by Janet Wright, Public Services, NAL
Photography by Joseph N. Swab, NAL, ALIN Editor
Introduction
Twenty participants representing agricultural libraries in the United States and ten European countries met during the first two days in April to discuss issues of mutual concern, and to explore possible new areas of cooperation. It was the Sixth U.S./Central and Eastern European Agricultural Library Roundtable, a series of discussions and exchanges which began in 1991 as countries formerly closed to much western contact became accessible to NAL personnel.
Letitia Goia
(Romania) give a presentation at a Roundtable session led by Tomaz Bartol (Slovenia).
The Roundtable was held in Tucson, Arizona, so that participants could also attend the first Joint Conference of the U.S. Agricultural Information Network (USAIN) and the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists (IAALD), which was held there April 3-6, immediately following the Roundtable. The theme of the Roundtable meeting, which was arranged by NAL and co-hosted by the University of Arizona, was the same as that of the USAIN/IAALD Joint Conference: "The Information Frontier: Linking People and Resources in a Changing World."
Roundtable participants reported on progress in their own institutions,and, at the end of the two-day meeting, signed a Joint Program of Cooperation agreement. Two Library Directors who had participated in previous Roundtables but were unable to attend this one, sent written reports of their libraries' progress. After the Roundtable, two participants from the Czech Republic and Slovenia presented papers aspart of the USAIN/IAALD conference. Representatives from Croatia and the Slovak Republic participated in the USAIN/IAALD poster sessions.
Roundtable and USAIN/IAALD participants view the Cacti and other wild vegetation
at the Saguaro National Park near Tucson. Many wild flowers were in full bloom and the
cacti were just beginning to blossom.
Part of the Roundtable/USAIN/IAALD group at a picnic in the Saguaro National Park.
After the picnic participants climbed to the top of a nearby rocky hill, and later viewed
the sunset, the night sky, and the comet Hale-Bopp.
Participants of the U.S./Central and Eastern European Agricultural Library
Roundtable are entertained by a Mariachi band at the El Charro restaurant in Tucson after
their meetings.
The Sixth Roundtable was made possible by grants from USDA's Office ofInternational Cooperation and Development, USDA's Foreign AgriculturalService, the Soros Foundation, USAIN, IAALD, and VTLS, Inc.
Bulgaria--Ivanka Demireva, Director of the Thracian University Library, had represented Bulgaria at previous Roundtables, but was unable to attend this meeting. Nevertheless, he sent a report stating that since beginning to automate library services in 1989 with one computer, the library has now automated many of its systems, and is preparing to connect to the Internet.
Croatia--Nikola Kezic from the Agriculture University of Zagreb,reported
on the relatively new Croatia Natural Sciences Information System. He also participated in
the USAIN/ IAALD poster session.
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Czech Republic--Three representatives from the Czech Republic attended. Ivo Hoch, Director of the Central Agricultural and Forestry Library in Prague reported that his library connected to the Internet at the end of 1996. Dr. Ctibor Perlin, Director of the Institute of Agricultural and Food Information, told how both parts of former Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, are taking part in the creation of a union catalog. Jana Skládalová, Director of Central Food Library also spoke.
Estonia--Aino Kuik sent her report because she was unable to attend this year. The Estonian Agricultural University installed ARIEL and initiated use of a new integrated system, INNOPAC. Though they have experienced great difficulties during the last year because of power outages and unreliable Internet connections, they hope their situation will improve in 1997 with a move to a new building on the university campus.
Ilona Dobelniece
Director of the Latvian University of Agriculture
Latvia--Ilona Dobelniece, Director of the Latvian University of Agriculture, reported that the NOVELL network was installed in the library, and that an integrated library system, which will include the installation of ARIEL for document transmission is being developed.
Renata Niauriené
Director, Lithuanian Agricultural Library
Lithuania--Renata Niauriené, Director, Lithuanian Agricultural Library, reported the implementation of the Lithuanain Libraries Integrated System.
Jerzy Rasinski
Director of the Central Agricultural Library (Retired).
Krystyna Koznorowska
the new Director of the Central Agricultural Library
Poland--The Central Agricultural Library experienced a change of leadership as its former Director Jerzy Rasinski retired and was succeeded by Krystyna Kocznorowska: both attended the Roundtable. The library completed work on its new National Information System for the Agriculture and Food Economics Research program (NISAEFR) which will link to the Internet in the future. Another achievement was thepublication of their Food Technology and Food IndustryThesaurus, which was several years in the making and contains almost 19,000 entries.
Ms. Letitia Goia
Director of the Library of the University of Agricultural Science
Romania--The Director of the Library of the University of Agricultural Science, Ms. Letitia Goia reported that the library is still searching for funding to enable internet access and e-mail for the library.
Nina Abbakumova
from the Central Scientific Library in Moscow
Russia--Nina Abbakumova from the Central Scientific Library in Moscow reported strides in implementing an integrated system, and in establishing agreements with other libraries.
Michal Demes
Director of the Institute of Scientific and technical Information for Agriculture (ISTIA),
Slovak Republic
Mr. Jan Simko
Institute of Scientific and technical Information for Agriculture (ISTIA), Slovak Republic
Mrs. Marcela Chrenekova
Institute of Scientific and technical Information for Agriculture (ISTIA), Slovak Republic
Slovak Republic--The Institute for Scientific and Technical Information for Agriculture (ISTIA) was represented by Michal Demes, Jan Simko, and Marcela Chrenekova. In 1996 ISTIA installed a LAN and connected to the Internet. It hosted two international workshops, completed work on a CD-ROM of information about Slovakia, and launched the AgroWebClub which connects users and contributors to the agricultural information center through the Internet. All of this was accomplished despite the library's move from Bratislava to Nitra!
Tomas Bartol
from the University of Ljubljana and Head of the Slovenian National AGRIS Centre.
Slovenia--Tomaz Bartol, from the University of Ljubljana and Head of the Slovenian National AGRIS Centre, reported on the extensive networking activities now linking the country's two universities to the Internet. They have intensified their exchange program with NAL and other institutions, and have continued full international participation in AGRIS and AGLINET.
Eleanor Mathews
Head of Reference and Instructional Services at Iowa State University
Barbara Hutchinson
Director of the Arid Lands Information Center, University of Arizona
Antoinette Powell
Director of the University of Kentucky Science Library and President of USAIN
Pamela Q. J. André
Director of National Agricultural Library
Maria Pisa
Associate Director for Public Services of National Agricultural Library
Janet Wright
Public Services, National Agricultural Library, facilitator
Pamela André
presents Sicence in Your Shopping Cart, an Agricultural Research Service publication, to
Roundtable participants.
United States--Several representatives from the United Statesa ttended and spoke: Eleanor Mathews, Head of Reference and Instructional Services at Iowa State University; Barbara Hutchinson, Director of the Arid Lands Information Center, University of Arizona; Antoinette Powell, Director of the University of Kentucky Science Library and President of USAIN; Pamela Q.J. André, Director of NAL, Maria Pisa, Associate Director for Public Services of NAL; and Janet Wright, Public Services, NAL, facilitator. In addition to the representatives from the U.S., Jan van der Burg of The Netherlands,President of IAALD, spoke to the group on behalf of his organization,and John Metcalfe of the International Food Information Service, U.K.and Margo Bellamy of CAB International, U.K., participated during one of the sessions.