three percent of all materials
delivered in FY 1999 were delivered electronically.
CALS Service Transitions to Current Contents®
In 1998, as part of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Information Technology
Management Initiative, an ARS-wide Research Information Needs Action Team was established
to determine the information needs of ARS’ research community. Based on the results of a
survey directed toward ARS researchers, this team recommended that the present Current
Awareness Literature Service (CALS) expand its services and reduce its costs by using
Current
Contents®. In 1999, CALS began offering the ARS community web-based access to
Current
Contents Connect®and mediated access to
Current Contents®through the more traditional
CALS service. This transition resulted in doubling the CALS customer base, while reducing the
cost of the service.
AgNIC Fully Under Way
The Agriculture Network Information Center (AgNIC),
http://www.agnic.org, began its first year
working with an elected executive board. During the annual meeting held at NAL, 18 AgNIC
Alliance members formed task forces to develop membership, funding opportunities, web design,
statistics standards, and a technical requirements document for a new technical infrastructure.
The prototype is in development. Over the year, subject coverage expanded from 6 to 23 topics.
NAL created a permanent position for the AgNIC coordinator. The coordinator will continue to
work on expanding membership and subject coverage of the center.
Technology Update
FY 1999 witnessed numerous advancements in information technology at NAL. A new e-mail
solution was implemented, based on Microsoft Exchange and Outlook 98, as was worldwide e-mail access via a standard web browser. Remote access to NAL's computing resources was
enhanced with the establishment of dial-up access to NAL's LAN file and print server and the
implementation of a toll-free access number for staff. The renovation of the first floor presented
an opportunity to expand the NAL network infrastructure. Equipment was purchased to support
high-speed uplinks to the network backbone from the new wiring closets in the renovated space
on the first floor. Specifications for new network and telephone wiring were developed and
arrangements were made for wiring installation. The new backbone equipment installation took
place in FY 2000.
In FY 1999, the new BARCNet backbone was installed in the NAL computer room. NAL serves
as a critical node on this Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) campus backbone by
being the junction point between BARC West and BARC East (including the George
Washington Carver Center).
Substantial work was done in FY 1999 to prepare for the Y2K rollover. All hardware and
software at NAL were inventoried to verify Y2K compliance. Where noncompliance was found,
the equipment and software were either brought into compliance or arrangements were made for
them to be retired. The Y2K efforts are expected to continue into FY 2000.
In addition to significantly upgrading established systems, several new servers were procured and
brought online in support of various initiatives. The Rural Information Center Database was
migrated to an NT server and the Electronic Media Center public NT server was established. A
prototype agricultural database classification system was developed and brought online in
support of the Agriculture Network Information Center (AgNIC). This system will migrate to an
NT server in FY 2000. Unix development and production servers were purchased for the Food
Safety Research Information Office and will be set up in FY 2000.
Computer Security
As in many other organizations, computer security has become a major concern at NAL. In FY
1998, NAL contracted for a thorough on-site assessment of our security posture. Areas of
specific concern included our network infrastructure, server, and desktop security, existing
security policies and procedures, and proposed future directions to correct vulnerabilities and
limit security risks. In FY 1999, NAL began putting into practice many of the resulting
recommendations, including the appointment of an information systems security officer, the
procurement of a firewall, and an executive briefing for staff to heighten security awareness.
Implementation of the firewall is expected in FY 2000.
Responding to Agricultural Concerns
NAL Helps Develop New Dietary Guidelines
NAL performed literature searches to assist members of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory
Committee who reviewed the 1995 edition of
Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for
Americans. Searches included uses of the Dietary Guidelines and the Food Guide Pyramid,
whole grains and disease, folate intake, caloric intake, dairy products and fractures, food safety,
and sugar substitutes and body weight. These revised guidelines, released in 2000, form the basis
of Federal nutrition policy and assist consumers in making food choices for a healthy diet.
Food Safety Research Information Office Is Established
As a result of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reauthorization Act of 1998,
the Food Safety Research Information Office (FSRIO) was established at NAL in March 1999.
This office will provide the research community and the general public with information on
publicly and privately funded food safety research initiatives. Following needs assessment
activities to define stakeholder needs and identify existing resources related to food safety
research, a prototype web site was presented to ARS Administrator’s Council in September 1999.
The site contains information about FSRIO, links to specific food safety research databases,
program and planning documents, links to other food safety-related sites, and a “What’s New”
section. Plans for FY 2000 are to hire someone to head this office, officially launch the web site,
and create a new FSRIO database.
NAL Provides Support to the Food Supply Working Group for the Y2K
Conversion
Since September 1998, NAL has been performing literature searches in support of the Food
Supply Working Group (FSWG) for the Year 2000 (Y2K) Conversion, using four different
search strategies, including business journals, newspapers, and world reports; international trade
and industry journals; Canadian newspapers; and the ABI Inform database providing information
related to economic factors.
Dietary Supplements Information Needs Assessment Completed
NAL’s Food and Nutrition Information Center and the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at
the National Institutes of Health assessed the need for information on dietary supplements.
Survey results from 102 respondents from major health, nutrition, medical, and botanical
organizations in the United States revealed a high degree of agreement for additional sources of
information about dietary supplements. The greatest need was expressed for resources that
summarize scientific information for consumers and professionals on safety, efficacy, and the
role of dietary supplements in disease outcomes and prevention. The methods of providing
information ranked most highly were web-based and phone-accessed information, followed by
written information available by U. S. mail. An outline of various methods of providing
information services and considerations related to these methods was presented to ODS.
AWIC Workshop
To help researchers, educators, veterinarians, facility managers, and others meet the information
requirements of the 1985 amendments to the Animal Welfare Act, the Animal Welfare
Information Center (AWIC) provides 1½-day workshops on how to search for alternatives to
animal use in research or alternative methods of using animals. The workshop “Meeting the
Information Requirements of the Animal Welfare Act” includes a history of animal protective
legislation in the United States, the concept of “alternatives,” the concepts and mechanics of
database searching, hands-on experience in database searching, and a discussion of participants’
results. In FY 1999, about 65 people attended the three workshops. There has been an increased
interest by outside organizations to have an abbreviated version of the workshop conducted at
their facilities. In FY 1999, there were 11 shortened versions of the workshop conducted at other
venues.
Interactive Training Initiative
In order for those regulated under the Animal Welfare Act to have access to the AWIC workshop
“Meeting the Information Requirements of the Animal Welfare Act,” AWIC staff developed
materials for an on-line tutorial. AWIC is receiving financial and other resource support for the
project from the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, the Office for
Protection from Research Risks at NIH, the Veterans Administration, and the American
Association for Laboratory Animal Science. The project will be completed in 2001.
General Accounting Office Requested AWIC Services
AWIC was contacted by the General Accounting Office (GAO), which was evaluating the
alternatives search for Department of Defense (DOD) protocols. GAO contracted with AWIC to
do alternatives search for 24 protocols. The results were evaluated by a group of outside experts
and reported to GAO. The report is
DOD Animal Research. Controls on Animal Use Are
Generally Effective, but Improvements Are Needed. The role of AWIC in providing alternative
searches is referenced in the text, scope, and methodologies sections.
AWIC Representative on APHIS, ANIMAL CARE
At the request of the Deputy Administrator of APHIS, Animal Care, Tim Allen served on the
development committee to write a policy document on environmental enrichment strategies for
nonhuman primates. Other AWIC staff contributed to the editing of the document. The policy
was published for public comment in the
Federal Register, vol. 64, July 15, 1999 as the “Final
Report on Environmental Enhancement to Promote the Psychological Well-Being of Nonhuman
Primates,” USDA, APHIS, AC. After 31,000 comments were reviewed, revisions were made to
the original. When published in final form, the policy document will be used by licensed or
registered facilities that use nonhuman primates.
ON-LINE WATER-RELATED PUBLICATIONS ADDED TO AGRICOLA
NAL’s Technical Services Division and Water Quality Information Center collaborated on a
project to ensure that freely available on-line publications covering water and agriculture are
identified and described in AGRICOLA. The goal is to make it easier for people to access these
publications, which are difficult to locate since they are scattered across many different web sites.
Records and linkages to more than 250 electronic resources have been added thus far.
Evaluation of Sustainable Agriculture Information Gaps
From left, Pamela Andre, director; Shirley Edwards, head, Indexing Branch (retired), and Sally Sinn, associate director, Technical Services, receiving the Oberly Award for Bibliography in the Agricultural Sciences for AGRICOLA. (Click photo to enlarge.)
The Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), located at NAL, is the outreach and information
arm of the Cooperative State Research Education, and Extension Service Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education (SARE) program. SAN and SARE are working on two fronts to
evaluate available information in sustainable agriculture, and subsequently to identify gaps in the
research and information base. Dr. Marla Jackson was hired by the national SARE office to read
and evaluate SARE project reports, with the help of SAN employee Kirsten Saylor. In addition,
SAN has contracted with Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) to survey
ATTRA’s 15 information specialists and search the sustainable agriculture literature to assess
gaps in the area of farmer-ready publications. SAN and SARE staff will consult regularly on
these projects over the coming months.
NAL Participates in USDA Millennium Council
NAL’s head of Special Collections serves on the USDA Millennium Council by participating in
a wide variety of activities celebrating accomplishments of the past and looking to the future.
Special Collections provided research support for events such as the naming of the Henry A.
Wallace Conference Room, located in USDA’s Jamie Whitten Building, the week-long
celebration honoring George Washington Carver, and the Secretary’s Hall of Heroes. NAL was a
primary source of historic photographs and exhibit materials, in addition to information
resources.
Electronic Resources and Publications
Release of the International Bibliographic Information on Dietary
Supplements Database
NAL and the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), National Institutes of Health, launched a
new web site to help researchers and the public find information on dietary supplements, called
the International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS) Database. This site,
located at
http://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/IBIDS.aspx, was launched at a press conference at
the National Press Club on January 6, 1999. The IBIDS database now contains over 350,000
citations to literature published from 1986 to the present from a core database built around
AGRICOLA, AGRIS International, and MEDLINE.
Susan Fugate (right) head of NAL's Special Collections, makes a presentation to the Beltsville Garden Club. (Click photo to enlarge.)
Child Care Nutrition Resource System Web Site Established
The Child Care Nutrition Resource System (CCNRS) prototype web site was established in
September 1999 to assist day-care providers who participate in the Child and Adult Care Food
Program. Recipes, resources, and information on serving safe and nutritious meals to children in
day-care settings are featured at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/childcare.
Primate Enrichment Resource Publication Updated
In 1988, NAL and NIH, Office for Protection from Research Risks (OPRR) were directed by
Congress to provide information on environmental enrichment for nonhuman primates. Since it
has been several years since the first joint publication on the topic was issued, there had been a
dramatic increase in the information published on the topic; therefore, the older publication was
updated. AWIC received $5,000 from OPRR for this project. The resulting document
Environmental Enrichment for Nonhuman Primates Resource Guidewas expanded. It includes
U.S. laws and regulations, organizations and web sites, primate centers and animal colonies,
relevant listservs, product suppliers, audiovisuals, journals and newsletters, and an updated
bibliography on the topic on the web
at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/primates/primate.htm.
AWIC Issues Four Publications
AWIC produced four publications in FY 1999. As always, the publications are on topics that
AWIC is mandated to cover: training resources; alternatives that reduce, replace, or refine animal
experimentation; and improved care for laboratory animals and for mammals kept in zoos and
aquaria. The titles are as follows: (1)
SelectedWeb Sites
for Biomedical, Pharmaceutical,
Veterinary, and Animal Science Resources, (2)
Information Resources for Livestock and Poultry
Handling and Transport—1990–1998, (3)
Information Resources for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees. 1985–1999,
and (4)
Environmental Enrichment for Nonhuman Primates Resource Guide. January 1992–February 1999.These publications are available at
http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=3&tax_level=1&tax_subject=187.
Translation Program With Mexican University
The following AWIC publications were translated into Spanish through a cooperative program
with the staff at the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Mexico:
Selected Databases for
Biomedical, Pharmaceutical, Veterinary, and Animal Science Resourcesand
Selected Web Sites
for Biomedical, Pharmaceutical, Veterinary, and Animal Science Resources.The web site
publications were coded into HTML and are available on the AWIC web site. The database
document is on the AWIC web site at
http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=3&tax_level=1&tax_subject=187.
A translation of the 2nd edition of
Essentials for Animal Research: A Primer for Research
Personnelby B.T. Bennett, M.J. Brown and J.C. Schofield is in process. It should be received by
AWIC in 2000.
AWIC Web Site Activities
In the last year, many changes have occurred on the AWIC web site at http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic. Numerous documents have been added, the site has been
restructured, subject areas have been expanded, searchable topics have been added, and links to
other sites have been added. In addition to the laboratory animal information, farm animals have
been highlighted, and ARS news releases regarding animals are routinely being selected for links.
Usage of the whole site has increased dramatically. In October 1998, about 17,000 hits per
month were recorded. By September 1999, over 30,000 hits per month were recorded with over
1,743,163 kilobytes being downloaded by users. The totals for the year are 280,856 hits and
13,219,196 kilobytes downloaded.
ENVIRO-NEWS Remains Popular
NAL’s Water Quality Information Center continued to manage the popular Internet mailing list
Enviro-News, which provides timely environmental news to about 500 subscribers. Subscribers
receive notices of upcoming conferences and seminars, requests for proposals, calls for papers,
announcements of funding and employment opportunities, and information about new web
services at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/enviro.html.
Pfiesteria Web Page Cited
The Water Quality Information Center’s
Pfiesteria web page at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/pfiest.html was listed as one of five Federal sources of information
about
Pfiesteria in the Environmental Protection Agency’s publication
What You Should Know
About Pfiesteria piscicida.
Water Resources Discussion Lists Noted
The electronic publication
Water Resources Discussion Lists at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/lists.html, developed by the Water Quality Information Center
several years ago and updated continually, was cited as a “comprehensive list of water-related
listservers” in an article on water and the Internet that appeared in the journal
Water
International, vol. 24, June 1999.
Electronic Bibliographies on Water Topics
Responding to emerging and high-interest issues, the Water Quality Information Center created
bibliographies on aging dams, citizen participation and water quality, drought and water
allocation, phytoremediation, risk assessment and communication, and source water protection at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/biblios.html.
RIC Web Site Recognized
The Rural Information Center (RIC) web site at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric received a
Links2Go Key Resource Award in the rural development area. The award is based on an
analysis of millions of web pages. Nineteen web sites received this award.
RICHS Web Site Recognized
The Rural Information Center Health Service (RICHS) web site at http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/richs (link no longer available) was “accepted into the Healthlinks Directory, one of the most
comprehensive on-line directories available specifically for the use of health-care professionals.”
In other recognition, the RICHS web site was chosen as HMS Beagle’s “Web Pick of the Day.”
The site will be featured on the HMS Beagle homepage and listed on the Beagle’s “Favorite Web
Sites” page for 30 days, as well as being permanently listed in the Bio Med Link database of
biological and medical web sites.
RIC Issued Internet FAQs
RIC staff issued two lists of information about resources on rural housing and small business
development available on the Internet and posted them as FAQs on its web site. The “Rural
Housing” FAQ provides information on available Federal and private programs to assist in home
ownership, rental housing, home improvements, and more. It can be accessed at
http://ric.nal.usda.gov/. The “Small Business” FAQ provides
information on developing a business plan and funding assistance for small business
development available
from local and Federal resources. It can be accessed at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/faqs/busnsfaq.htm(link no longer available-see ric.nal.usda.gov).
Four Revised RIC Publications
RIC issued four revised publications in FY 1999 on subjects of great interest to rural
communities, organizations, and citizens. They are: (1)
Federal Funding Sources for Rural
Areas: Fiscal Year 2000. The information in this publication is also loaded as a searchable
database at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/funding/federalfund/ff.html, (2)
A Guide to
Funding Resources, (3)
Financial Management for Local Governments,and (4)
Managed Care
and Rural America: An Annotated Bibliography,
Rural Health in Brief, which is also available
electronically at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/ricpubs.htm.
Support for Small Farms
Staff of the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) and the Sustainable
Agriculture Network (SAN) participated in USDA's Small Farms Initiative through attendance,
participation, and exhibiting at conferences, such as Keep America Growing, where we
cooperated with the American Farmland Trust (AFT) and the Natural Resource Conservation
Service; the National Small Farm Conference (sponsored by the CSREES National Small Farm
Program), St. Louis, Missouri, where we worked and jointly exhibited with ARS; and the
National Small Farm Trade Show and Conference, Columbia, Missouri.
The revised and greatly expanded edition of "Sustainable Agriculture: Definitions and Terms"
was published with small-scale farmers in mind and was widely circulated at the conferences
listed above. It is available in print and electronically at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/srb9902.htm. SAN published "Tip Sheets for Small
Farms," available at
http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/pubs. AFSIC staff also participated in
meetings related to the ARS Organic Farming Initiative, working with the Organic Farming
Research Foundation on issues affecting small farms.
Sustainable Agriculture Publications
The Sustainable Agriculture Network, with offices located within AFSIC, published the
following in 1999, all of which are available in hard copy and electronically at www.sare.org/san/htdocs/pubs
How to Conduct Research on Your Farm or Ranch
Diversify Crops to Boost Profits and Stewardship
Marketing Strategies for Farmers and Ranchers
Tip Sheets for Small Farms.
Seed Trade Catalog Collection Featured
Dr. Frederick G. Meyer of the U.S. National Arboretum shows a prepublication copy of his new edition of The Great Herbal of Leonhart Fuchs: De historia stirpium commentarii insignes to NAL Director Pamela Andre (on left) and Susan Fugate, head, Special Collections. (Click photo to enlarge.)
NAL’s Seed Trade Catalog collection was featured in an article in the July 1999 issue of the
Agricultural Researchmagazine, available on the world wide web at
www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jul99/folks0799.htm.
The more than 170,000 seed catalogs in this special library collection—dating as far back as the
late 1700s—serve as a scholarly resource for botanists, historians, statisticians, landscape
architects, and others and offer a nostalgic glimpse of old-time American farming and gardening.
The catalogs describe thousands of trees, shrubs, bulbs, and other plants that farmers and
gardeners of yesteryear bought from seed companies, nurseries, and growers. Advertisements in
some catalogs display farm and garden implements, such as an "improved" horse-drawn
lawnmower and special "horse boots" to keep the animal from "sinking in damp or soft ground."
Library users have combed the catalogs to find out more about the history of a particular nursery
implement or gardening tool, or to trace the inadvertent sale—and resulting spread—of plants
today regarded as weeds. Begun in 1904, the collection has been enhanced by donations from
attics and files of nursery companies and institutions, such as the Massachusetts Horticultural
Society, University of California at Berkeley, and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in New York
City.
USDA History Collection Web Site Expanded
NAL continued to provide and improve access to the USDA History Collection, the best single
source for information on the history of American agriculture. The third year of this project,
considered a model of interagency cooperation, led to improved organization and access to
materials within the collection and also allowed NAL to begin to preserve some of the brittle and
deteriorating documents. Consisting of more than 800,000 pages (onion skins, mimeographs,
news clippings, and original correspondence), 5,000 photographs, 8,000 books and journals, and
numerous audiovisual items, this collection is described by researchers as a unique historical
resource. During FY 1999, NAL
- provided access to more than 50 on-site researchers and filled 205 requests for copies of
individual documents, films, or photographs;
- fielded over 475 inquiries through the web access that previously required extensive staff
research and response;
- increased access by processing segments of the collection and adding item descriptions to
the USDA History Collection web site;
- preserved information contained in 900 items by creating preservation photocopies;
- completed conservation treatment for 10 items;
- added comprehensive, subject-oriented presentations to the web site on topics, such as
Henry Agard Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture, 1933–1940; Clinton P. Anderson,
Secretary of Agriculture, 1945–1948; Charles F. Brannan, Assistant Secretary of
Agriculture, 1944–1948; Secretary of Agriculture, 1948–1953; Ezra Taft Benson,
Secretary of Agriculture, 1953–1961; Orville L. Freeman, Secretary of Agriculture,
1961–1969; Paul H. Appleby, Assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture, 1933–1940;
Under Secretary of Agriculture, 1940–1944; Mordecai Ezekiel, Assistant Chief
Economist for the Federal Farm Board, 1930–1933; Economic Advisor to the Secretary
of Agriculture, 1933–1939; Rexford G. Tugwell, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture,
1933–1934; Undersecretary of Agriculture, 1934–1936; images and full text of selected
documents; references and bibliographies; and links to other resources, such as subject
experts, associations, and other manuscript and library collections;
- provided demonstrations and instructional workshops on use of the web site and the
collection to USDA staff and administrators;
- requested and received additional funding to continue to provide access and preserve this
valuable resource.
The web site URL is http://www.nal.usda.gov/speccoll/collect/history/index.htm.
CD-ROM Sampler of Screwworm Eradication Collection Developed
The successful eradication of the New World screwworm is a model of the power of agricultural
research and interagency cooperation and is one of America’s greatest agricultural achievements.
NAL’s Screwworm Eradication Collection project, initiated in 1997, continued during FY 1999
to document the events and people who made this story such a success. NAL built the
collections and continued to improve access through collection surveys, preservation
reformatting, and creation of a web site .
Project Manager Lynn Jones Stewart surveyed the collections and identified key documents, oral
histories, and films that illustrate the history of the program that made the eradication possible.
This story will be told in a multimedia CD-ROM to be distributed during the fourth quarter of
2000. The sampler will also demonstrate NAL’s ability to improve access to rare historic
materials through electronic products.
Significant FY 1999 acquisitions to the collection include original materials of Dr. Edward F.
Knipling, one of the key researchers who led the effort to develop screwworm eradication
methods.
Other Highlights
AWIC Staff Make Presentations at Two International Meetings
On June 21, Jean Larson presented a paper about the AWIC program to approximately 150
participants at the 10-year anniversary of the ZEBET program. ZEBET (Zentralstelle zur
Erfassung und Bewertung von Ersatz und Ergänzungsmethoden zum Tierversuch) is an agency
of the German Federal Government that is responsible for the development of a database on
validated alternative testing methodologies. The anniversary symposium was held in Berlin,
Germany, June 20–21. Participants included researchers, organizations, and information
providers from Europe and the United States.
Michael Kreger attended the Third World Congress on Alternatives to Animal Use in the Life
Sciences. The congress was held from August 29–September 2 in Bologna, Italy. Kreger was an
invited panelist on the topic of resources for finding alternative methodologies. He also gave a
presentation on world wide web sources on alternative methods, participated in discussions of
potential collaborations on the development of an “alternatives” thesaurus, participated in
developing a central information reference point on the world wide web, and participated on the
planning committee for the 4th World Congress to be held in Boston in 2002.
AWIC Usage Statistics
In FY 1999, AWIC responded to more than 1,900 reference requests, and distributed over
23,400 publications. Training was provided to about 300 people; 19 presentations reached over
714 people; and 3 exhibits reached about 900 people.
Sharing Experiences With Information Professionals
Water Quality Information Center staff presented the session “Observations on Managing an
Internet Mailing List: The
Enviro-News Experience” at the Agricultural Communicators in
Education/National Extension Technology Conference, held in Knoxville, Tennessee, in June.
Paper Helps People Locate Water Information
Staff from the Water Quality Information Center presented the paper “Electronic Sources of
Water Resources Information from the National Agricultural Library” at the American Society of
Agricultural Engineers annual international meeting, held in Toronto, Canada, in July.
Interagency Agreement with Forest Service
The Rural Information Center prepared a two-volume resource guide for the Forest Service staff
at the six national forests in Arizona.
Arizona Resourcescomprises local, state, and Federal
resources for economic and community development, tourism, historic preservation,
environmental and natural resources, and land stewardship.
RIC Responds to Congressional Requests
During FY 1999, the Rural Information Center staff responded to 93 Congressional requests.
These requests included identification of funding sources for a rural recreation center, municipal
airport improvements, economic assistance for a Native American tribe, a rural correctional
facility to hire more correctional officers, construction of a rural dam or water spillway, a food-
processing facility, children’s after-school programs, waterfront development, homeless shelters,
a small Internet business, repair of rural storm damage, aid to new farmers, a public works
facility, a veterans’ memorial, rural public libraries, and a community visitor center. Besides
giving funding sources, the responses supplied information on emergency medical technician
training, public safety courses, affordable rural housing, developing a community education
center, purchasing firefighting equipment, extending water lines to homes with poor well water,
supporting youth programs for first-time offenders, restoring and preserving historic buildings,
the Community Supported Agriculture program, and the Welfare to Work program.
Opportunities in Sustainable Agriculture
“Educational and Training Opportunities in Sustainable Agriculture,” a directory of farms,
institutions, and organizations offering internships, academic programs, or outreach activities
that promote ideas and techniques for sustainable agriculture, has been compiled and published
annually by AFSIC for the past 11 years. This year, AFSIC cooperated with the Appropriate
Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) to avoid duplication of effort and to make more
effective use of resources. ATTRA assumed responsibility for all internship or apprenticeship
listings, while AFSIC will continue to survey and list academic institutions and organizations
involved in sustainable agriculture.
Document Delivery Services Proposes New Fee Schedule
The library is charged with recovering the costs of providing interlibrary loan and document
delivery services. After an extensive review, the library decided that increased fees for
photographic reproduction and an added fee for material loans were necessary in order to
continue to provide cost-effective service. NAL also analyzed user fees charged by other
scientific and academic libraries and proposed a revision to the current document delivery fee
schedule. Revised fees will not be applied to USDA patrons, Federal entities, or cooperators or
institutions with NAL quid pro quo agreements. A proposed rule for the revised fee schedule
was published for comment in the
Federal Registeron August 16, 1999. The library has put
forward the final rule for this change in fees and expects the rule to be published in the
Federal
Registerin the winter of 1999/2000 with implementation of the new costs to be effective in late
2000.
Cooperation Continues With the Egyptian National Agricultural Library
The Document Delivery Services Branch worked closely with Mary Jackson, a consultant from
the Association of Research Libraries, in providing information toward the design of a
curriculum for document delivery librarians at the Egyptian National Agricultural Library
(ENAL). Jackson spent time reviewing NAL’s services and processes as well as developing an
understanding of document delivery needs unique to the agricultural research community. This
was in preparation for providing a week of instruction at ENAL. This effort proved very
successful in assisting with establishing standards and policies, identifying tools, and introducing
the application of new technologies to the ENAL document delivery service. One of the results
of this cooperative effort
will be a letter of agreement between NAL and ENAL that makes NAL a primary document
supplier of U.S. imprinted materials.
USDA Celebrates George Washington Carver Week, October 4–8, 1999
Special Collections staff members provided early research about George Washington Carver for
event planners. For the National Agricultural Library’s contribution to George Washington
Carver Week, Special Collections created an exhibit based on the Carver personnel records
borrowed from the National Archives and Records Administration. The exhibit also highlighted
Carver’s relationship with Henry A. Wallace, as well as publications written by Carver, which
are located in the library.
NAL Expands National Microfilm Archive
The National Agricultural Library began phase 2 of its project to establish a national microfilm
archive for significant national, state, and local agricultural literature. In January, the library
obtained microfilm master negatives of the Land Grant Agricultural Publications Microfilming
Project of the 1970s and early 1980s from Bell & Howell, and in April, NAL contracted with
Imagemax (formerly the Spaulding Company) to obtain the remaining microfilm master
negatives from this project. The library has also received and processed the microfilm master
negatives from phase 1 of the current United States Agricultural Information Network/National
Endowment for the Humanities (USAIN/NEH) microfilming initiative from Auburn University,
the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Penn State University. Receipt of the microfilm from
Bell & Howell and from phase 1 of the USAIN/NEH project expands the archive by about 1,150
reels of microfilm master negatives, and the microfilm from Imagemax will add about 1,900
more reels. The next step in the archive expansion will be adding the microfilm master negatives
from phase 2 of the USAIN/NEH microfilming initiative in 2000.The archive is housed in
preservation quality storage at Iron Mountain-National Underground Storage in Boyers, Pennsylvania.
Table 1. Growth of NAL collections
|
Collection item |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
|
|
|
|
|
Printed items |
|
|
|
| Monographs |
20,343 |
22,825 |
16,901 |
| Serial volumes |
15 ,114 |
13,678 |
11,368 |
| Withdrawn volumes |
(2,993) |
(11,772) |
(5,480) |
| Net volumes added |
32,464 |
24,731 |
22,789 |
|
|
|
|
|
Nonprinted items |
|
|
|
| Microforms |
1,061,240 |
1,068,235 |
1,071,337 |
| Audio |
430 |
433 |
461 |
| Graphic |
1,079 |
1,105 |
819 |
| Film and video |
3,153 |
3,410 |
3,529 |
| Electronic information |
972 |
1,316 |
1,461 |
| Maps |
1,493 |
1,607 |
1,648 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total items in collections |
| Total print volumes |
2,267,793 |
2,292,524 |
2,315,313 |
| Total nonprint items |
1,068,367 |
1,076,106 |
1,079,255 |
| Total collection |
3,336,160 |
3,368,630 |
3,394,568 |
|
|
|
|
| Manuscripts (linear feet) |
18,382 |
18,491 |
18,526 |
Table 2. Technical Services activities
|
Activity |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
|
|
|
|
| Articles indexed by |
|
|
|
| NAL |
70,942 |
61,647 |
58,278 |
|
Other |
2,947 |
12,500 |
19,108 |
| Total |
73,889 |
74,147 |
77,306 |
|
|
|
|
| Abstracts |
25,334 |
27,898 |
26,653 |
|
|
|
|
| Titles cataloged by |
|
|
|
| NAL |
15 ,778 |
16,143 |
15,338 |
| Other |
920 |
550 |
188 |
| Total |
16,698 |
16,693 |
15,526 |
|
|
|
|
| Other cataloging activity |
|
|
|
| NACO* headings |
1,139 |
1,005 |
1,085 |
| CONSER* records |
583 |
489 |
576 |
| BIBCO* records |
300 |
363 |
417 |
|
|
|
|
| Acquisition funds expended |
|
|
|
| Serials, including series |
$1,966,459 |
$1,941,125 |
$2,229,050 |
| Monographs |
287,986 |
308,617 |
248,771 |
| Total |
$2,254,445 |
$2,249,742 |
$2,477,821 |
|
|
|
|
| Titles sent to cataloging |
|
|
|
| Monographs |
9,620 |
8,188 |
7,025 |
| Serials |
571 |
532 |
804 |
| Total |
10,191 |
8,720 |
7,829 |
|
|
|
|
| Serial volumes added |
15,114 |
13,678 |
11,368 |
*NACO, CONSER, and BIBCO are components of the international Program for Cooperative
Cataloging. The statistics for *NACO, CONSER, and BIBCO are NAL's annual contributions of
name authority records, serials cataloging, and monograph cataloging, respectively. NACO =
National Coordinated Cataloging Operations, CONSER = Cooperative On-Line Serials Program,
and BIBCO = the name of a library-services company.
Table 3. Information Services Activities
| Activity |
1998 |
1999 |
| Reference Requests |
| Reference requests processed |
32,476 |
24,990 |
| Requests received electronically |
9,408 |
6,165 |
| Responses delivered electronically |
8,323 |
5,852 |
| |
| Document Delivery Requests |
| Received |
166,666 |
159,099 |
| Filled |
143,409 |
131,725 |
| |
| Received electronically |
62% |
69% |
| Delivered electronically |
34% |
43% |
| |
| Source of Requests |
| USDA |
59% |
61% |
| Non-USDA |
41% |
39% |
| |
| Hits on web sites |
| NAL home pages |
7,575,401 |
10,742,087 |
| AgNIC (Agriculture Network Information Center) |
| AgNIC central server |
2,416,634 |
3,875,570 |
| AgNIC alliance sites |
NA |
14,617,539 |
| Total |
NA |
18,493,109 |
Table 4. Information Systems Activities
| Activity |
1998 |
1999 |
| AGRICOLA |
New records |
87,989 |
80,201 |
| Corrected records |
435 |
786 |
| Deleted records |
55 |
104 |
| Records to AGRIS* |
46,186 |
46,472 |
*AGRIS is a worldwide bibliographic database maintained by the United Nation's Food and
Agriculture Organization.
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