Home Page > FDLP Desktop > Administrative Notes >Sept. 15 - Oct. 15, 2007

Administrative Notes: Newsletter of the FDLP

Robert C. Tapella Becomes Public Printer

The U.S. Senate confirmed and President George W. Bush signed the commission to make Robert C. Tapella the nation's 25th Public Printer. Tapella will lead more than 2,200 employees at the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). Tapella has been involved in GPO's transformation into a profitable 21st Century digital operation during the last five years, first as Deputy Chief of Staff and then as Chief of Staff.

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Missouri Library Takes Library of the Year Honors

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) named Missouri’s Middendorf-Kredell Branch of the St. Charles City-County Library as the 2007 Federal Depository Library of the Year. Public Printer Robert C. Tapella presented the award to library officials at the annual Fall Federal Depository Library Conference in the nation’s capital. The library is located in a growing and changing area outside of St. Louis. Tapella complimented the library on being one of the first to move to an online environment and provide the public with Government information electronically.

Public Printer Robert C. Tapella presents the Federal Depository Library of the Year Award to Betty Murr of the Middendorf-Kredell Branch of the St. Charles City-County Library District.

“It is an honor to present the library with this award. The Middendorf-Kredell Library has demonstrated great leadership in the ever changing digital age by creating an online forum twelve years ago for the public to access Government information,” said Public Printer Robert C. Tapella. “I’m especially proud of the library’s online program that teaches kids about the Government. Uncle Sam for Kids was one of the first programs of its kind in the nation.”

"We're certainly not the largest depository, so I like to think that our recognition is tied to our strength of getting library services out to the broader community,” said St. Charles City-County Library District Director Carl R. Sandstedt. “We have tried for years to "knock" the walls out of our buildings and push services throughout the area. We are simply much more proactive in the delivery of services than most public libraries.”

The library embraced its responsibility to public service by offering a wide range of programs for the community in the St. Louis area. One of the most successful services is the Community & Market Analysis program. Businesses interested in relocation or expanding in the area can get free, customized analysis for any address. The two Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, whose districts include the library, offered their congratulations on the accomplishments of the library and its director. —

“Although the Federal government document collection is extensive and covers a broad range of topics, your staff made it accessible through a unique “user friendly” web portal, understandable via a logical method of organization, and easy to use by nearly anyone who desired information,” said Rep. W. Todd Akin (2nd District, Missouri). “A well-informed electorate is indispensable to the American form of government.”

“Your service and dedication to the community has been recognized-a distinction you most assuredly deserve. I am certainly proud to represent a portion of the library district in our nation’s capitol,” said Rep. Kenny Hulshof (9th District, Missouri).

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2007 Fall DLC Meeting Proceedings Now Online

The proceedings from the Fall 2007 Federal Depository Library Conference and Depository Library Council Meeting are now available.

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New Federal Depository Library Directory Rollout Planned

Library Services and Content Management (LSCM) is preparing to launch the new Federal Depository Library Directory, a new functionality of the Locate Library application of the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications. The Directory will have special features and extensive information for use by the libraries in the FDLP and also provide the public with directory information which will enable public patrons to come to your depository library or contact you when they have government documents questions.

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Online Session on Authentication Available in OPAL Archive

A FDLP Web-based training session on authentication presented on October 30, 2007 is available for viewing on the GPO OPAL site. The presentation provided an overview of GPO's authentication initiatives for GPO Access, focusing on the newly-released beta version of an Authenticated Public Laws application.

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FDLP Express Launches

Do you get too much email? Have you ever wished that there was a service where you could receive email updates based on the news that is important to you? Well wait no longer. GPO is happy to announce the launch of FDLP Express.

FDLP Express allows registered members of the FDLP Desktop to sign up and receive email alerts based on various categories. At present, only a few categories are available, but more will be added in the near future.

Once you subscribe to a category or categories, the FDLP Desktop checks every hour for new content and pushes out alerts based on those categories.

Registration on the FDLP Desktop is currently locked down to depository coordinators until the completion of the Biennial Survey. Registration is anticipated to open to the full community in November 2007.

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Depository Distribution Status Page Now Online

A new Web page designed to keep libraries informed of weekly depository shipments has been released. The page can be accessed directly from the FDLP Desktop homepage from the "Shipping Lists This Week" module on the far right column.

Library Services & Content Management will use the page to keep libraries informed of the shipping lists processed and distributed each week. The page will also be used to communicate system-wide issues or problems with depository shipments.

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Last Shipping List Numbers for FY2007

Libraries are reminded that all new items added to item selection profiles during the 2007 Annual Update Cycle are now active. You should begin receiving these items with the first shipping list for FY08 which is currently being prepared for shipment. The last shipping lists issued for FY2007 are as follows:

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GPO Seeks Comments on Draft Library Assessments Focus Document

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) is disseminating a draft document entitled, "Public Access Assessments: Focus on Access, Collections, and Service". It describes the focus of the revitalized individual Federal depository library assessment program, which is organized around the major categories of Access, Collections, and Service. Various outcomes-based measures will be developed for each category after review of this document by the library community.

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Celebrating Depository Anniversaries

Got an anniversary coming up? The FDLP Desktop now features tips and ideas on how to celebrate your library's commitment to making Federal information available to the public. Learn how GPO's services can work for you in preparing your celebrations.

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Order FDLP Promotional Materials

The FDLP Desktop has launched a new promotional ordering system where Federal depository libraries can receive promotional materials, such as flyers, pens, stickers, anniversary certificates, and much more. These materials are offered at no charge to Federal depository libraries. Please use these materials to assist you in your efforts to increase public awareness of the Federal Depository Library Program.

At present, the system is only available to depository coordinators. When FDLP Desktop registration opens to the full community following the completion of the Biennial Survey, the ordering system will be open to all Federal depository librarians.

Please consider carefully the quantity of materials needed for your library when ordering so that we can continue to offer these materials. There is an order limit (usually 25 items) on some of the materials in order to ensure that we have enough materials in stock for everyone.

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LSCM Director Contact Form

Communication with our community is key. Subject matter experts are available through our askGPO service. In addition to that service, Library Services and Content Management has released an LSCM director contact form. This form is designed to put the community in touch with senior staff within the organization.

The drop-down form provides access to the following contacts:

• Ric Davis, Director Library Services & Content Management
• Laurie Hall, Director, Library Technical Information Services
• Robin Haun-Mohamed, Director, Collection Management & Preservation
• Ted Priebe, Director, Library Planning & Development

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Your Opportunity to Test Handles
The Next Generation Persistent Identifier

The persistent identifier of choice for FDsys is Handles, developed by the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI). LSCM staff is working to test Handles as a proof of concept and to determine requirements for Handles to be implemented in FDsys.

While staff continue to test and experiment with the capabilities of the software, a Handles Web page was created on the FDLP Desktop to provide you with background information and to allow you to participate in beta testing.

Along with a PURL, five Handles with different naming conventions were added to the 856 MARC field of approximately thirty records in the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP). From the Handles Web page you can access the bibliographic records and you can link to the online resources, through Handles and the PURL.

The bibliographic records used in the testing can also be accessed from the CGP. All these records will have a 500 note, which can be searched:

THIS IS A GPO HANDLES TEST RECORD, WHICH WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CATALOG OR UPDATED AT A LATER TIME.

This note and the Handles were added to the test records after they were imported into OCLC. The OCLC records will not contain the Handles or the 500 note.

GPO seeks your comments on Handles. You can access the Handles Web page and provide comments. The deadline for comments is November 26th.

GPO may or may not use the Handles naming conventions presented in the pilot test records until additional FDsys development and investigation is completed. The feedback you provide will be included in the final report LSCM will present to the FDsys Project Management Office and it will assist GPO in determining Handles development priorities.

A session on Handles at the Federal Depository Library Conference was pod cast and is available on the FDLP Desktop.

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Remarks & LSCM Update
By Ric Davis Director, Library Services and Content Management
and Acting Superintendent of Documents

Good Morning! I want to take this opportunity to welcome all of you to the Federal Depository Library Conference and Fall Depository Library Council meeting and say how happy I am to be here with you. Throughout the conference, let me encourage you to approach me or any member of GPO’s staff and talk with us about any of the initiatives you hear about today. My best advice as always for everyone attending these conferences is to not only take time to participate in conference sessions, but Network! Network! Network! (with your colleagues who are here from the library community and also with GPO and other Federal staff who will make themselves available after sessions and on breaks to talk with you). As Bob just mentioned, I have decided not to pursue the appointed position of Superintendent of Documents, but will remain in my permanent position as Director of the Library Services and Content Management business unit, and look forward to continuing to serve you in that role. We will begin a search for a Superintendent of Documents, now that we have a Public Printer. Before I begin with some of our current initiatives, there are several important items of note to speak about.

Tributes and Thank You’s

I want to take a moment to pay tribute to Mr. Carl A. LaBarre, former Superintendent of Documents at GPO, who was laid to rest on October 4th in Arlington National Cemetery. From his post as the Superintendent of Documents, Mr. LaBarre directed a nationwide network involving warehouse-based mail order operations, 25 bookstores in major metropolitan areas, and depository libraries in virtually every State and congressional district. He made the Depository Library Council an effective advisory body for the Public Printer and, as you well know, it remains so to this day. Mr. LaBarre will be remembered with honor and respect, and we remain thankful for all he did for GPO and the FDLP.

Next, I want to recognize another very sad loss for the community, Mr. Robert Oakley, Professor and Law Librarian at Georgetown University Law Center, who passed away recently. He served on the executive board of the American Association of Law Libraries and served as its president in 2000 and 2001. He performed work and showed unfaltering dedication to the association in Washington for 18 years, often delivering testimony and providing expertise on Capitol Hill. For his endless dedication to the field and for his kindhearted ways in life, he will be sincerely missed.

Finally, I want to offer an immense “thank you” to Mr. Tad Downing, who will be retiring from GPO in November after 31 years of service. His entire tenure at GPO has been devoted to working for the Superintendent of Documents, both in Sales and Library service. Tad led the Sales bibliographic operation, as well as Acquisitions and the Cataloging Branch. As leader of the Cataloging Branch, Tad was known by most as the “father” of the Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications on CD-ROM, the first electronic iteration of the MoCat. Tad will be missed at GPO, and we wish him well in the future.

New Council Members

As you know, recently, former Acting Public Printer William H. Turri announced the appointment of six new members to the Depository Library Council. The new Council members’ term started October 1, 2007, and I would like to formally welcome them and take this opportunity to thank them for their commitment to service. Our esteemed new members are:

• Ms. Gwen Sinclair, Head of Government Documents & Maps at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Library

• Ms. Victoria K. Trotta, Associate Dean for Information Technology and Ross-Blakley Law Library, Arizona State University

• Dr. Christopher Greer, Senior Advisor for Digital Data, National Science Foundation

• Ms. Kathryn S. Lawhun, Chief of the Main San Francisco Public Library

• Mr. John A. Shuler, Associate Professor and Bibliographer for Government Information and Urban Planning/Documents Librarian Collections Development of the South Morgan Richard J. Daley Library at University of Illinois at Chicago

• Mr. Kendall F. Wiggin, State Librarian at the Connecticut State Library

Please join me in giving them a warm round of applause.

New Library in the Program

I would also like to welcome our newest Depository library into the program, the Appalachian School of Law Library in Grundy, Virginia. Ms. Barbie Selby, the Virginia Regional Librarian, was instrumental in making this happen, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank her as well.

Anniversaries

2007 has been a significant year in the history of the Federal Depository Library Program in that it marked the 100th anniversary of the largest group of libraries ever to enter the program in a single year. On March 1, 1907, under the provisions of the Nelson Amendment to the First and Second Morrill Acts, 43 land-grant colleges entered the FDLP.

To commemorate this significant milestone, GPO sent these libraries crystal plaques to honor their century-long participation in this important public service program. It is my pleasure, along with all the staff at GPO, to heartily congratulate these libraries for their long-term commitment to making Federal Government information available to the public through the FDLP.

A complete listing is in your folders. Congratulations, and please join me in a round of applause for these fine institutions.

Difference between FDsys and the FDLP

Over the last few months I have heard discussions and received many questions regarding GPO’s Future Digital System (FDsys) and the FDLP. Questions and comments have been along the lines of, "What will happen to the FDLP when FDsys is implemented?" and "The FDLP may be taken over by FDsys."

The Federal Depository Library Program is a congressionally authorized program. In reality, FDsys is being built, in part, to serve the digital content management needs of the FDLP, but it is also a key component of information/enterprise architecture for the agency. The FDLP remains an integral program for GPO, and the FDsys is an information management tool that will greatly benefit our program. Some of the specific benefits to the program that it will provide once implemented include: improved search functionality, more authentication, version tracking, and online personalization options. We are looking forward to the future releases of these technologies that you will hear much more about later today.

Budget

I want to update you on GPO’s FY08 budget request, specifically as it relates to the Salaries and Expenses Appropriation. House Report 2771 and Senate Report 89 are both available on GPO Access, both titled the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2008.

For 2008, GPO requested $45,613,000 for the Salaries and Expenses appropriation. Special projects for the FDLP fall under this category, including: data migration and processing new digitized and harvested content for GPO Access, FDLP outreach and assessments, an expansion of our cataloging and indexing program for Web harvesting, and other initiatives. The House recommendation is that we receive $35,434,000.

While this is significantly less than requested, it is an increase of $2,338,000 from what we are currently receiving. The Senate recommendation is that we receive $38,231,000. While this too is significantly less than we requested, it is an increase of $5,135,000. We are currently waiting on the Final Appropriations and working under the Continuing Resolution until that time.

Distribution Backlog

I also want to inform you that we are currently taking steps to improve our Depository shipment service. After a thorough review of depository shipment operations, GPO has identified several areas of the operation where we are actively working to improve shipments of depository materials to our library partners, under the leadership of Robin Haun-Mohamed and Janet McCaskill.

• By the end of this week when you return back home, the new FDLP Desktop will have a new Depository Distribution Web page to assist in keeping the community informed of distribution issues. This Web page will be updated weekly to reflect the box numbers and shipping lists distributed to depository libraries. Information on Depository Distribution operations, timelines to expect for shipment delivery and response to claims, and contact information will also be available from this Web page.
  
  
• We have added seven additional staff members to the Distribution workforce to improve operational efficiencies.
  
  
• We have reviewed procedures and processes associated with customer inquiries and contacts with all staff. The askGPO service has been completely tackled. As an additional assignment, I have personally taken over daily review of our incoming CRM inquiries to make sure they get properly assigned within the Library unit and responded to.

If you experience any problems with your shipments, please contact GPO, and we will work to resolve your issues as quickly as possible. This can be done through our customer relationship management tools on GPO Access, or as always, you are welcome to email me directly at rdavis@gpo.gov on any issues or problems you are having.

Biennial Survey

The 2007 Biennial Survey of Federal Depository Libraries is now available from fdlp.gov. The survey will be available through October 31, 2007, and all Federal Depository libraries have a legal obligation to participate in the survey. FDLP Desktop login accounts are required in order to take the survey, and they have been generated for all depository library coordinators. If you are a coordinator and have not received your username and password, please complete the appropriate form on fdlp.gov.

Public Access Assessments

Public Access Assessments will emphasize how each depository library serves the Federal Government information needs of the general public by reviewing how they provide access to and services for their Federal depository resources. It is designed to fulfill legal requirements "to make firsthand investigation of conditions for which need is indicated" (44 USC §1909), but this also serves as an opportunity for each library and GPO to share information in order to maximize the effectiveness of the FDLP. Kathy Brazee of the Library unit is leading this effort for GPO.

Library Services staff have developed a draft policy on individual library assessments as well as a description of Access, Collections, and Service as they relate to free public access and this information. These documents, along with situational examples outlining free public access issues, will be disseminated to the depository community and will be discussed in the Assessment Council session tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. I encourage you to attend and share your thoughts with us.

FDLP Desktop Session
I would also like to remind you to attend the FDLP.GOV session, being held tomorrow, from 10:30am – 12:00pm. This will be an interactive session and a demo of FDLP.GOV. Karen Sieger and her staff in our Web content section have done a wonderful job redesigning this site for the library community and we thank you for the positive comments you have been sending in both from council and from the broader library community. You will have the opportunity to learn about the new FDLP.GOV functionality and what’s to come as we expand that service. To help commemorate the launch of the new and innovative FDLP Desktop, GPO is presenting conference attendees with 512mb flash drives with the new fdlp.gov URL on them as a promotional item. One of these complementary flash drives, along with one of our newly re-designed FDLP pins, are included in the FDLP Council bag you received at registration.

Spring Conference
I also wanted to inform you that the Spring Depository Library Council meeting will be held in Kansas City, Missouri from March 31, 2008 – April 2, 2008. I look forward to seeing you all there.

Now I want to take the opportunity to talk about some of our other operational initiatives within Library Services and Content Management.

FDLP Express

I am also pleased to tell you about a new service called FDLP Express. With this new service, users can register to have the latest news and updates from the new Desktop captured and sent right to their e-mail inbox. This new service makes it convenient and easy for you to stay current with the timeliest FDLP updates. FDLP Express will ensure that you receive news and updates as quickly as possible without having to constantly check the Web site for new information. This went public over the weekend, and you probably saw the announcement on Sunday.

Digitization

In March 2006, a six-month digitization demonstration project was authorized by JCP. The project began in July 2006 and provided GPO the opportunity to test equipment capabilities; develop workflow processes; analyze costs; and evaluate methods for ingest, storage, and access to the digitized files. From the demonstration project, it was learned that GPO's specifications for preservation-level scanning produced high quality acceptable derivatives that support access and search. The project also revealed that GPO should not undertake, in-house, mass digitization projects. With this in mind, GPO proposes to achieve the goal of a digitized legacy collection by taking a path which:

• Establishes partnerships between GPO and Federal agencies, depository libraries, and other organizations that efficiently utilize available resources and reduce duplication of effort;
  
  
• Involves GPO digitizing, in-house, those types of materials generally not digitized by others, e.g., maps, fragile materials, microfiche;
  
  
• Permits GPO to determine specifications for and manage issues relating to quality control of legacy collection digitization;
  
  
• Specifies GPO as the leader in authenticating the digitized legacy collection;
  
  
• Results in the legacy collection ultimately being digitized at preservation level specifications; and
  
  
• Includes coordination of digitization priorities with partners, and particularly with the National Archives, the Library of Congress, and other Federal agencies.

More information and the proposed path forward for digitizing the legacy collection of Federal publications are included in the Summary Report: Digitization Demonstration Project, which is now online as Bob mentioned earlier. We look forward to receiving your comments to share with JCP.

Federal Depository Library Handbook Final Draft Released

Next I’d like to speak a bit about the Federal Depository Library Handbook. Our Library unit under the leadership of Janet Scheitle and volunteers from the Federal depository community worked together to consolidate and update the Instructions to Depository Libraries and the Federal Depository Library Manual, including its supplements, into one online publication. All the chapters were reviewed by key stakeholders, including the Depository Library Council and professional library associations. Each chapter was also posted for public comment. Staff reviewed comments, integrated them as appropriate, and served as final editors.

The final draft version of the Federal Depository Library Handbook is available on the FDLP Desktop. Work on the publication was divided into two phases. The goal of phase one, creating one source for depository requirements and guidance, was achieved.

The Instructions to Depository Libraries and the Federal Depository Library Manual with its supplements remain in effect until GPO completes an overall review to ensure consistency throughout the entire publication. Once GPO releases the final version of the Handbook, it will supersede the current Instructions to Depository Libraries and Federal Depository Library Manual.

Shared Regionals

Regarding Shared Regionals, in May, GPO issued draft Guidelines for Establishing Shared Regional Depository Libraries for public comment. The comment period ended June 29, 2007, and GPO thanks all who took the time to send e-mails and letters with suggestions and comments.

All submissions were thoroughly reviewed, and the Guidelines were revised based upon your feedback to us. Suggestions were incorporated that were consistent with GPO’s Strategic Vision and the Depository Library Council’s Vision Statement, both of which express the need for a more flexible model for the Federal Depository Library Program. You can find the final version of Guidelines for Establishing Shared Regional Depository Libraries on the FDLP Desktop. I would like to personally thank Cindy Etkin for her hard work on this.

GPO is currently awaiting JCP approval on the Kansas/Nebraska shared regional proposal. In the meantime, GPO looks forward to receiving more creative proposals for depositories to provide access and services to Government information products.

PACER

At its September 18, 2007 meeting, the Judicial Conference approved the pilot project to provide Federal depository libraries access to PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), a service of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. GPO is pleased to be working with the AOUSC to implement the pilot to expand access to PACER.

The PACER system can provide remote access to case and docket information from the Federal Courts via the Internet.

Records include information from the Appellate, District and Bankruptcy Courts. Users of PACER are able to access information about a case including the names of all the parties, judges and attorneys involved in the case, case history and status, as well as many of the documents submitted by the parties to the court.

• The PACER pilot will provide new Government content to participating depository libraries. The goal of the pilot project is to determine if Federal depository library access to PACER expands usage to those who currently do not have it available to them or would be inhibited by going to a court house to use the service.

PACER pilot participants have now been chosen, and selections represent a variety of types and sizes of depositories as well as geographic diversity. The selections will be finalized once the libraries return a signed validation form agreeing to the terms of the pilot. When the final determination is made, there will be an announcement to the community so other depositories can make referrals to the pilot libraries.

ILS

Regarding the Integrated Library System, currently GPO is working with Ex Libris and PTFS to upgrade the Aleph software from version 16.02 to 18. Version 18 has a number of enhancements and will allow us to provide an increased level of service to Depositories. Completion of configuration and testing on the test server, then configuration of the production server is estimated for February 2008.

In reference to Z39.50, we are close to release in a phased approach. GPO has proposed to the Z39.50 Maintenance Agency the creation of the item number as an attribute to facilitate searching by item number. Testing has been done by a group of Depository volunteers, and a number of testers expressed the desire for this capability.

Additionally, development of the new Federal Depository Library Directory as a service of the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications is complete, and we are completing final actions prior to release to the depository community. This will replace the Library Directory on GPO Access.

Another item of note is that the MetaLib server has been upgraded to version 4. Release of MetaLib has been moved to late phase 2, once Aleph 18 is up and in production. I would like to recognize Linda Resler, Patricia Duplantis, and An Liu in particular for their work on this.

Metadata Extraction

We expect to leverage the knowledge acquired through the automated metadata extraction project to:

• Evaluate alternative methods of creating metadata for U.S. Government documents;
  
  
• Investigate cost and staffing implications for using automated tools vs. manual metadata creation methods, and to
  
  
• Develop detailed requirements and specifications for long-term use of automated metadata extraction tools for Web-harvested content that will provide information to staff working on the Future Digital System project.
  

The project kickoff meeting is scheduled for October 18th, and we will keep you informed of our progress as developments unfold.

Partnerships

It has been a busy summer in the way of partnerships. We have renewed two of our partnerships, Browse Topics and the List of Federal Agency Internet Sites. Browse Topics, which is a partnership with Oklahoma State University, employs volunteer contributors from libraries in the FDLP to create and maintain Web-based bibliographies of Federal government information in specified topical areas. Recently Browse Topics was given its own domain, and can now be accessed at http://browsetopics.gov. I invite you to attend the LSCM Online Services Open Forum, tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. to see a demo and site overview of Browse Topics. I encourage you to get involved and become a contributor. You can learn more at tomorrow’s session.

Our other renewed partnership was the List of Federal Agency Internet Sites. Our partner for the List is Louisiana State University. Based on the U.S. Government Manual, the List directs users to the Web sites of active Federal agencies, and is searchable.

We have also almost completed the renewal of our partnership with the University of Illinois at Chicago for the Dept. of State Foreign Affairs Network (DOSFAN). This partnership provides for permanent public access to a digital library of electronically archived information products produced by the U.S. Department of State from 1990 through 1997 and includes archived Web sites of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the U.S. Information Agency.

We are also very close to completing a new partnership with the Naval Postgraduate School for the Homeland Security Digital Library. HSDL is a database containing U.S. policy documents, Presidential directives, and national strategy documents as well as specialized resources such as theses and reports from various universities, organizations, and local and state agencies. The database was created and is maintained by the Naval Postgraduate School. As part of this agreement, all depository libraries will be given the option of adding HSDL to their item selection profiles. For those depositories that select HSDL access, it will be provided either via a password or IP authentication. The Naval Postgraduate School has also agreed to transfer material within scope of the FDLP to GPO if they are no longer able to provide depository access. In return, GPO will agree to create a cataloging record for HSDL and provide them with a monthly list of homeland security-related publications that we have cataloged.

Finally, the partnership Web pages have been migrated to the new FDLP Desktop. As part of that migration, the pages were revised and additional information was added. The pages now include sample Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), on topics such as how to propose a partnership. I want to thank Suzanne Ebanues for her critical work on facilitating our partnerships with the library community.

Outreach

Outreach is integral to the success of GPO’s initiatives. We value the collaboration we have with the community, and we will continue to expand our outreach efforts moving forward.

Regarding online training sessions, GPO will continue to provide training sessions on subjects pertaining to the FDLP, using OPAL or similar online applications as we have already been doing the past 6 months. Some of the upcoming sessions as online interactive demos you will see this fall include Authentication, E-Gov, and the Federal Depository Library Directory. These online sessions will all be collected and archived. We welcome suggestions on topics to be covered. You may submit suggestions via askGPO. Library Services staff are developing guidelines and evaluation criteria to enable the library community to also present training sessions via OPAL. Training session submissions from the community will be accepted starting in January 2008.

Finally, we have also taken to the road as much as we can operating under our continuing budgetary resolution to help celebrate anniversaries and to provide educational programs at state association meetings. GPO recognizes the importance of these visits, and while we would like to be able to fill all speaker requests, limited travel funds may prevent us from doing so. But we will certainly do what we can. Recent visits were made to Maryland, Virginia, and Louisiana. Upcoming visits include Massachusetts, Mississippi, Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois, and Kentucky.

In closing, I want to thank Lance Cummins, along with his staff members Bridget Govan, Marian MacGilvray, Nick Ellis, Yvonne Ellis, and Michelle Hawkins who helped put this conference together for GPO. They have done their usual outstanding job!

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[Handout at the Fall Depository Library Council Meeting]
Library Services and Content Management Update – October 2007

New Council Members

Acting Public Printer Turri announced the appointment of six new members to the Depository Library Council: Dr. Christopher Greer, a senior advisor for Digital Data at the National Science Foundation in Arlington, Virginia; Kathryn Lawhun, the Chief of Main for the San Francisco Public Library; John Shuler, Government Information/Documents Librarian at the University of Illinois at Chicago; Gwen Sinclair, librarian in Government Documents & Maps at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Library; Victoria Trotta, Associate Dean for Information Technology and the Ross-Blakley Law Library at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University. In addition, Kendall Wiggin, State Librarian for Connecticut State Library, was appointed to fill the position vacated by Richard Akeroyd.

Shared Regional Guidelines

The final version of Guidelines for Establishing Shared Regional Depository Libraries have been posted to the FDLP Desktop. GPO thanks all who took the time to send their comments and suggestions following the initial release of the draft Guidelines. Suggestions were incorporated that were consistent with GPO’s Strategic Vision and the Depository Library Council’s Vision Statement, both of which express the need for a more flexible model for the Federal Depository Library Program.

Handles

FDsys requirements provide for intelligent and non-intelligent persistent identifiers and Handles is the persistent identifier of choice. LSCM is conducting tests as a proof of concept for FDsys and to help determine Handles requirements. In a test environment GPO successfully created Handles that resolved. GPO was also successful at getting Handles to resolve PURLs, also in a limited testing environment. Alpha testing continues as we experiment with the capabilities of the Handles system.

GPO will be making a Handles Web page available on the FDLP Desktop. From it you can get access to Handles that were created and placed in CGP records and submit your thoughts about Handles. Learn more about this at the session on Persistent Identifiers, Monday afternoon at 1:30.

Upcoming Meetings

The Spring 2008 Depository Library Council Meeting will be held March 31-April 2 in Kansas City, MO. The meeting is free and open to the public.

The 2008 Annual Interagency Depository Seminar will be held July 28-August 1, in Washington, DC. The free seminar, open to depository library staff, provides an opportunity for both new and experienced documents personnel to review basic materials and learn about new products directly from Federal agency staff.

Registration and hotel information for both meetings will be announced on the GPO-FDLP-L listserv and on the FDLP desktop.

Public Access Assessments

GPO has developed a draft Superintendent of Documents policy on individual library assessments as well as a description of Access, Collections, and Service as they relate to free public access. These documents, along with situational examples outlining free public access issues, will be disseminated to the depository community and will be discussed in a Council session on Tuesday, October 16, at 1:30 p.m.

Public Access Assessments is a revitalized library assessment program that emphasizes how each depository library serves the Federal Government information needs of the general public by reviewing how the library provides access to and services for its Federal depository resources. The program is designed to fulfill GPO legal requirements "to make firsthand investigation of conditions [at libraries] for which need is indicated" (44 USC §1909) but also is an opportunity for each library and GPO to share information in order to maximize the effectiveness of the FDLP.

GPO may conduct individual library assessments at any time upon request or as need is determined. To request an assessment, please complete the Request for GPO Participation form on the FDLP Desktop. We anticipate developing Public Access Assessments measures and self-assessment resources next and will be looking for volunteer libraries to participate in a test run of the more formalized assessment process in the upcoming months. Scheduled assessments for all individual depository libraries will start thereafter.

Biennial Survey

GPO is pleased to announce the improved online survey instrument for the 2007 Biennial Survey. The survey has been streamlined to more effectively measure operations and more accurately assess library conditions. All depository libraries are legally required to complete this survey.

The Biennial Survey provides GPO with important information used in administering the FDLP. The 2005 Survey data includes the questions and individual library responses which may be downloaded to assist in responding to the 2007 Biennial Survey. These files are accessible from the FDLP Desktop.

Contact askGPO for assistance with the survey tool or survey questions by selecting Federal Depository Libraries as the category and Biennial Survey as the subcategory.

Authentication

GPO is continuing to work with contractors on the development of an Automated PDF Signing (APS) system, and staff training on that system was conducted September 25-27. Further development of this system and planning for deployment is scheduled for October through December, targeting a January deployment of the system. GPO has released a beta version of an Authenticated Public Laws application containing digitally signed PDF files of Public and Private Laws from the 110th Congress. Feedback received on this beta will be used to further refine future implementation of GPO’s authentication initiatives. GPO’s web page with information on authentication is online.

Digitization of the Legacy Collection

The summary report of the Digitization Demonstration Project was sent to the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP). A summary report was also posted to GPO Access. GPO is seeking comments on the proposed strategy for digitizing the legacy collection, which is included in the report. Both the report and the comment form are accessible through GPO Access.  The deadline for comments is November 2, 2007. Once comments are reviewed the strategy will be revised as appropriate and GPO will seek JCP's approval to move forward.

Shelflist Digitization

The pre-1976 historic shelflist project goal is to convert the bibliographic data on these cards into machine-readable records in MARC21 format so that they can be loaded to GPO’s Integrated Library System (ILS) (Aleph 500) catalog. All vendor proposals have been received and the formal review process is underway. GPO expects to select a vendor for this process by mid to late fall 2007.

FDLP Desktop

Registration was recently extended to depository library coordinators as part of the Biennial Survey. Your account on the FDLP Desktop is more than just a password. Registration unlocks features that bring users into a more interactive online community. Users can receive automated, customized news alerts through FDLP Express; order FDLP promotional materials; add your library events to our community calendar; register/unregister for conferences; and much more! Registration will be opened to the full community following the closure of the Biennial Survey. Stay tuned as more features and content come online on our new domain — fdlp.gov.

Express Newsletter

Federal depository library coordinators have advanced access to FDLP Express--a news mailer that allows users to subscribe to news disseminated through the FDLP Desktop based on content categories. Subscribe to receive the FDLP-related news that is important to you. Emails are triggered automatically based on pre-determined time intervals (e.g., hourly, daily, weekly). FDLP Express is designed to replace FDLP-L and will go public following the closure of the 2007 Biennial Survey, which is scheduled for early November.

Disaster Recovery

GPO has been working to develop a disaster recovery (DR) site to ensure that its electronic data that is accessible from GPO Access is protected and remains accessible in the event of an unforeseen system failure or catastrophe.

Late last year, GPO awarded a contract for the next phase of the DR project, which is to enhance work on the agency’s DR solution that would normalize the GPO Access WAIS dataset and make it searchable in a consistent format and via a consistent user interface using GPO’s content delivery network.

Currently all static content that resides off the gpoaccess.gov domain is currently available in DR mode. This includes html pages, images, and PDF files. As of October, all of the parsers and User Interfaces that are required to enable the solution to enable DR search of the GPO Access WAIS dataset have been developed.

Within the next 30-45 days, GPO expects to release its last DR contract, to stand-up the tools and have a fully integrated 24/7 DR for static PDF files and searching of the dataset. GPO is projecting this solution to be implemented in early 2008.

Web Harvesting - EPA Pilot

GPO staff are processing a sample of 300 publications harvested during the EPA Pilot Project. The purpose of working through this sample is to determine workflow and staffing implications as well as to estimate the amount of time that would be required to process all the publications acquired during the EPA Pilot Project.

GPO will also be testing two methods of making the publications that are within scope of the FDLP accessible. The majority of publications in the sample will be made accessible through cataloging records in the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP). A smaller portion of the sample will be posted to GPO Access using a browse table. These publications will not be cataloged in the CGP. The browse table will be tested to determine if it produces adequate access while reducing the amount of staff time required to process the publications.

GPO anticipates the processing of this sample will be completed in late October. The results will then be available for review and comment by the depository community.

askGPO and Customer Response

GPO employs a web-based customer relationship management (CRM) system to provide accurate and timely responses to questions from customers, depository libraries and the public. LSCM has recently undertaken a project to re-establish a stronger GPO staff customer service and support network, create a user guide and analytics reports for managers, improve the current implementation, train users, and upgrade the software as needed.

For the month of September, we answered 303 CRM inquiries from Federal Depository Libraries. We currently have an Open status backlog of 28 inquiries to complete.

ILS Status and Next Deliverables

Library Services and Content Management is pleased to announce the availability of two new email features as we continue to enhance services available through the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP). When emailing up to twenty records there are now more format options from which to select: "Standard", "Short", "MARC Tags" and the newly added data formats: "MARC Format (.mrc)" and "Aleph Sequential".

Z39.50
Testing by a select group of depositories has been completed. During the testing several volunteers commented that they would like to be able to retrieve bibliographic records from the CGP using the GPO item number. In order for the GPO item number to be a Z39.50 attribute, GPO needed to submit a proposal to the Library of Congress, Network Development and MARC Standards Office for review and approval. View the proposal submitted by GPO. The comment period ended on October 10.

Additionally, GPO is finalizing work on activities leading to release to all depositories, including analyzing the log files, data gathering, and evaluation of testers’ feedback.

New Federal Depository Library Directory
Final testing and staff training is underway prior to the release of the new Federal Depository Library Directory as a service of the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications. A data entry conventions guide and an OPAL presentation will be released to the depository community for assistance in updating their directory information prior to release of the Directory to the public.

Upgrade of Aleph software to version 18
LTIS is working with Ex Libris and our systems integrator, Progressive Technology Federal Systems (PTFS) on activities surrounding the upgrade of the Aleph software to version 18. GPO brought up the ILS on version 16.02. Version 18 has been loaded to servers and planning activities are underway. Once the new version is fully tested in the test environment, the production server will be upgraded. Completion is estimated by the end of the year. Version 18 has many new features, particularly in the area of patron authenticated services.

Citrix implementation
The implementation of Citrix to provide GPO staff secure desktop access to the Aleph client is in the final stages before acceptance. Implementation will enable workflow changes and faster appearance of Federal government publications in the CGP in at least brief record form.

Automated Metadata extraction

GPO has entered into an Interagency Agreement with the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) in collaboration with Old Dominion University (ODU) to create cataloging records using automated metadata extraction software tools and processes currently being used by DTIC. GPO plans to use publications identified from the Web Harvesting Pilot Project with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop automated metadata extraction software tools to fit GPO needs. All procurement activities have been successfully completed and project kick-off meetings are being scheduled for late Oct. 2007.

Federal Depository Library Handbook

The first phase of the Federal Depository Library Handbook has been completed and it is in Final Draft form. Public comments on the 15 chapters of the Handbook have been received and incorporated. The Final Draft of the new Handbook is available from the FDLP Desktop.

In the near term, LSCM will be performing final reviews against the existing Federal Depository Library Manual and Instructions to Depository Libraries, with the overall goal of having them both merged into the FDL Handbook.

Since the Handbook is a living, online document, the depository community may suggest updates and revisions to the Handbook via an online form that is available on the FDLP Desktop. Library Planning and Development, Library Services will regularly review the suggestions, analyze them, coordinate and obtain approval of updated content. The depository community will be informed when content in the Handbook is revised.

Metrics - Distribution and GPO Access Statistics

Library Services and Content Management currently posts monthly statistics on the activities of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and the Cataloging and Indexing Program (C&I). The legacy statistics from FY05 forward are also available via a summary report online.

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Questions?

If you have questions or comments on any of the content in Administrative Notes, please send them to askGPO, the online help service at:
http://gpo.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/gpo.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php

To ensure that your question is routed to the correct area, please choose the category "Federal Depository Libraries" and the appropriate subcategory, if any.

You may also contact the GPO Customer Contact Center at 866-512-1800 (Toll-free), or at 202-512-1800 (DC Metropolitan Area), Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., EST.

A service of the U.S. Government Printing Office.

Last update Date: November 21, 2007
Page Name: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/adnotes/ad9_10_1507.html