United States Government Printing Office

June 1 983

No. 60 (GP 3.27:60)

Public Documents

Highlights

^

Barrett Addresses IBFI GPO Could Lead the Way in Information Reproduction/Dissemination

"Public Printer Sawyer has taken several

steps * * * to lead GPO to the forefront as information policy maker for the Government. * ' * In the past there has been talk of GPO separating its production

efforts from its documents dissemination ef- forts. That is no longer the case. We see a

unified effort—a melding of these functions where new technological production efforts will work hand in hand with distribution

efforts in order to make the Government

Printing Office a world leader in its effec- tiveness and efficiency of information dis- semination." These concepts were expressed in a speech

delivered by Deputy Public Printer William

J. Barrett before the 30th anniversary

annual meeting of the International Busi- ness Forms Industries last month in Washington, D.C.Technology Expanding

Barrett reflected the views of Public

Printer Danford L. Sawyer, Jr. in stating that expanding technology is a primary

reason for clarifying the Government's role

in terms of information reproduction and

dissemination. "As each Government organization gains the capability of producing its own informational material—the number of dissemination points continues to grow—and the knowledge of who is distributing what—con- tinues to decline. No accurate statistics exist on the number of information disseminators within the Federal Government," Barrett

pointed out. He added that a report issued by a Government-sponsored ad hoc committee cited the existence of "approximately

300 clearinghouses for the collection, classi- fication and distribution of Government in- formation." The report also noted that the number is increasing. Barrett added, "Little argument should be needed to prove that duplication of effort can be eliminated and a realistic control gained by placing such distribution functions under one authority."

Slow Growth in Federal Printing

"The current state of our economy dic- tates a very slow growth in the Federal

printing program," Barrett told the industry

group. "In order to survive this difficult period, we will need to utilize all available

resources. Using appropriate technology and

managerial strategies during such slow growth periods is a necessity of survival," Barrett added. Along with setting standards for new

technologies, other GPO issues for the

future involve the status of non-GPO Federal printing plants and the development and

expansion of the Office's marketing efforts. Federal Printing Plant Study

Barrett explained that GPO officials have

given full support to a General Accounting

Office study of the more than 250 non-GPO

Federal printing plants located across the

country. "Early findings indicate that many

of the plants produce work at a far higher

unit cost than at GPO," he said. "If the

logical solution is applied to this inefficient situation—many of these plants will be

closed and millions of dollars worth of printing will be procured through GPO from the

private sector." Public Printer Sawyer noted recently that he expects the 71 percent of GPO work now

contracted to private companies to continue

to grow—"a good sign for both GPO and the

private printing industry," Barrett pointed

out. Information to the American Public "The Public Printer has taken some creative, if not revolutionary actions," Barrett explained in his description of GPO's new

marketing efforts. "For the first time in the more than 120-year history of GPO, we have

a marketing director and staff. This is a whole new concept for our documents

effort—and in fact for the Federal Government. Our citizens have a right to know

what information is available to them from

their Government and we believe they should be able to obtain that information at

a minimal cost." Barrett explained the effort underway to introduce the American people to the GPO

sales program and to the availability of publications through the depository library

system through public service announce- ments and a new free documents catalog.

He spoke with conviction as he concluded,

"Finally, in order for any of these objectives

to be met, the entire GPO management

team must commit itself to their success. Here we are today with a wide-ranging

vision of the 80s. Yesterday is for nostalgia.

Only tomorrow is real. And we must plan

accordingly!"

Three More Depositories

Three additional libraries have been des- ignated as depositories. They are: • Mesa Public Library, Mesa, Ariz.; • George Washington University's

Melvin Gelman Library (Acquisitions Department), Washington, D.C; and • Washington County Library-Park

Grove, Cottage Grove, Minn.

A Special Achievement Award is presented by Li- brary Programs Service Director Sarah T. Kadec to John M. Tate, a library technician. (Story on P. 2)
Public Documents Highlights is circulat- ed regularly primarily for librarians of the Federal Depository Library Program, and

mailed at first class rates. Material for use in this publication should be sent to the Editor, Public Documents

Highlights, c/o Superintendent of Docu- ments (SD), , Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20401.

All submissions may be edited or con- densed for space consideration. Comments

are most welcome and may be printed if the sender is clearly identified. DANFORD L. SAWYER, JR. Public Printer of the United States MICHAEL F. DiMARIO Superintendent

of Documents Improvements Instituted In Documents Operations

A number of improvements have been or are being developed in the Documents areas

of the Government Printing Office to reduce

order costs and increase order effectiveness, according to Public Printer Danford L. Sawyer, Jr. These include: • A Consolidated Order Preparation

System to more effectively process incoming

orders, payments on previous orders and deposits through a single-step application as

close as possible to the receipt of mail. All transactions will be logged in with a Universal Control Number and tracked by computer record during process. • A fulfillment technique that will vary

with the size and character of orders. This

will take advantage of customer-prepared

labels for prepackaged publications that can

be mass-distributed without order preparation. Once the order is received, it will go

directly to the warehouse for picking and

mailing, reducing the processing time to an

average of 2 days. • A program of periodic meetings with

publishing agencies to foster greater cooperation with the sales program.

Public Printer Sawyer also noted that by

eliminating excess and slow-moving publica- tions some 87,000 square feet of warehouse

space has been freed at the Laurel, Md.,

facility, allowing the relocation of the Reimbursable and Bylaw Distribution operations. This has reduced GPO's rental and utility expenses there by approximately $570,000

annually.

Author of Article Identified

An article in the March 1983 issue of Highlights concerning geographic subject

heading practice was written by Sally

McLean when she was Subject Heading Specialist, and she should have been identified as the author.

Library Technician John Tate Earns

Special Achievement Cash Award

John M. Tate, a library technician in Cataloging Section 1, Classification and

Cataloging Branch, was given a Special

Achievement Award of $200 for not only

doing the work of two people but also for general excellence in additional tasks. Last September, Tate's coworker in as- signing SuDocs classification numbers to Government publications was detailed to an- other office. Tate took over the dual task and classified an average of 70 publications a day, compared with a branch average of

35.In addition to this, Tate kept serial cata- logers informed of changes throughout the year which would affect their work. This saved those catalogers months of time in the preparation of the Serials Supplement, ac- cording to his supervisor, Jean Ott. During 1982, Tate also was responsible for

revising all publications classed in Section 1 which were to be microfiched for depository

libraries. As a result of his careful scrutiny, Ott explained, less than 1 percent were sent through incorrectly. Ott noted that this saved the GPO both time and money. Over the past year, several key techni- cians left the branch and new ones were

hired. Tate's patient work with the other

technicians not only assured a high degree

of accuracy but aided the section chiefs in training new technicians, according to Ott. Because of his experience, Tate was asked to revise shipping list publications classed in

all sections. Normally, each section is re- sponsible for its own revision. All of this was done in addition to his other duties, Ott

pointed out. "He sets an example for others," Ott de- clared. Dual Program Aids Deaf LPS Employees

sessions, which included lectures and films, covered receptive and expressive readiness

activities, vocabulary in context, receptive

fingerspelling and information about the deaf culture and community.

937

Best

Sellers

The U.S. Government

Printing Office has put

together a new catalog of the

Government's bestselling

books. Books like The Space

Shuttle at Work, Cutting

Energy Costs, Infant Care,

National Park Guide and

Map, Federal Benefitsfor

Veterans and Dependents,

The Back-Yard Mechanic,

Merchandising Your Job

Talents, and Starting a

Business. Find out what

Government books are all about. Send for your free

catalog.

New Catalog

Superintendent of Documents

Washington, D.C. 20402

The Government Printing Office has de- veloped a two-pronged effort to communicate with the deaf employees in the Library

Program Service. One is an official GPO training program

conducted mainly for supervisors, held at the main GPO complex. The other was of- fered at the Eisenhower facility for non-su- pervisory employees.

The supervisors' course met for 2 hours

twice a week for 10 weeks, and was divided

into two parts. Harold Smalley, a hearing

person and the GPO's chief interpreter for the hearing-impaired, taught the first half, with deaf employee Frank Hutchinson con- ducting the second part. At the same time, the non-supervisory

class was being held at Eisenhower for li- brarians, library technicians and clerks. In- structors were Joan Bates, Frank Tansey

and Eileen Seremeth, all LPS employees.

The attendees learned approximately 800

general signs and 40 job-related ones. The

Using sign language she recently learned, Cataloging Section Chief Jean Ott communicates with Eileen Seremeth.
The Eisenhower basketball team won the GPO Welfare and Recreation League championship for the 1 982-

83 season. Pictured with Sarah Kadec, head of the Eisenhower facility (center, right) are: Earl Taylor and Jonas Powell, kneeling; LeVern Bacote (coach) and Frank Johnson (of the Washington Bullets), to Kadec's

left; first row standing, left to right— Francis Pierce (player/coach), Donald Wanzer, Jerome Carter, Cornelius Greene, Sylvester Shorter, Howard Shade, Noel Smith, Wayne Washington; back row standing, left to right

Lester Wilson, Stanley Richy, Billy Tucker, Stevie Grey, and Clarence Baker. Superintendent of Documents Series Scrutinized

(This is one of a series of columns on SuDocs series. Submissions, comments and suggestions are welcome.)

By Paul Thurston

Classification: EP1.76:

Title: 102 Monitor

Dates: v.l, no.l—v.ll, no.2 Feb. 1971-Feb. 1981

Item: 856-E-2 ISSN: 0090-3574 OCLC: 1447781 LC: 78-648273

Prior to v.7, no. 11 (Jan. 1978), this series was issued by the Council on Environmental

Quality and classified PrExl4.10: Beginning with v.7, no.ll, it was issued by the Environ- mental Protection Agency and classified EP1.76: The series takes its name from Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy

Act. It lists draft and final environmental impact statements and comments received during

the previous month, and also explains in detail how individual agencies handle the 102 statement process. NTIS and Environmental Law Institute order numbers are included for the draft and final EIS's. Issues prior to v.2, no.2 (March 1972) were printed in small quantities. However, Congress- man John Dingell of Michigan had these early issues reprinted in the Congressional Record. Below is a table showing locations in bound and daily editions:

102 issue/date CR date CR bound voL/pt:pages CR daily ed. page

v.l/No.1-3 Feb-April 1971

No.4 May

No. 5 June

No.6 July

No.7 Aug

No.8 Sep

No.9 Oct

No.lO Nov

No.ll Dec

No.l2 Jan. 1972

V.2/N0.I Feb. 1972

4/28/71

5/27/71

6/16/71 7/28/71

9/13/71 9/24/71

11/1/71 11/15/71 12/11/71 1/18/72 3/2/72

117/10:12384-12416.. 117/13:17275-17291..

117/15:20391-20400..

117/21:27877-27889..

117/24:31659-31673..

117/25:33352-33377.. 117/29:38616-38635..

117/31:41349-41359..

117/35:46482-46490..

118/1: 156-167

118/6:6722-6737

E3607-

E5151-

E6023-

E8458-

E9483-

E10002-

E11596- E12213-

E13322- E76-

E1886-

Indexed in: American Statistics Index (coverage is from v.5, no.l2 Jan. 1976 on) ASI 482-2

(1976-77); ASI 9182-7 (1978-81) Microform availability: (1) University Microfilms International (2) Congressional Information Service, Inc. (1976-81) (Thurston is Documents Specialist for the Detroit Public Library.)

3

Libraries Utilizing

Technology

Regional depository libraries have a vari- ety of communication equipment, according

to a survey conducted by the Library Pro- grams Service in April.

Of the 43 responses, 40 indicated that they had either "intelligent" terminals,

micros, minis or mainframes that could be

used to access an electronic mail system. Several regionals indicated that they al- ready receive electronic mail through

CLASS and BRS. The regionals have a wide assortment of

different types of terminals and computers,

ranging from well-known models to top- rated less popular ones, according to the

survey. Twenty-six have use of computer

facilities possessing larger minis and mainframes. The regionals use telecommunications

networks to access commercial data bases and cataloging utilities, according to the re- sponses. The most popular ones used by the

regionals were TYMENET, TELENET and

UNINET.

Fifteen regionals indicated they have tele- type equipment, and five have telefacsimile equipment.

The GPO expects to use this information

to coordinate services emanating from

Washington, D.C. with equipment available

in depository libraries. (See story in January

1983 issue of Highlights.)

"Lending" Libraries More than 100 libraries in the metropoli- tan New York City area now have micro- computers that can be borrowed by the

public, according to The New York Times. About 50 other library systems around the country also have these 4-pound models to "loan out." In addition, hundreds of other libraries have larger, more complex models that can

be used in their buildings, the article noted. These enable people to record programs on

their own blank memory disks and to store them for use when they return to the li- brary.

Some libraries also are building disk col- lections of their own, the article went on to

say, with programs for video gaming, word

processing and searching their own book col- lections for information. At other libraries, according to the article, the computers have

the ability to access national information

banks.

GOVERNMENT BOOKS & MORE!

Send for your free copy. New Catalog

Supt. of Documents, Wash., DC 20402
c