___________________________________ Administrative Notes Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program Vol. 19, no. 04 GP 3.16/3-2:19/04 February 15, 1998 GPO to Make ERIC Reports Available Online in FDLP/ERIC Digital Library Project The Government Printing Office (GPO), National Library of Education (NLE) and OCLC are cooperating in a pilot project to make public-domain reports from the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) available to libraries online, without charge, through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The FDLP/ERIC Digital Library Pilot Project, scheduled to start in 1998, will give participants information on managing a large, high-demand collection of full-text documents in an electronic environment. "GPO is deeply committed to providing leadership in the transition of Government information to electronic form," said Public Printer Michael F. DiMario, head of the Government Printing Office. "The FDLP/ERIC Digital Library Pilot Project is an exciting model partnership that will not only provide a popular series of reports electronically, but can lead the way for other Government agencies and the library community in making electronic Government information more accessible through the FDLP." The FDLP/ERIC Digital Library Pilot Project is one of several GPO partnership arrangements that match Government information producers with library and other institutional resources for electronic storage, dissemination and access. "Partnerships are a key element to stable, long-term access to electronic Government information," said Superintendent of Documents Francis J. Buckley, Jr. "They build on the successful model of cooperation between GPO and local libraries for dissemination of and public access to Government information." "The National Library of Education is excited about a new project that will provide quality ERIC reports to greater numbers of people, thus making education information more accessible," said Blane K. Dessy, director, National Library of Education. "The library is very pleased to work with OCLC and GPO on this new venture." "This pilot project exemplifies how the new electronic media can help democratize access to Government information," said K. Wayne Smith, president and CEO, OCLC. "It holds the promise of providing both citizens and libraries with better, cheaper and faster access to Government information." In the FDLP/ERIC Digital Library Pilot Project, ERIC reports in TIFF format are indexed for storage in eight robotic automated cartridge systems that can handle more than 4 terabytes of information in each system. With a total of 32 terabytes, the storage systems can hold some 12.8 billion typewritten pages. The storage systems are housed at OCLC's Dublin, Ohio, headquarters. The electronically stored ERIC reports will be accessible to libraries in the FDLP through the OCLC FirstSearch service, the online reference service designed for library users, and will be available free of charge through Federal depository libraries. ERIC is a Federally funded national information system that provides, through its 16 subject-specific clearinghouses, associated adjunct clearinghouses and support components, a variety of services and products on a broad range of education-related issues. GPO prints and distributes the publications of the Congress, the Judiciary and the executive departments and establishments of the Federal Government. The FDLP provides Government publications and Government information to a network of 1365 geographically disbursed libraries for comprehensive, equitable, dependable no-fee local access. Distribution is being accomplished on an increasing basis via electronic media in accordance with Public Law 103-40, "The Government Printing Office Electronic Information Access Enhancement Act of 1993." The National Library of Education (NLE) is the largest Federally funded library devoted entirely to education. It is the Federal Government's principal center for one-stop information and referral on education. OCLC Online Computer Library Center is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization whose computer network and services link more than 25,000 libraries in 63 countries and territories .