Administrative Notes 

Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program

Vol. 21, no. 13 GP 3.16/3-2:21/13 September 15, 2000 

SuDocs Letter to Directors: Changes in FDLP 

[The following letter was sent to all depository library directors.] 

August 25, 2000 

Dear Library Director: 

I am writing to you in my capacity as administrator of the Federal Depository Library Program 

(FDLP) and because your library is one of the Nation's 1,330 depository libraries. 

Over the past few years, there have been important changes in the way in which the FDLP makes 

Government information available to libraries and to the American public. The most profound 

of these changes is the FDLP electronic transition, which follows the general trend in the Federal 

Government to publish and disseminate information in electronic formats. Often this means that 

information previously provided for your collection in a tangible, printed format is now available 

via the Internet. During the most recent 12 months, more than 50% of the content provided 

through the FDLP has been online. However, due to the proposed congressional appropriation 

for the FDLP, the shift to a primarily electronic program will accelerate. 

The Senate and House appropriations conferees have agreed on $27.9 million for the Salaries 

and Expenses Appropriation (S&E) for the Superintendent of Documents for FY 2001. This 

appropriation funds the FDLP as well as the Cataloging & Indexing, By-Law Distribution, and 

International Exchange Programs. The current budget is $29.9 million, and GPO had requested 

$34.5 million for the S&E for FY 2001. The conference committee proposal is $2 million less 

than the current fiscal year. The House in particular has directed GPO to emphasize electronic 

dissemination. This was articulated most recently in House report 106-796, which said 

"[e]mphasis should be on streamlining the distribution of traditional paper copies of publications, 

which may include providing online access and less expensive electronic formats." 

To operate within the reduced appropriation, GPO will be obliged to curtail some traditional 

products and services. We are evaluating print products in the Program that are also available 

electronically and changing their dissemination to libraries to the online electronic version only. 

The Program is not funded at a level that permits us to continue to make dual format distribution 

on a routine basis. 
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Therefore, we are implementing a policy on distribution to Federal depository libraries that will 

accelerate the transition to a primarily electronic Program. As an operational guideline, U.S. 

Government publications will be furnished to Federal depository libraries solely in online 

electronic format unless: 

 There is no online electronic version available from the publishing agency. 

 The online version is incomplete. 

 The online version is not recognized as official by the publishing agency. 

 The online version is unreliable; e.g., the content is replaced or overwritten without notice. 

to access; e.g., the product is very difficult to use, 

thus impeding access to data or content. 

s intended to serve a special needs population; e.g., publications in 

ay arise with certain CD-ROM software licensing or fee-based online 

iscussion at the upcoming fall meeting to be held in Arlington, Virginia, October 

reported in the Administrative Notes Technical 

 The tangible product is of significant reference value to most types of FDLP libraries. The 

online version poses a significant barrier 

 The tangible product i

Braille or large print. 

 There is a legal requirement to distribute the product in tangible format. 

 The costs associated with disseminating electronically exceed those for the tangible product, 

a situation that m

services. 

GPO will present a draft policy regarding the above exceptions to our Depository Library 

Council for d

22-25, 2000. 

These changes to a primarily electronic FDLP are of much more than academic interest. This 

fiscal year, we estimate there will be about 27,000 tangible titles in the Program, down from 

about 40,000 last year, due to reductions in agency publishing and transition to online access. 

We are now in the annual process of establishing the requirements for depository copies for 

many products that will be printed under GPO term contracts beginning in FY 2001. This year, 

in order to save printing and shipping expenses, we are checking each term contract to see if that

title or set of products is available online. Our analysis indicates that up to 40% of the products 

distributed in tangible format may also have an online version available. If that is the case, and

they do not fall into one of these exceptions, GPO is changing the depository dissemination to 

electronic only. Such changes will be 

Supplement as they become effective. 

These changes will impact the budget and operation of the depository program in your 

institution. Shipments of tangible FDLP products to your library will decline sharply over 

coming years, reducing your long-term requirements for shelving and space. However, I am

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concerned that we use the electronic transition as an opportunity to expand public access to 

electronic Government information products. In order to deliver this information effectively, 

libraries must take steps to ensure that the technological infrastructure is in place. Toget

must address accelerating training and continuing education needs of depository library 

her we 

, 

entication, organization, and cataloging), as well as systems for 

ermanent accessibility. 

e 

am, please do not hesitate 

 contact me at 202-512-0571, or by email at <fbuckley@gpo.gov>. 

incerely, 

uperintendent of Documents 

Revised Edition of Instructions Distributed 

2000 

 1992 edition. 

RLs in 

e Instructions on the web will be kept up-to-date as new policies or manuals are issued. 

personnel, so that they may keep abreast of this rapidly changing technological environment. 

In the new, primarily electronic environment, GPO will continue to provide Federal depository 

libraries administrative support, collection development, and access services (identification

evaluation, selection, auth

p

Thank you for your continuing support for the FDLP and your library's contributions to th

public's right to know about the activities of their Government. If you have questions or 

concerns about these issues, or wish to discuss any aspect of the Progr

to

S

FRANCIS J. BUCKLEY, JR. 

S

A new revised and enlarged edition of the Instructions to Depository Libraries (July 2000) is 

available to all Federal depository libraries. A printed version with a yellow cover has been 

shipped to all depositories under item number 0556-C, SuDocs class number GP 3.26:D 44/

on shipping list 2000-0344-P dated August 31, 2000. A limited number of paper copies is 

available upon request to <asklps@gpo.gov>. The 2000 edition replaces the

Please discard the 1992 and any earlier versions in the library's possession. 

The Instructions are also available for printing and downloading from the FDLP Desktop at 

<www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/instructions> in MS Word, PDF, and HTML. All of 

the URLs in the Instructions are hyperlinked to information on the FDLP Desktop. The U

th

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SuDocs Letter: Destroy VA CDs

July 21, 2000 

Dear Depository Librarian: 

The Library Programs Service (LPS) was apprised by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Board 

of Veteran's Appeals, that the two Board of Veterans Appeals Decisions on CD-ROM for 1999 

should not have been distributed to depository libraries, as they contain information other than 

just the decisions. The VA has asked LPS to return or destroy all copies of these CD-ROMS. 

Descriptive information on these publications: 

Title: Board of Veterans Appeals Decisions, CD-ROM, First Six Months of 1999 

SuDocs Number: VA 1.95/2:999 

Shipping List Number: 2000-0019-E 

Shipping List Date: 01/14/2000 

Item Number: 0983-E-01 

Title: Board of Veterans' Appeals Decisions, CD-ROM, 3rd Quarter of 1999 

SuDocs Number: VA 1.95/2:999-2 

Shipping List Number: 2000-0035-E 

Shipping List Date: 04/28/2000 

Item Number: 0983-E-01 

I am requesting that you immediately withdraw these publications and destroy them by any 

means to prevent disclosure of their contents. Both LPS and the Department of Veteran's Affairs 

deeply regret any inconvenience resulting from the shipment of these publications. 

Sincerely, 

FRANCIS J. BUCKLEY, JR. 

Superintendent of Documents 

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LPS Discontinues Monthly Catalog CD-ROM 

The CD-ROM edition of the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications (Item 

0557-C, SuDocs GP 3.8/7:) has been discontinued effective with the January 2000 issue. 

Contractor problems with producing the CD-ROM and the popularity of the web Catalog of U.S. 

Government Publications <http://www.access.gpo.gov/catalog> were factors leading to the 

cancellation. 

This decision is consistent with general program directions for multiple format distribution as 

announced in the letter to directors in this issue. 

The Monthly Catalog CD-ROM, containing full cataloging records, started in January 1996. It 

replaced the full-record printed and microfiche editions. The abridged-record printed version of 

the Monthly Catalog will continue. Libraries that previously received the CD-ROM Monthly 

Catalog will begin receiving the abridged printed edition, effective with the February 2000 issue, 

under item number 0557-D. Libraries not wishing to receive the paper Monthly Catalog should 

deselect item 0557-D. 

Change of E-mail Address for Council Member Koepp 

The e-mail address for Council member Donna Koepp has changed to: <dkoepp@ukans.edu>. 

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Table of Contents 

SuDocs Letter to Directors: Changes in FDLP........................................................1 

Revised Edition of Instructions Distributed.............................................................3 

SuDocs Letter: Destroy VA CDs.............................................................................4 

LPS Discontinues Monthly Catalog CD-ROM .......................................................5 

Change of E-mail Address for Council Member Koepp .........................................5 

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

Programs Service, Government 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