Administrative Notes 
Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program 
 
 
 
Vol. 19, no. 06	GP 3.16/3-2:19/06	April 15, 1998 
 

NEW GUIDELINES ISSUED FOR GPO ACCESS GATEWAYS:
WHAT ARE GATEWAYS?  WHAT DO GATEWAYS DO?  HOW CAN WE BECOME ONE?

GPO Access is a service of the U.S. Government Printing Office that
provides no-fee electronic access to information products produced by
the Federal Government.  The information provided on this site is the
official, published version and the information retrieved from GPO
Access can be used without restriction.  This service, which is funded
by the Federal Depository Library Program, is authorized under Public
Law 103-40, the Government Printing Office Electronic Information Access
Enhancement Act of 1993.

GPO Access Gateways provide expanded accessibility to the information
available in GPO Access with interpretive and instructional content
developed by Gateway partners for their specific clienteles, a variety
of alternatives for structuring searches and viewing results, and local
low- or no-cost connections for dial-up users.  In addition, Gateways
assist GPO by providing input in development and refinement of
electronic products and services.

Soon after GPO Access became available to the public, with no-fee access
available from a single workstation in depository libraries, the "Model
Gateways Program" expanded free public access by making as many as 10
simultaneous connections available to each depository library.  At that
time, GPO Access was available via a WAIS client, or through the Simple
WAIS (SWAIS) application utilizing a telnet or dial-in connection to
GPO's server. 

The original goal of the "Model Gateways Program" was to make the GPO
Access information available without charge to the public through
depository libraries, in the tradition of paper and microfiche
publications. Information and guidelines on Gateways were published in
January, 1995 as a part of a document titled "GPO Access: Information
for Depository Libraries."  This document supersedes those guidelines.

In 1995, Purdue University Libraries developed the first Gateway to
employ a graphical user interface and the World Wide Web.  This
innovation was followed by GPO's rollout of its own GPO Access WWW
interface.  In December, 1995 GPO Access became free to all users. 

In mid-1997, with nearly 40 Gateways in operation, GPO began to reassess
the Gateways initiative.  By examining the services offered by the
Gateways and through discussions on the Gateways listserv and at a
meeting of the Depository Library Council to the Public Printer, the
core values for the program were developed into a set of goals and
objectives outlined below.  These are intended to provide guidance for
the establishment of new Gateways, as well as provide an evaluative
guide for existing sites.

The goals of the Gateways initiative are:

I. Provide expanded accessibility to GPO Access.

II. Promote and enable the provision of low-end access (dial-up and
telnet connections to a local server or SWAIS).

III. Provide an environment conducive to high quality service,
innovation, and experimentation in local libraries.

IV. Provide users with significant locally tailored instructional,
navigational, and interpretive content.

V. Encourage and facilitate consistency of search strategy and search
results for end users.

The specific objectives that follow from these goals form GPO's
guidelines for the Gateways initiative:

1. New Gateways are strongly encouraged to provide dial-up or telnet
connectivity.  This is to be considered in addition to, rather than to
the exclusion of, World Wide Web based services, as an attempt to enable
users employing lower-end technology.

2. Gateways will make available the full GPO Access collection.  GPO
will provide Gateways with a current definition of the scope and content
of the full GPO Access collection.

3. Gateways, like traditional depository services, should be promoted
and publicized to the public by both the local institution and GPO.  GPO
will assist with press releases and other promotional material.

4. Existing Gateways will act as mentors for newly established Gateways.

5. Gateways will agree to participate in occasional surveys, focus
groups, and other feedback mechanisms.

6. Gateways are encouraged to develop help screens, tutorials,
pathfinders, training classes, and other support mechanisms specifically
geared to the needs of local user groups.

7. Gateways and GPO will cooperate to ensure that identical searches
performed on any Gateway will yield identical results.

In support of the initiative, GPO will endeavor to improve and maintain
communication with Gateways on GPO Access administrative issues, and
will seek Gateway participant input when considering changes to the
initiative.

Procedure

Institutions desiring Gateway status should send a letter to the
Director, Library Programs Service.  The letter should include
descriptions of access methods planned, agreement to the objectives
outlined above, a projected start date, and names, phone numbers, and
e-mail addresses of both library and technical contact persons (if
applicable).  The letter should be signed by the library director.  The
Library Programs Service will communicate with contact personnel as
necessary, test and approve the Gateway, and inform personnel of the
approval in writing.  GPO will issue a press release when the service is
inaugurated, link the Gateway from appropriate GPO pages, and work with
the Gateway institution to publicize the new service.

Contact Information

Letters requesting Gateway status should be addressed to:

Director
Library Programs Service (SL)
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, DC 20401

For further information contact:

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