Appendix D Coordinator and Respondent Cover Letters October 1998 Dear Agency Coordinator: On behalf of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) and the Government Printing Office, we would like to thank you for agreeing to distribute this survey of Government Electronic Information Products to agency respondents. The purpose of this assessment is to: (1) identify medium and format standards that are the most appropriate for permanent public access, (2) assess the cost- effectiveness and usefulness of alternative medium and format standards, and (3) identify public and private medium and format standards that are or could be used for products throughout their entire information life cycle. The broader objective of the survey is to study the long-term impacts of shifting government information products from paper and microform mediums to federal agency web sites and other electronic mediums. We want to ensure that as more government information is available in a variety of electronic mediums and formats, the American public continues to have free and easy local access to this information through the Federal Depository Library Program. We are requesting that you, as the agency coordinator, promptly distribute the questionnaires to the appropriate personnel in your agency. If you have any questions about this survey, please call Denise Glover at Westat: 301-251-2269 or toll-free at 800-937-8281, ext. 2269. We will send you a copy of the final report once it is completed. The following suggested procedures and instructions will assist you to successfully distribute the product questionnaires. However, some agency coordinators have decided to use different data collection procedures. If you are one of those coordinators, it is essential that you explain your procedures to your respondents. 1. All agency coordinators will receive a full packet from Westat on September 29 or shortly thereafter that contains a cover letter and an information copy of the questionnaire. The coordinator's packet will also include a sealed packet for each product. Please make sure you have a packet for each product on your final list of product selections. If you are missing information or have incorrect information, please call Debbie Alexander at Westat: 301-294-2088, or toll-free at 800-937-8281, ext. 2088. 2. The product packet includes a cover letter to the respondent, a product questionnaire, a glossary of terms, and a postage-paid return envelope. 3. Each product questionnaire contains the following preprinted information: a five-digit ID, the agency's name and submit, and the name of the product. 4. Upon receipt of the packet, please distribute the product packets to the appropriate product respondents in your agency. 5. Due to the specialized nature of many of the questions asked on the survey, it may be necessary for product respondents to consult with other agency personnel such as records managers, information technology staff, planning offices, and others to complete the survey in its entirety. We recommend that you ask product respondents to leave blank any questions they feel uncomfortable answering and to make arrangements for someone in their office or another office with more appropriate knowledge and expertise to answer those questions. If product respondents decide to take this action, we strongly suggest that, if possible, you standardize the arrangements in advance and ensure that all agency respondents are aware of your procedures. One purpose of standardizing arrangements is to ensure that product respondents do not lose control of a questionnaire because multiple individuals and offices are handling it. 6. Product respondents are responsible for ensuring that all questions are answered on their respective questionnaires, even if they must consult with other personnel. 7. To ensure consistency and completeness, you might want to ask your assigned product respondents to allow you to review the surveys before they send them to Westat. You might also request that respondents send you a copy of the completed questionnaire for your files. 8. Product respondents should return completed questionnaires directly to Westat (not to you) in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. If product questionnaires are not completed and returned to Westat by the October 30, 1998 deadline, Westat will attempt to follow up directly with the designated product respondent. However, if respondent information is unavailable or unknown, Westat will contact you for followup. Respondents are requested to return the survey by October 30, 1998 by mailing it in the postage-paid envelope to: Denise Glover TA 2064 Westat, Inc. 1650 Research Boulevard Rockville, MD 20850 Thank you very much for your assistance and cooperation. We appreciate the time and hard work you have invested in the coordination activities. Sincerely, Robert S. Willard Francis J. Buckley, Jr. Executive Director Superintendent of Documents National Commission on Libraries Government Printing Office and Information Science January, 1999 Dear Respondent: On behalf of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) and the Government Printing Office, we are requesting that you complete this survey of Government Electronic Information Products. The purpose of this assessment is to: (1) identify medium and format standards that are the most appropriate for permanent public access, (2) assess the cost- effectiveness and usefulness of alternative medium and format standards, and (3) identify public and private medium and format standards that are or could be used for products throughout their entire information life cycle. The broader objective of the survey is to study the long-term impacts of shifting government information products from paper and microform mediums to federal agency web sites and other electronic mediums. We want to ensure that as more government information is available in a variety of electronic mediums and formats, the American public continues to have free and easy local access to this information through the Federal Depository Library Program. We recognize that many respondents will complete surveys for more than one agency product. We also understand the burden this imposes upon you and appreciate the time and effort you will devote to completing the survey. However, we want to underscore the importance of your participation. We will send you a copy of the report summarizing the data from these surveys once it is completed. Please carefully read all of the following suggested procedures and instructions that will assist you to successfully complete and return the product questionnaires. However, some agency coordinators have decided to use different data collection procedures. You should contact your coordinator directly to find out if you are to follow the procedures outlined here. If your coordinator has made other arrangements, please contact him/her to determine what they are. 1. Once you receive your packet(s) from your agency coordinator, please check to make sure each packet contains the following information for each product you are to survey: a cover letter, questionnaire, glossary of terms, and postage- paid return envelope. If you feel you are missing information or have incorrect information, please first contact your agency coordinator. (Your coordinator's contact information is available on the NCLIS web site at www.nclis.gov.) If your coordinator is unable to provide this information, call Debbie Alexander at Westat: 301-294-1088, or toll-free at 800-937-8281, ext. 2088. 2. Each product questionnaire contains the following preprinted information: a five-digit ID, the agency's name and subunit, and the name of the product. 3. Due to the specialized nature of many of the questions asked on the survey, it may be necessary for you to consult with other agency personnel such as records managers, information technology staff, planning officers, and others to complete the survey in its entirety. We suggest you leave blank the responses to questions you feel uncomfortable answering and then arrange for someone in your office or another office with more appropriate knowledge and expertise to answer those questions. Your agency coordinator may have standardized those arrangements in advance and made you are aware of their procedures. The purpose of standardizing arrangements is to ensure that you do not lose control of a questionnaire because multiple individuals and offices are handling it. 4. Please note that you are responsible for ensuring that all questions are answered on your respective questionnaires, even if you must consult with other personnel. 5. To ensure consistency and accuracy, coordinators might request that they be allowed to review the completed surveys before you return them to Westat. 6. Return completed questionnaires directly to Westat in the enclosed postage- paid envelope by January 15, 1999. Your coordinator may request that you also send him/her a copy of the completed questionnaire. 7. If you have any questions about this survey, please call Denise Glover at Westat: 301-251-2269, or toll-free at 800-937-8281, ext. 2269. Please return the questionnaire by January 15, 1999 by mailing it to: Denise Glover TA 2064 Westat, Inc. 1650 Research Blvd. Rockville, MD 20850 Thank you very much for your assistance and cooperation. Sincerely, Robert S. Willard Francis J. Buckley, Jr. Executive Director Superintendent of Documents National Commission on Libraries Government Printing Office and Information Science