Administrative Notes

Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program

Vol. 22, no. 15 GP 3.16/3-2:22/ 15 October 15, 2001

2001 Biennial Survey of Depository Libraries Approaching

The 2001 Biennial Survey of Depository Libraries will be conducted on the Web at

<www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/bisurvey/01survey.html> from November 1 through 

November 30, 2001.

The purpose of the Biennial Survey is to report on conditions in the depository libraries. 

Required by law (44 U.S.C. §1909), the Biennial Survey gathers data from all the depository 

libraries every 2 years, supplementing the more in-depth inspections or self-studies that are 

performed every 6 or 7 years.

The survey period will be November 1-30, 2001; however, to avoid the rush, depositories are 

advised to submit their survey responses early in November. Additional information will be 

posted at the Biennial Survey web page <www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/bisurvey/

index.html>in late October.

Your internal Federal Depository Library Program password will be needed to access the 

survey. If you do not have your depository library password, please contact:

• Joe Paskoski at 202-512-1698, <jpaskoski@gpo.gov>,

• asklps@gpo.gov, or

• Depository Services at 202-512-1119.
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Self-studies and Inspections: Status Report

Staff shortages on the inspection team have continued to cause delays in processing self-studies 

and in physical inspection of libraries. The sole inspector at the beginning of the year, Charles 

Bradsher, was joined in January by Walter Zoller. Bradsher left GPO in June. Regina Koo was 

recruited as a new inspector in August, and a third inspector should be on-board in November 

2001.

No inspections are currently scheduled, pending completion of training for new staff members. 

Inspection staff have been focusing on the review of self-studies from 1999 and 2000. When 

these have been completed, inspection trips will be scheduled for this set of self-study libraries as 

necessary.

The next set of self-studies will be called for from depository libraries last inspected in 1994 in 

Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and 

Pennsylvania. The call for self-studies from these states is not definitely scheduled at this time, 

but may occur in January 2002. Of course, libraries may begin their self-studies at any time, 

using the online template at <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/fdlm/selfstud.html>.

15th Annual Interagency Depository Seminar Announced

May-June 2002

The 15th Annual Interagency Depository Seminar will be held in Washington, DC from May 28 

through June 5, 2002. The weeklong seminar will consist of an overview of various agencies' 

information products and activities as they relate to Federal depository libraries. The seminar is 

being presented by many Federal agencies, including:

• Bureau of the Census

• Copyright Office

• Library of Congress

• Office of the Federal Register

• Patent and Trademark Office 

• Government Printing Office

• and more to be announced.

The Interagency Depository Seminar is the most comprehensive introduction to U.S. 

Government information now offered (see the attached schedule of events). It is aimed at 

documents staff with basic working experience in a depository. In the 14 years that it has been 

offered, the seminar has been very popular with the Federal documents community. As 

attendance must be limited to 60, preference will be given to those who have not previously 

attended the seminar and whose libraries are located outside the Washington, DC metropolitan 

area.
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Costs for the seminar are being kept as low as possible. A $22.00 registration fee will be the 

only charge; it covers coffee and donuts in the morning and sodas in the afternoon. Librarians 

attending the seminar must cover their own travel and subsistence expenses, as no government 

funds are available for that purpose.

Prospective attendees should complete the registration form and mail it, along with a check for 

$22.00 postdated after January 1, 2002 and made out to "GPO Cafeteria Service" to the Library 

Programs Service by March 15, 2002. Librarians who are officially registered for the seminar 

will be notified first by e-mail immediately and then receive a packet by mail in mid-April 2002. 

As there is usually a waiting list, a he lpful hint is to submit the registration form to reserve a 

place first, then try to obtain full or partial funding from your library administration later. If you 

wait until funding is assured, the limited slots for the seminar may be filled.

If you have any questions about the seminar, please contact the Chief, Library Division, by 

telephone on (202) 512-1119; by fax on (202) 512-1432; or by e-mail at <rhaunmohamed@gpo.gov>.

15th Annual Interagency Depository Seminar

Preliminary Agenda

Tuesday, May 28, 2002

There will be an informal get-together of seminar participants in the lobby of the St. Gregory 

Hotel and Suites at 6:00 p.m. Librarians will be able to meet some colleagues and Depository 

Services staff in an informal setting. Those who are interested may enjoy dining together in the 

Rosslyn or Georgetown areas.

Wednesday, May 29

Government Printing Office

The Library Programs Service (LPS) of the Government Printing Office will host the first day of 

the seminar. LPS staff will be available to answer questions about how GPO acquires, classifies, 

catalogs, and distributes and disseminates government information products in all media. LPS 

staff will also discuss writing the self-study and responsibilities of Federal depositories. There 

will be a comprehensive tour of the LPS facility and an opportunity to network.

Thursday, May 30

Federal Register

The Office of the Federal Register (OFR), of the National Archives and Records Administration, 

will present this morning’s program on the Federal regulatory system. The workshop covers the 

rulemaking process, including the relationship between laws and regulations; the important 

elements of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations; using the finding aids of 
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the Federal Register/CFR publication system; and an overview of electronic access to certain 

publications of the OFR.

GPO Access

In the afternoon, GPO's Office of Electronic Information Dissemination Services will 

demonstrate the variety of GPO Access on-line services, including the Federal Register, 

Congressional Record, U.S. Code, Congressional bills, and other databases.

Friday, May 31

In the morning, four different Federal agency representatives will discuss their products, 

services, and electronic initiatives. For maximum flexibility in program planning, Federal 

agencies will be confirmed in spring 2001.

Library of Congress

In the afternoon, the Serial and Government Publications Division will conduct a tour of its 

operation, including the government publications stacks and reference. There will be a 

presentation on the National Digital Library activities. There will be the opportunity to tour key 

areas of the restored Jefferson Building.

Monday, June 3

Bureau of the Census

Staff of the Census Bureau will present product information for the 2000 Census, American 

Community Survey, American Factfinder, etc., and demonstrate other products on DVD or CDROM and the Census home page. Bureau staff will provide a variety of handouts and answer 

questions about the availability and uses of Census data.

Tuesday, June 4

Intellectual Property

A full day workshop will cover the basics of intellectual property: patents, trademarks and 

copyrights, featuring speakers from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Copyright 

Office of the Library of Congress. Attendees will learn to differentiate between three types of 

Federal protection for intellectual property and the methods by which this information is 

accessed by the public. Publications and search methods, where applicable, will also be 

discussed.

Wednesday, June 5

In the morning, agency representatives from two Federal additional publishers will discuss their 

products, services, and electronic initiatives.
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The seminar will conclude at noon.

Presentations during the seminar week will be held in the Carl Hayden Room of the main 

building of the Government Printing Office and the Library of Congress. Presentations will 

begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. and will last until 4:00 p.m., unless otherwise stated in a detailed 

program supplied to the registrants in mid-April 2002. All participants are expected to attend all 

presentations.

Accommodations

A block of rooms has been reserved for seminar participants at the St. Gregory Hotel and Suites. 

The hotel is located at 2033 M St. NW, Washington, DC. This hotel is one block from the 

Dupont Circle Metro station. Attendees can take the Metro subway train from Washington’s 

Reagan National Airport to the hotel and also to Union Station, which is about a block from 

GPO. The Library of Congress can be reached by Metro or by walking from GPO.

A room is available for the government rate of $119.00 per night, plus tax. Overnight parking is 

free. If you wish to reserve a room at the St. Gregory Hotel and Suites, you should call as soon 

as GPO confirms your seminar reservation. Hotel reservations must be made no later than 

April 24, 2002. After that date, rooms will be subject to availability at the best available rate. If 

you choose to make other hotel arrangements, be sure the hotel is near a subway stop for ease of 

transportation to and from seminar sites.

The phone number of the reservation desk at the St. Gregory Hotel and Suites is 202-530-3600. 

Please tell the reservation clerk that you are attending the GPO Interagency Depository Seminar 

and quote the above room rate. If you are interested in sharing a room with another librarian 

attending the seminar, Robin Haun-Mohamed at LPS will try to match up roommates. You may 

contact her by telephone on 202-512-1119 or via e-mail at <rhaun-mohamed@gpo.gov>.
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Registration Form

Mail to: Chief, Library Division Mail by: March 15, 2002

Library Programs Service (SLL)

U.S. Government Printing Office

Washington, DC 20401

I would like to attend the May 29-June 5, 2002 Interagency Depository Seminar.

I need lodging and will contact the hotel directly.

I have not previously attended this GPO-sponsored seminar.

Enclosed is my check for $22.00 payable to "GPO Cafeteria Service."

Please type or print clearly:

_____________

Depository #

________________________________________________________________________________________

Name

________________________________________________________________________________________

Institution Name

________________________________________________________________________________________

Library Name

________________________________________________________________________________________

Street Address

________________________________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip Code + 4

________________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone (include area code)

________________________________________________________________________________________

Internet E-mail Address

RIE and CIJE Citations to be Online Only

[The following announcement was provided by the Department of Education.]

As of January 2002, the ERIC Program will no longer print Resources in Education (RIE) nor 

supply a paper copy of Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE) to the Federal Depository 

Library Program for conversion to microfiche. Both RIE and CIJE will be supplied through the 

December 2001 issues to complete the volumes. The SuDocs number for RIE is ED 1.310: and 

the item number is 0466-A. The SuDocs number for CIJE is ED 1.310/4: and the item number is 

0466-A-02. Patrons may search the ERIC database at <www.eric.ed.gov/searchdb/searchdb.

html> for both RIE and CIJE citations.
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SuDocs Letter: Destroy USGS CD-ROM

October 12, 2001

Dear Depository Librarian:

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Associate Director for Water has asked the Library Programs 

Service (LPS) to instruct all depository libraries to destroy all copies of the following CD-ROM 

publication:

Title: Source-Area Characteristics of Large Public Surface-Water Supplies 

in the Conterminous United States: An Information Resource for 

Source-Water Assessment, 1999.

Series: U.S Geological Survey, Open-File Report, no. 99-248

SuDocs No.: I 19.76:99-248

Item No.: 0624-H

Shipping List No.: 2000-0002-E

Shipping List Date: 10/07/1999

Please withdraw this material immediately and destroy it by any means to prevent disclosure of 

its contents. Both LPS and the U.S. Geological Survey regret any inconvenience resulting from 

this request and we appreciate your cooperation.

Sincerely,

FRANCIS J. BUCKLEY, JR.

Superintendent of Documents

Responses to Recommendations

Depository Library Council to the Public Printer

Spring 2001

1. Program on Baseline Electronic Proficiencies at the October 2001 Conference

Council recommends that the Government Printing Office develop a program for the October 

2001 Depository Library Conference on suggested baseline proficiencies for public access to 

federal electronic resources.

Rationale:

Council recognizes the widespread uncertainty regarding the proficiency level needed for 

accessing electronic government resources when providing public services. It is the sense of 

Council that a program delineating baseline proficiencies would serve the dual purpose of 
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providing practical information of immediate use, as well as opening a dialog on proficiencies 

that could become the catalyst for more advanced training opportunities.

Response:

The Library Programs Service (LPS), in coordination with Council, has scheduled a session 

entitled “Baseline Electronic Proficiencies” for the October 2001 Depository Library 

Conference. Speakers will address the issue from three different perspectives:

• Overview of electronic competencies from a professional educator.

• Implementation of training for baseline electronic proficiencies in an academic library.

• Review of issues and concerns from the American Library Association Government 

Documents Round Table (GODORT).

2. Basic Collection Proposal

Council recommends that the Government Printing Office proceed with the “Basic Collection” 

revision proposal. Council also requests that the Government Printing Office regularly review 

this list. Council further recommends that the Government Printing Office examine the functions 

and scope of all collection lists in the Federal Depository Library Manual.

Rationale:

Council agrees that the Basic Collection list is outdated and in need of revision to reflect the 

changes in currently available, tangible and online, government products. In order for this to 

continue as a viable list, Council suggests the list be reviewed for possible revision on a regular 

basis. Council asks the Government Printing Office to clarify the primary purpose of the Basic 

Collection and all collection lists in the Federal Depository Library Manual to make sure they are 

still valid and useful, and that the purpose for each is clearly explained.

Response:

LPS has further revised the changes to the Basic Collection proposed at the spring 2001 

Depository Library Council Meeting held in San Antonio, Texas. The updated Basic Collection 

is located at www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/coll-dev/basic-01.html. The revision included 

updating of some titles, deletion of discontinued products, and inclusion of online equivalents for 

all titles when available. The Basic Collection will be revised as needed to keep the information 

current and useful to the libraries in the Federal depository library community.

Depository Services Staff have begun reviewing the Suggested Core Collection lists, Appendix 

A of the Federal Depository Library Manual. As this list was last updated in 1993, it includes 

many publications with title changes and discontinued publications. This review will be carried 

out as resources permit. LPS intends to solicit assistance from depository community librarians 

in updating the lists in the future.
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3. Clarify the Phrase “select or otherwise make available” in the Basic Collection Proposal

Council recommends that the Government Printing Office clarify the phrase “select or otherwise 

make available” as used in the Basic Collection proposal.

Rationale:

The electronic environment that we work in makes the concept of “selection” more fluid since 

libraries can access things that they have not selected. Questions that Council raised include: 

does each library have to point to all items in the basic collection or is one pointer to GPO 

Access enough; should the online catalog include each title; and are there reference service 

implications? Council believes that an articulated range of options for depository libraries would 

be helpful.

Response:

LPS has changed the wording in the Basic Collection proposal from “select or otherwise make 

available” to “All depositories should select or provide electronic access to titles from this Basic 

Collection.” This wording is identical to that used in the Instructions to Depository Libraries (p. 

5). An article in the July 15, 2001 Administrative Notes advised the depository community of 

the revision and included several ways for libraries to meet the requirement to select or provide 

electronic access to these titles:

• Link to all the titles in the Basic Collection from the library's Web site.

• Catalog the Basic Collection using a collection level record and include a hyperlink.

• Link to the revised Basic Collection Web page from the library's Web site.

• Purchase and make available commercial equivalents (tangible or electronic) of the titles 

in the Basic Collection.

• Incorporate titles into topical bibliographies or guides.

In addition, a plenary session dealing with item selection and electronic products has been 

scheduled for the fall 2001 Federal Depository Library Conference and Depository Library 

Council Program. The session, entitled, “Item Selection Rates, Electronic Formats, and 

Collection Development Policies in the More Electronic Federal Depository Library Program” is 

scheduled for Tuesday, October 16, 2001 from 11:15 to 12:00 noon.

4. Cooperative Cataloging Partnerships

Council recommends that the Government Printing Office investigate the feasibility of entering 

into cooperative cataloging partnerships with depository libraries. The investigation could 

include the development of criteria and requirements for cooperative cataloging partners.

Rationale:

Through partnerships, depository libraries would have the opportunity to share the results of 

local and regional cataloging efforts by contributing records for inclusion in the Government 

Printing Office’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications and distribution as GPO records. 

Cooperative cataloging by GPO partners has the potential to add value to other FDLP initiatives, 
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such as the University of North Texas Cybercemetery and the Permanent Public Access

initiative. In addition, cooperative cataloging partnerships may enable the Government Printing 

Office to discover and obtain cataloging for government information products outside the current 

GPO cataloging workflow. Once developed, cooperative cataloging partnerships could be used 

to enable depository libraries engaged in a variety of digitization, retrospective conversion, and 

discovery projects to share cataloging of GPO-distributed products.

Response:

Cooperative cataloging has been and remains an essential component of bibliographic control of 

U.S. Government publications. For years, GPO has been an active participant in all national 

cooperative cataloging programs. These programs are managed by the Library of Congress (LC) 

within the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC), and include components for name 

authority, subject authority, monographs, and serials (NACO, SACO, BIBCO, and CONSER, 

respectively).

All these programs support the cataloging of U.S. Government publications. To be effective, 

cooperative cataloging programs require that catalogers of member institutions must be trained 

and certified and must produce records that meet national standards. GPO catalogers meet these 

criteria and they adapt records produced by other certified institutions, when they are available, 

for use in producing the Catalog of United States Government Publications and for distribution 

to libraries throughout the United States and in many foreign countries.

While not technically a cooperative cataloging program, the efforts of volunteers in the 

Electronic Fugitives Working Groups to identify online versions of U.S. Government 

publications show promise as a prototype for identifying and sharing basic bibliographic and 

location information. Information provided by the Electronic Fugitives Working Groups is 

passed to GPO catalogers for production of widely disseminated records. Such a model provides 

some of the benefits of cooperative cataloging, such as shared basic information, but without the 

administrative costs associated with forging agreements, monitoring compliance, and assuring 

that volunteers meet requirements for PCC membership.

Given the interest in cooperative cataloging, we have arranged for two representatives of LC 

PCC programs to make presentations during a plenary session of the Fall 2001 Depository 

Library Council. This session will feature Jean Hirons, CONSER Coordinator, and Carolyn 

Sturtevant, NACO Coordinator.
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Spanning the Bridge of Time, by Everett K. Brown

Pacific Friend, July 2001 (v. 29, n. 3)

[The following article on the National Archives of Japan was recommended for inclusion in 

Administrative Notes by Michael DiMario, Public Printer. Reprinted by permission.]

Looking at old maps is a hobby for me. Like any lover of history, I prefer to consult old maps 

before beginning a journey. For it is often on dusty and out-of-date maps that history waits to be 

re-discovered.

In Tokyo, just north of the Imperial Palace, there is a place I sometimes visit to consult old maps. 

It is called the National Archives of Japan. Other places in Tokyo have good map collections 

too, such as the National Diet Library, found on the far side of the Palace. What leads me to the 

National Archives, however, is that it is the official repository of the Japanese government. Here 

I can find a variety of official maps of Japan, some dating back nearly four hundred years.

A feature of the National Archives is that many of the maps, books and other documents in the 

archives are part of original collections that have fascinating historical value. Take for example 

the library of Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616). Historians have long known of the brilliant 

Japanese leader's interest in Chinese studies. By looking at the variety of Chinese texts that he 

assembled during his lifetime on subjects such as history, politics and measurements, one can 

understand the breadth of his extensive learning.

On a recent visit to the National Archives I ran into Robert Campbell, an American who is an 

Associate Professor of Edo and Early Meiji Literature at Tokyo University. Campbell describes 

himself as a “heavy user” of the archive facilities. In the second floor reading room he showed 

me several old Japanese travel diaries and an interesting assortment of 19th century books from 

America that he was consulting.

These books, he explained to me, were originally the contents of a large steamer chest brought 

back to Japan by the first Japanese emissary mission to visit the United States and Europe in the 

early Meiji period (1868-1912). The books covered a whole range of topics, such as industry, 

politics and economics--all books that the delegation assembled during their 18-month voyage. I 

was surprised to see there was even a small travel guide to hot springs in upstate New York.

“What I find fascinating about this collection,” Campbell told me, “is that it represents a time 

capsule. From these books we can see the access Japan had to Western thought during the early 

Meiji period.” Campbell added that many of these books were published just days before the 

delegation's return to Japan and represented the most advanced Western ideas of the day.

Until the National Archives was established in 1971, the various Japanese government ministries 

and agencies archived their own official documents, a practice that had continued since the 

formation of the present-day Japanese government system in the Meiji period. Older documents, 

such as ancient Japanese and Chinese classical books and materials, were originally stored in the 

Cabinet Library (Naikaku Bunko). After the creation of the National Archives they were added 
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to the present collection, and are now an important division of the archives. Examples of some 

of these ancient texts are on display in the first floor exhibition area.

On the third floor, I met Masaya Shiomitsu, a legal documents expert and one of the team of 

archivists who organize the National Archives collection. It is the job of archivists like 

Shiomitsu to determine what documents are of historical value and then coordinate their transfer 

from each of the government ministries to the archives.

Compared with national archives in Europe, where the history of modern archiving systems dates 

back to the 18th century, there are surprisingly few staff at the National Archives of Japan. This 

is due in part to the relatively young history of modern archiving in Japan, dating back only 30 

years. With a team of roughly ten members, archivists such as Shiomitsu oversee a collection of 

over 990,000 volumes of historical official documents.

“What is distinctive about the National Archives of Japan,” Shiomitsu pointed out, “is the 

diversity of government documents available to the public, and the span of history represented 

here. In the collection you can find manuscripts dating as far as the year 908 A.D.”

It is the responsibility of professional restorers to protect and restore such rare and unreplaceable 

treasures. While all of the documents are kept in the underground storage room at a constant 

temperature of 22°C and humidity of 55%, they still tend to deteriorate over time and with use.

Upstairs on the fourth floor is the restoration room, where a team of professional restorers is 

busy at work restoring damaged documents. I met Itaru Aritomo, who had just returned from 

Europe where he attended a European Commission on Preservation and Access meeting to 

discuss the latest strategies in restoration practices.

“Many restorers around the world prefer Japanese washi paper for their restoration work,” 

Aritomo told me, especially in the leaf casting technique. This is a method whereby the affected 

parts of the original document are filled in with fibers of washi paper.”

Aritomo gets many inquiries from professional restorers around the interested in Japanese 

restoration techniques. Over the internet, he and other experts around the world exchange 

information on the most advanced European restoration techniques, as well as traditional 

Japanese methods, in order to preserve valuable documents in the best possible way.

Before leaving the National Archives, I dropped back down to the second floor reading room, 

where I found Huang Rong-guang, a Chinese researcher working in the microfilm room. Huang, 

who is completing her Ph.D. thesis at Tokyo University, is an expert on Sino-Japanese trade 

during the Meiji period.

For Huang, being a researcher is often detective work that leads her on distant journeys. As the 

National Archives is the repository of government documents, she sometimes comes across 

official references to trading companies. If the subject is important enough, she will visit the 

local archives in the city where the company was located, whether it be Nagasaki, Shanghai or 

even Paris.
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When I asked Huang about her experience using the National Archives of Japan she contrasted it 

with a visit she recently made to Beijing. Though China has a history of archiving official 

documents that dates back nearly two thousand years, due to the sheer volume of backlogged 

materials she had to wait some time for documents important to her research.

“I really value the computer search system at the National Archives of Japan. It allows me to 

complete fast and easy document searches even over the internet,” Huang added. She did hope, 

however, that Japan would someday develop an archive search system like the one now available 

at the National Archives in Paris. There she was not only able to make searches for book titles, 

but also for word references within the text.

Disclosure of government documents to the general public has been enshrined in law under the 

Administrative Information Disclosure Act, which was passed by the government in May, 1999, 

and came into effect in April of this year. More and more government data is being made 

available to the public, and there is increasing interest in official documents as records of the 

workings of the government. Remarkable strides have already been made in the short history of 

the National Archives of Japan, and its work will surely become increasingly important in the 

future.

30 Years of the National Archives of Japan

The National Archives of Japan celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. It was founded in July, 

1971, to store as historical materials the official documents transferred by government ministries 

and agencies. It also provides a database of official documents online on the internet. Under the 

Public Archives Law, which was enacted in 1988, the National Archives of Japan gained the role 

of passing official documents on to future generations as a historical legacy.

The National Archives of Japan houses over 990,000 documents, and some 80,000 documents 

are used for reference by the public every year. The main building is in Chiyoda Ward, central 

Tokyo, and in 1998 a new branch was founded in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture. The 

National Archives of Japan celebrated a new start on April 1, 2001, when it became in 

Independent Administrative Institution. (For more information on the National Archives of 

Japan, see <www8.cao.go.jp/koubunsho/index_e.html>.)
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In order to protect against the ravages of 

ultraviolet rays or natural disasters, documents 

are kept in two underground storage rooms. The 

stacks area comprises about 35 linear kilometers 

of space that is kept at an ideal constant 

temperature of 22 degrees C and 55% humidity.

Similar to traditional Japanese paper making 

techniques, this leaf-casting machine is highly 

valued in restoration work. With this process the 

fibers of washi paper fill in the damaged parts of 

documents.

Goshomei Genpon, the original manuscript of the 

Constitution of Japan, with the signature and seal 

of Emperor Showa.

Among the many interesting books in the archives 

is this diary of the first Japanese emissary 

mission to the United States and Europe. The 

book’s illustrations reveal some of the first images 

of American life to be seen in Japan.
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Library Programs Service

FY 2001 Annual Report

Within the U.S. Government Printing Office, the Library Programs Service (LPS) is charged with 

the administration of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), the Cataloging and Indexing 

Program, and the distribution component of the International Exchange Program of the Library of 

Congress. These programs are accomplished through the basic functions of LPS: 

• Acquisition, classification, and bibliographic control of U.S. Government publications in all 

formats

• Distribution and format conversion of tangible U.S. Government publications

• Assuring permanent public access to all publications in FDLP collections, with particular 

attention to the current and ongoing accessibility of electronic U.S. Government publications

• Inspection of depository libraries for compliance with statutory requirements

• Providing continuing education and training initiatives that strengthen the ability of depository 

library personnel to serve the public

Summary

The transition to a more electronic FDLP, begun in 1996, is continuing, as required by Congress 

and consistent with the trends in Government publishing. In FY 2001, LPS began moving ahead 

of the publishing agencies in terms of reliance upon online information. No longer passively 

proceeding “in tandem” with agency publishing decisions, LPS is frequently selecting only the 

electronic version of Government publications for FDLP even when the originating agency may 

still be publishing in a tangible format. This process has contributed to an increasingly complex 

workload for LPS staff.

LPS’ cataloging and locator services have emerged as a critical element in the FDLP’s provision 

of current public access to U.S. Government publications. Long recognized as the national 

authority for cataloging Government publications, LPS is also gaining recognition as a center of 

excellence in other aspects of managing an electronic collection for permanent public access.

In FY 2001, about 60% of the titles in the FDLP were available online. This ongoing change is 

reflected in changes in the LPS organization. While the areas of LPS that are associated with 

processing tangible publications are either static or shrinking in size, additional resources are 

required for the discovery, classification, cataloging, and archiving of electronic publications.

Staffing and automated systems resources continue to be issues for LPS. Loss of experienced 

personnel and managers has occurred at an unprecedented rate this year, with the worst losses 

occurring in the Cataloging Branch and the Depository Distribution Division. Filling these 

vacancies will take considerable time, and the new staff will not be completely on board and 

assimilated into the workflow until well into FY 2002.

LPS has begun the process of acquiring an up-to-date library cataloging and data management 

system, typically referred to as an integrated library system (ILS). Such a system would enhance 
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LPS’ ability to perform the statutorily authorized functions of the Cataloging and Indexing 

Program and the FDLP.

LPS Highlights for 2001

• FDLP publication distribution increasingly electronic

• Policy guidance for acquiring online publications

• Significant personnel turnover

• Expanded role of cataloging staff

• New directions for partnerships

• ILS acquisitions planning process

• State plans revision initiative

• Web Document Digital Archive project with OCLC

FDLP Publication Dissemination

The FDLP has become a primarily electronic program. Under policies articulated early this year, 

Government publications are furnished to Federal depository libraries solely in online electronic 

format unless certain criteria or circumstances exist. As a result, there is now a higher proportion 

of online-only titles in the FDLP than ever before.

Many format changes begun in FY 2000 are now in effect. LPS previously established the 

requirements for depository copies for many publications that are printed under GPO term 

contracts beginning in FY 2001. Last year, LPS checked each term contract to see if that title or 

set of publications was available online. If so, and it did not fall into one of the exception 

categories, LPS changed the depository dissemination to electronic only. LPS reviewed about 

700 annual term contracts and changed about 25% of them to solely electronic dissemination. 

The results of these decisions, coupled with the program funding reductions, are showing up in 

FY 2001, with nearly a 29% reduction in the number of FDLP paper titles. There has also been 

an even sharper reduction in the number of microfiche titles, due in large measure to the 

cessation of the Congressional bills in microfiche at the end of the 106th Congress.

By the end of July, 18,387 additional online titles were made available via GPO Access. 

Overall, 59% of the titles disseminated this year were online, compared to 53% in FY 2000. The 

following chart shows the distribution of publications in the FDLP in FY 1999, 2000, and 2001:

Media FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001*

Titles Titles Titles

Online (GPO Access) 17,885 11,715 15,755

Online (other agency sites) 14,166 20,951 5,480

Paper (includes USGS maps) 13,103 13,660 9,650

Microfiche 25,740 14,572 4,867

CD-ROM, DVD 682 617 491

Total 71,576 61,515 36,063

* Projection based on data through August
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The downturn in the number of new links to online publications at other agency sites is caused 

primarily by a reduction in the new additions to the Dept. of Energy partnership sites, 

particularly the DOE Information Bridge (http://www.osti.gov/bridge/). Despite significant 

staffing losses in the Cataloging Branch, LPS operations to identify, catalog, and link to external 

resources have continued at a steady pace.

Policy Guidance Developed

In January 2001, the Superintendent of Documents (SOD) issued policy guidance (produced with 

library community input) to assist GPO staff in determining which publications should be 

disseminated solely online. SOD 71, the “Dissemination/Distribution Policy for the FDLP” and

the related list of “Essential Titles for Public Use in Paper Format” are important working 

documents for LPS staff to use in acquiring publications for the FDLP, and making possible 

more consistent decisions. SOD 71 and the “Essential Titles” list are available on the FDLP 

Desktop.

Personnel and Staffing

FY 2001 saw unprecedented personnel turnover in LPS. Within a one-year span, LPS has lost 

four staff to the Library of Congress, two to the Defense Technical Information Center, and one 

each to the Internal Revenue Service and the National Library of Education. This attrition is 

exclusive of retirements and other causes. The impact of this out-migration has been 

particularly marked among the library inspectors, catalogers, and the Depository Distribution 

Division.

Vicki Barber, formerly Chief of the Depository Distribution Division, recently left LPS for a 

promotion to Chief of the Documents Technical Support Group. LPS is in the process of 

recruiting to fill this key position. Colleen Davis, an LPS veteran who had been acting as Chief 

of the Depository Distribution Division, retired in July. William Teele, Chief of the Depository 

Receiving Section, retired in September. Filling these positions is a priority for LPS.

Bonnie Trivizas returned to LPS as Chief of the Library Division. Bonnie, who previously 

served in LPS from 1986-92, has management responsibility for the Cataloging Branch (CB), the 

Depository Administration Branch (DAB), and the Depository Services Staff (DSS).

DSS’ library inspection team shrunk to only one library inspector for part of the year. Two 

additional inspectors were selected in August. One of the candidates is from a depository library 

and one is from the LPS cataloging staff.

Thomas A. Downing, Chief of the Cataloging Branch, was the acting Chief, DAB from January 

through July, in addition to continuing as Chief of the Cataloging Branch. In July, LPS selected 

Betty M. Jones, previously Chief of Cataloging Section 2, to become the Chief, DAB. Having 

lost 5 catalogers during the year, LPS is now recruiting catalogers using an “open-until-filled” 

announcement to fill these positions on an ongoing “flow” basis, rather than by reacting to 

individual vacancies. LPS has investigated a variety of retention strategies, including upgrading 
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the cataloging positions. However, GPO’s Position Management Branch has advised LPS 

managers that these positions are correctly graded at the PG-11 level.

In summary, as of mid-September there were 20 recruitment actions underway in LPS, and of 

these five selections have been made, including two catalogers and two library inspectors. 

Additionally, one new program analyst came on board in August through the Outstanding 

Scholar hiring program. Coupled with the high number of staff in new positions, this personnel 

turnover has impacted LPS’ production operations and other activities.

Cataloging Developments

The Cataloging and Indexing Program managed by LPS has an important role in providing 

access to online resources through bibliographic control. LPS has expanded its cataloging and 

locator services efforts, and moved beyond the traditional Monthly Catalog as its principal 

output. As a center of excellence for Government publications cataloging, the role of the LPS 

cataloging staff is expanding to encompass a broader range of decisions regarding online 

resources.

Bringing new employees into dynamic online cataloging environments is both a challenge and an 

opportunity. The challenge is in trying to work as productively as possible while continually 

recruiting and training staff. The opportunity in training newly hired catalogers is to integrate 

cataloging with the complete range of LPS technical services. In addition to their traditional 

functions, as new catalogers are hired they are being trained to:

• Determine if online resources fall within the scope of the Electronic Collection

• Evaluate online resources and their association (if any) with physical forms of the same 

title

• Classify online resources and assign item numbers to them

• Catalog online resources (as well as physical forms)

• Determine the appropriate pages for initial access via bibliographic records

• Assign PURLs to bibliographic records

• Communicate with agency webmasters, as necessary, to restore broken links and to 

encourage them to provide permanent public access via user and cataloger friendly web 

pages

These duties create a stimulating work environment and contribute to efforts to identify, 

describe, and provide permanent public access to both online and physical resources.

Partnerships

There have been recent changes in the partner relationships between libraries and GPO. 

Increasingly, LPS is asking its library partners to act as the administrators of partnerships, in 

addition to implementing them or organizing the volunteers. Some recent examples include the 

University of Central Oklahoma taking on the administration of the Browse Topics service, and 

the University of North Dakota assuming responsibility for the Needs & Offers list project, both 
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of which originated as GPO-managed services. These and other partnerships are very well 

served by being managed by librarians in the FDLP community.

State Plans Initiative

In August the Superintendent of Documents asked the directors of the depository libraries for 

their support and assistance in revising the state plans for the delivery of FDLP services. Some 

20 years ago, many depositories and state library agencies worked together to develop state plans 

for the delivery of depository services within their states or service areas. Since then, much has 

changed in the FDLP and in the way libraries receive and deliver information in general. From 

GPO’s perspective, the time for state plans has come again. Among the benefits of the state plan 

process is the opportunity to strengthen the relationship among all of the depositories in a state or 

service area, to coordinate with other library and information planning initiatives, and ultimately 

to provide improved, cost-effective library services to the citizens.

Federal Depository Libraries

The number of depository libraries continues to decline, with several libraries leaving the system 

with no advance notification to LPS that relinquishing status was under consideration. LPS is 

developing various approaches to address this issue. Both library inspections and the review of 

self-studies proceeded at less than optimal rates due to the severe staffing limitations on the 

inspection team.

FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001*

FDLP libraries 1,347 1,328 1,313

New depository designations 3 1 2

Libraries leaving the FDLP 16 20 17

Libraries placed on probation 5 11 1

Inspections 100 120 36

Self-studies evaluated 252 145 87

*Actual data through August

Web Document Digital Archive Pilot Project

LPS and OCLC, Inc. are testing an initial release of a system to locate, identify, process, 

describe, catalog, and archive electronic publications. The Web Document Digital Archive Pilot 

Project has recently been expanded to include several other partners, including the State Library 

of Connecticut and the State Library of Ohio. The proposed system will incorporate a mix of 

new and existing solutions in an effort to refine and integrate LPS workflow and routines for 

processing and storing e-titles for the long term.

GPO is a full partner in this project, and staff has worked closely with OCLC, providing input in 

the development process. The initial application of the project is based on the CORC interface. 

Archiving functionality will be added in a subsequent development phase beginning in early 

2002. In September ten LPS staff received intensive hands-on training in the CORC interface, 

paving the way for LPS’ participation in phase one of the project.
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LPS’ own archive of electronic publications continues to evolve and grow. The highest priority 

candidates for this "in-house" solution remain agency publications that are primarily textual or 

images of text, and which have no tangible counterpart in the FDLP. Information about the 

operation of the FDLP/EC Archive can be found at <www.gpo.gov/ppa/resources.html>.

Systems Modernization

LPS is in the process of acquiring an up-to-date library cataloging and data management system 

that will enhance LPS’ ability to perform the statutorily authorized functions of the Cataloging 

and Indexing Program and the FDLP. In the marketplace such a system is typically referred to as 

an integrated library system (ILS).

The transition to a more electronic FDLP has given GPO and LPS a distributed library collection 

of electronic resources to manage and maintain. To meet these requirements, mandated by 44 

U.S.C. Chapter 41, LPS needs an improved cataloging and library data management system.

Currently LPS is operating through a patchwork of legacy mainframe systems, stand-alone 

desktop applications and Web-based service applications that do not share data and are not 

interoperable. LPS’ efforts to integrate our technical services operations and to manage and 

improve public access to electronic resources should improve with the acquisition of an ILS. A 

cataloging and library data management system using state of the art technologies must be 

acquired to meet the demands of the changing Government information environment.

As a result of the initial analysis performed, LPS’ efforts are focused on purchasing CommercialOff-the-Shelf (COTS) cataloging and library management software from the GSA Schedule, 

provided it meets our system requirements. Significant costs and time associated with a full 

competitive procurement will be saved with this approach. LPS expects to adjust internal 

workflow procedures, as necessary, to mesh with the new system, minimizing modifications to 

the standard software.

LPS Outreach

In addition to the usual appearances at American Library Association conferences and 

Depository Library Council meetings, LPS staff presented papers and made presentations on 

various aspects of the FDLP and the Cataloging and Indexing Program in a variety of venues.

In November 2000, Thomas A. Downing, Chief, Cataloging Branch, contributed to LC’s 

“Bicentennial Conference on Bibliographic Control for the New Millennium: Confronting the 

Challenges of Networked Resources and the Web.” His paper, entitled “An Initial Survey and 

Description of How Selected United States Government Libraries, Information Centers, and 

Information Services Provide Public Access to Information via the Internet” was published by 

LC. The paper appears as part of the “Proceedings of the Bicentennial Conference on 

Bibliographic Control for the New Millennium” and is accessible at 

<http://lcweb.loc.gov/catdir/bibcontrol/downing.html>.
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At the Preservation 2000 Conference, York, England, December 2000, George Barnum 

presented "The FDLP Electronic Collection: Preserving a Tradition of Access to United States 

Government Information."

Barnum also updated the Federal Library and Information Center Committee 2001 Information 

Technology Update at LC on "The GPO-OCLC Digital Archiving Pilot Project," and presented 

“SuDocs 101: Where did SuDocs Classification come from and what's it for?" at the May 2001 

Interagency Depository Seminar.

In Athens, Georgia, in May 2001, Gil Baldwin met with the directors of depository libraries and 

the Georgia documents librarians. He made two presentations and participated in Georgia's state 

plan discussions. In September, he was scheduled to appear before the depository librarians of 

Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire to discuss the future of the FDLP. The tragic events of 

September 11, 2001, led to the postponement of this program until October 30.
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Table of Contents

2001Biennial Survey of Depository Libraries Approaching ........................................................1

Self-studies and Inspections: Status Report..................................................................................2

15th Annual Interagency Depository Seminar Announced ..........................................................2

15th Annual Interagency Depository Seminar Agenda ................................................................3

15th Annual Interagency Depository Seminar Registration Form ...............................................6

RIE and CIJE Citations to be Online Only ...................................................................................6

SuDocs Letter: Destroy USGS CD-ROM.....................................................................................7

Responses to Recommendations, 2001 Spring Council ...............................................................7

Spanning the Bridge of Time / Everett K. Brown (Archives of Japan)......................................11

Library Programs Service FY 2001 Annual Report ...................................................................15

Administrative Notes is published in Washington, DC by the Superintendent of Documents, Library 

Programs Service, Govern ment Printing Office, for the staffs of U.S. Federal Depository Libraries.

It is published on the 15th day of each month; some months have additional issues. Postmaster send 

address changes to: The Editor, Administrative Notes

U.S. Government Printing Office

Library Programs Service, SLLD

Washington, DC 20401

Internet access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/adnotes/index.html

Editor: Marian W. MacGilvray (202) 512-1119 mmacgilvray@gpo.gov