There is a fine library at the Ammendale, MD facility. My suspicion is that there is no LIBRARIAN to facilitate access to the information. Such a person would obviously need other duties to fill in those down times when nobody is requesting information.

One of the best libraries that I know is at NFPA HQ. They not only have many of the sources I am seeking, but their STAFF is first rate. There are several people who, based on a simple phoine request from a member, will look up articles and send them to you, via FAX if requested, and usually the same day. There is a small fee for copying, but if the article is only a few pages, the fee is often waived. The librarians at NFPA actually want to help you find what you are looking for.

Another "library" is available at Vyto Babrauskas' lab in Issaquah, WA. Vyto owns a copy of every reference article in the Ignition Handbook. Obviously, he cannot make books available, but (for a fee), he will have his secretary dig out and copy journal articles. This is particularly useful fgor the more obscure or out-of-print references.

John Lentini, CFI, D-ABC
Fire Investigation Consultant
Florida Keys
[www.firescientist.com]