Square peg in a round hole electronic information and the federal depository library program

Journal of Government Information

Volumn 24, Issue 5, 1997, Pages 361-375

  Ryan, Susan M ^a  

^a STETSON UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

Commercial information services; Electronic government information; Electronic transition; Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP); Government Printing Office (GPO); Internet

Indexed keywords

EID: 0031232283     PISSN: 13520237     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/S1352-0237(97)00040-3     Document Type: Article

References (65)

1. 1. "Policy Issues for Discussion at Fall 1991 Depository Library Council Meeting," Administrative Notes 12, no. 18 (August 15, 1991):1.
2. 2. Thomas Legislative Information Service: http://thomas.loc.gov; Link to federal agency web sites: http:// www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html; CIS Compass: http://www.cispubs.com/compassweb/welcome.htm; Legi-Slate: http://www.legislate.com; CQ Washington Alert is an online service soon to be also available on the WWW (see also: CQ NewsAlert: http://www.cq.com).
3. 3. "Definition of Government Publication," Title 44 U.S. Code Section 1901.
4. 4. U.S. Congress, Joint Committee on Printing, Provision of Federal Government Publications in Electronic Format to Depository Libraries (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1984), 111.
5. 5. U.S. Congress, Joint Committee on Printing, Provision of Federal Government Publications in Electronic Format to Depository Libraries, III.
6. 6. "Summary of Meeting: Depository Library Council to the Public Printer: April 11, 12, and 13, 1984," Administrative Notes 5, no. 9 (June 1984):11.
7. 7. Grant G. Moy, Jr., "Government Printing Office Memorandum. Subject: GPO Dissemination of Federal Agency Publications in Electronic Format," Administrative Notes 10, no. 15 (July 31, 1989):10.
8. 8. U.S. Congress, Joint Committee on Printing, An Open Forum on the Provision of Electronic Federal Information to Depository Libraries, Report of the Staff of the Joint Committee on Printing to the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing, 99th Cong., 1st sess., June 26, 1985, 2.
9. 9. U.S. Congress, Joint Committee on Printing, Provision of Federal Government Publications in Electronic Format to Depository Libraries, iii.
10. 10. "Summary of Meeting: Depository Library Council to the Public Printer: March 27-29, 1985," Administrative Notes 6, no. 7 (May 1985):5.
11. 11. The 24 agencies were: Agricultural Extension Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Army Intelligence & Threat Analysis Center, Army Library, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of the Census, Defense Mapping Agency, Department of Transportation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Geological Survey, Government Printing Office, Internal Revenue Service, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Library of Congress, National Agricultural Library, National Archives & Records Administration, National Library of Medicine, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Adminstration, Naval Air Systems Command, Navy NESEA, Navy Printing & Publishing Service, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Patent & Trademark Office, and the Postal Service.
12. 12. "Preliminary Report: Depository Library Council Subcommittee on Electronic Distribution, March 9, 1988," Administrative Notes 9, no. 8 (May 1988): 20-26. The seven agencies were: Bureau of the Census, Geological Survey, Library of Congress, National Archives & Records Administration, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Patent & Trademark Office, and the Postal Service.
13. The three published reports are: Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Accessing the Economic Bulletin Board: Electronic Publications in the Federal Depository Library Program Pilot Project Report (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, March 1994); Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Accessing U.S. Department of Energy Scientific and Technical Information: Electronic Publications in the Federal Depository Library Program Pilot Project Report (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, August 1993); Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Reading the Congressional Record on CD-ROM (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 1992).
14. The three published reports are: Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Accessing the Economic Bulletin Board: Electronic Publications in the Federal Depository Library Program Pilot Project Report (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, March 1994); Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Accessing U.S. Department of Energy Scientific and Technical Information: Electronic Publications in the Federal Depository Library Program Pilot Project Report (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, August 1993); Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Reading the Congressional Record on CD-ROM (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 1992).
15. The three published reports are: Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Accessing the Economic Bulletin Board: Electronic Publications in the Federal Depository Library Program Pilot Project Report (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, March 1994); Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Accessing U.S. Department of Energy Scientific and Technical Information: Electronic Publications in the Federal Depository Library Program Pilot Project Report (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, August 1993); Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Reading the Congressional Record on CD-ROM (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 1992).
16. 14. "Response to Spring 1990 Recommendations of the Depository Library Council to the Public Printer," Administrative Notes 11, no. 22 (October 31, 1990):13.
17. 15. Moy, "Government Printing Office Memorandum," 5.
18. 16. P.L. 87-579, August 9, 1962, 76 Stat. 352 (see Title 44 USC, sec. 1119, 1901 et seq.).
19. 17. Moy, "Government Printing Office Memorandum," 7.
20. 18. "The FDLP Bulletin Board and How to Use It," Administrative Notes 12, no. 18 (August 15, 1991):12.
21. 19. Federal Bulletin Board: http://fedbbs.access.gpo.gov.
22. 20. U.S. Government Printing Office, GPO/2001: Vision for a New Millenium: Strategic Planning (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1991).
23. 21. J. Timothy Sprehe, "U.S. Government Printing Office, No More," Journal of Government Information 23, no. 3 (May/June 1996):282.
24. 22. Sprehe, 282.
25. 23. Andrew M. Sherman, "Statutory Reform of the U.S. Government Printing Office: A View from the GPO," Journal of Government Information 23, no. 3 (May/June 1996):274.
26. 24. "Federal Information Resources Management (Circular A-130) Revision; Notice," Federal Register 58, no. 126 (July 2, 1993):36072.
27. 25. P.L. 103-40, June 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 112 (see Title 44 USC sec. 4101 et seq.).
28. 26. Subscription prices for unlimited WAIS access to the Congressional Record from a single workstation or single user id were $35.00 for one month, $200.00 for six months, and $375.00 for one year. The same pricing scheme applied to the Federal Register and congressional bills (A User Manual for Databases Online via GPO Access: A Service of the Government Printing Office (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, October 1994), 5). Multiple workstation annual charges for the Congressional Record and the Federal Register (separate subscriptions) ranged from $750 for 2-10 workstations to $1,650 plus $15 per 10 workstations for 501 to 1,000 workstations (unpublished notes from a 1994 telephone conversation with Superintendent of Documents staff, U.S. Government Printing Office).
29. 27. U.S. Government Printing Office, GPO Access: A Service of the U.S. Government Printing Office (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, June 30, 1994), 3-4.
30. 28. Sherman, "Statutory Reform of the U.S. Government Printing Office," 273.
31. 29. For information on the 1996 Department of Justice memorandum regarding GPO's involvement in executive branch printing, see: Michael F. DiMario, "Prepared Statement before the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Appropriations, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, on Appropriations Estimates for Fiscal Year 1997," Administrative Notes 17, no. 10 (July 25, 1996): 40-41; Michael F. DiMario, "Prepared Statement before the Committee on Rules and Administration, U.S. Senate, on Public Access to Government Information in the 21st Century," Administrative Notes 17, no. 11 (August 15, 1996):14.
32. 29. For information on the 1996 Department of Justice memorandum regarding GPO's involvement in executive branch printing, see: Michael F. DiMario, "Prepared Statement before the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Appropriations, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, on Appropriations Estimates for Fiscal Year 1997," Administrative Notes 17, no. 10 (July 25, 1996): 40-41; Michael F. DiMario, "Prepared Statement before the Committee on Rules and Administration, U.S. Senate, on Public Access to Government Information in the 21st Century," Administrative Notes 17, no. 11 (August 15, 1996):14.
33. 30. In FY 1995, GPO distributed 44,734 titles to depositories ("Library Programs Service Fiscal Year 1995 Annual Report," Administrative Notes 16, no. 17 (December 15, 1995):30); in FY 1996 GPO distributed 29,072 titles to depositories ("Library Programs Service Fiscal Year 1996 Report," Administrative Notes 17, no. 17 (December 15, 1996):23).
34. 30. In FY 1995, GPO distributed 44,734 titles to depositories ("Library Programs Service Fiscal Year 1995 Annual Report," Administrative Notes 16, no. 17 (December 15, 1995):30); in FY 1996 GPO distributed 29,072 titles to depositories ("Library Programs Service Fiscal Year 1996 Report," Administrative Notes 17, no. 17 (December 15, 1996):23).
35. 31. "The Electronic Federal Depository Library Program: Transition Plan, FY 1996-FY 1998," Administrative Notes 16, no. 18 (December 29, 1995):1-25.
36. 32. "The Federal Depository Library Program in Transition. Remarks by Gil Baldwin, Chief, Library Division. Federal Documents Task Force. Government Documents Round Table. American Library Association Midwinter Meeting. Saturday, January 20, 1996," Administrative Notes 17, no. 4 (February 15, 1996):19.
37. 33. Study to Identify Measures Necessary for a Successful Transition to a More Electronic Federal Depository Library Program (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, June 1996).
38. 34. U.S. Congress, House of Representatives, Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 1997, House Report 104-657, 104th Cong., 2d sess. (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1996), 27-28.
39. 35. "Library Programs Service: Fiscal Year 1996 Report," Administrative Notes 17, no. 17 (December 15, 1996):25.
40. 36. Gil Baldwin, "Impact of the Electronic Transition on Federal Depository Libraries," unpublished transcript of remarks before the Government Documents Interest Group, Florida Library Association, Daytona Beach, Florida, May 8, 1997; Wayne P. Kelley, "Testimony before the Committee on Rules and Administration, United States Senate." Administrative Notes 17, no. 9 (July 15, 1996):10-12. See, for example, Public Law 104-113, March 7, 1996, 110 Stat. 775, the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995. While this law specifically refers to assigning intellectual property rights to companies involved in cooperative research with Federal employees, it has been interpreted broadly by some federal agencies entering into cooperative agreements with commercial publishers.
41. 36. Gil Baldwin, "Impact of the Electronic Transition on Federal Depository Libraries," unpublished transcript of remarks before the Government Documents Interest Group, Florida Library Association, Daytona Beach, Florida, May 8, 1997; Wayne P. Kelley, "Testimony before the Committee on Rules and Administration, United States Senate." Administrative Notes 17, no. 9 (July 15, 1996):10-12. See, for example, Public Law 104-113, March 7, 1996, 110 Stat. 775, the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995. While this law specifically refers to assigning intellectual property rights to companies involved in cooperative research with Federal employees, it has been interpreted broadly by some federal agencies entering into cooperative agreements with commercial publishers.
42. 36. Gil Baldwin, "Impact of the Electronic Transition on Federal Depository Libraries," unpublished transcript of remarks before the Government Documents Interest Group, Florida Library Association, Daytona Beach, Florida, May 8, 1997; Wayne P. Kelley, "Testimony before the Committee on Rules and Administration, United States Senate." Administrative Notes 17, no. 9 (July 15, 1996):10-12. See, for example, Public Law 104-113, March 7, 1996, 110 Stat. 775, the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995. While this law specifically refers to assigning intellectual property rights to companies involved in cooperative research with Federal employees, it has been interpreted broadly by some federal agencies entering into cooperative agreements with commercial publishers.
43. 37. In 1995 the GPO Access service was awarded the James Madison Award from the Coalition on Government Information, and in 1996 it received the Federal Technology Leadership Award from the Office of Management and Budget and Government Executive magazine.
44. 38. Gil Baldwin, "Impact of the Electronic Transition on Federal Depository Libraries."
45. 39. An average of more than 1,700 documents per month would have to be downloaded from each of the 1,400 depository libraries for all GPO Access downloads to originate in depository libraries.
46. 40. Patricia Cruse and Cynthia Jahns, "GPO Gate: University of California, San Diego's New Gateway to Electronic Government Information," Journal of Government Information 23, no. 4 (July/August 1996):407.
47. 41. See the FDLP Administration web page: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/fdlppro.html.
48. 42. For the estimated cost of maintaining a depository, see: U.S. Congress, Joint Committee on Printing, Government Information as a Public Asset, 102d Cong., 1st sess., April 25, 1991, 24; U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Informing the Nation: Federal Information Dissemination in an Electronic Age (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1988), 173.
49. 42. For the estimated cost of maintaining a depository, see: U.S. Congress, Joint Committee on Printing, Government Information as a Public Asset, 102d Cong., 1st sess., April 25, 1991, 24; U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Informing the Nation: Federal Information Dissemination in an Electronic Age (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1988), 173.
50. 43. Bruce Morton, "Doc Doldrums: A Response to the Document Librarian's Manifesto," Government Publications Review 20, no. 2 (March/April 1993): 145-47; Bruce Morton, "The Depository Library System: A Costly Anachronism," Library Journal 112 (September 15, 1987):52-54.
51. 43. Bruce Morton, "Doc Doldrums: A Response to the Document Librarian's Manifesto," Government Publications Review 20, no. 2 (March/April 1993): 145-47; Bruce Morton, "The Depository Library System: A Costly Anachronism," Library Journal 112 (September 15, 1987):52-54.
52. 44. Depository libraries received significantly fewer publications in FY 1996 than in FY 1995 (see note 30) and GPO anticipates this trend will continue (Baldwin, "Impact of the Electronic Transition on Federal Depository Libraries.").
53. 45. See, for example, Gary T. Cornwell, "The Dissemination of Federal Government Information: Prospects for the Immediate Future," Journal of Government Information 23, no. 3 (May/June 1996):299-306 and Jack Sulzer, "U.S. Depository Librarians in Reality and Myth: A Framework for a Future Government Information Program," Journal of Government Information 23, no. 3 (May/June 1996):307-25.
54. 45. See, for example, Gary T. Cornwell, "The Dissemination of Federal Government Information: Prospects for the Immediate Future," Journal of Government Information 23, no. 3 (May/June 1996):299-306 and Jack Sulzer, "U.S. Depository Librarians in Reality and Myth: A Framework for a Future Government Information Program," Journal of Government Information 23, no. 3 (May/June 1996):307-25.
55. 46. Unpublished notes from the 1996 Federal Depository Library Conference, Washington National Airport Hilton, Arlington, Virginia, April 16, 1996.
56. 47. Baldwin, "Impact of the Electronic Transition on Federal Depository Libraries."
57. 48. Wayne Kelley, "Responsibilities of the Federal Government in the Electronic Information Era," Administrative Notes 17, no. 4 (February 15, 1996):15-18.
58. 49. Cornwell, "The Dissemination of Federal Government Information," 304-06.
59. 50. For a discussion of fugitive government publications, see: John Walters, "'Toy' Presses and the Rise of Fugitive U.S. Government Documents," Journal of Government Information 21, no. 5 (September/ October 1994):413-35.
60. 51. "Michael F. DiMario, Public Printer. Prepared Statement before the Committee on Rules and Administration, U.S. Senate on Public Access to Government Information in the 21st Century, Wednesday, July 24, 1996," Administrative Notes 17, no. 11 (August 15, 1996):24.
61. 52. Baldwin, "Impact of the Electronic Transition on Federal Depository Libraries."
62. 53. "Summary Spring Meeting Depository Library Council. Scottsdale, Arizona, April 25-27, 1990," Administrative Notes 11, no. 18 (August 31, 1990):5.
63. 54. Susan M. Ryan, "CD-ROMs in U.S. Depository Libraries: A Survey of Hardware, Software, Staffing, and Service," Government Publications Review 20 (September/October 1993):495-513.
64. 55. See, for example, various articles in "Special Issue: Challenges to U.S. Government Information Access (Part 1)," Journal of Government Information 23, no. 3 (May/June 1996) and
65. "Special Issue: Challenges to U.S. Government Information Access (Part 2), Journal of Government Information 23, no. 4 (July/ August 1996).