Francis J. Buckley, Jr., Named Superintendent of Documents

Public Printer Michael F. DiMario has announced his intention to appoint Mr. Francis J. Buckley, Jr., as Superintendent of Documents, with responsibility for the public distribution of millions of Government publications in both print and electronic formats. Buckley comes to his position from the Shaker Heights Public Library in Shaker Heights, Ohio, where he has served as Director since 1994. From 1968 to 1994, he was with the Detroit Public Library.

In naming Buckley as Superintendent of Documents, DiMario said, "Fran will bring to this position strong management skills and a lifelong commitment to ensuring public access to Federal Government information. As Superintendent of Documents, he will be completely dedicated to providing comprehensive and equitable public access to Government information, which has become so important in the daily lives of all Americans."

Buckley earned his bachelor’s degree and his master’s degree in library science from the University of Michigan. He is a member of the Beta Phi Mu International Library Science Honor Society. After service in the Army, including duty in Vietnam, he joined the staff of the Detroit Public Library, where he rose from reference librarian and documents specialist to associate director for public services.

Buckley has been an active member of the American Library Association (ALA) since 1974, serving several terms on the ALA Council and chairing a number of important ALA committees, including the Government Documents Round Table, the Ad Hoc Committee to Form a Coalition on Government Information, and the Lippincott Award Jury. He has served on the ALA’s Legislation Committee and chaired its Subcommittee on Government Information. He has served on the ALA’s Coordinating Committee on Access to Information and the Special Committee on Freedom and Equality of Access to Information. Buckley has also been active in the Special Libraries Association, the Michigan Library Association, the Government Documents Round Table of Michigan, the Michigan Library Consortium, the Southeast Michigan League of Libraries, and the Ohio Library Council. He is on the board of trustees of the Cleveland Area Metropolitan Library System, and served on the board of trustees of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC).

For the past 20 years, Buckley has written and spoken extensively on the importance of public access to Government information. In the late 1970’s, he was a member of the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on the Revision of Title 44, U.S.C., the law controlling the dissemination of Federal publications. He was a member and chair of the Depository Library Council to the Public Printer, which provides advice on GPO’s Federal Depository Library Program. He currently chairs the Inter-Association Working Group on Government Information Policy, representing the ALA and other national library associations, which was formed to recommend and review proposed changes to Federal laws on information dissemination that are currently under consideration.

Buckley also has an active record of civic involvement. He served on the Literacy Advisory Committee of the Detroit Head Start Program, and was on the board of directors of the Detroit Literacy Coalition. He also served on the Research Committee of the United Community Services of Metropolitan Detroit, in addition to local community development and historic preservation organizations.

As a unit of the GPO, the Superintendent of Documents oversees a budget of more than $100 million and a workforce of approximately 700. This organization operates a large mail order program as well as 24 bookstores nationwide for public sales of Government publications, including the popular Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, CO. The Superintendent of Documents distributes millions of copies of Government documents to approximately 1,400 Federal depository libraries nationwide, where they are available for public use free of charge. The organization also maintains the award-winning GPO Access service on the Internet, at http://www.access.gpo.gov, which the public uses to retrieve an average of 5 million publications monthly.

1997 Biennial Survey Due December 1

The 1997 Biennial Survey of Depository Libraries questions and instructions was mailed to all depositories via first class mail during the week of October 20. Please process the 9 x 12 inch manila envelope addressed to the documents coordinator and stamped: "Biennial Survey Open Immediately" as soon as possible. The deadline for submission of the survey responses via the World Wide Web (WWW) is December 1.

As noted in the September 15 issue of Administrative Notes, p. 1, the Survey is required by Title 44 U.S. Code, section 1909, and all depository libraries must submit a survey. Depositories will be required to respond to the survey via the WWW using the same password issued for the Update Cycle in May.

The Library Programs Service seeks applicants for appointment to the position of Administrative Librarian, Cataloging Branch, under the "Outstanding Scholar Recruitment Program." To be considered, applicants must have earned a summary undergraduate grade point average of 3.45 or more on a 4.0 scale in any course of study and must have earned an ALA accredited MLS degree by time of hire. Current and former Federal employees are ineligible. The successful candidate will receive $26,000 to start and will be able to earn more than $46,000 after 3 years.

The incumbent will report to the Chief, Cataloging Branch, and, in addition to an assortment of traditional administrative duties (budget preparation etc.), will be responsible for initiating and managing electronic dissemination projects associated with cataloging records produced by the Cataloging Branch. Projects will include improving Web applications for the "Catalog of U.S. Government Publications," improving the CD-ROM edition of the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, and establishing PURLs (Persistent Uniform Resource Locators) applications to support locator services. Additional duties may include establishing an in-house cataloging system for the Cataloging Branch.

Applicants are expected to possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

1. Technical experience/skill sufficient to create Web page applications.
2. Excellent understanding of telecommunications and LAN environments.
3. Substantive understanding of MARC formats and OCLC's cataloging environment.
4. Excellent communications skills.
5. Ability to work well with people, particularly with technical and professional staff members working as teams.
6. Understanding of the Federal Depository Library Program, the Internet, and of the challenges and opportunities associated with electronic dissemination of information.

This position will remain open until filled. Applicants should fax or mail copies of undergraduate (with proof of grade point average) and graduate transcripts, a current curriculum vitae, and a detailed narrative addressing each of the requirements listed above to:

1997 Depository Conference Proceedings Published

The Proceedings of the 6^th Annual Federal Depository Library Conference have been shipped to all libraries under item 0556-C, SuDocs class GP 3.30/3:997, on shipping list 98-0018-P, dated 10-22-97.

The Proceedings are also available electronically on GPO Access at:

[ was ] http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/97pro.html [ now: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/proceedings/97pro.html ].

Depository library staff are urged to review the many informative papers contained in this volume.

Electronic Shipping List Archive Now Available on
the Federal Bulletin Board

The Library Programs Service (LPS) announces the release of the Electronic Shipping List Archive, a new service on the Federal Bulletin Board online via GPO Access at:

URL: http://fedbbs.access.gpo.gov/fdlp01.html
FTP: ftp://fedbbs.access.gpo.gov
Telnet: fedbbs.access.gpo.gov
Dial-Up:(202) 512-1387, Settings 8, N, 1, and Full Duplex

The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) Administration Web site will also provide a gateway to the electronic shipping lists. The FDLP Web site can be accessed at:

[ was ] http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/fdlppro.html [ now: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/index.html ]

The Shipping List Archive provides:

• Shipping list information from the previous fiscal year.
• Downloadable shipping lists.
• Retrospective electronic, microfiche, paper, and separates shipping lists.

The retention cycle for shipping lists will be three years. The initial archive site will house all shipping lists distributed from January 1, 1997 through September 30, 1997.

If you have any questions concerning this new service, please contact Robin Haun-Mohamed, Chief, Depository Administration Branch:

Windows 95 User Interface Replacement
of Possible Use to Depositories

The following notice, found on the Web, was brought to our attention as of possible interest to depository library staff.

Sales Product Catalog on Web Replaces PRF Microfiche

The Superintendent of Documents Publications Sales Program is in the midst of implementing a new integrated order processing system. This new system will mean faster, more efficient service, resulting in greatly improved order processing and delivery times.

During the next few months, the transition to this new system will entail some changes in our traditional services. The PRF microfiche will be replaced by a new product: the Sales Product Catalog (SPC). The Sales Product Catalog will provide more timely and accurate sales information to our customers. The SPC will be available via Internet at no cost. Specialized versions of the SPC, targeted at specific groups of our customers, are planned. You can order publications via this award-winning Web site, at URL: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs.

GPO is scheduled to end PRF distribution in microfiche by December 1997. When the transition to the new system is complete, the information that previously appeared in the PRF microfiche will be available as part of the SPC. We regret any inconvenience these changes may cause you.

If you have any questions or concerns about the upcoming changes, please contact:

The Superintendent of Documents has a new GPO Access home page, redesigned to provide users with easier and more efficient access to our online resources. The new home page has replaced the old one, and is available at the following URL:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs

In addition to the home page, several new "second level" pages have been developed that allow users to quickly and conveniently access our products and services. These pages are available as hot links from the new SuDocs page.

Please note that the new pages refer to the Monthly Catalog as the "Catalog of U.S. Government Publications" and refer to the PRF as the "Sales Product Catalog (SPC)." The SPC will contain all of the information previously found in the PRF, the master sales record. Once GPO's Integrated Processing System (IPS) is fully implemented, two specialized versions of the SPC will be available via GPO Access in addition to the master sales record. The "domestic" version of the SPC will be targeted to domestic customers and will not contain international prices and mailing options. The "international" version will be targeted to customers outside of the U.S. and will contain the international prices and mailing options.

The changes to the GPO Access home page and the creation of our other new pages were a direct result of the valuable feedback we received from our Focus group sessions conducted with the depository community and others, as well as comments submitted to the GPO Access User Support Team. We welcome and encourage any additional suggestions that you may have for the improvement of our services, and thank you for the recommendations that assisted us in this redesign.

For further assistance, contact the GPO Access User Support Team:

Phone: (888) 293-6498 (toll free), or (202) 512-1530 (local)
E-mail:gpoaccess@gpo.gov
Fax: (202) 512-1262

New CFR Web Interface Now on GPO Access

A new interface for searching the Code of Federal Regulations on the World Wide Web through GPO Access is now available. This new interface allows users to search both current and historical CFR data simultaneously. CFR volumes are added to the online service concurrent with the release of the paper editions. When revised CFR volumes are added, the prior editions will remain on GPO Access as a historical set. Refer to the page, "Search your choice of CFR titles and/or volumes," for an up-to-date listing of titles and volumes available in current and historical editions.

If you know the CFR citation (title and section) you can take advantage of the "retrieval function" by using the "Retrieve available CFR sections by citation" link. This provides you with the capability to execute a very specific search and immediately retrieve the document in PDF or ASCII text format. (This function allows you to search the most recent and/or historical volumes).

To search the Code of Federal Regulations on the World Wide Web, please use the CFR specialized search page at

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/index.html

For further assistance, contact the GPO Access User Support Team:

Phone: (888) 293-6498 (toll free), or (202) 512-1530 (local)
E-mail: gpoaccess@gpo.gov
Fax: (202) 512-1262

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) announced that it is expanding its electronic services by offering a new "Gateway" site at Wichita State University in Kansas, which will provide the public access to many of the Nation's most important Federal documents on the agency's Web site, GPO Access.

Users may access GPO Access via the Wichita State University Gateway, "GPO Access on the Web," by pointing their web browser to:

http://www.twsu.edu/library/gpo

For local user support, contact Nan Myers at (316) 978-5138 or myers@twsuvm.uc.twsu.edu

The October 29, 1997 issue of the Unified Agenda is now available online as part of the 1997 Unified Agenda Database on GPO Access. The Unified Agenda, also known as the Semiannual Regulatory Agenda, is published in the Federal Register twice a year, usually in April and October. It summarizes the rules and proposed rules that each agency expects to issue during the following 12 months. Because of its unique schedule and content, it is maintained as a separate database. Documents are available as ASCII text files and as Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) Files . This database is accessible via the World Wide Web, through WAIS client software, telnet or dial-in.

On the World Wide Web, the Unified Agenda is accessible from the GPO Access main searching page at the following URL:

Select the Unified Agenda from the scroll box and enter search terms in the search terms box.

Helpful Hints for the Federal Register and Unified Agenda are available online via the World Wide Web and the Federal Bulletin Board. Once in the database, a search for "helpful hints" should retrieve instructions and sample searches.

For further assistance, contact the GPO Access User Support Team:
Phone: (888) 293-6498 (toll free), or (202) 512-1530 (local)
E-mail: gpoaccess@gpo.gov
Fax: (202) 512-1262

In October 1997, depository libraries in Louisiana completed the self-study process. Having just written the self-study for Louisiana Tech University’s Prescott Memorial Library and having read self-study reports from depositories in my state, I decided to look for ways to improve the self-study process for librarians. After considering the matter for several days, I compiled a list of suggestions that I believe can accomplish two things:

• Help ease the challenging and intricate process.
• Help improve the readability of the self-study report.

This list of suggestions is divided into two sections: a time line for preparing the self-study report, and hints on writing and formatting the report itself.

The self-study process takes time and effort by the documents librarian. Do not procrastinate. Fortunately there are several preliminary actions that a depository manager can take in advance of actually writing the self-study report. Depository libraries are inspected on a cycle of five to seven years. Documents librarians can roughly determine the date of the next self-study and possible inspection by looking at the date of the previous inspection. The time line includes actions that a documents librarian can take immediately as well as later as the due date approaches.

No matter where in the cycle your library falls, there are several things that you can do right now to begin preparing for a potential inspection.

• Start early. Right now is not too soon to take these actions.

• Start a folder, either real or virtual, of material related to the self-study. The folder can include notes of things to do, suggested language for answers, publicity efforts, and any other material related to the self-study process.

• Review the following publications from GPO:

• Instructions to Depository Libraries
• Federal Depository Library Manual and all Supplements

• Review the library’s collection development policy for U.S. depository documents. Revise if needed using Federal Depository Library Manual Supplement (Sept. 1994). Formulate if needed.

• Review the library’s policy statements and procedure manuals pertaining to depository operations. Revise if needed. Develop if needed.

• Review previous inspection reports to ensure that GPO requirements and recommendations have been adopted and explain in self-study if not adopted.

• If appropriate, review the library’s selective housing agreement/s for depository documents. Revise if needed. Develop if needed

• Check the depository sticker at the library entrance. Replace if needed. Affix if needed.

Generally the Depository Services staff will informally notify depository libraries about six months in advance of the self-study. This informal notice is the signal that the depository librarian should begin a conscientious effort on the self-study.

• Communicate with your library’s administration:

• Explain the procedure for the self-study. Enlist the support of the library’s administration in the process.
• Explain that writing the self-study report will take time away from other activities.
• Seek input from staff.

• Remember that, in general, the larger and more complex the depository operation in a library, the longer and more complex the self-study report.

• Download the latest version of the self-study template from the FDLP Administration Web site. Discard older versions to avoid confusion.

• Communicate with other depository librarians in the state or region. Arrange a meeting, telephone conference, or e-mail exchange to share ideas. Take advantage of state and regional organizations and meetings.

• If there is an e-mail discussion group for documents librarians in the state, use it to develop a running dialogue on the self-study. Use the subject tag SELF-STUDY: to designate messages on the self-study.

• Veteran librarians, even those who have never completed a self-study, can serve as mentors for more inexperienced depository librarians.

• Begin drafting answers to the questions on the self-study.

If you began a conscientious effort at the informal notice, the formal notice of the due date for the self-study will not be as intimidating.

• Check the FDLP Administration Web site to be certain that you have the most recent version of the self-study [URL: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/selfstud.html ]

• Consult with other depository librarians in the state, as necessary, for suggested wording of answers on cooperative efforts.

• Gather together copies of documents such as policies, procedure manuals, clippings and other promotion activities, statistics gathering instruments, etc.

• Proofread, spell check, and edit final version of answers.

In this section, I have included suggestions on answering the self-study questions as well as formatting the final report.

• It takes time to draft and revise the answers.

• Think about the person who will read your answers, that is, a member of the inspection team. That person is

• A librarian with depository experience.
• Familiar with best practices of depository management.
• Not familiar with the specifics of your operation.
• Reading dozens of self-study reports per year.

• Help the reader by answering the questions in a thorough but concise manner. Answer questions specifically, do not use words as "appears to," "I think," "I feel," etc. Answer the question that is posed. If there are several parts to the question, answer each part completely.

• Summarize procedures into a process analysis.

• Explain local terms.

• Do not use just "yes" or "no." Describe briefly why answer is "yes" or "no."

• Where appropriate, use lists.

• Use bulleted lists where the order of the steps is not important.
• Use numbered lists where order of the steps is critical.

• Communicate with other libraries on cooperative efforts. If ABC Library reports that it coordinates collection development with XYZ Library, XYZ should report that it cooperates with ABC.

After all the hard work that you have put into the self-study process, you want to present the results in a professional-looking format.

• Include the questions and answers. Do not hand-write answers.

• Create a visual difference between the questions and answers. You can create this difference by using one or more of the following techniques:

• Use a regular typeface (like this one) for the questions and bold typeface for answers.
• Set off the answer by skipping a line both before and after the answer.
• Use a block indent for answers.
• Consider the following format:

• Presentation of the self-study report need not be elaborate. A well-written report that is stapled together [a binder is not required] is better than a poorly written report in an elaborate binder. Do not fax or e-mail the self-study.

• Include a control sheet listing all material in the report package:

• Cover letter.
• Self study report.
• Policy and procedure manuals.
• Collection development policy.
• Other attachments or inclusions, if appropriate.

• Keep a copy of the entire self-study report, including attachments, in your permanent files. The file copy could be useful if the GPO staff has a question. The file copy could also serve as a model for the library’s next self-study cycle.

• Provide a copy to the library administration.

• Mail a copy of the report to your regional or other designated library.

Although time consuming, the pain involved in the self-study process can be eased by following some or all of these suggestions. The prudent documents librarian will start the process as early as possible. At any time during the process, should questions arise, please contact the Chief, Depository Services at GPO by telephone on (202) 512-1119; by fax on (202) 512-1432; or by e-mail at smcgarr@gpo.gov

Replacement of Microfiche Titles by Online Versions Postponed

In the October 15, 1997 issue of the Administrative Notes, the Library Programs Service (LPS) announced a list of titles currently distributed in microfiche format for which an online electronic source has been identified. LPS prepared this list to solicit comments prior to discontinuing distribution of these titles in microfiche format.

After discussion at the fall 1997 meeting of the Depository Library Council in Clearwater Beach, Florida, LPS has decided to postpone acting on this proposal until the criteria for identifying appropriate tangible product titles has been more fully developed and publicized.

When considering online resources for distribution to the depository libraries solely in electronic online format, LPS staff look for resources that meet the following specific criteria:

• The title must be available on a Government Web site that has a significant amount of content, including both current and back issues.

• The title cannot be a reference aid.

• In evaluating titles for online electronic delivery only, we consider the number of libraries selecting a title. Generally, only titles selected by 500 or fewer libraries are considered.

• If an online resource has a value associated with timely delivery, such as newsletters and announcements of hearings, online is very likely more timely than distribution of the material in microfiche format.

LPS will be working in consultation with Council on this issue, but if individual librarians have specific suggestions, please direct them to: