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Administrative Notes: Newsletter of the FDLP
Table of Contents Hotel Registration Open for Spring Council Authenticated Congressional Bills International Scholar Studies FDLP New Item Number Procedure for Congressionals Patent Library Program Fellowship Available
~Administrative Notes Resources~ Get the PDF version of this volume Hotel Registration Open for 2009 Spring Council MeetingThe 2009 Spring Depository Library Council meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Tampa located at 211 North Tampa Street, Tampa, Florida, 33602. A limited number of rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the prevailing Government Per Diem rate of $104.00 (plus 12% tax) per night single. Please make your hotel reservations online or by calling 1-800-233-1234. You must mention the GPO's Federal Depository Library Conference and Council meeting to receive the correct rate. Reservations should be made before Saturday March 28, 2009 to ensure receiving the prevailing Government rate. Reservations made after March 28 will be subject to availability and the rate may vary. The Government rate will be honored beginning Thursday, April 16 through Saturday, April 25, 2009. If you have any problem making your reservation, please contact the Office of Education and Outreach at (202) 512-1119 for assistance. Attendee registration, call for presentations and additional information will be available after the holidays via FDLP.gov. [ Top ] FDsys Beta Testing Commences In Late DecemberBeta testing for the first release of GPO's Federal Digital System (FDsys) will occur in late December. Testing will take place at your computer and require approximately 30 minutes. Beta testers must have a computer and Internet access in order to participate. If you would like to participate, please email pmo@gpo.gov with your contact information. For more information on FDsys, click here. [ Top ] Guidance for Federal Depository Libraries Relinquishing Regional DesignationBackgroundSince 1970 only eight libraries have relinquished their regional depository library designation. Of these, seven remained in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) as selective depository libraries. Three of the relinquishments have come in the last two years. During April and May 2008, a survey was conducted of directors of regional depository libraries. With a 100% response, it was learned that ten of 52, or 19.6%, agreed or strongly agreed that they were considering relinquishing their regional depository status and considering becoming a selective depository library. Another 5.9% were neutral on the issue but indicated that if there was a negative impact on their current state, they would also consider becoming a selective depository library. Of the ten, nine remain as regionals today. At its October 2008 meeting, Regional Government Information Librarians (REGIL) discussed this issue and asked the Government Printing Office (GPO) to provide guidance for libraries investigating the possibility of giving up their regional designation yet wishing to remain in the FDLP as a selective. While GPO hopes this is not a trend, this document offers such guidance. Prior to RelinquishmentThe decision to relinquish one’s regional designation should not be made quickly or in a vacuum. It is important that GPO is informed at the earliest possible time of your thinking about a change in designation. If there is another regional in your state, they should be informed at the same time. Six months notice is appropriate. Additionally the following actions must be taken:
Once the decision is made to relinquish your regional designation, the following steps must be taken before final approval is granted by the Superintendent of Documents:
Once your request is approved, you will receive an official letter from the Superintendent of Documents indicating this and the letter will include directions for moving forward. What’s Required after RelinquishmentThe letter from the Superintendent of Documents will include instructions and a point of contact with whom you will work through this process. This person may be from GPO, from a selective in the state acting as an agent of GPO, or from the remaining regional in the state, if there is one. Effective the date of the change in designation, these actions must be taken:
As publications distributed through the FDLP remain the property of the U.S. Government, GPO has the authority to require libraries to return materials to the GPO. If the publications are needed for other purposes, e.g., digitization or transfer to another depository library, this authority will be exercised. If invoked, this will be coordinated between GPO, your point of contact, and your library. Regional depository libraries are not required to dispose of any materials when they relinquish their regional designation. If, however, the library wishes to do so, the disposal requirements will be established collaboratively between the appropriate parties using the regional’s existing procedures as a basis. The requirements may include, but are not limited to:
Per 44 USC §1911, “Depository libraries not served by a regional depository, or that are regional depositories themselves, shall retain Government publications permanently ..." No regional, no discards. [ Top ] Beta Authenticated Congressional Bills Application ReleasedGPO has released a Beta Authenticated Congressional Bills application on GPO Access. GPO's Authentication initiative focuses on establishing GPO as the trusted information disseminator and providing the assurance that an electronic document has not been altered since GPO disseminated it. The Beta Authenticated Congressional Bills application provides authenticated PDF files for a sample set of Congressional Bills from the 110th Congress. GPO has signed and certified the House and Senate bills (PDF files) within this application as part of GPO's initiative to reassure users that the online documents are official and authentic. More information on GPO's authentication initiative. [ Top ] GPO and GAO Announce New PartnershipThe U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have entered a new partnership to provide permanent public access to the GAO Reports and GAO Comptroller General Decisions databases that are available on the GAO Web site. The GAO Reports database, contains reports on audits, surveys, investigations, and evaluations of Federal programs conducted by GAO. The content in this database dates back to 1970 and earlier. The Comptroller General Decisions database, contains decisions and opinions issued by the Comptroller General in areas of Federal law such as appropriations, bid protests, and Federal agency rulemaking. It also contains historic material dating back to 1970. GAO is actively working on digitizing its legacy collection so historic material will continue to be added to the two databases. The content contained in the GAO Reports and Comptroller General Decisions databases is currently duplicated on GPO Access. With a partnership to ensure permanent public access to the content on the GAO Web site, this duplication is no longer necessary. GPO will maintain archives of both databases as they were at the time the agreement was signed, but no new content will be added to the GPO Access versions of these databases. This agreement will eliminate duplication of effort on these databases, as well as minimizing version control issues. Under the partnership agreement, if for any reason GAO is not able to provide access to these materials, GPO will resume the responsibility. GPO and GAO have a long history of collaborating to provide the Federal depository library community and the public with access to GAO materials. GPO looks forward to continuing this productive relationship with the new partnership.[ Top ] FDLP Emblem or Signage Is Required for DepositoriesThe FDLP emblem or signage on or near depository library buildings is used to demonstrate that Federal depository libraries provide free, public access to U.S. Government information resources. GPO’s ongoing review of the 2007 Biennial Survey of Depository Libraries indicates that dozens of libraries and selective housing sites do not have the emblem or signage posted on or near their library buildings. GPO would like to remind Federal depository libraries of the following: It is important that all depository libraries “post signage or the depository emblem in a prominent location, preferably visible from the exterior of the library, indicating the library is a Federal depository and government information resources are available for use by the general public without charge.” Federal Depository Library Handbook, pages 4-8 and 4-15. Also, for depositories with any selective housing agreements, it is important that all selective housing sites “post the depository emblem in a prominent location, preferably visible from the exterior of the library, indicating that government information products can be used by the general public without charge. Your depository library should provide the selective housing site with the free decals.” Federal Depository Library Handbook, pages 9-12 and 9-14. This information is also repeated in the Federal Depository Library Handbook Appendix B: Important for Library Administrators. Please contact GPO if you have any questions. We are always happy to discuss your individual library situation so that we may help you identify ways to fulfill FDLP requirements. Free decals and other promotional materials are available from GPO and may be ordered online. The Depository Library Decal is available with a sticky side on the front or back so that you may place the decal inside or outside a window. You may also affix the decal to an information stand or other non-glass surface outside of the library. If you develop your own signage, it should include the emblem and statutory language that appears on the Depository Library Decals. If you have questions or comments, please use the askGPO help service. When submitting a question, please choose the category "Federal Depository Libraries" and the subcategory “Public Access Issues” in order to ensure that your question is routed to the correct area.[ Top ] International Scholar Studies Federal Depository Library Program at GPOA research scholar from Japan will spend a year at the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) and the Library of Congress to learn how the U.S. government makes the documents of its democracy available to the public. Professor Nobuhiro Igawa hopes to take what he learns at GPO and propose a similar program for the citizens of Japan. Professor Igawa is from the International University of Kagoshima, Japan and will study the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The FDLP is made up of approximately 1,250 depository libraries throughout the country. GPO works with the library community to provide free, open and permanent access to government documents. Left to right: Public Printer Robert C. Tapella, Professor Nobuhiro Igawa and Acting Superintendent of Documents Ric Davis “I am honored to study and learn how the United States disseminates government information to its citizens,” said Professor Nobuhiro Igawa. “If I could introduce a system similar to the Federal Depository Library Program in Japan, it would benefit all citizens who want to learn more about government information.” Professor Igawa's visit is being facilitated by the Library of Congress, where he has already performed some analysis on production, dissemination and use of federal public information in the Library’s Government Documents Section. Following his studies at GPO, he will return for further research at the Library. GPO's Library Services and Content Management staff will provide introductory and advanced topics for his research. In addition to conducting his own research, Professor Igawa will also study the many challenges facing the FDLP and provide a fresh analysis. "I am thrilled that Professor Igawa is spending a year with GPO studying how the agency keeps America informed through the FDLP,” said Acting Superintendent of Documents Ric Davis. “The GPO staff looks forward to a year of information sharing, collaboration, and learning. We are excited to help Professor Igawa learn about the FDLP's strong tradition of safeguarding the public's right to free access to Government information."[ Top ] Federal Depository Library Directory Display Enhanced with Additional FieldsAs of December 1, 2008, in response to requests from the depository community, more fields will display in the FDLD. These will include the Library Director's title and name and the Depository Coordinator's name and telephone number. These fields will be available to view, print, and export for both depository library users and for public users. [ Top ] OPAL for Everyone: Share Your KnowledgeDepository library staff are encouraged to present educational and training sessions for the benefit of the depository community through OPAL, a Web conferencing service. GPO welcomes proposals on any aspect of U.S. Government information, Federal Depository Library Program issues, or depository library operations and management. Most GPO OPAL sessions are recorded and archived here, allowing depository staff who cannot travel to depository conferences the opportunity to share their expertise with a large group of their peers. Two of the most popular OPAL presentations to date include “The Conservation Kitchen: Basic Tools for Any Preservation Recipe,” presented on May 20, 2008 by Diane Hutchins and Marcea Horst from the Washington State Library and “Cooking with Content - Creating Successful OPAL Presentations,” presented in October 2008 by Diane Hutchins from the Washington State Library. Both of these presentations can be viewed in the archive. So if you are already doing training at your library, or if you have an idea for an educational session, let us know! Just fill out the Online Educational Program Proposal Form. More information on OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries).[ Top ] New Item Number Procedure Implemented for Selected Congressional PublicationsGPO has begun to create separate item numbers for the online only (EL) format of U.S. Congressional Committee publications known as "Y 4s", or those listed as "Hearings, Prints, Miscellaneous Publications" in the List of Classes. This does not apply to Committee Rules or Calendars or other Congressional publications. Separate item numbers are already available for paper (P) and microfiche (MF). These changes to the item numbers do not affect SuDocs classification stems. All changes will be announced in WebTech Notes and Administrative Notes Technical Supplement. For example:
GPO sees two significant potential impacts on libraries from this procedure:
New cataloging policy and impact:
What it means for item selection profiles:
Caveats on dropping a tangible format item number in favor of an online only (EL) format:
Substitution considerations:
If changes are made to the House and/or Senate committee structures with the 111th Congress, GPO will make corresponding revisions in the List of Classes. Related information:
Additonal reference information: Costello, Barbara. "Moving in the right direction: Developments in the online availability of full-text Congressional committee hearing transcripts." Government Information Quarterly 25 (2008): 104-117. [ Top ] Patent and Trademark Depository Library Program (PTDLP)
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