Established in 1971, the network is composed of libraries and repositories  located in the agency’s headquarters, regional offices, research centers,  and laboratories throughout the country. Furthermore, some of these libraries have  digitized, dispersed, or disposed of their materials. Sixteen EPA libraries have not changed. After  making these changes, EPA has begun to develop a common set of  agencywide policies and procedures for the library network. In addition, OPPTS officials decided to close the Chemical  Library; however, this closure was not noted in the plan. EPA Did Not Effectively Justify Its Decision to Reorganize Its Library Network

EPA’s primary rationale for reorganizing its library network was to  generate cost savings by creating a more coordinated library network and  increasing the electronic delivery of library services. EPA did not fully complete its assessments, however, before it closed  libraries and began to reorganize the network. However,  EPA is currently reaching out to both EPA staff and external stakeholders. EPA’s communication procedures were limited or inconsistent because  EPA acted quickly to make changes in response to a proposed fiscal year  2007 funding reduction, and because of the decentralized nature of the  library network. More specifically, the plan did not  inform readers that OPPTS would close its Chemical Library, and that  other libraries would reduce their hours of operation or make other  changes to their library services;   provide any detail on which additional libraries would, in an effort to align  to the new library service model, change their operations or library  collections in the future; and inform stakeholders of the intended outcome of the reorganization effort,  including what the final configuration of the reorganized library network  would look like, and the implementation goals and timeline needed to  achieve this final configuration. In addition, EPA generally did not communicate with and solicit views  from external stakeholders, such as the public, before and during the  reorganization because the agency was moving quickly to make changes in  response to proposed funding cuts. EPA Lacks a Strategy to Ensure Continuity of Library Services and Does Not Know Whether Its Actions Have Impaired Access to Environmental Information

EPA does not have a strategy to ensure the continuity of library services  and does not know the full effect of the reorganization on library services. Finally, EPA may have inadvertently limited access to information because  it did not determine whether federal property management regulations  applied to the dispersal and disposal of library materials and hence may  have disposed of materials that should have been retained. EPA Program Offices Are Responsible for Funding Their Libraries and Their Reorganization Through Their Support Budgets

The several different program offices responsible for the EPA libraries in  the network generally decide how much of their available funding to  allocate to their libraries out of larger accounts that support multiple  activities. EPA did not allocate funds specifically to help  the closing libraries manage their collections. However, because of a   proposed reduction in funding for the OEI headquarters and regional  office libraries in fiscal year 2007, EPA did not fully implement these  procedures, instead it acted quickly to make changes. Recommendations for Executive Action

To ensure that critical library services are provided to EPA staff and other  users, we recommend that the Administrator of EPA continue the agency’s  moratorium on changes to the library network until the agency  incorporates and makes public a plan that includes the following four  actions:    Develop a strategy to justify its reorganization plans by (1) evaluating and  determining user needs for library services; (2) taking an inventory of EPA  information resources and determining the extent to which these  resources are used; (3) evaluating technological factors, such as  digitization procedures and integration of online databases, to ensure an  optimal level of services; (4) evaluating and conducting a benefit-cost  assessment for each alternative approach for the network, including the  approach that existed before the reorganization; and (5) reviewing and  revising, as appropriate, the existing policy and procedures that guide the  library network. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

To review the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) library network  reorganization, we (1) determined the status of, and plans for, the library  network reorganization; (2) evaluated EPA’s rationale for its decision to  reorganize the library network; (3) assessed the extent to which EPA  communicated with and solicited views from EPA staff and external  stakeholders in planning and implementing the reorganization;   (4) evaluated the steps EPA has taken to maintain the quality of library  services following the reorganization, both currently and in the future; and  (5) determined how EPA is funding the library network and its  reorganization.
Why GAO Did This Study

Established in 1971, the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) library network provides staff and the public with access to environmental information. Its 26 libraries contain a wide range of information and resources and are located at headquarters, regional offices, research centers, and laboratories nationwide. In 2006, EPA issued a plan to reorganize the network beginning in fiscal year 2007. The plan proposed closing libraries and dispersing, disposing of, and digitizing library materials. GAO was asked to assess (1) the status of, and plans for, the network reorganization; (2) EPA's rationale for reorganizing the network; (3) the extent to which EPA has communicated with and solicited the views of EPA staff and external stakeholders in conducting the reorganization; (4) EPA's steps to maintain the quality of library services after the reorganization; and (5) how EPA is funding the network and its reorganization. For this study, GAO reviewed pertinent EPA documents and interviewed EPA officials and staff from each of the libraries.

What GAO Found

Since 2006, EPA has implemented its reorganization plan to close physical access to 4 libraries. In the same period, 6 other libraries in the network decided to change their operations, while 16 have not changed. Some of these libraries have also digitized, dispersed, or disposed of their materials. Since the reorganization, EPA has begun drafting a common set of agencywide library procedures and has hired a program manager for the network. While these procedures are under development, however, EPA has imposed a moratorium on further changes to the network in response to congressional and other expressions of concern. EPA's primary rationale for the library network reorganization was to generate cost savings by creating a more coordinated library network and increasing the electronic delivery of services. However, EPA did not fully follow procedures recommended in a 2004 EPA study of steps that should be taken to prepare for a reorganization. In particular, EPA did not fully evaluate alternative models, and associated costs and benefits, of library services. EPA officials stated that they needed to act quickly to reorganize the library network in response to a proposed fiscal year 2007 funding reduction. EPA did not develop procedures to inform staff and the public on the final configuration of the library network, and EPA libraries varied considerably and were limited in the extent to which they communicated with and solicited views from stakeholders before and during the reorganization effort. In particular, EPA's plan did not include information that the Chemical Library was to close, and EPA did not inform staff or the public until after the fact. EPA's communication procedures were limited or inconsistent because EPA acted quickly to make changes in response to a proposed fiscal year 2007 funding reduction, and because of the decentralized nature of the library network. EPA is currently increasing its communication efforts. EPA does not have a post-reorganization strategy to ensure the continuity of library services and has not yet determined the full effect of the reorganization on library services. Moreover, EPA has recently made several changes that could have impaired user access to library materials and services. For example, EPA did not determine whether federal property management regulations applied to the dispersal and disposal of library materials before it closed the libraries. Furthermore, EPA lacked oversight of the reorganization process and does not have procedures that would allow the agency to measure performance and monitor user needs. Several different EPA offices are responsible for the libraries in the network. Each office generally decides how much funding to allocate to the libraries for which it is responsible and how to fund their reorganization. However, when faced with a proposed budget reduction of $2 million in fiscal year 2007, EPA specifically directed that these offices reduce funding for their libraries and did not specify how to achieve the reduction. Additional funds were not allocated to assist offices in closing their libraries.