# Presentation: 518854

## GPO Access:An Overview

**Notes:**
This presentation is a quick overview of the GPO Access online service, a service of the Superintendent of Documents and US GPO.

GPO Access is a service of the United States Government Printing Office that provides free public access to electronic information products from the Federal Government. Established by law, it provides reliable, timely access to official information from all three branches of the Federal Government. 

##   Establishment of GPO Access

-   **Establishment**** of *****GPO Access***

*Mandated By:*

- Public Law 103-40  (June 8, 1993)

*The Government Printing Office*
*Electronic Information Access    *
*Enhancement Act of 1993*

**Notes:**
GPO Access History
In 1993, Congress passed Public Law 103-40, the Government Printing Office Electronic Information Access Enhancement Act of 1993, amending GPO’s duties to include provisions for the dissemination of information in electronic format.This legislation requires the Superintendent of Documents to do the following:  

## Public Law 103-40:Requirements

- Online *Federal Register *and *Congressional Record*; other databases determined by Superintendent of Documents
- A Federal information locator
- Electronic Storage Facility for Federal Information

**Notes:**
1.  Provide a system of online access to the CR, Fr, and other appropriate publications as determined by the Superintendent of Documents.

2.  Maintain a Federal information locator, known as Federal-Wide Resources.  These browse and search tools, such as Browse Topics, and CGP, assist you to find information throughout the Federal Government.

3.  Provide an electronic storage facility for Federal information.

## GPO Access: Goals and Objectives

- Improve access to Federal Government information in electronic formats
- Provide easy to use online services that are available to the public
- Provide official and comprehensive information
- Provide Federal-wide Resources
- Ensure access to broadest audience possible
- Electronic information is a byproduct of the print process
- Ensure Permanent Public Access (PPA)

**Notes:**
1.  Working to replace WAIS

2.  Information for electronic files are derived from the same sources as printed publications.

## GPO Access Today

- Over 260,000 titles
- Over 3,200 databases; over 100 applications
- Collection of Federal-wide resources
- Hosted sites for other Federal agencies
- Partnerships
- Secure Online Bookstore
- Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
- Federal Depository Library services – FDLP Desktop
- Commitment to Permanent Public Access

**Notes:**
GPO Access was created in response to these Congressional mandates. It first went live in 1994 and today it encompasses the following:

Over 260,000 titles
Over 3,200 databases with over 100 applications
A collection of Federal-wide resources 
Hosted Sites for other federal agencies:  Host 20 sites
U.S. Capitol Police
Commission on Affordable Housing and Health Facility Needs for Seniors in the 21st Century 
Office of Independent Counsel
Partnerships:  Firstgov, Regulations.gov, Science.gov, LSU, Oklahoma State University Edmon Low Library, etc.
Online bookstore:  searchable and browseable – currently redesigning our bookstore
Ben’s Guide so far doubling in use each month
FDLP Desktop
GPO Access continues to improve the access to official Federal Government information in electronic format, as well as providing users with official and complete Federal information.
GPO Access also has a commitment to ensuring permanent public access
Once information is available on GPO Access, it is mainted permanently. Information is geared toward the broadest audience possible, both directly and through Federal Depository Libraries.
The website is also section 508 compliant for individuals with disabilities.

## GPO Access:Document Downloads

**Notes:**
Currently, GPO Access is averaging approximately 34 million document downloads per month, or about 408 million downloads per year. The documents cost less than a penny per retrieval.

Since August 1994, users have retrieved more than two billion documents from GPO Access. Usage has increased from an average of about 20,000 monthly retrievals in 1994 to an average of about 34 million a month in 2004. Users have downloaded a total of 195 terabytes of information from GPO Access, which is equivalent to more than 98 billion typewritten pages.

## Most Popular Databases

**Code of Federal Regulations**
**Federal Register**
**United States Code**
**Congressional Record**
**Congressional Bills**
**GAO Reports**
**Public Laws**
**Budget of the United States**
**Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP)**

**Notes:**
The Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) provides full-text search and retrieval for Government publications such as the Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register, U.S.Code, etc. Most databases are updated daily and are accessible through Web browsers. 

The databases offer files as ASCII text and Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) files. Also HTML

## GPO Contact Center

- 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST Monday-Friday

-  E-Mail:	ContactCenter@gpo.gov
-  Phone:   1-866-512-1800 (toll-free) or               202-512-1800 (DC area)
-  Fax:	1-202-512-2104

**Notes:**
An important feature of GPO Access is the GPO Contact Center.  These live trained specialists are available to answer your questions about GPO Access’ products and services from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays).  In addition, customers can submit messages at any time through the Online Knowledge Base, and the GPO Contact Center will respond to all e-mails within 24 hours.  The Contact Center may be reached at:

## Visit us at:www.gpoaccess.gov

**Notes:**
Please visit our web site.