Organizational Information
Mission || Initiatives || Opportunities || Committees || Interest Groups
USAIN Mission ^top
The United States Agricultural Information Network provides a forum for discussion of agricultural issues, takes a leadership role in the formation of a national information policy as related to agriculture, makes recommendations to the National Agricultural Library on agricultural information matters, and promotes cooperation and communication among its members.
USAIN Initiatives ^top
USAIN was created in 1988. Since its inception, the Network has testified before a U.S. House Subcommittee, played an advisory role in the National Agricultural Text Digitizing Project, and written a national agricultural preservation plan. Additionally, USAIN has held several conferences. Past conference themes have included: Electronic Information in the Agricultural Sciences; Rural Information at the Crossroads: Issues and Opportunities; and Cultivating New Ground in Electronic Information: Use of the Information Highway to Support Agriculture.
Membership Opportunities ^top
Membership in USAIN offers numerous opportunities and benefits.
USAIN members have opportunities to:
- participate in USAIN conferences dealing with emerging themes and issues that affect agricultural information professionals;
- discuss agricultural information issues with other professionals at annual meetins held at ALA and SLA;
- network with other agricultural information professionals through USAIN committees, interest groups, and/or the USAIN listserv;
- provide input on legislation affecting the national Agricultural Library and the nation's agricultural community; and
- receive a directory of members, distributed and updated annually.
USAIN Committees ^top
- Awards and Honors
- Budget Task Force
- Bylaws
- Communications
- Conference Planning
- Legislative and Government Relations
- Membership
- Nominations/Elections
- Preservation and Digital Library Committee
Interest Groups ^top
- AgNIC
- Animal Health Information Interest Group
- Collection Management
- International Agriculture Interest Group
- Social Issues/Rural Information Interest Group
- Technology Trends Interest Group