In case you hadn't heard (publicity on this issue was low outside library circles) the EPA had begun the process of restructuring their library system as a result of the Bush administrations 2007 budget which reduced the EPA budget to $500,000 for operational costs. Their plan was to close up to 10 regional libraries as well as the Washington D.C. main library. They had closed 4 libraries before the shut-downs were stopped by an outcry from the library community, Congress and other advocacy groups.
The closings would have severely affected major groups of researchers who rely on the EPA libraries for information, especially within the scientific community. Though the EPA was planning to digitize material to make it available on the web, the pace of digitization would still have create a major access problem as the information would be made available very slowly.
Possible good news on the horizon, however, as the Senate passed an Appropriations Bill last week that would restore funding to the EPA to be used to reopen and continue to keep open at least 5 of the EPA libraries. The bill now has to be passed in the House of Representatives as well, but hopefully with continued support, it will make it through.
Couple of articles worth checking out on the subject:
First Amendment Center
Library Journal
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