ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES NEWSLETTER OF THE FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY PROGRAM Vol. 19, no. 09 GP 3.16/3-2:19/09 July 15, 1998 [HANDOUT] ELECTRONIC TRANSITION STAFF UPDATE, JUNE 1998 FDLP Electronic Collection Plan GPO's internal review of "Managing the FDLP Electronic Collection: A Policy and Planning Document" has been completed, and the paper has been forwarded to the Depository Library Council for review and comment. We expect that it will be available on GPO Access for wider review and discussion later this summer. FDLP Electronic Collections www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/locate.html The Department of Energy (DOE)/Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) introduced the depository library version of its electronic dissemination system, "Information Bridge," during the April Federal Depository Conference. This gateway will provide a public view to the more than 15,000 reports produced by DOE/OSTI annually, with coverage beginning with January 1996. During its first month, Information Bridge was a "Pick of the Week" from Yahoo!, the Web navigation and indexing site. The initial libraries in the FDLP/ERIC Digital Library Pilot Project have received their authorizations and passwords and are ready to make public domain ERIC reports available free via the OCLC First Search interface. Reports from January 1997 forward, previously provided to the FDLP in microfiche, will be converted to TIFF image format and stored at OCLC. This pilot will provide the project participants with useful information on managing a large, high-demand electronic collection. The remaining libraries in the pilot group of approximately 300 will be online in July. www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/coredocs.html GPO's Core Documents of Democracy is one of only two Internet resources included in the May 1998 Library Journal/ALA Notable Government Documents list. Core Documents is included in a site compiled by the G7 (Group of 7 Industrialized Nations) that includes information about the U.S. and other democracies. www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/ec/ A new series of pages will bring the FDLP Electronic Collection to the Web. Developed by Cynthia Etkin of the Depository Services staff, the site is "Bringing Government Information to You," and is based on components of the Collection. The new pages include full text resources from GPO, FDLP partner sites, and other Federal Government agencies. A collection of finding tools will assist users in locating tangible electronic products in depository libraries, as well as products on other agency sites which GPO identifies, describes, and links. We look forward to your comments and suggestions on these new pages. Browse Topics www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/pathbrws.html The initial collection of sites for almost all 160 Topics in the Subject Bibliography-based Browse Topics list is now complete. Currently 56 topics are being maintained by volunteers from the depository and information communities. Links have been created from Topics to relevant Subject Bibliographies. Our goal is to update all Topics on at least a quarterly basis. Pathway Indexer http://gather.access.gpo.gov/Harvest/brokers/Pathway/query.html We are currently maintaining our Pathway Indexer search engine of online Federal Government information using the freeware product Harvest and will continue this effort until the government-mandated Advanced Search Facility is online. This service indexes well over 200,000 Web pages from over 1524 different servers. New sites are added to the list on a daily basis. Recommended Technical Specifications www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/mintech.html The 1998 revision of the recommended specifications for new public access workstations in depository libraries is now available in Administrative Notes and on the FDLP Administration page. Web Activities ETS continues to work with other staff from LPS, Electronic Information Dissemination Services (EIDS) and GPO's Production Department on a number of Web projects. One project is exploring Web claiming and the related issue of electronic shipping lists. The Depository Web Site URL Survey (deadline July 31, 1998) has been issued. We will add these URLs to our Web directories of depository library information. askLPS, a Web-based inquiry and answer module for the depository community to communicate with LPS staff was implemented in April, and so far is proving a success. Take the LPS Virtual Tour at .