Page 8 RAIN June 1976 INFORMATION SPRINGS continued from page 7 BOOKS/LIBRARIES Oregon State Library Salem, OR 97310 • You shbuld he able to lay your hands on many' books and state documents via inter-library loan. They also have access to the N.W. Bibliographic Center, which means, with some patience, you can have access to materials in any library in this region. Earth Books Lending Library Sweet, ID 83670, Lewis and Sharon Watson cr_eated this unique le~ding library in response to holes in state library systems and agricultural extension information. They now own several hundred titles; loani~g - them out for 50¢ a month, which can go towards purchase of the book. For $5 you join and get catalog and access to their Country Contacts Directory. Rural Library Toppeµish, WA , Bart Alexander has operated an.informal library for several years, similar to the Tool Shed in Creswell, Oregon, with his focus being on collecting rare 19th centuw, pre-industrial era farm ·books. ENVIRONMENT Earthwatch Oregon Environmental 'Council 2637 S.W. Water Portland, OR 97201 $10 membership. Is the best v~hicle for Oregon statewide-and then some-, news about environmental protectio_n. FILM SERIES There .are many local filmmakers, as well as ways to procu_re good films - cheap. Both are good ways to draw together a wide range of-persons. Northwest Media Project .Box 4093 Portland, OR 97208 503/223-0626 They offer packages of loca:l films and filmmakers, loaning around 10 films and/or v~deotapes for about $100. Write for free brochure. Division of Continuing Education Film Library • 1633 S.W. Park Ave. Box 1491 Portland, OR 97207 , 503/229-4842 Distributes films to anyone in the 13 western states. A very large selection. Write for catalog, and to be placed on mailing list. They also arrange series for rural and urban· location throughout Oregon. • -·i, •~j ,:~ -~. ~ ,:' ~ - GATHERINGS Never underestimate the power of just getting together: without a goal (other than exchanging information and glan- , ces) is sometimes best. Since the Alternative Agriculture Conference in November 1974, there have been about a dozen such local and/or reg1onal meetings. The results are-not always immediately visible. But give it time and the words often bear fruit. (Simple Rule: always put together a ditectory of participants and get that distributed.) ,Also often as a tangible result of such gatherings-especially if for a small enough local..:_one can put together an informal learning and skill exchange. HOSPITALITY It may be a chicken and egg thing, but the flow of ideas that journies by p~rformers of one kind or another up and down the west coast often skips from one urban area to another. In part, this is because the smaller towns lack both the space and·communications network that can gather interested people, and therefore support the visiting troubadours and minstrels. It used to be that the main suppor·ters of such flow of ideas were colleges and universities (and, before that, kings and queens); that may be changing and could be enhanced by handmade support centers, a meeting hall and willingness of local people to pool their resources (food, telephones, housing, equipment, etc.). MAIL ROUTE The Alpha Community near Mapleton, O!egon, bid for, and won, the local rural mail delivery route. Nice way to·get in touch with people. SHARING GOVERNMENT Grays Harbor County: Five towns,· Montesrno. Elma, Westpont, McCleary, and Oakville, ranging in size from 500 to 2700, have joined together to hire a single city manager .. . and are n~w talking about hiring a .common city attorney and engineer. Sinall Towns Institute Box 517 Ellens-burg, WA 98926 The small towns people keep in touch with nationwide developments in the preservation and enhancement of small . town growth; on limits to growth- depending, successful small scale rural development progi;am, available grant, good studies ·and reports. Publishes ' Small Town. TELEVISION Cable TV Service in Oregon, 1975-76 Extension Service, Ad S 422 Oregon State University Corvallis, OR A description of 70 cable systems in the state of Oregon and public accessibility. May b·e in some areas this is t'he best communication. '7s' Sense, TV Town Hall from: Coos County TV Box. 641 Bandon, OR 97411 The Educational Coordinating Council and Southwestern Oregon Community College helped support this successful town hall meeting via television. Write for final report. (SJ)
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