LPS has inaugurated the FDLP Announcement Service to provide depository libraries with time-sensitive information relating to the Federal Depository Library Program. Through this free email service, LPS will provide depository libraries with timely announcements relating to the program, including but not limited to notices on:

• New issues of Administrative Notes and its Technical Supplement posted to the FDLP Desktop;

• Meetings (Depository Library Council, Federal Depository Library Conference, Interagency Seminar);

• Superintendent of Documents requests for withdrawal of documents;

• Operational matters, e.g., Item Selection Update Cycle, problems with shipping lists.

The announcements will contain brief text, and, when applicable, URLs linking to full texts on GPO Access.

To subscribe, go to <http://listserv.access.gpo.gov/>. Click on <Online Mailing List Archives>. Click on <GPO-FDLP-L>. Click on <Join or leave the list> and follow the instructions.

Those who sign on will automatically receive the FDLP email announcements. Initially, LPS will continue to post the same announcements to discussion lists such as GOVDOC-L and DocTech-L, but ultimately the FDLP Announcement Service will be the sole online source for these notices. LPS strongly encourages all depository libraries to subscribe to the service.

The FDLP Announcement Service is not a discussion list, as only list owners may post messages. Any comments or questions should be sent to <askLPS@gpo.gov>.

The "Contents Page" for Serial Number 14601 contains an error. The entry for House Report 106-321 should have "2 pts." following the entry instead of "pt. 1."

We suggest that your library make this correction on your "Contents Page" in permanent black ink.

Emergency Response Publications is a new Special Collection featured on the U.S. Government Online Bookstore. Emergency Response Publications includes titles that focus on managing and responding to emergency situations such as: First Response, Travel Emergencies, Medical Emergencies, and Emergency Guidelines and Training. While customers are able to order the publications directly from the Online Bookstore page, some titles require approval from the publishing agency before ordering.

You can view this collection of Emergency Response titles at <http://bookstore.gpo.gov/eresponse.html>, or at the homepage of the Online Bookstore under "Browse Special Collection".

"Make the Connection at a Federal Depository Library"

The Library Programs Service (LPS) is working with GPO’s Office of Program Awareness and the Electronic Information Dissemination Service to develop a new marketing campaign to promote the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). This effort was first announced at the Spring 2002 Depository Library Council meeting in Mobile, Alabama, when a draft promotion plan was shared with the depository community. The plan is now finalized. "Make the Connection at a Federal Depository Library" is the theme for the campaign, which depicts online access, publications and service.

Depository librarians will soon see the first products of the campaign. Posters and bookmarks are now being printed. LPS will distribute one copy to all depository libraries under item 0556-C as soon as they are available. Distribution is projected for late August or early September. Additional copies of the poster or packages of 50 bookmarks will be sent upon request. Orders may be submitted to Michelle Overstreet at < moverstreet@gpo.gov >.

In addition to creating new promotional materials, LPS has purchased the services of the North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS) who will provide information about the FDLP to daily and weekly newspapers and radio stations across the country. One and two-column filler pieces and a radio spot were developed for distribution to these media outlets. LPS will monitor usage through regular reports provided by NAPS showing the circulation and major market area for the pieces.

More products, including a CD with public service announcements to help you promote your services and collections, are under development. LPS will inform you as they become available. To see the FDLP Promotion Plan or for more information on marketing and promotion visit the "Promotion" Web page on the FDLP Desktop at <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pr/index.html>. Any questions may be directed to Cynthia Etkin at <cetkin@gpo.gov>.

2002 Federal Depository Library Conference and Fall Depository Library Council Meeting Planned for October

Federal Depository Library Conference &

Depository Library Council Meeting

Fall 2002

Remarks by Francis J. Buckley, Jr.
Superintendent of Documents

Before the Government Documents Round Table
American Library Association

Good morning. I am pleased to be here to participate in this dialog on the future of government information dissemination. I believe no-fee access to public Government information is a right of the people and a necessity, now and in the future, to support our democratic society. Also, that the Government has an obligation to provide broad, ongoing public access to its information. But as I see the evolution of information technology and the movement toward e-government, there are significant impacts on the future of access to government information through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).

The Government Printing Office Electronic Information Access Enhancement Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-40), more commonly called the GPO Access Act, ushered GPO into the online information environment. By requiring online access to the Federal Register and Congressional Record, and "other appropriate publications distributed by the Superintendent of Documents" the foundation for the Federal Depository Library Program Electronic Collection (FDLP/EC) was laid. Specifically, the GPO Access Act charged the Superintendent of Documents to:

1. maintain an electronic directory of Federal electronic information,
2. provide a system of online access to the Congressional Record, the Federal Register, and other appropriate publications, and
3. operate an electronic storage facility for Federal electronic information.

In concert with the GPO Access Act, in 1996 Congress directed GPO to transition to a more electronic FDLP. Thus in addition to the publications we put up on our own servers, we are pointing to electronic publications on agency websites.

The electronic information environment has provided several new roles and expanded some traditional roles for GPO:

1. Managing an electronic collection, the Federal Depository Library Program Electronic Collection (FDLP/EC);
2. Finding, identifying, and acquiring electronic government information products;
3. Developing locator and other services to complement the traditional bibliographic monthly catalog system; and
4. Providing permanent public access to electronic Government information.

Permanent public access to government publications has long been a requirement for GPO and the Library Programs Service. This has traditionally been achieved by distributing tangible items to depository libraries. In the electronic collection, permanent public access is achieved through a digital archive at GPO and partnerships with Federal agencies and depository libraries. Our efforts toward digital archiving ensure that citizens’ long-term rights to information access are protected. Now, current events are forcing a review of government information public access policies and programs, and we are addressing electronic security concerns at GPO through archiving, the use of PURLs, and the development of a geographically separate backup facility and mirror site for GPO Access. We strive to maintain the same level of permanency and security for the Electronic Collection as for tangible titles distributed to libraries.

Our program has been developed in concert with depository librarians and reflected in two documents: our plan for the transition to a more electronic FDLP and a collection development plan for the FDLP/EC.

The FDLP has a long and distinguished history as a centrally coordinated system of shared responsibility for building, storing, disseminating, providing access to, and preserving Government information. Also, in terms of electronic access, the FDLP/EC complements other government initiatives such as FirstGov and the National Archives Electronic Records program.

An increasingly electronic FDLP presented several challenges for GPO. First, Discovery of publications on the web: In online distribution, we lack the automatic system of riders added to print orders to provide stock of printed publications to be distributed to libraries. GPO is developing systems and practices to enable us to discover agency publications on the Web effectively, and to gather the information efficiently about those publications needed for subsequent cataloging and preservation.

Assuring ongoing integrity of content: In the print world, a user was assured that a publication from a Government agency, printed through GPO, was an approved, official document. Online, publications generally are not consistently reviewed and are not fixed in time by the printing process. Users, however, still need and expect the information to be official. GPO is working toward mechanisms that provide the same level of authenticity, both for publications on agency servers to which we point, and for archived publications.

Assuring ongoing access to content: GPO currently points to publications on the originating agency server for as long as possible, and we also maintain an archival copy of the publication. Users are routed to the archival copy only when the publication is no longer available from the originating site. GPO is involved in work to develop other systems and processes for archiving and preserving data and reliably delivering it to users over time.

Enhancing and extending the service role of depository libraries: The link between Government information, technology, and users at all levels of skill, knowledge, and proficiency is the depository library. More than ever users need assistance in making sense of the mass of Government information, and not all users are equally able to use and interpret Government information resources. This traditional role for depository librarians as guide and interpreter is being expanded and emphasized.

Archiving: No consensus exists on strategies for archiving digital information, and far more research is being done on large repositories than on distributed archives. GPO has made it a priority to be aware of the state of the art, and to be involved actively in developing it. Currently, most research points to a central archive with adequate redundancy built in for disaster recovery. But what we are doing is capturing digital information for which we have no assurance of preservation.

Discovery and cataloging: As the electronic transition has progressed, resources at GPO that had been directed to distribution have been and continue to be reallocated to identification and acquisition, and we continue to expand the cataloging function. Acquisition of electronic publications is far more labor-intensive because we lack the print rider system.

And last but not least, a new issue for both the tangible FDLP collection as well as the Electronic Collection is that of Information sensitivity post 9-11. Our mission has always been to collect as comprehensively as possible government information products that are not classified or official/administrative use only that have no public interest or educational value (to paraphrase Section 1902 of Title 44). We collect and disseminate agency "publications" in various formats as a ministerial or service function.

Over the years, agency publications have been included in the program and later withdrawn for one reason or another. Since September there has been a lot of concern about the possibility that some of the information in the FDLP may be used inappropriately, but we have only had two agency requests to remove publications. One was from the U.S. Geological Survey last fall to pull a CD-ROM on water resources. The second is a current request from the General Accounting Office to pull a report from GPO Access on the Brady Act Instant Background Check. Although we have withdrawn the title from GPO Access, it is still available in hardcopy from GAO. The current issue of Administrative Notes has complete information on the title and ordering information. But we are aware that other agency websites have removed many publications for reasons of "national security" (undefined criteria).

In the future, the format of more and more government information will be electronic, although I envision the FDLP will always contain mixed media. In keeping with the GPO Access Act, we are working to ensure continued access to government information in an increasingly electronic environment. In FY 2001, over 15,200 online titles and over 7,600 links to agency titles were added to GPO Access, for a total of well over 22,000 new online titles that year alone. There were 355 million document retrievals from GPO Access in FY 2001. Today document retrievals average more than 31 million per month, the equivalent of about 750 million pages of typewritten documents. In FY 1999, online dissemination represented 44% of titles distributed to depository libraries. This grew to over 60% of the titles distributed in FY 2001. More government information than ever is available online, and more Americans are using online government information than ever before.

According to a recent study titled The Rise of the E-Citizen: How People Use Government Agencies' Web Sites, published on April 3, 2002 by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, "One of the fastest growing activities online in recent years has been the use of government Web sites (12)" <http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=57>.

I would like to share with you the opening of this study’s Summary of Findings:

The Rise of the E-Citizen found that:

This is good news for the FDLP. American citizens are increasingly comfortable with obtaining government information online, and the demand is rising. The FDLP Electronic Collection is growing to meet the demand. However, this does not mean that the need for GPO or depository librarians is diminished. In particular, I see the need for a centralized Superintendent of Documents program to find and acquire appropriate tangible and electronic information products for the FDLP, to catalog and index them for inclusion in the national bibliography, and to have systems to address the issue of permanent public access. The FDLP program and the Cataloging and Indexing program are complemented by, but not replaced by, newer initiatives for public identification and access to electronic government information.

Though direct access to government information online is growing by leaps and bounds, not everyone is able to take full advantage of it without the aid of depository libraries and librarians. Even amidst the growing electronic nature of government information distribution, many citizens will continue to seek out depository libraries for access and guidance. We will always need libraries and depository librarians to facilitate access to electronic documents in addition to continuing to keep the documents in tangible format. Citizens will continue to go to libraries for expert guidance in finding and accessing information, whether that information is presented in tangible or electronic formats.

In the development of the FDLP and our distribution programs, we have seen many milestones and many changes. Through it all, the FDLP has remained committed to providing public access to official, public Government information, and we will continue in the future. Thank you for your attention.

Developments in the Library Programs Service

LPS continues to experience staff shortages, but I am pleased to announce some improvement in the overall outlook. For those who have not heard, James Mauldin is now Chief of the Depository Distribution Division. James was a Program Analyst with LPS for several years and he is carrying over that experience into the Division Chief position. New projects that staff in Distribution are working on include a tracking system for depository shipments and development of a Web Claim Form. Implementation for these projects is tentatively set for October 2002 with the beginning of the new fiscal year.

The Cataloging Branch has two new section chiefs—Mike Levinson and Jennifer Davis. Both have worked in the LPS Cataloging Branch and we welcome their enthusiasm and expertise. The Cataloging Branch continues to recruit for catalogers. Tad Downing is conducting interviews to fill six cataloging positions for serials, monographs, and maps. We presently have 14 catalogers and hope to bring this number to 20 within the next few weeks. People interested in discussing these positions are encouraged to contact Tad at the Days Inn Downtown Atlanta. He has scheduled discussions with a number of people on Friday and Sunday and would be pleased to fit additional people in on Sunday and particularly Monday. These are not formal interviews but are excellent opportunities to discuss positions, income, and benefits; and to obtain advice on how to successfully work through the employment process.

The position of Librarian in the Depository Administration Branch recently closed and we are looking forward to seeing a selection list of candidates in the near future. A position that recently opened is the Congressional Documents Assistant in the Congressional Printing Management Division. This position deals with compiling the materials for the U.S. Congressional Serial Set. I have copies of the announcement for anyone that may be interested.

Work towards the acquisition of an Integrated Library System (ILS) continues in LPS. JCP has approved the acquisition of a commercial, off-the-shelf ILS. The solicitation for the automation consultant contract should be posted sometime this next week. Two positions, a program analyst and an outstanding scholar position, will also be open, for those of you interested in working under the office of the Director, with Laurie Hall, Supervisory Program Analyst.

The Electronic Documents Working Group continues to be active in providing sites and resources for inclusion in the FDLP Electronic Collection. There is a new email address, <lostdocs@gpo.gov> for folks to use when submitting entries for consideration. If you need the URL for the Electronic Docs Working Group, see me after this session and I can provide that for you <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/tools/ewgroup/index.html>. For the month of May, 140 titles were received and 77 titles were processed and added to the collection.

The Web Document Digital Archive (WDDA) Pilot Project with OCLC continues to progress. The first phase involved testing preservation metadata creation tools added to the CORC interface. The phase 2 beta version was delivered on June 3^rd and will be tested for approximately 60 days. It introduces harvest and archived file transfer functionality as well as administration functions.

In August 2001, Mr. Buckley wrote to the library directors requesting assistance in revising state plans for the delivery of FDLP services. The response to this request has been very commendable. We have been advised of the revision of many state plans, and the initial development of the first state plan in two states. Many states have posted copies of the state plans or drafts on a website. You can link to many of these plans from the Library of Michigan’s Regional Depository Libraries page. Again, if you need the URL, please see me after this update < http://www.libofmich.lib.mi.us/services/plans.html >.

Now for the really exciting stuff—all the inspector positions have been filled—we have four inspectors on board. The newest library inspector is Linda Resler, who comes to us from the Marine Corps Research Center in Quantico, Virginia.

We have begun inspecting libraries again, after taking about one year off due to lack of staff and the many self-studies that needed to be evaluated. Recent inspections have taken place in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. Libraries in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Pennsylvania still need to be inspected as a result of the completion of the self-study evaluation backlog.

In December, LPS issued a call for self-studies from libraries in Michigan, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. We are moving slowly but surely through these studies, and inspections will be scheduled later this year for some of these libraries, depending on how fast the self-study reviews go and how many library inspectors have completed the training.

I have just a few reminders for you. The 2003 Annual Item Selection Update Cycle is underway. Any item numbers you wish to add must be submitted during this period, which ends July 31, 2002. The new item number selections go into effect with the new fiscal year, October 1, 2002. Libraries are reminded they may not make claims for materials selected during the update cycle until October 2002. Also remember that while you can add material only during the update cycle, you can deselect material year-round.

As part of the inspection/self-study process, we are finding many libraries that do not meet the Minimum Specifications because they do not have a DVD Reader/Player. This will be a problem in the near future as Census continues to release material from the 2000 Census in DVD format.

There has been much discussion recently about the Essential Titles for Public Use in Paper Format list. The list was printed in the January 15, 2001 issue of Administrative Notes (vol. 22, # 02), along with the Dissemination/Distribution Policy for the Federal Depository Library Program (SOD 71). The Essential Title list was developed with input from the depository library community. Titles can be added or removed from the list. Titles recommended by the library community will be considered for inclusion in the list. Titles will be removed when it has been determined that the agency has ceased publication in paper. Major changes in the operations or funding of the FDLP may also initiate changes to the list. If you wish to make recommendations for the Essential Titles list, please use the askLPS service.

There are some publications in broad categories that are mentioned specifically in the essential titles list—for example, see the entry for Decennial Census publications. Most specific titles are generally covered under the Section 4.b. of the SOD 71 policy: "the tangible product is of significant reference value to most types of FDLP libraries." Paper Census publications produced under contract through GPO will be disseminated to the libraries. I have brought a handout with both the Essential Titles list and SOD 71 that is available in the back of the room.

In past updates I always enjoyed sharing title information about new products disseminated to the libraries. When I became head of Depository Services, I thought I had to leave that behind, but behold, here I am again, so one more time let me share with you some interesting titles that have been or will soon be sent to the libraries:

Tangible Products:

• Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2001-2003
• Federal Justice in the Mid-Atlantic South: United States Courts from Maryland to the Carolinas, 1789-1835
• Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses from 1790 to 2000
• Patterns of Global Terrorism, 2001
• World Trade Center Building Performance Study: Data Collection, Preliminary Observations and Recommendations

Online only titles include:

• Status of Technology and Digitization in the Nation’s Museums and Libraries (2002)
• You, Your Privacy Policy and COPPA: How to Comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act
• Beyond Nunn-Lugar: Curbing the Next Wave of Weapons Proliferation Threats from Russia

I want to thank you for asking me to speak and now I will turn the program over to T.C. Evans for the GPO Access update.

GPO Access Update

Until recently, performance problems were routinely frustrating large amounts of GPO Access customers. Through Keynote Systems, Inc., a performance measurement service, we have been working to identify and eliminate these problems and have succeeded in eliminating many. While there are still periodic problems, overall performance has improved. We are continuously monitoring and working to improve the performance of GPO Access. In addition, we are beginning to track performance in specific cities across the United States to identify any geographical trends.

• Since 1994, GPO Access retrievals have exceeded 1.2 billion. This is equivalent to over 29 billion typewritten pages.

• GPO Access has averaged close to 32 million document retrievals in the last six months, and reached an all-time high of almost 36.5 million document retrievals in October 2001.

• GPO Access contains over 135,000 electronic titles and points to over 89,000 others for a total of more than 225,000 titles.

• GPO Access provides use of over 2,400 databases through more than 80 applications.