----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Alice I think Mr. Brenner has a point and I think libraries are very likely to be marginalized. Basically we can be congratulated for making it look easy... acquiring, describing and accessing geographical/spatial information. Easy enough for a programmer to do. I think GIS types recognize the need for data standards and the degree of training a GIS type needs to assure that the standards are maintained, but I don't think they understand cataloging/spatial metadata standards because they don't have the experience of the range and scope of authors/publishers/cartographers/data producers. I urge them to at least take advantage of the experience of the past two centuries of spatial information providers. ---------------------- PATRICK MCGLAMERY MAP LIBRARIAN U-5M HOMER BABBIDGE LIBRARY UNIV. OF CONNECTICUT STORRS, CT 06268 (203) 486-4589 LIBMAP1@UCONNVM ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- I don't know who Mr. Brenner is, but the last word I would apply to librarians, or map librarians is marginalized. Secondly to think for a second that the goal of eliminating paper is a real possibility is to ignore the mounds of computer paper in landfills across the country. It almost sounds McCluhanesque (sp?)--which is certainly cutting edge, huh.