November/December 1985 RAIN Page 33 nities which are not funded by United Way organizations. In almost every instance where competition was allowed in workplace solicitation, the total amounts given to charitable groups by employees increased significantly. (Source: Northwest Passage, October 1985) Who Do Zoo Doo? Tilth Do Zoo Doo! Seattle Tilth has been awarded a $48,000 contract from the City of Seattle to carry out a community composting education program. Tilth members are developing a zoo manure composting and demonstration site at the Tilth garden, a portable display unit, and a composting slide show (that is, a slide show about composting). The grand opening of the Zoo Doo program was on September 20th. The composted product is now available for purchase by the public. Seattle Tilth is also encouraging others to conduct research on backyard composting and send in their results (the data, that is). For more information, contact Seattle Tilth, 4649 Sunny- side Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103. Seattle's Working Waterfront Educates the Public In many cities, the public knows little about what takes place at their often inaccessible and unattractive harbors and docks. To create a greater appreciation for Seattle's busy harbors, a group of maritime experts formed Waterfront Awareness, a committee devoted to opening the piers to public understanding. From vantage points along the shore, viewers can observe the harbor and read signs that explain what is stored in each warehouse and from what country each ship has arrived. In addition to the signs, the group organizes photo exhibitions and offers tours on land and water and a guide to the wharves. Interpretive access, as these explanations are called, is an inexpensive way of enhancing the waterfront. With a little research, any community can educate others to the vitality of a working waterfront. For more information on Waterfront Awareness and its programs, contact Scott Powell, Project Manager, Waterfront Awareness, 2342 34th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98144; 206/543- 0106. (Source: Conserve Neighborhoods, September 1985) Spokane's Community Information Service Libraries have traditionally been thought of as places to find books, but today books constitute only a small part of the information needed by citizens and organizations. Although information is being packaged in a variety of ways at the national level, information about a local community is not always easy to find. The Spokane Public Library is working to make local community information easier to locate. The Access Project was begun in October of 1984 as the result of a survey of library patrons. The survey indicated that both patrons and library staff were frustrated in their attempts to find various types of information about their community. Areas of information identified as most in demand and difficult to access included the following: (1) education, especially specialized short courses; (2) local business financial and marketing data; (3) job hunting help; (4) human service programs; and (5) recreational and cultural events and program listings. The Access Project has begun a demonstration project aimed at developing information systems to meet these needs. The project will work through a partnership of the Spokane Public Library, the Employment Security Department, and other agencies and organizations in the community. For more information, contact Jim Wavada, Spokane Public Library, West 906 Main Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201; 509/838-3361. Computer Assistance in Seattle Lee-Haight Associates assist human sevice agencies and private businesses in making the best use of computer technology. It provides workshops, consultation, programming, systems analysis, development of training programs, and materials. Lee-Haight publishes a quarterly newsletter, Info-Notes, that contains short articles, book reviews, and a column that answers often-asked questions. Subscriptions are available for $15/year. It also provides a continually updated directory, Local Resources About Computers, and a bibliography on computers and human services. Each list is available for 50 cents. For more information, contact Lee- Haight Associates, 7027 14th NW, Seattle, WA 98117; 206/782-6227. Northwest Information Directory A comprehensive listing of information resources in the Northwest is being compiled by the staff of Information Technology Institute in Portland. The Northwest Information Directory will be both a directory and computerized database describing all kinds of information collections available to the public in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. In addition to public and academic libraries, the directory will list lesser- known information collections in government offices, corporate libraries, nonprofit organizations, private collections, and other sites. A collection may consist of books, manuscripts, audio or video tapes, maps, or computerized databases. The directory, scheduled to be completed sometime in. the spring of 1986, is now in the compilation stage. A survey was mailed to major libraries and other information-providing organizations in September. Each organization that responds to a survey will receive a copy of the completed directory. To get a copy of the survey, or for more information about the project, contact Information Technology Institute, 1135 SE Salmon, Portland, OR 97214; 503/231-1285. Or call toll free at 1-800-523-7430; in Oregon, 1-800-648-4411. Citizens' Utility Board's Job Isn't Easy In November 1984, Oregon voters approved Ballot Measure 3, which created the Citizens' Utility Board of Oregon (CUB). CUB's primary purpose is to give consumers a strong and effective voice in utility rate and service issues. The measure stipulated that CUB would disseminate membership information through inserts in utility billing envelopes throughout the state. After the measure was approved, however, the utilities filed suit to
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