Voice of the Customer

Federal Depository Library Program Partners

GPO has enjoyed a long sustained relationship with the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The FDLP was established by Congress to ensure the American public has access to Government information. Since 1813, depository libraries have safeguarded the public's right to know by collecting, organizing, maintaining, preserving, and assisting users with information from the Federal Government. The FDLP provides Government information through designated depository libraries throughout the country and US territories. These depository libraries, in turn, provide local access to Government information in an impartial environment with professional assistance.

The Depository Library Council (DLC) was established in 1972 to provide advice on policy matters relating to the FDLP. The primary focus of the DLC’s work is to advise the Public Printer, the Superintendent of Documents, and appropriate GPO staff on practical options for the efficient management and operation of the FDLP.

Our Outreach with the FDLP

VOC activities for FDLP partners have focused primarily on surveys of the FDLP community and focus groups. The Office of the CIO staff also provides comprehensive presentations to the FDLP Council Conference held every spring and fall.
VOC from FDLP has focused on the following:

• Continued access to authentic and official Government publications
• Preservation to prevent technological obsolescence
• Access to digitized publications with full search capability
• Multiple levels of search capabilities
• Access to version information for content
• Ability to pull bibliographic records from GPO

Upcoming Activity

Library Survey Results

In August 2005, GPO submitted a survey to all Federal Depository Libraries to obtain valuable input from our library partners regarding proposed features and functions of GPO’s Digital Information System (FDsys). More than 400 of the approximately 1,250 depository libraries responded to GPO’s request for feedback. A summary of responses is available here. Terms used in the survey that some respondents indicated needed additional clarification have been defined here.

On December 1, 2004 GPO released a Strategic Vision with emphasis placed on authenticating, versioning, and preserving electronic Government content. Survey responses showed overwhelming support for GPO’s concepts. The three most requested features were:

• Access to authentic and official Government publications
• Migration of digital media to prevent technological obsolescence
• Access to digitized publications with full search capability

Respondents also expressed interest in multiple levels of search, access to the version information for a publication, and the ability to pull bibliographic records from GPO.