FROM THE E-MAILBAG

Michael L. Barrow, founder and director of the Boston ComputerSociety's Internet Special Interest Group, says he founded the groupin part because "there was no organization for beginners interestedin the Internet. There was no place for grandmas and librarians andbankers to get involved." (Born to Be Wired, May 13).

I can't speak for grandmas or bankers, but, as a librarian, I cantell Mr. Barrow librarians are involved with the Internet and havebeen for some time. In fact, we're helping to shape the Internet,using our information skills to organize resources, improve accessand guide policy for the future of the "information highway."

The library community is filled with organizations, publicationsand events dealing with the Internet and other electronicinformation. Computer-savvy librarians communicate through dozens oflibrary-related discussion groups and use "the Net" in countlessother ways as well.

Mr. Barrow seems taken in by the old stereotype of librariansas stodgy, conservative and behind the times. In reality, today'slibraries are centers of the information age and many are -- like Mr.Barrow -- "plugged in" and "born to be wired."KENNETH M. LISS, Kirstein Business Branch, Boston Public Librarykliss(AT SIGN SYMBOL)world.std.com

Ham Radio is a wonderful hobby, providing wireless communicationsin times of need, whether the event is a natural disaster with allother forms of communication down, or for public service events suchas marathons.

I am an active ham (what Amateur Radio operators are called), andan active user of the Internet.

The Internet is also full of ham radio activity, from Usenetnewsgroups catering to hams and radio enthusiasts alike(rec.radio.amateur.misc, alt.radio.scanner, rec.radio.shortwave),anonymous FTP sites (I maintain files in the ham radio area of theoak.oakland.edu anonymous FTP site), the World Wide Web (hundreds of"home pages," including www.acs.ncsu.edu/HamRadio), Gopher info(perform a search on ham or amateur radio under Jughead), and manye-mail lists.

For people with e-mail capability but without access to Usenetnews, many of the radio-related newsgroups can be received viae-mail.

For more information about all of this and more, please feel freeto contact me via e-mail and/or Amateur radio.SCOTT EHRLICH, Brooklinewy1z(AT SIGN SYMBOL)neu.edu (Internet)wy1z(AT SIGN SYMBOL)wa1phy.ampr.org (Amateur TCP/IP packet)wy1z(AT SIGN SYMBOL)wa1phy.ma.usa.na (Amateur AX.25 packet)