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Introduction
The National Agricultural Library, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the task force "Report on the National Agricultural Library - 2001" for 30 days of public comment, which concluded September 16, 2002.The report represents the work of a task force appointed to assess the National Agricultural Library (NAL) in pursuit of its legislated mandate to serve as the chief agricultural information resource of the United States1. The task force conducted an extensive study of the mission, management, programs and operations of the NAL. Study methods included stakeholder surveys, comparisons with other national library operations, and internal reviews. Through this report the task force laid the foundation for substantive recommendations to the Department for the long-term management of the NAL, an important information resource for the food, fiber, and agriculture enterprise.
Herein are summarized the public comments received on the report and services of the NAL. Analysis is provided for the convenience of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board and includes information about the diversity of viewpoints, geographic distribution of responders, and stakeholder profiles. Such information may be useful to the Board to ensure the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act2 have been fulfilled in their work to produce consensus recommendations with public input.
Professional Association comment
"The American Library Association recognizes the importance of the Report as a benchmark for USDA and NAL to use to improve the library and its resources. Clearly there is need for USDA and NAL to discuss the Report at length and speedily act upon it. A critical first step would be the USDA budget submission for FY2004 which should be amended to detail a five year plan for increased expenditures for improvement of the NAL similar to that outlined in the Report. "
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1"Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990" codified at 7 USCS 3125a
241 CFR Parts 101-6 and 102-3 Federal Advisory Committee Management; Final Rule
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Last Updated February 7, 2003 |