Responding to congressional demands, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is re-opening libraries that the agency closed over the past several years. However, it appears that the content of the libraries will be more limited, and the facilities will be subject to stricter central supervision, raising concerns from critics about the role politics will play.

Beginning in 2004, the agency dismantled a significant portion of its library network in response to anticipated budget cuts. Ultimately, six libraries were closed, and four others had their hours reduced. Parts of the collections from the closed libraries were scattered across the network or converted into digital formats, though many records were simply thrown away. Outcry among public interest groups, public employees, librarians, scientists, and others prompted Congress to halt the closings and force EPA to reconsider its network plan. Congress then provided $1 million in the FY 2008 omnibus appropriations bill to re-open the libraries and instructed EPA to submit a plan on how it will proceed. The agency submitted the EPA National Library Network Report to Congress on March 26.

EPA's new network plan re-opens regional libraries in Chicago, Dallas, and Kansas City. The central Headquarters Repository and Chemical Library will also be re-opened as a single facility in Washington, DC, co-managed by two EPA offices, the Office of Environmental Information (OEI) and the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (OPPTS). Network procedures and core reference materials are being standardized, and OEI Chief Officer Molly O'Neill will direct a library-wide "strategic planning effort."

The EPA library network plan also establishes basic standards for library resources and collections. Each library must:

• Staff at least one library professional
• Be open at least four days a week for either walk-ins or appointments
• Provide workstations with computers for patrons
• Maintain "core reference materials" and additional materials tailored for regional use

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) finds much room for improvement in the plan. "EPA is approaching the task for restoring its libraries grudgingly and appears to be trying to get by doing the bare minimum," said Associate Director Carol Goldberg. Much of the libraries' original spaces have been leased or converted for other uses, and collections for the Chicago and Dallas regional libraries need to be almost entirely re-created. The lack of stakeholder participation is also troubling to advocates: the March report contains no formal input from unions or librarians.

Most disturbing to PEER, however, is that the new library organizational structure places greater control of the system in the hands of a political appointee. The new standard operating procedures, developed by the appointee, require any new acquisitions and materials to "meet Network standards." PEER questions the clear "tension between rhetoric about the need for access and a stated desire to 'streamline operations and eliminate redundancies.'"

Public interest groups claim continued congressional oversight will be needed to ensure that such attempts at efficiency do not come at the cost of valuable research materials and reference services upon which the public and EPA staff rely.

According to EPA's plan, all of the libraries should be re-opened by Sept. 30.