From lpsmail@access.digex.netMon Dec 4 14:17:38 1995 Date: Mon, 4 Dec 1995 11:43:44 CST From: Shipment Reply to: Discussion of Government Document Issues To: Multiple recipients of list GOVDOC-L Subject: ADNOTES: RECOMMENDATIONS, FALL 1995 COUNCIL ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- THE MESSAGE BELOW IS FROM ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES, VOL. 16, #16 (Dec. 5, 1995). DEPOSITORY LIBRARY COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE UNITED STATES PUBLIC PRINTER Fall Meeting, October 16-18, 1995 Memphis, Tennessee 1. RECOMMENDATION: Transition to Electronic Formats Council recommends that the transition plan prepared by the Government Printing Office for the transition from a paper/fiche based environment to an electronic environment balance the needs of users with the potential economic benefit of such conversion. Council is willing to work with GPO in the preparation of a plan. 2. RECOMMENDATION: Appropriate Media Council believes that it is implicit in the public's right of access to government information that dissemination must be in media appropriate to the information's content, use, and audience. Council recommends that the Public Printer clearly state in the congressionally mandated "Study to Identify Measures Necessary For a Successful Transition to a More Electronic Federal Depository Library Program" that certain information must be made available to the public in paper at Federal Government expense for the foreseeable future. Rationale: While Council recognizes the current climate in which the conversion of government information to electronic format is seen as highly desirable, Council also believes that some information is more efficient, useful, and cost effective in paper format. Council is very concerned that the rush to reduce the cost of government information is overshadowing the need for thoughtful determination of information formats, formats which are appropriate to the user and the information type and content. Council believes it is important that the GPO Study Executive Working Group be made aware of the depository library community's commitment to paper as a lasting and important medium for the congressional constituents within their districts. Having expressed our commitment to paper as an important continuing medium for information, Council is also supportive of the efficiencies and cost effectiveness of electronic information. We appreciate the opportunity to influence the recent Superintendent of Documents draft policy statement on "Electronic Information Access and Dissemination in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP)" and support the concepts expressed therein. But Council is deeply concerned that the user perspective, the intended audience of the publication, and other equally important factors may not be adequately considered if the draft statement is the sole articulation of policy. Thus Council recommends that a transition plan be developed, and Council stands ready to assist the Superintendent of Documents in developing such a plan. Council's Ad hoc Committee on Format Transition has volunteered to assist with this planning. 3. RECOMMENDATION: Technology Assessment Study Council recommends that the Public Printer continue to explore with the Joint Committee on Printing the possibility of conducting a technology assessment study by a federally funded research group within the context of the congressional study and strategic planning process currently underway. Rationale: Council shares the disappointment of the depository library community with the denial by the Joint Committee on Printing of GPO's request for a study by a federally funded research group to examine the technology necessary to implement an electronic dissemination program. Council believes that the data gained in such a study is essential to a thorough and independent evaluation of the technological capabilities of all partners in the program as well as the costs involved in the transition to and implementation of an electronic dissemination program. 4. RECOMMENDATION: Support Services Council recommends an expanded role for the Government Printing Office in the provision of support services for libraries and end users. These services include but are not limited to: technical support, user support, training, documentation preparation and resource sharing. This expanded role should be reflected in the transition plan. Rationale: Council recognizes that the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is operating in an increasingly electronic environment. However, Council is very concerned that there is minimum user support available within depository libraries for the electronic products being distributed through the FDLP. Council believes that the electronic environment requires a new model for the relationship between GPO, depository libraries, producing agencies and the end user. The new model should be one where GPO is pro-active in providing comprehensive support for products sent through the depository system or coordinating such support through the producing agency. 5. RECOMMENDATION: Equipment Grants Council recommends that the Public Printer, as part of the Government Printing Office's FY 1997 proposed budget, request funds to assist willing but needy depository libraries in the initial acquisition of computer equipment and in establishing an Internet connection in order to provide public access to government information. Rationale: Council recognizes that some depository libraries cannot offer their library users access to the full range of electronic information resources produced by the Federal Government at the present time because of a lack of hardware or Internet access. Many of these libraries are willing to offer electronic access but need financial help in order to make electronic access for patrons and staff a reality in the near future. Depository libraries should be asked to submit a grant application for such funds. 6. RECOMMENDATION: Preservation Issues Council recommends that the Public Printer in cooperation with other Federal agencies seek Federal legislation that will ensure the preservation of all electronic public information products from the time of their initial release to the public. Rationale: The Federal Government, including executive, legislative, and judicial branch agencies, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Government Printing Office, must recognize their cooperative responsibility to preserve and provide long term access to electronic information, and work to enact legislation that ensures the integrity and ongoing public access to electronic government information. Information printed on permanent paper and distributed to libraries will be available indefinitely with little attention from library staff. The same cannot be said of information delivered in electronic formats. If public information in electronic formats is to be saved for future users, preservation should begin at the time the data is released. And unless a magnetic tape, for instance, is copied or refreshed regularly, the information on the tape may be lost. Furthermore, unless the information is migrated to new forms of media that can be accessed by new forms of software and hardware, the information will be effectively lost. Currently, few libraries of any type can refresh digital data and migrate it to new forms of software and hardware. Fortunately, the mission of the Center for Electronic Records at the National Archives and Records Administration is to do just this for U.S. government records. However, unless the information is sent to them before it disappears from its electronic formats, or if it is never sent, the information will not be available to the users of tomorrow. 7. RECOMMENDATION: Model Agreements Council recommends that the Government Printing Office develop model agreements that depository libraries can use when negotiating information dissemination partnerships between Federal agencies and depository libraries. Among the provisions of the agreement should be arrangements for long term access to the government information included in the agreement. GPO should be notified when a depository library enters into an electronic partnership with a Federal agency. Rationale: Partnerships between Federal agencies and depository libraries constitute one by-product of the increasing tendency of agencies to distribute public information in electronic form. One such arrangement is that between the Department of State and the University of Illinois at Chicago Library, whereby the library is facilitating access to the agency's electronic information. By developing model agreements, GPO will help ensure that libraries and agencies follow minimum standards. Notification will enable GPO to participate in the negotiations where appropriate, and will allow GPO to serve as a central source of information about these electronic partnerships. 8. RECOMMENDATION: Centralized Access Council recommends that the Government Printing Office investigate the feasibility of establishing centralized access to CD-ROM products which have been distributed through the Federal Depository Library Program. Rationale: Some of the CD-ROMs distributed through the Federal Depository Library Program are data storage disks; others require large amounts of working space for use while being low use information. Some of the depository libraries do not at this time have trained staff or technological capability to provide onsite access to these electronic publications. Council is interested in having GPO explore a new role of providing "near line access" to certain distributed CD-ROMs, possibly via a jukebox storage facility. Such access could solve some libraries' problems. 9. RECOMMENDATION: Software Standards Council recommends that the Government Printing Office take an active role in advocating and promoting open standards related to information processing and access, such as SGML and ANSI Z39.50. Rationale: Council recognizes that information technology is evolving rapidly and that GPO has a significant challenge in anticipating and adapting to these changes to serve the Federal Depository Library Program. Council recommends that GPO focus on the underlying standards, rather than on specific technical approaches. For example, WAIS was a strategic choice for the Federal Depository Library Program because of its use of the open, de jure standard ANSI Z39.50. However, it is not a good strategy to build into the Program a dependence on technical characteristics specific to the products of WAIS Incorporated. Similar cautions hold with respect to Adobe Acrobat and other "published" standards. This strategy will not only help GPO avoid dead-end technology, it will strengthen the use of open standards to the extent that GPO maintains a perceived leadership position. 10. RECOMMENDATION: Revised Guidelines Council recommends that the Library Programs Service implement the revised "Guidelines for the Federal Depository Library Program" as adopted by Council (10/17/95). Council further recommends that the Guidelines be reviewed every two years. 11. RECOMMENDATION: Minimum Technical Requirements Council recommends that the Government Printing Office implement the technical requirements outlined in the "Guidelines for the Federal Depository Library Program," Guideline 7-8, (as revised October 1995). These requirements should be effective October 1, 1996. Rationale: Council believes that a basic requirement for every depository library must be the ability to access local and remote electronic information sources (e.g., CD-ROMs, online systems, world wide web sites, etc.). This capability is already essential in order to adequately service the government information needs of the public and will become increasingly important as the Federal Depository Library Program migrates to a more electronic program. Appropriate hardware and software must be provided to enable public users to access electronic information available through the Federal Depository Library Program. This hardware and software should include computer workstations capable of providing Internet access, reading CD-ROMs, downloading or copying files, and printing. See "Recommended Minimum Technical Guidelines for Federal Depository Libraries." 12. RECOMMENDATION: No-Fee Access to GPO Access Council recommends that the Government Printing Office make GPO Access available at no charge to the public. Rationale: Council recognizes that under P.L. 103-40, "Government Printing Office Electronic Information Access Enhancement Act of 1993," GPO "may charge reasonable fees for use of the directory and the system of access [i.e., GPO Access]... except that use of the directory and the system of access shall be made available to depository libraries without charge." Council, however, is concerned that the present registration process is inhibiting libraries and the public from utilizing the Federal Government information sources available on the GPO Access system. While Council applauds the effort of GPO and depository libraries and gateway libraries to provide this service at no cost to the public, the disproportionate burden this places on the relatively few existing gateways and registered libraries is troublesome, and overall access to the service is inequitably distributed throughout the depository system. Further, a number of other government-based entities are already providing identical or similar information sources to the public free of charge. Thus GPO Access is perceived less favorably by the public, and the potential for the service to provide government information to the public is limited. Finally, agencies looking for electronic means to disseminate their information to the public may regard the fee structure as a barrier to public access. Council believes that GPO should investigate this issue to determine whether alternative options exist which would facilitate public access to the GPO Access service. 13. RECOMMENDATION: Advance Notice of GPO Access Changes Council recommends that the Public Printer provide advance notice to subscribers of GPO Access when new databases are added and when user interfaces are changed. Rationale: Advance notice of new databases and changes in the user interface is desirable for all subscribers to GPO Access. For GPO gateway libraries in particular, advance notice allows the gateway partner to prepare the appropriate access documentation for each new database, and to revise the existing user interface documentation at the time that interface changes are implemented. Through enhanced documentation and user aids, GPO Access gateway libraries provide a useful value-added service. It is in GPO's best interest to promote the effectiveness of gateway libraries by providing adequate notice of changes, as well as other information and support. 14. RECOMMENDATION: User Input into Software Development Council recommends that the Government Printing Office involve the depository library community in the development of the user interface for the GPO Access Phase II software. Council recommends substantive involvement of the user community throughout the development of GPO electronic products, including further development of the Monthly Catalog CD-ROM. Rationale: Council recognizes the challenges faced by the Government Printing Office in the development of new access software. However, Council is very concerned that the GPO Access Phase II software and the Monthly Catalog CD-ROM software be useful to both the general public and the library community. To that end, we ask for involvement by members of Council and the depository community throughout the development process. Council recommends that GPO solicit input from the users of these databases through focus groups, at Council meetings, and at conferences. 15. RECOMMENDATION: FAQ's Council recommends that the Government Printing Office establish an information resource on GPO Access consisting of a compilation of Frequently Asked Questions. 16. RECOMMENDATION: Monthly Catalog Council recommends that the Government Printing Office investigate the inclusion of cataloging records beginning with July 1976 on the Monthly Catalog CD-ROM, and add OCLC record numbers to the new paper edition. Rationale: Because cataloging records for government documents are available in machine-readable format from July of 1976, and because it is intended that only one year of cataloging records be available through the Federal locator, the GPO-produced Monthly Catalog on CD-ROM should include records from July of 1976. This would provide one product for all electronic cataloging records for government documents and would be of greater value to depository libraries. The new paper edition of the Monthly Catalog should contain the OCLC record number as this is the only link to the specific electronic version of the full cataloging record. 17. RECOMMENDATION: Identifying World Wide Webs Sites through Cataloging Council recommends that the Government Printing Office, in cooperation with the other cataloging agencies, consistently utilize existing mechanisms for including in cataloging records information identifying government publications available at Internet/World Wide Web sites. Rationale: Increasingly, government publications are discontinued in paper and microfiche format and replaced with electronic versions available via the Internet or dial-up bulletin boards and, increasingly, library patrons are asking for electronic versions of government documents. For depository libraries to be able to continue to provide access to these publications, it is imperative that existing mechanisms of site identification (USMARC 856 tag, "Electronic Location and Access") be included in cataloging records so that locations may be readily known. 18. RECOMMENDATION: Linkages within the MARC Record to Electronic Versions Council recommends that the Government Printing Office work with other CONSER libraries to implement a consistent methodology to provide the necessary linking information for titles converted from paper/fiche to electronic format. Rationale: Council is concerned that MARC records for publications formerly issued in paper or microfiche which have been converted to electronic format do not provide adequate linkages between the various formats. Titles discontinued in a print format may be continued in an electronic format on a world wide web site, or on a CD-ROM. Without linking notes in the old record to alert users to the continued dissemination of the information in another format, users may fail to locate it. Since the MARC record is the basis for describing and locating government information in most libraries, GPO cataloging should clearly supply the information needed to locate titles continued in another format. Linkages should direct users forward to the new electronic edition and backwards to the paper/fiche. The cataloging of electronic journals is a major topic of discussion among national cataloging standards organizations. Government information is moving more rapidly to electronic formats than are other areas of publishing. The Government Printing Office is already involved in the development of standards through its participation in CONSER. The CONSER editing and cataloging manuals already provide some guidance in providing for links between paper and alternative formats. We urge the GPO to make use of the existing documentation and to continue to take a leadership role in further development of cataloging standards for electronic formats. 19. RECOMMENDATION: Training for Other Agencies Council recommends that the Government Printing Office arrange workshops which will assist agencies to publish government information products and provide services suitable for use by the general public. Rationale: Council recognizes that Federal agencies have an increasing role in the publication of government information. This changing role derives not only from the technology of desktop publishing and the changing economics of print and electronic publishing, but from the socio-political trend toward decentralization. However, few Federal agencies are skilled in the publishing trade and Council is mindful of a strong public need for the rapid development of such skills. As agencies reinvent their relationships to public constituencies, there should be a strong demand for training in the publishing of government information for the general public. GPO should take a leadership role in arranging for such training. 20. RECOMMENDATION: STAT-USA Access Commendation and Logon Procedure Council requests that the Public Printer express our appreciation to the Department of Commerce and STAT-USA for making free accounts to STAT-USA available to Federal depository libraries. Council also requests that the Public Printer communicate our concern about limiting each depository library to a single free password. The number of passwords available to a library should more properly reflect the high use and diversity of the electronic product once issued to depositories but now only "bundled" through STAT-USA. Rationale: Government information is provided without fee to the public in depository libraries. The Department of Commerce's provision of passwords to STAT-USA is consistent with the no-fee depository library access provided to depository libraries to GPO Access and should serve as an important precedent to be emulated by other agencies. This is particularly important as more agencies search for ways of meeting their public dissemination obligations while reducing the agency's own budget. However, Council is concerned about the single-password access to STAT-USA. This is based on the fact that there is a wide variety and, more importantly, a large number of information resources available on STAT-USA. Many of these resources were once individually part of the Federal Depository Library Program and a number of them were heavily used in their paper formats. As paper editions of government information resources are discontinued in favor of electronic editions, located at a single site, i.e. STAT-USA, use of STAT-USA may be limited to one single no-fee passworded user work station. This has the effect of limiting access in that once users could access each title at the same time (i.e. multiple users of multiple titles). Access is now limited to one user for all products. This model does not fit the depository environment. If agencies are going to use STAT-USA to fulfill their Federal Depository Library Program requirements, then STAT-USA needs to develop mechanisms which will maintain the intent of the depository distribution-ready and no-fee access to government information. We encourage the development of mechanisms to provide for broader access to STAT-USA. Broader access should include such options as access through local area networks, multiple passwords for depository libraries and simpler log-on procedures. Librarians in a number of institutions would be willing to work with the STAT-USA staff to improve access at the local level. 21. RECOMMENDATION: Depository Library Council on the World Wide Web Council recommends that the Government Printing Office include the records of the Depository Library Council on the GPO World Wide Web home page. 22. RECOMMENDATION: Congressional Priority Boxes To ensure the timely delivery of high demand items, Council recommends that the practice by the Government Printing Office of providing Congressional priority shipments and "hot item" priority shipments continue. 23. RECOMMENDATION: DLC Fall Meeting Site Council recommends that one of the following be the site of the Fall 1996 Depository Library Council meeting: Cincinnati, Denver/Boulder, Ft. Lauderdale, Milwaukee, or Salt Lake City. COMMENDATION: J.R. Baumgardner Council congratulates J.R. Baumgardner, Deputy Director of Library Programs Service and a GPO employee since 1978, on the occasion of his retirement, and commends Mr. Baumgardner for his many years of service to the Government Printing Office and the Federal Depository Library Program. COMMENDATION: Mark Scully Council congratulates Mark Scully, former Director of the Library Programs Service and GPO employee since 1981, on the occasion of his retirement, and commends Mr. Scully for his many years of service to the Government Printing Office and the Federal Depository Library Program. COMMENDATION: John Phillips and OSU Library Staff Council commends John Phillips and the staff of the Oklahoma State University Library for their work on compiling the archival files of the Depository Library Council and creating an Internet site for electronic access to these files. COMMENDATION: Shirley Woodrow Council commends Shirley Woodrow, Minority Staff member of the Joint Committee on Printing, for her many years of support for the Federal Depository Library Program and access to government information. COUNCIL ACTION ITEMS * As a participant of the GPO Study Advisory Group, Council will prepare a report as soon as possible on the smooth transition to a more electronic Federal Depository Library Program, based on the input gathered at the fall Council meeting. * Council will establish a FDLP Statistics Work Group. This work group will (1) develop output measures for the Federal Depository Library Program, and (2) examine the results of the 1995 Biennial survey to gather information on depository libraries that may fall below the technical requirements recommended for libraries. * Council will establish an Ad hoc Committee on Format Transition. This committee will continue and build upon the efforts of the SOD 13 Work Group of Council's GPO Operations Committee. The charge of the Ad hoc Committee on Format Transition will be to work with GPO and the depository library community to assist in identifying issues and planning for the smooth transition from a primarily paper/fiche based environment to a more electronically based program. This includes working with GPO to develop a "core list" of titles which should remain in paper. The SOD 13 Work Group in its present configuration is discontinued. * Council will work with GPO and others to plan and present a "new librarian" track at the Spring Conference and Council meeting.