The United States Agricultural Information Network ( USAIN ) provides a forum for issues in agricultural information, guides U.S. national information policy for agriculture, and advises the National Agricultural Library .
10-626: The original network was based on a recommendation from the 1982 Interagency Panel of the National Agricultural Library (NAL). It was officially launched in 1988. It consisted of a network of public and private agricultural libraries and information centers coordinated by the NAL. Originally, the Executive Council was composed of representatives from land grant and other institutions, and the director of NAL, in an ex-officio capacity. By 1995,
20-508: A fast-growing membership of more than 20 institutions, the partners decided to create an “AgNIC Executive Board”. This board would be elected from and by the coordinating committee. The Board examines and proposes solutions to issues, drafts policy and planning documents, proposes policy for approval by the membership, and visions for the future of AgNIC. The AgNIC Executive Board includes the past Chair, Chair, incoming Chair, three member-at-large positions, and an ex-Officio position reserved for
30-514: The AgNIC Alliance, its collections and services, and the technologies upon which it relies. Unlike most science and technology disciplines, agriculture has a mechanism for distilling and distributing research to those who need it. Historically, state and local extension staff research topics, synthesize, and prepare information for easy consumption, often on an “as needed” basis. Forming partnerships between libraries and subject specialists has been
40-611: The Agriculture Network Information Center but is now known as the Agriculture Network Information Collective AgNIC members agreed early in the formation of the partnership to maintain an informal structure. There were long discussions to determine if the partnership was an “alliance,” a “consortium,” or an “association.” By the end of year two, members agreed that each partner institution would be represented with one vote , and
50-748: The Alliance, largely due to its collaborative nature. University libraries affiliated with land-grant colleges—as well as other interested institutions, such as the International Rice Research Institute , the American Farmland Trust , the Agricultural Information and Documentation Service for America ( SIDALC ) and the University of Buenos Aires, School of Agriculture, Central Library, are working together with NAL to develop
60-779: The Executive Committee moved from an organization-based network to an individual-based organization, transferring the responsibility for the operations to individuals. At the 1995 USAIN Conference held in Lexington, Kentucky, a slate of grassroots-working agricultural information professionals emerged as the new Executive Council. USAIN holds biennial conferences on current themes in agricultural information. This includes collection management and preservation, data management and scholarly communication, curriculum and instruction, outreach and marketing, and national information policy. USAIN’s preservation plan for agricultural literature, one of
70-540: The cornerstone of AgNIC. AgNIC recently partnered with the United States Agricultural Information Network (USAIN) and the Center for Research Libraries on Project Ceres, which awards funding for “small projects that preserve print materials essential to the study of the history and economics of agriculture and make those materials accessible through digitization.” AgNIC used to be called
80-720: The first discipline-based plans, obtained several rounds of funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and resulted in 29 state projects, USAIN recently partnered with Agriculture Network Information Center (AgNIC) and the Center for Research Libraries on Project Ceres, which awards funding for “small projects that preserve print materials essential to the study of the history and economics of agriculture and make those materials accessible through digitization.” Agriculture Network Information Center The Agriculture Network Information Collective ( AgNIC ) alliance
90-449: The partnership would be considered an alliance. This resulting decision was based on the strong belief that this partnership fit the definition of – a close association of ... groups, formed to advance common interests or cause. The group representing the institutions would be referred to as the “AgNIC Alliance Coordinating Committee.” After more than two years of attempts to discuss issues and develop policy without measurable results, and
100-594: Was formed in 1995 by a group of four land grant institutions - Cornell University , Iowa State University , University of Arizona , and University of Nebraska-Lincoln , and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Library (NAL). In 1998, NAL assumed the role as “secretariat” to move the partnership forward. Members were committed to creating a voluntary “alliance” dedicated to providing Internet access to quality, authoritative agricultural information, and specialized reference services. In 2007, with 60 voluntary partners, this vision continues to sustain
#193806