Agricultural libraries information notes

26 Pages·1992·2.2 MB·English

by  National Agricultural Library (U.S.)

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

Microfilm Partnership to
Preserve Early USDA Pubs
InacooperativearrangementwithCongressionalInformationService,Inc.
Agricultural (CIS), the National Agricultural Library is taking another major step in its
ongoing efforts to preserve our national collection of historical agricultural
reports, studies, and other materials.
libraries As reported in previous NAL publications, including ALIN NAL has
,
developed and implemented avariety ofmeasures to ensure “the survival of
theworld’s most importantbodyofrecorded agricultural knowledge.”
[Information Under the direction ofAlan Fusonie, head ofNAL’s Special Collections
section, aCIS camerawillbeinstalledat NALto microfilm hundredsofrare
19thandearly20thcenturyfederal documentsthatare literallydisintegrating
ITIotes astheysitonlibraryshelves. AccordingtoFusonie,theneedtopreservethese
important and heavily-used materials is acute.
CIS is no stranger
tothepreservationof
historic documents.
In its more than 20
years of existence,
this award-winning
company has in-
National stalled cameras to
Agricultural film rare and deter-
Library iorating documents
at many historic
repositories and
presidential libraries
throughout thecoun-
U.S. Department try. CIS microfiche
eliminate the dual
of Agriculture
MD problems of deteri-
Beltsville, oration and limited
20705-2351 storage space. The
fulltextofeachdocu-
ment is reproduced
on silver halide film,
in negative polarity,
at reduction ratios of
20:1 to 24:1 depend-
ing on the format of
the original publica-
tion. The microfiche
photo: J.Swab produced and dis-
Alan Fusonie, Head, NAL Special Collections, examines a tributed by CIS from
bookbeingfilmed byCIScameraoperator, Diana Hawk.
Also in this issue...
Update on Activities ofNALin FY92thruJune, pp. 2-5
Information Centers—Publications and Activities, pp. 6-8
Abstracts in AGRICOLA, p. 8
StaffUpdate and “Points ofLight” Volunteers, pp. 9-11
USAIN Elects Officers; MeetingUpdate, p. 12
Volume 18
Rare Livestock BreedsArt Exhibits, pp. 13-16, 24
Numbers 7/8 Czechoslovakia OffersAgricultural Documents, pp. 17-18
Jornada Experimental Range Gift to NAL, pp. 18-19
TARGETCenter to Open, p. 18
July/August 1992 NewSerials, pp. 20-21; NewBibliographies, p. 21
PublicationsExchange, p. 22; Agriculture Datebook, pp. 22-23
ISSN: 0095-2699 ...and more
NAL
materials will ensure that these historic agricultural documented.
documents will be available to researchers for another 500 The increasing significance of the Agriculture Depart-
years. ment parallels the late 19th and early 20th century begin-
The filming ofthe documents at NAL is part ofa major nings ofindustrial farming and ofthe agricultural chemical
publishingprojectthat,whencompletedin 1995,willprovide industry,asseenin the developmentandapplicationofnew
total access to documents listed in the Checklist of United fertilizers, pesticides, and food preservatives. Scores of
StatesPublicDocuments, 1789-1909. Published in 1911, the documents track the development ofnew farming methods
1909 Checklist was the only systematic effort to provide a and the availability ofnew machinery designed to improve
complete register of all documents published by the U.S. the efficiencyand productivityofthe agricultural sector.
Government duringits first 120years. The collection also provides a detailed look at the
While the material covered in the Checklist is a basic development, organization, and rapid expansion of the
element ofthepublicrecord ofthe federalgovernment, the Agriculture Department, with particular focus on its re-
information in the documents has been extremely difficult search mission. The establishment and operation ofland-
for researchers to locate and use. No detailed index to grant colleges and other agricultural education and
Checklistdocumentswasevercreatedandfewlibrarieshave extensionprograms are coveredin detail.
more than a small fraction of the documents cited in the Usersofthecollectionwillfindawidevarietyoffascinat-
Checklist. Those that are available are often in very poor ing information, including material on the discovery ofthe
condition and the majority are currently in urgent need of kolanutanditspotentialuseinasoftdrinktorivalbeer,and
preservation. informationonthearrivalandspreadofthegypsymothwith
TheCISIndexto U.S.ExecutiveBranchDocuments, 1789- predictions ofits imminent eradication.
1909, with companion microfiche collection, gives re- According to Steve Daniel, CIS Director of Congres-
searchersunprecedentedaccesstomillionsofpagesoffacts sional and Legal Services, “this outstanding collection rep-
and figuresgeneratedbyvirtuallyeveryexecutive agencyin resentsauniqueopportunityforlibrarianstoprovideaccess
existence during the time period covered by the Checklist. to the rich documentary history of American agriculture.
The collectionwill be published in6 parts. The National Agricultural Library should be commended
Parts 1 and 2, covering the Treasury Department, Com- for its contribution to thesuccess ofthis project.”
merce and Labor Department, and War Department, are
already available and have been received with critical ac-
ctlhaeimr.igh“tCIiSdeUa.Sa.tEtxheecurtiigvhetBtriamnec.hDTohceumoernigtisn,al17m8at9e-r1i9a0l9iiss The following report updating many NAL activities
sttiaorntsinwghetoredetiterisiohraartde atnodusfei,n”distasiwdaSyuisnatnorBaerkeiabroeosk,cDoollceuc-- fpoarrttihceifpiarsntthsalifnofthFeiscUalSYAeIaNr/1N99A2,Lwamseedtiistnrgibuattedthteo
ments Librarian at the University of Illinois, Urbana- American Library Association Annual Conference in
Champaign. “TheIndexwill provide long-needed accessto San Francisco, June 30. It is reprinted here with a few
minor changes.
these documents.”
Part 3 ofthe project, covering the Interior, Justice, and
Labor Departments; Interstate Commerce Commission;
and LibraryofCongress, will be available in fall 1992. Activities of the National
AgricultureDepartmentmaterialswillmakeupthemajor
portion ofdocuments in Part 4 ofthe project, which will be Agricultural Library
issued in 1993.
TheDepartmentevolvedfromasectionwithinthePatent June 1992
Office for the collection ofagricultural statistics. The sec-
tion, established in 1839, became a separate department in
1862 and a cabinet office in 1889. Preservation a Key Focus at NAL
Sinceitsinceptionin1839,theDepartmentofAgriculture In response to increased concern about the condition of
has been unparalleled in its publication and dissemination thenation’sagriculturalinformationmaintainedatNAL,the
ofinvaluable information on all aspects ofagriculture. Be- library is taking a number of additional preservation steps.
tween1839and1909theDepartmentissuedmorethan5,000 A preservation committee was formed to clarify goals and
reports,studies,circulars,bulletins,andotherdocumentsvia assure resources are available for preservation and access.
its 32 divisions, offices, and bureaus in existence during the It will also advise NAL’s preservation coordinator on plan-
period spanned bythe Checklist. ning and implementing preservation and access programs,
Documents issued by the Agriculture Department in its including disaster recovery. A preservation plan has been
first 70 years trace the development ofthe food industry in publishedand a disaster recoveryplan hasbeen completed.
the U.S. There is a wealth of information on the develop-
ment and growth of domestic and export markets for U.S. NAL Works Closely with Emerging Central
agricultural commodities and the consequent need for im- European Countries
proved means ofstorage, preservation, and shipment. The Tobuild strongertiesbetween NALand newlyemerging
rise of concern over food safety and purity and initial at- countries in central Europe, NAL sponsored a conference
tempts by the Department ofAgriculture to establish food with agricultural librarians from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia,
qualitystandardsandregulatethefoodindustryarealsowell Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia, in Beltsville,
ALIN, Vol. 18, Nos. 7/8 July/August 1992
Maryland,inNovember1991. Discussionswereheldonhow worldwide. Libraries will evaluate the effectiveness ofthis
NAL and these countries can work together to improve effort for makingscientific information more accessible.
collections ofagricultural materials and to share resources.
NAL senior managers followed up on the conference with Multimedia CD-ROM on Ornamental Horticulture
visitstoagriculturallibrariesinCzechoslovakia,Poland,and Developed
Hungary earlier this spring. Another conference is NAL is developing a multimedia CD-ROM on plants
scheduledfor October in Budapest. used in home landscaping. The disc is being produced in
cooperationwiththeUniversityofFloridaInstituteforFood
NAL Hosts First International Technology Workshop and Agricultural Sciences and Michigan State University
In the fall 1991, NAL hosted the first New Technology Cooperative Extension Service. On the disc, a database of
Workshop sponsored by the International Association of approximately 1,000 plants that can be grown anywhere in
Agricultural Information Specialists (known as IAALD) in the United States will be enhanced by over 1,000 full-color
Beltsville, Maryland. IAALD is a 700-member body of images ofplants and hypermedia links amongthe database,
agricultural information specialists representing over 80 texts, images, and audio. An audio guide to the correct
countries. Theworkshop featured lectures and demonstra- pronunciation of the plants’ scientific names and a multi-
tions ofnew information management technologies. Thirty media overviewofthe discwill be included on the disc.
IAALD members attended the workshop.
CD-ROM Agricultural Reference Library Made
NAL Provides Access to Visual Information Available
In order to examine the use of images in information An agricultural reference library on CD-ROM,
retrieval, a database of 5,000 agricultural images (with an developed with NAL assistance, has been made available
“East-West” theme) is being created, provided to selected worldwide fromtheVirginiaPolytechnicInstituteandState
testsites, and its use monitored byNALand the University University. Containing75majorcollectionsandhandbooks
of Pittsburgh’s School of Library & Information Sciences. representing 15,000 documents that equal 50,000 pages of
Copiesofeachimagewillbeavailableinmultipleresolutions information, the disc is called The National CD-ROM
and the studywill examine the degree ofresolution needed Sampler: An Extension Reference Library. The disc was
bydifferent user groups. The database will be available on developed jointly by NAL, the Extension Service, and the
compact discandthrough aworkstationserver mountedon CooperativeExtension Services ofVirginia and Minnesota.
INTERNET. Issuestobeconsidered intheproject include Onefeatureofthediscis full-colorgraphicsof20American
image quality and howthe public-domain images are used. song birds with on-screen summaries and recordings of
birds’ songs.
Text Digitizing Becomes Fully Operational
The National Agricultural Text Digitizing Project NAL/NC State Move Ahead with Image
(NATDP) has been established as a fully operational NAL Transmission Project
program that seeks to disseminate agricultural knowledge NAL and the North Carolina State University Libraries
nationwide using CD-ROM technology. NALbegan look- areinvestigatingthepotentialforusingtheNationalScience
ing at options for upgrading the NATDP system to reflect Foundation’s high speed INTERNET telecommunications
NAL
technology improvements that have occurred since system to immediately send digitized page images of re-
began the project in 1987. The retrieval software package quested documents to university libraries. INTERNET
for NATDP, “Windows Personal Librarian,” was recently connects over 350,000 computersystems worldwide includ-
selected. ing U.S. universities. Project managers believe this
capabilitycouldproveinvaluableinprovidingtimelynation-
Food Irradiation Materials Put on CD-ROM wide access to information in remote locations.
NAL CD-ROM
has developed a containing the text of
research reports, surveys, and conference proceedings on NAL Participates in Presidential Initiative on Water
food irradiation. Page imageswere scannedinto electronic Quality
form and bibliographic records were added for 94 non- NAL’s Water Quality Information Center (WQIC) be-
copyrighteditems. Thesingle disccontains5,100pagesand came fullystaffedand functional in 1991, andbegan serving
tests the ease of use on a LaserData, Inc., high-resolution asthefocalpointofNAL’sactivitiesrelatedtowaterquality.
monitor that displays acomplete page. Through WQIC, NAL collaborates with 11 other agencies
on USDA’s Working Group on Water Quality. The group
Carver Papers Help in Preservation Experiments at seeksto solvewaterqualityproblems relatedto agriculture,
NAL workingwithEPA,USGS,andtheFishandWildlifeService.
A microfilm collection of George Washington Carver’s WQIC is developing an information and referral network
written materials from Tuskegee University is the focus of linking information providers, non-USDA agencies, en-
effortsbyNALtotest thefeasibilityofconvertingmicrofilm vironmental organizations, and others. WQIC assists
toelectronicimagesthatcanbeaccessedbymicrocomputer. anyone seekinginformation on water quality issues.
The papers of the famed African-American scientist were
optically scanned for this conversion. Once editing and New Research Database Available from NAL
indexing are completed, the papers will be made available NAL has developed a computer database containing in-
on CD-ROM to agricultural and research libraries formation on research andeducationgrantsawardedbythe
ALIN, Vol. 18, Nos. 7/8 3 July/August 1992
American Floral Endowment (AFE) since 1961. Printed NAL/Universities Cooperate in State Publications
copies of the database are available from NAL and the Program
databasecanbeaccessedthroughNAL’scomputerbulletin From 1984through 1991 andcontinuingintothepresent,
board ALF (Agricultural Library Forum). The database over 34,000 citations for state-produced agricultural publi- j
providesinformationonAFEresearchandeducationgrants cations were added to NAL’s AGRICOLA database as a
and access to citations on publications that resulted from result of the cooperation between land-grant universities
AFEgrants. andNALintheNAL/Land-GrantUniversityStateAgricul-
tural Publications Program. The program seeks to collect,
NAL Serves as USDA Grants “Agency Cooperator” publicize,andmakeavailablepublicationsproducedbystate
NAL USDA
againisservingasa “agencycooperator”for experimental stations, extension services, and college
four grants awarded under USDA’s 1890 Institution agricultural departments.
Capacity Building Grants Program for 1991. The purpose
of the program is to advance the teaching and research Library Services for Remote USDA Laboratories
capacity of the 1890 land-grant institutions and Tuskegee Evaluated by NAL
University. NAL staff and project cooperators from the Shields
Projects coveredbythegrantsare: Library at the University ofCalifornia at Davis are visiting
• “Improving Education in Agriculture through Infor- USDAAgriculturalResearchService(ARS)laboratoriesto
mation Technology,” North Carolina A&T State determinehowtoimprove libraryservicesforUSDAscien-
University. tists. Scientists at 60 remote laboratories have been sur-
• “National Sweet Potato Information Center To En- veyed. When completed, the evaluation study will:
hance Faculty Performance and Student Learning,” determine the information services needed at remote
TuskegeeUniversity. laboratories and recommend library system training for
• “Strengthening Quality of Aquaculture Teaching by USDA scientists at these laboratories; provide manuals on
AcquiringLibraryMaterials,”UniversityofArkansas library procedures and services for scientists; and recom-
at Pine Bluff. mend computer hardware and software for accessing ser-
• “ComputerizedAgricultural EducationDeliverySys- vices from NALand other informationproviders.
tems and Recruitment Project,” Fort Valley State
College, Georgia. Rural Information Services Improved
NAL’sRuralInformationCenter,an informationservice
NAL Developing World List of Agricuifural Serials designed to help rural citizens improve their communities,
NAL, in cooperation with CAB International (CABI), is now accessible by telephone toll-free, 1-800-633-7701.
the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the IncludedwithRICisanewRuralInformationCenterHealth
United Nations, and other international institutions, has Service,calledRICHS,establishedbyNALandtheDepart-
developed a database of agricultural serials published ment of Health and Human Services in 1990 to provide
throughouttheworld. ThedatabaseiscalledtheWorldList informationonruralhealthcaretocommunitiesthroughout
of Agricultural Serials (WLAS). The International Union the nation. Use of the toll-free telephone number was
List of Agricultural Serials, published by CABI in April recommended by President Bush’s 1990 Rural Economic
1990,isasubsetofWLAS,representingall11,565serialtitles Development Initiative.
indexed in the major agricultural databases (AGRICOLA,
AGRIS, and CAB ABSTRACTS). NAL has released a National Aquaculture Information Needs Studied at
CD-ROM product, published in January 1992 by Silver- NAL
Platter International, that contains the entire WLAS with NAL’s Aquaculture Information Center (AIC) is con-
more than 55,000 entries. Currently, NAL is exploring the ducting an evaluation of trends in user needs since 1985,
possibilityofcreatingaunion listcontainingsymbolsforkey whenAICwasestablished. Thestudyinvolvesananalysisof
agricultural libraries worldwide. A pilot project with approximately 4,000 reference requests from 1985 to 1990.
PUDOC—Centre for Agricultural Publications and Also, reviews arebeingconducted ofthe aquacultureinfor-
Documentation (the Netherlands) will be undertaken to mation needs of USDA’s Extension Service, the National
identifypotential problemswith this union listing. AssociationofStateAquacultureCoordinators,andacross-
section of aquaculture information professionals serving a
Pesticide Applicator Training Developed with NAL varietyofusers. Thestudywillidentifynationalandregional
Assistance informationneedsoftheaquacultureindustry,identifyover-
NAL, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental laps in information services providedbytheExtensionSer-
Protection Agency and USDA’s Extension Service, is viceandother federalagencies, andestablishcriteria foran
developing a comprehensive collection of bibliographic automatedtrackingsystemforinformationrequestsatState
materials for use in pesticide applicator training and cer- and federal levels.
NAL
tification. Inadditiontoenhancingthe collection,this
cooperation has resulted in the Creation of two related Plant Genome Information Center Has Busy
products:PEST(PesticideEducation, Safety, and Training), inaugural
a hypermedia database; and a publication, Pesticide Ap- NAL’s newly established Plant Genome Database and
plicatorTrainingMaterials:aBibliography. Information Center convened a database workshop with
experts to discuss the nature, goals, and direction for the
ALIN, Vol. 18, Nos. 7/8 4 July/August 1992
public access database. Participants included database number, and subject, but also by keyword. ISIS contains
specialists from such organizations as the University of approximately 470,(XX) records. In 1991, cataloging, serials
California, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the National control,acquisitions,andnameandsubjectauthoritycontrol
Science Foundation, and USDA’s Germplasm Resource modules were installed in ISIS, and the circulation module
Information Network. A model database will be available was readied for installation. A hardware upgrade to the
forevaluation bytheend of1992, andit isanticipatedthata Hewlett Packard3000/900was installed in April.
general databasewill be available for publicaccesswithin3
years. USAIN Launches AGRICOLA Users Survey
The United States Agricultural Information Network
NAL Supports Midwest Biotechnology Information (USAIN),with NALcooperation andsupport, has initiated
Center the AGRICOLA Users Survey, a market research project
NAL is cooperating with eight land-grant institutions in ontheNALbibliographicdatabase. Thegoalsoftheproject
thecreation ofthe Midwest Agricultural BiotechnologyIn- are to find out the perceived value of various features of
formationCenter. Representativesfromtheinstitutionsmet AGRICOLA,thewaysinwhichAGRICOLA isbeingused,
at NAL in January 1991 to discuss cooperative collection which features of AGRICOLA are being used, and users’
building and networking. Committees on collection perceptions of AGRICOLA compared to competitive
developmentandtelecommunicationsandnetworkingwere databases.
formed.
Gift and Exchange Project Aids Efforts to Build
Demand Increases for Biotechnology Information Collection
Center Services NAL launched a program in 1991 to investigate and
NAL’s Biotechnology Information Center (BIC) con- improve the library’s gift and exchange agreements. The
tinuestoworkwith the CooperativeStateResearchService program involves use ofthe NAL serials system to identify
and the National Biological Impact Assessment Program’s those agreements still in force and those that have lapsed.
(NBIAP) electronic bulletin board. Monthly, BIC updates Theprogramusesdatabasemanagementsystemstosortand
the files for meetings and for publications, books, and store the information into meaningful reports. The reports
reportsinthebulletinboard. BICalsohasparticipatedwith aid collection development and give NAL staff who visit
NBIAP in developing a biomonitoring database. A foreign institutions background information concerningex-
prototypeofthedatabasewillbereleasedon CD-ROMand change agreements.
willincludepublishedarticlesandFederalandStateagency
reports coveringfield release studiesandprojects involving Unified Agricultural Thesaurus Project Moves Ahead
NAL
geneticallymodified organisms. is leading an international effort to produce a
Unified Agricultural Thesaurus. The project will improve
NAL Participates in Sustainable Agriculture Network worldwide access to agricultural information through an
Information on sustainable agriculture becameavailable international thesaurus system. Project managers expect
in 1991 through a network linking 14 universities, govern- that the thesaurus will not only be helpful for information
ment agencies, businesses, and non-profit organizations. storage in and retrieval from the three major agricultural
NAL participates in this network through its Alternative databases(AGRICOLA,AGRIS,andCABAbstracts),but
Farming Systems Information Center. The network will willbenefittheproducersandusersofotheragriculturaland
improve the flow ofinformation about sustainable agricul- relateddatabases aswell.
turebytraditional means,suchaspublications,aswellasby
newtechnologies, such as computer networking. Computer-Aided Cataloging Instruction Developed
by NAL
NAL Works with Historically Black NALis continuingwork on acomputer-aidedcataloging
Colleges/Universities instruction project started in 1990. With the assistance ofa
NAL continues to strengthen its ties with Historically grant from the Council on Library Resourcesand an award
BlackCollegesandUniversities(HBCU)throughincreased from the Apple Library of Tomorrow, NAL created Cat-
cooperationandassistancetoprogramsinagriculture,home Tutor,a“hypertexttutorial fortrainingcatalogers.” During
economics, and allied sciences. Within the last year, NAL 1990 and 1991, CatTutor was tested by library school stu-
staffvisited Tuskegee Universityand three 1890 land-grant dents and novice and expert catalogers. Users found Cat-
universitiestodiscusswithadministrators,faculty, andstaff, Tutortohavegreatpotentialasatoolfortrainingcatalogers.
—
the preservation ofspecial collections, improving access to Brian Norris
agricultural information via electronic linkages and tradi-
tional methods, and how the HBCU institutions can more
effectivelyutilize NAL’sservices, programs, and products.
ISIS Is on Schedule TAKf^^" — Take Pride in America
Development and installation ofISIS, NAL’s minicom- APMRIEDREICIAN^mSmSbSmSiT Plant
puter-based integrated library system for managing the
library’s collection, is proceeding. The system allows a Tree
patronstosearchthecollection notonlybyauthor,title, call
ALIN, Vol. 18, Nos. 718 5 July/August 1992
InstitutesofHealth.
To obtain a copy send a self-addressed label with the
request to:
Animal WelfareInformation Center
NationalAgriculturalLibrary, Room 205
Animal
10301BaltimoreBoulevard
MD
Welfare Beltsville, 20705-2351
—
Michael D. Kreger
Primate Welfare
Resources Guide
Available from AWIC
Inresponsetothe 1991AnimalandPlantHealthInspec-
tionServicerulingthatfacilitiesthatusenonhumanprimates
must provide them with environmental enhancement to
promotetheirpsychologicalwell-being,theAnimalWelfare
Information Center (AWIC) has produced Environmental Aquaculture Research
EnrichmentInformation ResourcesforNonhumanPrimates:
1987-1992. The guide was developed to aid primate re- Directory Now Available
searchers, veterinarians, regulators, and exhibitors.
The 105-page publi-
cation includes a bibli- A directory of 139 U.S. and Puerto Rican institutions
ographic section which involved in aquaculture research is now available from
is subdivided into NAL’s Aquaculture Information Center. Compiled by
general sections on Eileen M. McVey, the Directory ofResearch Institutions in
topics ranging from en- Aquaculturelistsaddressesoftheinstitutionsandthetypeof
richment techniques research beingconducted at each.
and devices, through “This directory
training, behavior, is for aquaculture
bsreesesdmienng,t,weltlo-bfeaicnigliats-y ssecairecnhteirsst,ssatunddentrse,- ,#.Ag^w/kS:* nRDRiieerrsspereec.aattnrroiccrryhhvooIIffnn,ssttiittuuttiioonnss
design and develop- government agen- b& iinn AAqquuaaccuullttuurree
ment. There are also cies, and others in-
species-specific sec- terested in current
tions on chimpanzees, areas ofresearch in
i
gorillas, orangutans, aquaculture in the
gibbons, baboons, United States,” I
macaques, marmosets, McVey said. “We
tamarins, cebid mon- hope it will en- i
keys, lemurs, and others. Separate sections include courage increased |
monographs, serials, and pre-1987 bibliographies. The In- cooperation be- |
formation Resources section contains names, addresses, tween institutions
phone numbers, and functions of32 organizations that are doing research in
actively involved in nonhuman primate environmental en- aquaculture.”
richment and can provide further information to users. McVey com-
According to Jean Larson, AWIC Coordinator, “Con- piled the directory
gress is especially concerned about the environmental from information
quality of captive nonhuman primates, enough so to put it provided by the
I
into the 1985 amendments totheAnimal Welfare Act. The U.S. Fish andWildlifeService, the National SeaGrant Col-
Animal Welfare Information Center has as one of its Con- lege Program, and the American FisheriesSociety. “While
gressional mandates to develop and publish information a good reference,” she said, “this list is not comprehensive,
,
related to issues in the Animal Welfare Act. This guide is andsomeongoingaquacultureresearchprogramsmayhave
j
part ofthat effort.” been missed inadvertently.” McVey also cautioned that
I
The guide is a collaborative effort between AWIC, U.S. becauseofchangingfundingforaquacultureresearch,some
Public Health Service, and the Primate Information Center listed programs may have altered their research directions
at the University ofWashington, and it was printed by the sincethe directorywas printed.
Office for Protection from Research Risks of the National Copiesofthedirectoryareavailablebysendingarequest
ALIN, Vol. 18, Nos. 7/8 6 July/August1992
with aself-addressed mailing label, to: conference. In addition, the AIC supported the USDA
AquacultureInformation Center Science and Education poster session, attended technical
NationalAgriculturalLibrary sessions, and staffed the Aquaculture Information Center
10301Baltimore Boulevard exhibitboothduringthetradeshow. DavidColeman, Head,
Beltsville, Maryland20705-2351 Science and Technology Department, Hamilton Library,
University of Hawaii, assisted AIC staff with staffing the
exhibit.
Aquaculture Center Staff Many people stopped by the exhibit to pick up publica-
tions, query staff, and utilize the Aquatic Science and
Networks with Fisheries Abstracts database on CD-ROM. Dr. Thomas
Hoffer, Franklin County Chronicle, Florida, interviewed
International Groups at Eileen McVey and Deborah Hanfman, Coordinator, for a
seriesofarticlesthatheiswritingonaquaculture. Morethan
AQUA
’92 6,000publicationsweredistributedbytheCenterduringthe
three days.
In addition, a demonstration version of a
“hypertext system” on floppydisk was shown
to conference participants at the exhibit and
referred to during technical sessions. The
Information final disk will be completed in late summer
Aquacuj Center
andrepresents 16scientific papers presented
at a state-of-the-art recirculating systems
workshop. The project is funded by the Sea
Grant Program, U.S. Department of Com-
merce; Cooperative State Research Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Fish
andWildlifeService, U.S. Department ofthe
Interior. Dr. Ron Malone, Louisiana State
University, provided the engineering exper-
tise.
—Eileen McVey
Staff from the Aquaculture Information
Center(AIC) attendedthe internationalcon-
ference,AQUA’92, in Orlando,Florida,May
22-26. Thisannualconferenceandexposition
included the triennial sponsorship ofthe Na-
tional Shellfisheries Association, the Fish
Culture Section of the American Fisheries
Society, and the World Aquaculture Society
which represents memberships of the Asian
Aquaculture Society and the European
Aquaculture Society as well as aquaculture
interests in the United States.
Approximately 2,000 aquaculturists,
biologists, and others attended the con-
ference. Thirty-five technical sessions and a
plenary poster session of over 100 papers
provided information on research for
aquaculturists and commercial industry rep-
resentativesaroundtheworld. Approximate-
ly 100 international exhibitors provided
booths. photos: CourtesyAIC
InNovemberof1991,theAICassistedwith t(hTeopF)raAnIkCliCnooCroduinnattyorChDreobnoircalheaHtatnhfemAaqnuabceuilntgurientIenrfvoiremwaetdiobnyCeDrn.teTrhboomoaths.Hoffer of
the development of a database to track the (Above) Dr. Joan Mitchell of the National Science Foundation (L) discusses cross-
approximately460 abstracts presented at the promotional publicationswith Eileen McVeyofAIC (R).
ALIN, Vol. 18, Nos. 7/8 7 July/August 1992
rural development. The citations were taken from NAL’s
AGRICOLA
bibliographicdatabase, andmost oftheiden-
NAL
tifiedmaterialsareavailable in the collection.
Alternative “With the bibliographies, weare identifyinginformation
thatruralleaderscanusetolearnmoreaboutareasofrural
Farming development that concern them,” said Patricia John, RIC
Systems Coordinator.
Inaddition totourism,education, andentrepreneurship,
other bibliography subjects are “Health Care in Rural
AFSIC Notes America,”“RuralAmerica’sElderly,” “InformationAccess
inRuralAmerica,” “RuralIndustrialization,”“Agricultural
andFarmerCooperatives,”and“Crimein RuralAmerica.”
AFSICNotesisaseriesofbriefpublicationsintendedfor Copies are available by sending a self-addressed label,
anon-technicalaudience. Issuesintheseriesarenowavail- witharequestspecifyingthe desiredbibliographies, to:
ableonrequestfromtheAlternativeFarmingSystemsInfor- RuralInformation Center, Room 304
mation Center. The recently published No. 3, entitled NationalAgriculturalLibrary
“Agricultureand theEnvironment,” (7p.) callsattentionto 10301BaltimoreBoulevard
the publication ofthe 1991 USDA Yearbook ofAgriculture Beltsville, Maryland20705-2351
of the same name. It also reflects the rise of interest in
alternative farming systems, fueled by concerns about the
environmental impactsofsome agriculturalpractices.
“Integrated Pest Management, Biological Control:
NaturalEnemies,”No.2, (3p.),isanotherrecentissue. The
IPM approach isreceivingrenewedattentionthesedays, as
farmerslookforwaystouse fewerpesticides. AFSICNotes
No.1is“AdoptingSustainableAlternatives,”(4p.). Itoffers
anintroductiontothebenefitsandproblemsoftransitionto
a more sustainable farmingsystem.
To request copieswrite to: News
AFSIC, Room 111
Notes
NationalAgriculturalLibrary
10301BaltimoreBoulevard
MD
Beltsville, 20705-2351
Or telephone:[phone]. NAL Increases
—Jayne MacLean
Dramatically the Number
AGRICOLA
of Abstracts in
Inanefforttoserveitsusersbetter,theNationalAgricul-
tural Library has undertaken to increase the number of
article abstracts included in its bibliographic database,
AGRICOLA.
Of the nearly 70,000 articles related to agriculture that
have been added to AGRICOLA since October 1992,
abstractshavebeen includedforalmost23,000. Thisrepre-
sentsa 127-percent increase overthe same periodin 1991.
New Rural Development “Abstractsallowouruserstofindthemostusefularticles
fortheir particular needswithout havingto locate and read
Bibliographies Available each and every article on a subject beingresearched,” said
ShirleyEdwards,headofNAL’sIndexingBranch. “Thiscan
save a person hours in research time. It is another service
The latest in a series ofbibliographies on rural develop- NAL has added to improve the accessibility of the NAL
ment are now available from the National Agricultural collectiontoitsmanyusers.”
Library. From “Tourism and Outdoor Recreation” to AGRICOLA (AG'R/Cultural OnLinc Access) contains
“Rural Education” to “Rural Entrepreneurship and Small thebibliographicrecordsofalmost3millionarticles,books,
BusinessDevelopment,”ninenewbibliographieshavebeen journals, monographs, theses, patents, software programs,
producedbyNAL’s Rural Information Center (RIC). The audiovisual materials, and technical reports related to
bibliographies contain citations of books, articles, agriculture. It is available online or on CD-ROM from
videotapes, and other materials related to specificareas of commercialvendors. fP§|R
ALIN, Vol. 18, Nos. 7/8 8 July/August1992