govinfo API Process Now a Standard Workflow

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Last Updated: December 17 2020

Published: December 17 2020

In May 2019, Library Technical Services (LTS) started to explore the use of the govinfo API for obtaining the metadata of hearings to convert into preliminary MARC records. LTS provided the specifications for converting the govinfo MODS metadata into MARC and wrote the script that gets the govinfo metadata, creates the MARC records, and runs global enhancements.

LTS tested the process in July 2019 and continued to develop the script and procedures in a beta period from December 2019 through July 2020. The cataloging staff completed 294 records generated by the script. The beta period of the govinfo API process has concluded, and the process is now a standard LTS workflow.

The next steps include incorporating other types of congressional publications that LTS catalogs, such as reports and documents, into the process and considering the possibility of adding publication types that LTS does not currently catalog, such as bills. The benefits of this process are to avoid duplication of effort in keying metadata and to ensure that metadata created by LTS is incorporated into govinfo consistently through automated processes. 

Please send your feedback and questions about the repository and records via askGPO > Federal Depository Library Program > Cataloging/Metadata (Policy and Records).