ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries November 1989 / 923 Washington Hotline Carol C. Henderson ALA W ashington Office (ALA0025) Deputy Director, ALA W ashington Office Add “NREN ” (pronounced en-ren) to your list of acronyms. W hile the proposed National Research and Education Network is an idea with a considerable history behind it, interest has recently intensified at the federal policy level. The goal of the NREN “is to enhance national competitiveness and productivity through a high-speed, high-quality network infrastructure which supports a broad set of applications and network services for the research and instructional com m unity,” according to EDUCOM , an organization o f higher education computing experts which supports its development. The NREN would upgrade and expand the existing interconnected array o f mostly scientific research networks, such as the national NSFNET and ARPANET and the regional networks such as NYSERNET and SURANET, known collectively as the internet. The expansion o f the concept from supporting “research” to the broader “research and education” is a recent developm ent due at least partly to the involvement o f the library community, especially the Library o f Congress Network Advisory Committee, with EDUCOM. Earlier this year, Sen. A lbert Gore (D-TN) reintroduced his National High-Performance Com puter Technology Act (S. 1067), which would include an NREN to link government, industry, and higher education, as well as development o f a digital library o f databases and knowledge banks accessible through the network. More recently, Rep. Doug W algren (D-PA) introduced an identical bill, HR 3131. On Septem ber 8, President B ush’s new science adviser, D. Allan Bromley, Director o f the Office o f Science and Technology Policy, issued The F ederal High P erform ance Com puting N etw ork, developed by the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (FCCSET) Committee on Computer Research and Applications. This report says the U.S. “must develop a National Research and Education Network (NREN) to support communication between persons and organizations involved in open research and scholarly pursuits in the United States.” It describes three stages from 1989-96: First stage: an upgrade o f the existing internet to 1.5 megabit-per-second trunks (already underway); Second stage: upgraded network services to 200-300 research installations, using a shared backbone network with 45 megabit-per-second capacity; and Third stage: 1-3 gigabit-per-second networking service to selected research facilities, and 45 megabit-per-second networking to approximately 1,000 sites nationwide. Universities are key players in advanced network technology, according to the report. W hile most improvements in communications technology have come from industry, most important networking technologies have been developed by universities, which are also the Drimarv users of networking. 924 / C&RL News The five-year price tag for the NREN component is about $400 million in both the HPC Program and the Gore/Walgren bills; and both foresee eventual commercialization of the network. The full HPC Program involves four components— high performance computing systems, advanced software technology and algorithms, the NREN, and basic research and human resources—and would cost almost $2 billion. However, Dr. Bromley indicated in congressional testimony on October 3 that the Administration does not want legislation, but prefers to proceed through administrative action. Funding would have to come from the budgets of the federal agencies involved. Issuance of the report prompted a series of congressional hearings on the HPC Program and the legislation. Sen. Gore chairs the Science, Technology, and Space Subcommittee, which held a hearing September 15. Witnesses included Librarian of Congress James Billington who said that high-capacity data networks could allow LC to become a “library without walls,” providing scholars nationwide with access to its material, and expanding far beyond its traditional role of providing bibliographic information. Rep. Walgren chairs the Science, Research and Technology Subcommittee, which held a hearing on October 3, followed the next day by a hearing in the Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), a cosponsor of HR 3131. Witnesses from academia at the various hearings included Joe Wyatt of Vanderbilt University, Joseph Traub of Columbia University, Gary Augustson of Pennsylvania State University, Richard Mandelbaum of the University of Rochester, and Russell Neuman of MIT. Other witnesses were from government agencies and private industry. No serious opposition to the legislation (except for the Administration’s preference for administrative actions) surfaced at the hearings. Industry representatives welcomed the promise of a stimulus to the wideband marketplace, assistance in developing a network infrastructure, a forum for solving common problems and developing standards, and a commitment to commercialization. Gary Augustson for EDUCOM emphasized that federal funding would be highly leveraged because the states and institutions will make the major investments required to realize the NREN. Major federal agency players expressed commitment to the concept and willingness to coordinate, but warned of budget constraints. A related report issued in September by the congressional Office of Technology Assessment, High Performance Computing and Networking fo r Science—Background Paper (OTA-BP-CIT-59, GPO), summarizes well many of the issues and questions which came up at the hearings. Who would have access to the NREN and for what purposes? How would the network be managed? Who would pay and how much? Rep. Markey and his subcommittee members were concerned that the NREN sounded as though it were geared to an information elite. How could it be broadened to include smaller colleges, hospitals, and businesses? While the outcome of the National High-Performance Computer Technology Act is not certain, and the Administration’s commitment does not seem to include funding, high-capacity computing power and the broadband telecommunications highway to carry it are clearly seen by all parties as infrastructure issues just as crucial and just as deserving of a federal stimulus as highways and railroads have been in the past. Finally, another acronym—Alan Chynoweth of Bellcore said the NREN would help speed the transition from POTS to TINS, that is from Plain Old Telephone Service to Total Information Networking Services. Refugee and Immigrant Resource Directory 1 9 9 0 - 1 9 9 1 By A la n Edward Schorr. Essay by Refugee Policy G roup. Forewords by Congressm an Stephen Solarz a n d H a n s T h o o le n . 3 5 0 pages. IS B N 0 - 9 3 8 7 3 7 - 1 9 - 8 . A ppe ndices. Indices. $ 3 7 . 5 0 . January, 1 9 9 0 . This is a greatly enhanced version o f D irectory o f Ser­ vices fo r Refugees and Immigrants (Spring 1987) which was critically acclaimed by CHOICE, WLEí LJ, ARBA, RBB as well as the refugee literature. According to CPR, " Schorr's book is an outstanding resource and a pioneer in its field." RIRD includes detailed inform ation on 1,0 00 organizations, associations, agencies, academic programs, research centers, museums and oth er groups in the U.S. tha t offer services to o r provide informa- tion /policy analysis about refugees and immigrants. The main section is arranged by state and includes six indices and fo rty sub-indices. Contains a lengthy essay on U.S. imm igration and refugee policy by the leading national authority. Appendices include documents, chronologies, glossary, as well as extensive statistical tables and charts. Remains the single most comprehensive St authoritative source. Schorr is the form er Dean o f Libraries at the C alifornia State University, Fullerton and author o f 10 books and over 2 0 0 articles, essays and reviews. Hispanic Resource Directory By A lan Edward Schorr. Foreword by Roger Mahony, A rch b ish o p o f Los Angeles. 3 4 7 pages. ISBN 9 3 8 7 3 7 - 1 5 - 5 . Appendices. Indices. $ 3 7 .5 0 . Dec. 1988. Remains th e only comprehensive directory o f resources about Hispanics. Detailed in form ation on 951 local, regional and national groups, additional in fo rm a tio n on 1 ,3 0 0 Hispanic colleges, publishers, m igrant health, bilingual education, etc., as well as extensive statistical data. C ritically acclaimed in Hispanic and library press. LJ called it "a virtual Encyclopedia o f Associa­ tions f o r . . . organizations serving the Spanish-speaking.” Survivors: Jewish Refugees in Birmingham, 1 9 3 3 - 1 9 4 5 By Joe Josephs. 21 7 pages. ISBN 1 - 8 6 9 9 2 2 - 0 2 - 6 . December, 1 9 8 8 . Index. $ 2 5 . In one sense this is a volum e made up o f m any individual stories, but taken as a whole it represents a m icrocosm o f the lives o f m any thousands o f persecuted w h o found sanctuary in Britain. As such it it noy on ly a valuable historical docum ent, but a poig­ nant rem inder o f a real life tragedy only fifty years ago, and its afterm ath. This is a remarkable book, based on th e recollections o f eighty-seven survivors o f the Nazi te rro r w h o settled in Birm ingham . The Internm ent o f Aliens By Francois Lafitte. Preface to this new edition by the Author. 2 6 0 pages. C loth. ISBN 1 - 8 7 0 3 5 2 - 5 5 - 6 . A p ril, 1 9 8 9 . Index. $ 3 7 .5 0 First published as a Penguin Special in September, 194 0, this book was th e first to focus public atten tion on the mass and indiscrim inate in ternm ent o f G erman speaking refugees and political exiles in Britain. A com bination o f reportage, oral history and analysis, this book throws an extraordinarily vivid light on im p o rta n t aspects o f dom estic and foreign policy. The Observer recently noted th a t this boo k was " th e m ost effective single weapon in the struggle to get the refugees released." Native American Reader: Stories, Speeches and Poems Edited and c o m m e n ta ry by Dr. Je rry D. Blanche. Forewords by Tom Foley, Speaker o f th e U.S. H ouse o f Representatives and LaDonna H arris, President, A m ericans fo r Indian O p p o rtu n ity . 3 0 0 pages. ISBN 0 - 9 3 8 7 3 7 - 2 0 - 1 . B ibliog. $ 2 5 . January, 1 9 9 0 . The stories, speeches and poems in this book are pure Native American. They are fully documented, accurate, authentic. The 10 0 contributions represent over 7 0 authors from nearly 3 0 tribes, from the Southeast U.S. to Alaska. N A R is an excellent teaching aid fo r both Indian and non-Indian, and it can be effectively used from kindergarten through university. Dr. Blanche's analysis o f these contributions presents a framework to better understand the rich tradition o f the Native Am erican. As LaDonna Harris noted, this book ” . . . conveys the complex realities o f Tribal A m erica." Jerry D. Blanche, O klahoma Choctaw, received his Ph.D. in Speech Education and was a high school teacher, univer­ sity professor, Manager o f C om m unications for the Spokane Public Schools and is currently a com munica­ tions and public relations consultant. For his con tribu­ tions to public education and the preservation o f C hoctaw culture, Dr. Blanche received the Choctaw N ation Award o f Honor. M oral Values and the Human Zoo: The Novellen o f Stefan Zweig By D avid Turner. 3 5 3 pages. C lo th . ISBN 0 - 8 5 9 5 8 - 4 7 6 - 3 . $ 4 5 .0 0 . 19 89 Detailed scholarly examination o f Zweig's short stories and delinea­ tio n o f his fundam ental concerns, the psychological analysis o f character and the advocacy o f such human values as passionate intensity, personal freedom, wide intellectual and cultural horizons and hum an brotherhood. M oving in Measure: Essays in H onor o f Brian M oloney Edited by J.H. Bryce and A.D. Thompson. 2 5 0 pages. Fall, 1 9 8 9 . C lo th . ISBN 0 - 8 5 9 5 8 - 4 7 5 - 5 . $ 4 5 . Includes seventeen essays in the humanities and social sciences by th e world's leading Italian scholars in ho n o r o f th e retirem ent o f Professor Moloney. THE DENALI PRESS Reference and Scholarly Publications Post Office Box 021535 Juneau, Alaska, U S .A . 99802-1535 (907) 586-6014 “ When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it. ” William Thomson, Lord Kelvin ACRL University Library Statistics 1987-88 compiled by Robert E. Molyneux Reports statistics on collections, personnel, and expenditures for 100 non-ARL university libraries. “Deci­ sion m akers need valid and reliable data. The title provides such data for academic libraries,” Library Journal said of the last edition. 1989. 80p. isbn: 0-8389-7288-8. $49.95; ACRL member $29.95 Special offer! Buy both the p rin t book and the machine readable d ata for only $99.95—a ten dollar savings ($66.95 for acrl members). Use order number 0-8389-7311-6. ACRL A cad em ic L ibrary S ta tistic s, 1978/79-1987/88 (D isk ettes) prepared by Robert E. Molyneux Machine-readable diskettes accom­ panied by a detailed user guide, con­ tain data from the five editions of a series of academic library data pub­ lished by acrl (1978-79,1981-82, 1983-84,1985-86,1987-88). The data are presented in three formats: ascii, sas data sets, and “dif” (data in te r­ change format) which can bring the data into Lotus 1-2-3. The package contains four ms-dos 5.25" 360K diskettes and two ms-dos 3.5" 720K floppy diskettes. 1989. isbn: 0-8389-7310-8. $59.95; acrl member $47.95. Association of Coilege and Research Libraries A Division of the American Library Association c/o ALA Publishing Services, Order Deparment, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; 312-944-6780 C all to ll-fre e: 800-545-2433 (U.S.): 800-545-2444 (111.); 800-545-2455 (Canada), fax: 312-440-9374