Administrative Notes 
Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program 
 
 
 
Vol. 19, no. 06	GP 3.16/3-2:19/06	April 15, 1998 
 
 YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN NTIS ELECTRONIC IMAGE FILES PILOT PROJECT

This is an invitation to your depository library to get connected and be
a part of a new cooperative project.

In December 1997, an Interagency Agreement (IA) was signed by GPO's
Superintendent of Documents and the National Technical Information
Service (NTIS) to establish a pilot project through which NTIS will
furnish U.S. Government information products in electronic image format
to the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).

In order to assure free public access to these products the GPO, as the
administrator of the depository program, and NTIS have agreed that
products delivered as part of the project will be subject to the rules
surrounding the use and accessibility of material in the depository
program.  There will be no restrictions on the use of the NTIS
electronic image files within the library or on a local institution
network.

Broadening Participation

NTIS has been working with the depository library staff at the
University of California at Davis (UC Davis) on the initial phase of
this pilot project.  Discussions between NTIS and the University of
Nevada, Reno (UNR) have also been initiated.  With an agreement now in
place, GPO would like to identify additional libraries interested in
participating in the pilot project.  Discussions between NTIS and GPO
concerning the timing for the addition of other libraries have led to
agreement to add four more libraries by mid-year.  Additional libraries,
up to a total of 20, will be added on a phased-in basis.

The project planners would like to include a variety of libraries in the
pilot, ranging from technologically higher-end institutions to libraries
that have an interest in obtaining government information products from
NTIS, but might not have high-tech equipment.  Project planners are
especially interested in working with an institution that could help us
determine the minimum automation requirements for a library to
successfully participate.

Staff from GPO, UC Davis and NTIS will provide libraries with technical
guidance needed for successful participation.  We envision employing the
model that has been used with GPO's Gateway libraries, with volunteers
acting as mentors for the "new recruits."

How the Project Will Work

UC Davis depository library identifies and requests documents
electronically using NTIS' OrderNow Online
<chaos.fedworld.gov/ordernow/>.  When a request is received, NTIS
prepares a TIFF Group IV image file and transmits it to a server at UC
Davis.
NTIS' OrderNow Online covers only government information products
cataloged and indexed during the previous three months.  However, NTIS
is working on enhancing the Technical Reports File on their Web site,
which covers the last 10 years, to include digital image information.
This would give project participants access to an expanded number of
documents in image form.
Another factor that will expand the range of documents included is NTIS'
recent initiation of "front end" scanning, in which documents are
scanned as part of the cataloging and indexing process.  Documents from
a variety of agencies numbered in the "PB" series are part of this new
work procedure.

Project planners are determining the technical requirements for
participation.  UC Davis employed the extensive automated resources of a
university to supply sophisticated viewing access via a Web page and
high-speed printing using a Xerox Docutech printer.  If our experience
with new technology tells us anything, it's that there are multiple ways
to achieve the same end.  Some depository libraries will choose to
emulate the UC Davis model; others may find different solutions.

The image files are very large and might not display on a standard
personal computer.  At a minimum, participating libraries would need at
least one personal computer that meets or exceeds GPO's "1997
Recommended Specifications for Public Access Work Stations in Federal
Depository Libraries" <www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/mintech.html>.

Additionally, depository librarians who wish to participate will need to
spend some time planning for the implementation and monitoring the
status of the project.  Some technical background, or access to staff
with basic telecommunications or computer background, is a plus.

During the Federal Depository Library Conference there will be a program
about the pilot project on Wednesday, April 22 from 2:00-3:15 p.m. in
the James Room of the Washington National Airport Hilton Hotel.  The
speakers will be Kris Vajs/NTIS; Linda Kennedy/UC Davis; Duncan
Aldrich/UNR and Sandy Schwalb/GPO.

Indicating Interest

Depository librarians who wish to participate in the pilot should
contact:

Sandy Schwalb
U.S. Government Printing Office
Library Programs Service (SL)
Washington, DC 20401
voice:	(202) 512-1114
fax:	(202) 512-1432
e-mail:	smorton-schwalb@gpo.gov

For additional information on the project, contact:

Kristin Vajs
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
voice:	(703) 605-6574
e-mail:	kvajs@ntis.fedworld.gov
Linda Kennedy
Government Information & Maps
Shields Library
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA 95616
voice:	(530) 752-1656
e-mail:	lmkennedy@ucdavis.edu