Accessible, reliable, and timely information is central to quality performance for all transportation agencies and stakeholders. Yet, a vast amount of transportation-related information is neither collected nor made available for use by others. Technology transfer activities--converting information into knowledge--are crucial for getting information in the hands of decision-makers. This new pooled fund project on Transportation Library Connectivity will focus on making the transfer of information an integral part of transportation library and information services. This technology transfer effort will support the systematic organization of state, federal, academic and private sector libraries to institutionalize the best practices of the Midwest Transportation Knowledge Network (MTKN), a network of transportation libraries in the Midwest.

Under the guidance of a full-time staff person contracted for the project, and with the support of a comprehensive marketing plan and materials, pooled fund participants will work to implement a national transportation technology transfer program for information and knowledge management. This effort will consist of two major components: Technical Assistance: Providing technical guidance to participating state agencies for cataloguing documents into the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) and converting them to online format. Network Development: Encouraging and supporting the development and growth of DOT library information and knowledge networks.

Pooled fund activities will include: *Encouraging all DOT and academic transportation libraries to become members of a service network such as OCLC that would serve as a primary vehicle for interlibrary loans. *Pooling unique and specialized transportation documents produced by the states to be accessible by every state DOT. *Indexing and abstracting research and other published materials as well as soliciting and adding members to the Transportation Libraries Catalog (TLCat), a shared catalog containing all members' individual catalog listings. *Exploring coordination of Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS) Online and TLCat for quick and easy access to all transportation items whether through full-text online, inter-library loan, or purchase. *Pursuing more advanced information-sharing technology and practices for existing MTKN members.

$15,000 to $20,000 per year requested from each state.