Highlights for July 17, 1998
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• National GAP Meeting: The National Gap Analysis Program (GAP) will hold its 8^th Annual Meeting at the University of California, Santa Barbara, from July 20 to July 24. The more than 300 expected attendees include those actively working on GAP projects, as well as sponsors, cooperators, GAP data users, and those intending to start a gap analysis project in the near future. Concurrent sessions on land cover, vertebrates, stewardship, applications, analysis, and outreach will include a National Biological Information Infrastructure metadata training module by Sharon Shin (CBI) and Jennifer Gaines (OBIO). The Gap Analysis Program is coordinated by the USGS and is managed by the Center for Biological Informatics. (Mike Jennings, Moscow, ID, 208/885-3555)
  
  
• USGS Lotus Notes System Administrator Training: During the week of July 13-17, the Center for Biological Informatics coordinated and led the USGS-sponsored Lotus Notes System Administrator training sessions held in Denver. This training was designed to aid USGS and its Divisions in determining whether to implement Lotus Notes bureau wide. The initial focus is to train USGS system administrators in use of the Lotus Notes tools so that further investigation of the various hardware/software environments existing in the USGS can be evaluated to determine the practicality of implementing Lotus Notes bureau wide. The class provided a hands-on overview of the system administration tools along with a valuable discussion of the potential issues involved in implementing Lotus Notes within the various USGS organizations. Another end-user training class will be held the week of July 20-24 for additional USGS staff members who volunteered to participate in the testing process. Several CBI staff members will be involved in the second session, continuing BRD's contribution to this effort to create a common collaborative system within the USGS. (Mike Frame, Denver, 303/202-4260)
  
  

II. Agency Works on Presidential Initiatives: No report.

III. Notable Congressional Activity: No report.

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.

V. FOIA Requests: No report.