ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES NEWSLETTER OF THE FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY PROGRAM Vol. 19, no. 09 GP 3.16/3-2:19/09 July 15, 1998 [HANDOUT] DEPOSITORY ADMINISTRATION BRANCH UPDATE, JUNE 1998 UPDATE CYCLE The 1999 Item Selection Update Cycle is being conducted electronically on the Web. Depository libraries should enter their amendments to selections using the Web site "Amendment to Item Selections" on the FDLP Administration page at: . This Web site has been redesigned to make item selection changes as easy and simple as possible. Each library will need its depository library number and NEW FDLP INTERNAL PASSWORD to submit additions or deletions. All submissions for additions must be made during the Update Cycle, open from June 1, 1998 through July 31, 1998. New item selection additions become effective October 1, 1998. Deletions may be submitted at any time. Libraries without Web access should contact Laurie Hall or Yvonne Washington at (202) 512-1131 or fax (202) 512-0877. NEW FDLP PASSWORDS Each library has been assigned a new, unique password for internal FDLP administrative functions. The new internal password was mailed to each library in late May as part of the 1999 Update Cycle information packet. If a library did not receive a new password or has lost it, please contact the Information Processing Unit, via e-mail: , fax (202) 512-0877, or phone (202) 512-1131. A library's previously assigned password is not valid for the "Amendments to Item Selections" process. Do not destroy the old password! This is now the library's external password, to be used to access databases and services provided by agencies and FDLP partnerships. For example, this password is used to access the Environmental Health Information Service database at . ASKLPS On April 6, 1998, LPS began accepting questions from depository library staff and from the public via the askLPS service. askLPS is an automated inquiry service to make filing of inquiries and directing e-mail to the appropriate LPS staff member easier. The askLPS home page is located at . Questions may also be e-mailed to . Users are encouraged to check the WEBTech Notes and the FAQ & News sections before submitting a question to askLPS as the question may already have been researched and the answer posted to the database. Inquiries should always include the inquirer's name, the library's name, and the depository library number, whether they are sent via askLPS, telephone, fax, or mail. For the months of April and May, LPS received 5838 inquiries and responded to 5288, leaving a balance of 645 inquiries. Although LPS staff strive to answer all askLPS inquiries within ten days, it is a challenge to research fugitive documents inquiries within this time frame. Of the 645 inquiries still on hand, 517 are fax inquiries, most related to questions concerning item numbers for documents not received in several years. DAB staff are moving through these systematically and posting information in the Administrative Notes Technical Supplement and on WEBTech Notes. SHIPPING LIST LABEL PROGRAM In late May through early June most of the services associated with the label program of the Enhanced Shipping List Service were unavailable for use because of a computer virus on a University of Texas-Arlington computer. The service again became available on June 15, 1998. LPS continues to work with the State University of New York, Buffalo and the University of Texas-Arlington to improve the processes for this extremely helpful and popular service. MICROFICHE DISTRIBUTION LPS has 15 full-service microfiche contracts. Five different companies provide service under these contracts. During the first eight months of FY 1998, LPS has distributed over 16,800 microfiche titles, which is more than the total distributed during all of FY 1997. There is no backlog of paper documents awaiting conversion to microfiche format at this time. LPS does have a number of GAO agency-supplied microfiche awaiting duplication and distribution to depository libraries. We are working with GAO to determine why so many duplicate GAO fiche have been sent for replication and distribution through theFDLP. PRODUCT UPDATE A two disc CD-ROM set will be sent to libraries later this summer to replace volumes 1-81 of the Federal Energy Guidelines, FERC Reports (SuDocs E 2.17:, item 0438-C). Libraries will continue to receive the FERC Reports in paper format mailed directly from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's contractor, CCH. The retrospective 2-disc CD-ROM set will supersede the paper volumes. The American Community Survey, 1996 in CD-ROM format will be distributed to libraries this June under SuDocs class C 3.297:, item 0154-B-14. Survey data on this CD-ROM includes easy-to-read profiles of communities and population groups, Summary Tables similar to the decennial census Summary Tape Files, and Public Use Microdata for researchers to create their own custom tables. The TIGER/Line 1997 CD-ROM has been received at GPO. It will be distributed under SuDocs C 3.279:, to libraries selecting 0154-E. The last edition of the TIGER/Line was distributed under the Department of Transportation, SuDocs TD 1.56/6:, 0982-L-06.