ALA President Leslie Burger testified before the U.S. Senate concerning recent closure of several libraries in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She urged the Environment and Public Works Committee halt all library closures.
Despite the fact that Congress hasn’t passed a FY 2007 budget, EPA has already begun closing libraries and restricting public access to many of the libraries that are still open. Thus far, we have seen the closure of three regional libraries – in Chicago, Dallas, and Kansas City – OPPTS and headquarters libraries in Washington, DC. Also, we have just learned that in the Region 4 library in Atlanta, the inter-library loan technician is the only staff member left, a fact EPA previously had not disclosed. The regional library in New York City was scheduled to be closed to the public with reduced hours for EPA staff on January 2, but, in light of Congressional and public pressure, EPA only recently decided to halt further closures of its libraries for the time being.
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