Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels/Renewable Energy -- An emerging area of national concern
NAL – poised to provide information to support research
Alvetta Pindell,
Head, Information Research Services Branch
National Agricultural Library
[email protected] (301) 504-7217
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
What is NAL?National Library
USDA Library
Partner Institution
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
• Established in 1862 when President Lincoln signed the Organic Act creating the U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Achieved National Library Status - 1990
• Ensure and enhance access to agricultural information for a better quality of life
• The only U.S. National Library dedicated to agriculture and related subjects
National Agricultural Library
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
2007 Farm Bill Proposal $500 million-- Ag Bioenergy and Biobased
Products Research Initiative $150 million--Biomass Research and Development
Act $150 million--Forest Wood-to-Energy Program $100 million--Cellulosic Bioenergy Program Biomass Reserve Program (BRP) $710 million—Renewable Energy Supply & Energy
Efficiency Improvements Program
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
USDA Energy Goals
Ensure balance in production of Food, Feed, Fiber, and Fuels– Sustainable agriculture and natural
resource-based energy production– Sustainable bioeconomies for rural
communities – Efficient use of energy and energy
conservation– Workforce development for the
bioeconomyFAMU Biodiesel Fuel Workshop
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Ag Research Challenges• Increasingly multi-disciplinary
• Increasingly data driven (e-Science)
• Exponentially increasing content prices
• Globalization
“Change is inevitable – are we to be architects or victims of its outcomes?”
Alton Thompson
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
– Finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day, from field to table.
USDA’s intramural research agency
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Regional Research Center
Bioenergy Research Locations
Thermal
Ethanol
Conversion
Biodiesel
Methane
Feedstocks
On-Farm
Citrus Waste
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Ethanol from Citrus Waste:Winter Haven, FL
• Developed laboratory scale method to process citrus waste
• Working to demonstrate the process at the 10,000 gallon scale level at a local citrus processing facility
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service
(CSREES)
• Extramural Research Agency
– Provides grants
• Links USDA and state components
– Land Grant Universities
– Extension
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
CSREES Partners
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Opportunities for Success
• Creativity – innovation – history – spirit
• National Digital Library for Agriculture (NDLA) is envisioned as a dynamic system built on partnerships
• Multi-institutional collaboration
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Today’s NDLA Building BlocksImportant Partnerships and Services• AGNIC• USDA’s Digital Desktop Library (DigiTop)• AgSpace: NAL digital repository• AGRICOLA – NAL’s database• USAIN• Land Grant Colleges and Universities
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
THE GOOD, THE BAD, and THE FUTURE
Renewable Energy –The good: What is being done
–The bad: Challenges
–The future: Collaboration
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
NAL has much to offer:• NAL collection• Online access to selected full-text, bibliographic
references, data and other multimedia 24/7– Statistical analysis for accountability
• Outreach mechanisms including:– Listserv’s– Blogs– Training– Well connected with Google
• Attend/hold conferences to promote information sharing
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
NAL is poised for biofuels:• Provides access to literature from the national collection at
NAL and libraries and information centers around the world– NAL is the world’s largest agricultural library – Provides through DigiTop digital desktop access to
more than 2,400 scientific journals, databases and other resources for USDA employees around the world
• Manages conversion of print texts for the Internet• Partners with strong connections to the Land-Grant
Universities
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
NAL - A great foundation for research and information dissemination
• Establishes subject focused information centers, including the complementary centers:– Water Quality; – Alternative Farming Systems; – Rural Development; – Invasive Species– Animal Welfare
• Develops and manages extensive Web sites; including interagency sites: – Nutrition.gov,
– Invasivespeciesinfo.gov
NAL provides trusted, non-biased, science-based information
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
A voluntary partnership providing access to quality information
AGgricultural
Network
Information
Center
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
DigiTop - USDA's Digital Desktop Library
Delivers whenever they need it -- quality information
resources, many not available through the "ordinary" Web.
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Selected DigiTop Journals:
• Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biorefining• Oil and Gas Business• Biomass & Bioenergy• Renewable Energy• Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews• Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society• And many more….
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
AGRICOLA (NAL’s Catalog) – providing citations
to agricultural literature in all formats and periods, including
printed works from as far back as the 15th century. • Nearly 5 million records
• Bibliographic citations to literature on all aspects of
agriculture, some of which provide full text
• Two databases: Article Citations and Catalog
• Citations from 1578 to the present
• Front end to the digital repositories in AgSpace
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
AgSpace •Suite of repositories for old and new
works of USDA indexed into AGRICOLA•14,000 new articles•300,000 pages of historic works•Content includes: images, articles, book chapters, books. •Into the future… datasets, presentations, videos, patents, lab notes
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
USAINThe United States Agricultural Information
Network is an organization for information professionals that 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.
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
The Good• USDA National leadership
• Bioenergy leadership by USDA-REE
• NAL preparing to support renewable energy
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Bioenergy and Biofuels Information Resources
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
1890 Institutional Activities – examples
Florida A&M University-- Crescent Moon Organic Farm - Biofuels workshop
Langston University – Wind mills with the Kiowa Tribe
Prairie View A&M – Raising canola & sunflower crops
Virginia State University –oilseed crops biodiesel production Building Capacity: Beginners Biodiesel Production and
Use February 2008Jennifer Taylor, PhD, Small Farm Programs
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
The Bad – Challenges
– Federal investments dispersed – Lack of tools for handling and
preserving large scale data sets– New energy industry interests– Globalization– Interdisciplinary research
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
What NAL has been doing to gear up:– Championing work groups to develop needed
databases to help connect & coordinate biofuels research within USDA
– Analyzing collection and services for maximum preparedness for request as
– Proposing and campaigning for the Info Center
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
FUTURE = OPPORTUNITIES The Proposed Biofuels Information Center would:
• Draw attention to USDA’s many long-standing accomplishments in biofuels research
• Enhance the visibility of USDA current research efforts• Connect and partner with other Federal, university and
industry programs• Deliver customized information alert services• Provide outreach and training services• Provide an information gateway• Respond to consumer questions
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
THETHE reality: Librarians are essential to successful
research because we foster
CreativityInnovation
HistorySpiritWe know
what needs to be done!
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Parting Words of Wisdom
“I believe that the Creator has put ores and oil on this earth to give us a breathing spell. As we exhaust them, we must be prepared to fall back on our farms, which is God’s true storehouse and can never be exhausted. We can learn to synthesize material for every human need from things that grow.”
George Washington Carver
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
NAL Contact InformationGeneral web site: www.nal.usda.gov
Research and Reader Services:
NALAsk a Question
www.nal.usda.gov/services/ask.php
Reference Email [email protected]
Service Desk Phone (301) 504-5755
Service Desk Fax (301) 504-6110
Borrowing
www.nal.usda.gov/services/request.shtml
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Alternative Fuels: Technologies for a Healthy Planet2008 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference
Seattle, WAJune 17, 2008
Information Centers
Alternative Farming: [email protected] (301)504-6559Animal Welfare: [email protected] 504-6212Food & Nutrition: [email protected] 504-5414Food Safety: [email protected] 504-5360Invasive Species: invasivespeciesinfo.gov 504-6454Rural Information: [email protected] 1-800-633-7701 Water Quality: [email protected] 504-6212