[Federal Register: April 15, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 73)] [Notices] [Page 16470-16471] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Library of Education Advisory Task Force; Meeting AGENCY: National Library of Education Advisory Task Force, Education. ACTION: Notice to solicit public comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary solicits written public comment on the development of the National Library of Education, authorized under Part E of the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (Act). Comments will be used to help the National Library of Education Advisory Task Force make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary regarding the activities that the National Library of Education will carry out, as well as establish priorities for its future work. DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 15, 1996. ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this notice, as well as requests for copies of Part E of the Act, should be addressed to Dr. E. Stephen Hunt, National Library of Education, Room 203, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20208-5523. Comments on this notice may also be sent in facsimile format to the facsimile transmission telephone number (202) 219-1970, and to the Internet electronic mail address stephen_hunt@ed.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: E. Stephen Hunt, National Library of Education, Room 203, 555 New Jersey Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20208- 5523. Telephone: (202) 219-1882; fax: (202) 219-1970; Internet electronic mail address: stephen_hunt@ed.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 13, 1994, President Clinton signed Public Law 103-227, which contains the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Development Act of 1994. That Act, under Part E, Section 951, authorizes the National Library of Education (20 U.S.C. 6051). Part E, Section 951 (h) of the Act creates the National Library of Education Advisory Task Force (Task Force), a temporary Federal advisory committee charged with preparing a set of recommendations on the establishment and development of the National Library of Education for presentation to the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. The mission of the National Library of Education as defined by law is to: (1) Become a principal center for the collection, preservation, and effective utilization of the research and other information related to education and to the improvement of educational achievement; (2) strive to ensure widespread access to the Library's facilities and materials, coverage of all education issues and subjects, and quality control; (3) have an expert library staff; and (4) use modern information technology that holds the potential to link major libraries, schools, and educational centers across the United States into a network of national education resources. Among the statutory functions of the National Library of Education are: (1) Providing a central location within the Federal Government for information about education; (2) providing comprehensive reference services on matters related to education to employees of the Department of Education and its contractors and grantees, other Federal employees, and members of the public; and (3) promoting greater cooperation and resource sharing among providers and repositories of education information in the United States. The statute requires that the National Library of Education create and operate a ``one-stop information and referral service'' to respond to telephonic, mail, electronic, and other inquiries from the public that will provide information on programs, activities, products, publications, and statistics available from the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, the National Center for Education Statistics, the Regional Education Laboratories and National Research Institutes and associated Centers, the ERIC Clearinghouses, the national education dissemination system, other offices of the Department of Education, education related publications produced by other Federal departments and agencies, and referrals to additional sources of information and expertise outside the Federal Government, both public and private. A toll-free telephone number shall be part of the information and referral service. Among the reference and research services that the National Library of Education is required to provide, either alone or in cooperation with other major libraries and archives, are: specialized subject searches, search and retrieval of electronic databases, document delivery by mail and facsimile transmission, research counseling, bibliographic instruction, user training, interlibrary loan services, selective dissemination of information services, information and resource sharing networks, a national union list of education journals held by U.S. education libraries, directories and indexes to specialized subject collections throughout the United States related to education, and cooperative efforts to preserve and maintain [[Page 16471]] accessible collections of valuable historical materials. As required by law, the National Library of Education has already developed a preliminary collection development policy which will be refined in conjunction with the recommendations of the Task Force. Plans for completing the cataloging of arrearage in the former Education Research Library collection and for the preservation of historical materials are also being formulated in cooperation with the Task Force. The Task Force is charged with developing a plan to implement requirements stated in the law. In addition, it is expressly authorized, at its discretion, to ``identify other activities and functions for the Library to carry out, except that such functions shall not be carried out until the Library is established'' and has implemented the requirements expressly stated for it in Section 951 of the Act. In seeking public comment, the National Library of Education Advisory Task Force and the Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement are committed to fulfilling the requirements of the law authorizing the National Library of Education and to developing a world-class education library providing useful and high- quality electronic and traditional information services to the American people. The Office of Educational Research and Improvement and the National Library of Education are also committed to supporting Executive Order 12862, Setting Customer Service Standards, which provides that the Federal Government be ``customer driven.'' To delivery the highest quality service, the National Library of Education and its Advisory Task Force must understand the needs and interests of the Library's customers and how it can be most responsive to them. Invitation to Comment Interested persons are invited to submit comments and recommendations regarding this notice. All comments and recommendations will be available for public inspection, during and after the comment period, in Room 202, 80 F Street, NW., Washington, DC between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday of each week except Federal holidays. Sharon P. Robinson, Assistant Secretary, for Educational Research and Improvement. [FR Doc. 96-8753 Filed 4-12-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-M