Welcome to the inaugural issue of the ELECTRONIC GREEN JOURNAL

Abstract

Welcome to the inaugural issue of the ELECTRONIC GREEN JOURNAL. For some readers the name of the journal may sound familiar. Following is a brief journal history and its transformation into an electronic publication. Four issues of the Green Library Journal: Environmental Topics in the Information World, were sponsored by the Green Library Inc. (GLI) in Berkeley, California. GLI was a non-profit organization funded with monies appropriated through grants and donations. They handled subscriptions and mailing procedures; however, the journal was produced at the University of Idaho Library. The library published volume II, no.1 in May of 1993, even though GLI funds were not available. The next issue was also produced, but could not be printed and sent to subscribers as GLI refused to release the subscription list. Over the ensuing seven months Green Library Inc. has failed to respond to phone and letter inquiries. Several publishers were approached hoping to arrange new sponsorship, but everybody, unfortunately, is struggling financially. In this era of shrinking budgets and rising costs for traditional media, the University of Idaho Library would like to explore the possibilities of electronic information dissemination, which our editors believe is a variation of the access rather than ownership philosophy. We, the new journal, want to address the information concerns of libraries and help our society adjust to cultural pluralism and the globalization of institutions. The Internet, with its estimated 30 to 35 million users, is the unique opportunity for information dissemination. The University of Idaho Library supports this philosophy and is proud to sponsor the ELECTRONIC GREEN JOURNAL (EGJ). ELECTRONIC GREEN JOURNAL is a professional, refereed publication devoted to disseminating information concerning sources on environmental protection, conservation, management of natural resources, and ecologically-balanced regional development. Environmental issues frequently cross national borders; therefore, our journal encourages the international sharing of environmental expertise. The journal serves communities as an educational environmental resource, and includes both practical and scholarly articles, bibliographies, reviews, editorial comments, and announcements. EGJ is written for librarians, information consultants, environmentalists, ecologists, regional planers, publishers, booksellers, researchers, educators, students, and internet users interested in worldwide environmental topics. ELECTRONIC GREEN JOURNAL is published irregularly by the University of Idaho Library. It is available free from the University of Idaho via: gopher.uidaho.edu We hope the electronic format will provide practical access to environmental information sources, and we encourage the sharing of data internationally. Maria A. Jankowska, University of Idaho Library Francis S. Griego, University of Idaho Library