Administrative Notes 

Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program

Vol. 19, no. 12 GP 3.16/3-2:19/12 October 15, 1998 

12th Annual Interagency Depository Seminar 

Announced for June 1999 

The 12th Annual Interagency Depository Seminar will be held in Washington, DC from June 2 

through June 9, 1999. 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 

 National Center for Health Statistics 

 ERIC Clearinghouse 

 National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

 Department of Justice 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

 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 eleven years that it has 

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

attendance must be limited to sixty librarians, preference will be given to those who have not 

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

metropolitan area. 

Costs for the seminar are being kept as low as possible. A $12.00 registration fee will be the 

only charge. 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 $12.00 made out to "GPO Cafeteria Service" and postdated after January 1, 1999 to the 

Library Programs Service by March 12, 1999. Librarians who are officially registered for the 

seminar will be notified first by telephone and then by mail after March 12. If you have any 
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questions about the seminar, please contact the Chief, Depository Services, by telephone on 

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

12th Annual Interagency Depository Seminar

-Preliminary AgendaTuesday, June 1, 1999

There will be an informal get-together of seminar participants in the large meeting room of the 

St. James Hotel 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. 

Wednesday, June 2 

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 depository publications. LPS staff will also discuss writing the selfstudy and responsibilities of Federal depositories. There will be a comprehensive tour of the 

LPS facility and an opportunity to network. 

Thursday, June 3 

FEDERAL REGISTER

This morning’s program, on the Federal regulatory system, is presented by the Office of the 

Federal Register (OFR), National Archives and Records Administration. 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 

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, June 4

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

services, and electronic initiatives. The confirmed agencies include the National Center for 

Health Statistics, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the ERIC Clearinghouse. 

A fourth speaker has not yet been confirmed. 

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

In the afternoon, the Serial and Government Publications Division of the Library of Congress 

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. 

Monday, June 7 

BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

Staff of the Census Bureau will present a preliminary product preview of the 2000 Census, 

American Community Survey, the 1997 Economic Census, Data Access and Dissemination 

System, and demonstrate other new products on CD-ROM 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 8

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 9 

In the morning, agency representatives from the Department of Justice and the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration will discuss their products, services, and electronic initiatives. 

The third speaker is not yet confirmed. 

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 generally will last until 4:00 p.m. A detailed program will be 

supplied to the registrants in April 1999. All participants are expected to attend all presentations. 

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Accommodations 

As June is one of the peak tourist periods for Washington, accommodations can be very hard to 

find. A block of suites has been reserved for seminar participants at the St. James Hotel. The 

hotel is located at 950 24th Street NW, Washington, DC. This hotel is in a good section of the 

city, one block from the Foggy Bottom Metro station. Attendees can take the Metro train from 

Washington’s Reagan National Airport to the hotel and 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 suite (bedroom, kitchen complete with china and cookware, and dining area) is available for 

the government rate of $126.00 per night for single or double occupancy. The extra person 

charge for triple occupancy is $20.00. The room rate is subject to additional Washington, DC 

taxes that are currently 13%, and $3.00 per night occupancy tax. Overnight parking is $17.00. If 

you wish to reserve a suite at the St. James Hotel, you should call as soon as a seminar 

reservation is confirmed by GPO. Hotel reservations must be made no later than April 29, 

1999. After that date, suites 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. James Hotel is (202) 457-0500 or (800) 852-

8512. Please tell the reservation clerk that you are attending the GPO seminar and quote the 

above room rate. If you are interested in sharing a suite with 1 or 2 librarians attending the 

seminar, John Tate at LPS will try to match up roommates. You may contact him by telephone 

on (202) 512-1119 or via e-mail at <jtate@gpo.gov>. 

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5

1999 Interagency Depository Seminar 

REGISTRATION FORM

Mail to: Chief, Depository Services Mail by: March 12, 1999

Library Programs Service (SLLD) 

U.S. Government Printing Office 

Washington, DC 20401 

 I would like to attend the June 2-9, 1999 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 $12.00 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 
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New Industry Classification System (NAICS) Now Available 

A new North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), which replaces the US 

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system has been published and is now available from the 

Superintendent of Documents. This system will allow business marketers to classify customers 

and prospects by industry type. 

The NAICS classification system includes 350 new industries including the growing service 

sector and technological industries. The book also contains definitions for each industry, tables 

showing correspondence between 1997 NAICS and 1987 SICs codes and vice versa, alphabetic 

list of more than 18,000 businesses and their corresponding NAICS codes, and a special section 

on what small businesses need to know about NAICS. 

With this official NAICS, government and business analysts can make direct comparisons of 

industrial production statistics collected and published in the three North American Free Trade 

Agreement (NAFTA) countries--the US, Canada and Mexico. NAICS provides for increased 

comparability with the International Standard Industrial Classification System (ISIC, Revision 

3), developed and maintained by the United Nations. 

The 1997 North American Industry Classification System is available for $28.50 (paper), stock 

number 041-001-00509-9 and for $32.50 (cloth), stock number 041-001-00508-1. 

The NAICS book may be ordered by phone (202-512-1800, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern time 

weekdays, fax 202-512-2250, 24 hours a day), mail, and through any of the 24 US Government 

Bookstores nationwide. Phone and fax orders may be paid by MasterCard, VISA, or 

DiscoverNOVUS. Mail orders must include either credit card information or a check payable to 

Superintendent of Documents. Send to Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, 

Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. 

NAICS was distributed to depository libraries in both bindings. The softbound copy, SuDocs 

PREX 2.6/2:IN 27/997, was shipped under item 0854-A on shipping list 98-0049-S, dated 

9/4/98. The cloth copy, SuDocs PREX 2.6/2:IN 27/997/CLOTH, was shipped under item 0854-

A on shipping list 98-0052-S, dated 9/22/98. 

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SuDocs Letter: Destroy Substance Abuse Document 

[This letter was sent to all depositories the week of Sept. 18, 1998.] 

Dear Depository Librarian: 

The Library Programs Service was apprised by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration that the publication Mid-Year 1997 Preliminary Emergency Department Data 

from the Drug Abuse Warning Network, August 1998 is defective. 

Descriptive information for this document is as follows: 

Title: Mid-Year 1997 Preliminary Emergency Department Data from the Drug Abuse 

Warning Network (August 1998) 

Shipping List: 98-0360-P 

SL Date: 9/09/98 

Item: 0497-D-33 

SuDocs: HE 20.416/3:5 

I am requesting that you immediately withdraw this defective publication and destroy it by any 

means that will prevent disclosure of its erroneous contents. 

A corrected edition (dated September 1998 on p. ii, Acknowledgements) together with an errata 

sheet to be inserted at page 10 will be mailed to depositories by mid-October. This corrected 

edition replaces the erroneous August 1998 copy. 

Thank you for your cooperation and prompt attention to this matter. 

Sincerely, 

FRANCIS J. BUCKLEY, JR. 

Superintendent of Documents 

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Judy Andrews Joins Electronic Transition Staff 

Judy Andrews joined GPO's Electronic Transition Staff (ETS) on July 27, 1998. Serving as an 

Electronic Transition Specialist for one year, she will be working closely with George Barnum to 

assist the Library Programs Service in making the transition to a more electronically based 

Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). Judy will be involved in forming partnerships 

with FDLP libraries and Federal agencies to provide for permanent public access to Government 

electronic information products. 

Judy will return in July, 1999 to James Madison University where she is the Government 

Information Librarian. To contact Judy, send e-mail to jandrews@gpo.gov or call (202) 512-

1114. 

Keep Your Library Entry Up to Date 

Depository librarians are encouraged to review their library’s entry in the online database and 

enter changes, no matter how small. Depository shipment labels are generated from the 

database, and erroneous information causes delays and increases costs. The Federal Depository 

Library Directory is also generated from the online list. 

Using their internal password, depository libraries may update their directory information using 

the Library Directory module from the FDLP Administration page on GPO Access at 

<www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/ldirect.html>. Changes may be faxed to (202) 512-1432. 

Blank Microfiche Used as Packing Material Reduces Costs 

Depository libraries have recently noted receiving quantities of blank microfiche in their 

shipments. This is not a processing problem, nor does it increase mailing costs. Contractors 

include extra microfiche in shipments in order to decrease mailing costs. According to postal 

regulations, if there are 200 pieces of material at the same weight per shipment, the contractor 

can take advantage of bulk mailing rates. With smaller shipments, regular postage rates apply. 

Libraries may dispose of the extra microfiche as packing material. Please do not send the extra 

fiche to GPO! 

Of course, all libraries should check actual receipt of microfiche against the shipping lists. And 

if you find you are not receiving the microfiche on the shipping lists, or the lists themselves, 

please make a claim with the contractor. If they do not fill your claim, please advise GPO via 

Michele Harris at (202) 512-1060 or <mharris@gpo.gov>. 

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Readers Exchange 

Restricted Access and the GODORT Serial Set Survey 

by Bill Sleeman 

Bibliographic Control/Government Documents Librarian 

Thurgood Marshall Law Library 

University of Maryland, Baltimore 

A 1993 resource packet jointly produced by ALA's Rare Books and Manuscripts Section, the 

Map and Geography Roundtable and GODORT's then ad hoc Committee on Rare Government 

Documents, identified the security of rare and unique Government publications as one of the key 

areas with which document librarians needed to be concerned as they moved into what was then 

called a "new era" of viewing documents as rare material. In the past few years this concern has 

not lessened; if anything it has grown. As the paper produced for the 19th century and much of 

the 20th century Serial Set becomes more brittle and as Government documents become more 

appealing to collectors, the need somehow to secure the set has taken on a new imperative. 

These factors, coupled with GPO's decision* to cease providing the bound Serial Set to all 

depositories, has intensified the need for Government information professionals to find a way of 

balancing the interests of current access with those of long-term preservation. 

*[In September 1997, Congress directed GPO to discontinue distribution of the bound Serial Set 

to all depositories, except the regional libraries and one library in each state without a regional, 

beginning with the 105th Congress.—ed.] 

Active since 1989, the Rare and Endangered Government Publications Committee (REGP) of 

GODORT has clearly had a long interest in fostering the preservation of rare Government 

documents. In 1996, shortly after the ad hoc committee was made a regular GODORT 

Committee, REGP began to consider the prospects of surveying the entire depository community 

to ascertain the extent of preservation efforts then underway for the U.S. Congressional Serial 

Set. By the end of 1996, a sub-committee had been formed and work on the survey had begun. 

Once a draft survey had been reviewed by the entire Committee, it was submitted to the 

GODORT Committee on Publications, which approved it. The survey was then printed by the 

Government Printing Office in early 1997 and distributed to all depositories via regular 

depository shipments. 

This article will briefly review some preliminary results of the survey questions dealing with 

shelving and restricted access and offer some suggestions and general comments on identifying 

material that should be relocated to restricted or specialized (i.e., closed) shelving areas. The 

complete survey with analysis will be available on the GODORT home page and in Documents 

to the People. 

First, some background on the survey respondents. Over 1300 surveys were distributed via GPO 

to the depository library community, and the REGP Committee received back 299 or slightly less 

than 30 percent. The bulk of the responses came from academic libraries (see below). Using the 

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FDLP Administration Web site to conduct a cursory comparison of survey respondents with 

those depository libraries currently selecting either the reports or documents in paper would 

suggest that almost all of those libraries responded. Although REGP had not looked closely at it 

as of early August, 1997, the Committee did get several institutions which responded that they 

had once selected the hard copy serial set but no longer do so. The REGP Committee members 

hope this means that the goal of reaching both current and past selectors of the Serial Set was 

successful. 

Survey Respondents by Library Type

 Academic (Regional) 21 

 Academic (Selective) 196 

Public (Regional) 1 

 Public (Selective) 41 

 Federal Agency 7 

 Federal Courts 3 

 State Agency 1 

 State Court 7 

State Library (Regional) 9 

State Library (Selective) 8 

 Special Library 5 

Finding the balance between open access for the sake of public service (and to meet GPO's 

requirements of depository libraries) and preserving material for future generations is difficult. 

[GPO does not require open stacks.—ed.] Morris Cohen, in his essay on administering rare legal 

materials, calls for librarians to strike a balance between the custodial role and their information 

dissemination role. As we look at the Serial Set and other older or unique Government 

publications in our own collections, this suggestion is one that depository librarians should take 

to heart. Restricted access will not only reduce the potential for theft or vandalism of valuable 

volumes but it can also serve to enhance preservation of unique Government publications by 

reducing handling. 

Survey Questions on Shelving

Question 6: Are all Serial Set volumes shelved together? 

Question 7: If not together, where are the majority shelved? 

a) Documents Department 

b) Law/Legal Library 

c) Reference Library 

d) Special Collections 

e) Regular Stack Area 

f) Other 

Question 9: How many volumes have restricted access? 

Question 10: Where are restricted volumes housed? 

Question 11: What criteria are used to decide which volumes are separated?

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Based upon the written comments included with the survey responses, it is clear that GODORT's 

message about the need to protect rare Government documents by restricting access to select 

items has been heard. However, the ability to actually implement specialized shelving for 

documents, perhaps because of money, time or space limitations, is still lacking. 

Of the 150 respondents to the five questions in the survey dealing with shelving location, twentynine libraries indicated that some portion of the Serial Set had been moved to shelving in special 

collections or archives. Twenty-four of the libraries responding to the shelving questions 

indicated that the Set remained in the general stacks area. Another twenty-nine respondents 

selected the "other" category, although these were most often variants of the regular stack area 

responses and included both basement and sub-basement storage. One positive result of the 

survey was that in almost all cases those libraries that indicated that they held the American State 

Papers also indicated that the set had been moved to a secure location.

Where Serial Set Volumes Are Located 

Total 

responses 

Document 

Dept. 

Law/Legal 

Library 

Reference 

Collection 

Special 

Collection/ 

Archives 

Regular 

Stack area 

Other 

150 77 2 3 29 24 29

Note: 14 libraries selected more than one area. 

Deciding what to restrict can be as difficult as the decision to actually move material to restricted 

access. In the survey conducted by the REGP Committee, poor physical condition was the most 

often cited method used to identify documents to be relocated to restricted shelving. Age was 

the second most frequently cited consideration; but was not cited as often as was anticipated 

(approximately 12 times). Age and condition may, in many instances, go hand in hand. 

While older nineteenth century items are certainly attractive to both collectors (a recent visit to 

some bookstores in Virginia turned up a number of early American House and Senate 

publications that clearly had been removed from Serial Set volumes) and researchers, it is 

important to keep in mind that age or poor physical condition are not the sole indicators of the 

need to move a document to a restricted shelving area. 

As Charles Seavey pointed out in his article on "Government Graphics," attractive images have 

always been prized by collectors, and many items produced by the Smithsonian Institution or as 

part of the westward expansion in the latter half of the 19th Century (oftentimes included in 

documents and reports in the Serial Set) are items that should be carefully reviewed and, if 

possible, removed from the open stacks. But items of a more recent vintage are equally 

attractive to collectors and should not be overlooked. Recently a rare book dealer offered, in 

addition to its usual assortment of 18th and 19th century items, the seventeen-volume Watergate 

Hearings (Presidential Campaign Activities of 1972-Senate Resolution 60) for $750.00 in their 

catalog. 

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Local research needs were another factor offered by many survey respondents for moving rare or 

unique Government documents to secure shelving. One library responded that it set aside all 

material that deals with New Mexico, while another, a service academy library, retains all of the 

documents related to its branch of the service. Identifying those Government publications that 

deal with your state or primary clientele and selecting them for restricted access is one simple 

means of assuring your patrons continued access to these items. Other factors offered by survey 

respondents to isolate portions of the Serial Set included: 

 Circulation Statistics (if the item circulated less than once every three years) 

 Famous authors or compilers of reports 

 Whether the document contains maps or images 

 Anything dealing with the American Civil War 

 All volumes that duplicate microfiche 

 Space concerns, given the growth rate of the Set 

Overall, the number of libraries that utilize archives or special collections to house rare or unique 

Government documents was quite small. But with so many other pressing issues before us as 

Government information professionals should we be concerned at all about moving our rare or 

unique documents to restricted shelving? As our paper document collections will only grow in 

research value (and perhaps monetary value as well) our answer should be a resounding yes! As 

pointed out by Daniel P. O'Mahony, Government Documents Coordinator at Brown University, 

in a recent issue of Government Information Quarterly, "there are substantial (and growing) 

physical collections of Government publications that will continue to reside in depository 

libraries... the care and management of these physical collections will continue to be an issue for 

the [depository] program and its participating libraries." If the documents produced by the 

Federal Government and made available to the public through the depository system are to be 

available in their original format for citizens in the next century, we must begin now the process 

of identifying and moving rare and unique items to restricted shelving. If we wait or do nothing 

we risk losing this material, and our Nation's history, to theft, age and/or neglect. 

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Recommendations and Responses 

Depository Library Council 

Spring 1998 

1. SERVICE GUIDELINES 

Council recommends that GPO adopt the "Draft Depository Library Public Service Guidelines 

for Government Information in Electronic Formats" as amended at the spring 1998 Depository 

Library Conference. Council understands that GPO may need to make certain technical 

amendments. 

Rationale: 

The eighteen-month process of creating the Draft Guidelines has provided the entire depository 

library community with adequate time to comment, recommend changes, and dialog with one 

another. These comments and recommendations, as well as those from GPO, resulted in many 

changes to the original draft. It is now time to move forward and finalize the Guidelines. 

Response: 

The “Depository Library Public Service Guidelines for Government Information in Electronic 

Formats” have been reviewed by the GPO Office of the General Counsel, and have been found 

to conform to existing law and policy and fit within the statutory framework of Title 44. Any 

library selecting items in electronic formats must maintain a capability to allow for the 

unimpeded use of those documents by public patrons. The Library Programs Service (LPS) 

published the guidelines in the September 15, 1998 issue of Administrative Notes. They are also 

available on the FDLP Administration page under Miscellaneous – Fact Sheets, Speeches, 

Proceedings, etc. at: <www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/fdlppubs.html#5>. 

2. BIENNIAL SURVEY 

Council recommends that: 

 GPO formalize and standardize the Biennial Survey. 

 The core elements of the Biennial Survey remain consistent over time. 

 The core elements of the Biennial Survey be made compatible with other major data surveys 

(e.g., ARL, IPEDS, Public Libraries Data Survey) wherever possible. 

 Council and FDLP libraries be consulted on the content of the survey instrument. 

 Experts in survey research be consulted on the methodology of the survey instrument. 

 Council and GPO review the instrument in the intervening years between surveys. 

 New questions to survey be announced with sufficient notice. 

 If the Biennial Survey must be used to gather data needed on an occasional or emergency 

basis those questions should be relegated to a special section. 

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Rationale: 

Although the Biennial Survey, as it currently exists, has yielded useful information for the GPO, 

the process could also be made useful to depository libraries if the data were tracked over time 

and made compatible with other data collection instruments. The data that are gathered should 

meet the needs of GPO and the FDLP libraries for FDLP management, FDLP advocacy, 

reporting to Congress, depository library management, depository library advocacy; and for 

satisfying the requirements of the law. We need to begin to gather data on a consistent and 

methodologically sound basis. Each data element should be sufficiently defined so that FDLP 

libraries can complete the survey instrument with accuracy and consistency. FDLP libraries 

should have sufficient notice of new data or definitions to allow them to prepare; e.g., if annual 

data are required, the libraries should know at least a year in advance. 

Response: 

LPS staff is providing support to Council’s Statistical Measurement Committee as it works on 

issues relating to the Biennial Survey. Volunteers from the depository library community were 

sought and several have been appointed to two subcommittees: Cost Benefit Study and Biennial 

Survey Content. The subcommittees include LPS staff, current and former Council members, 

and interested documents librarians 

In order to maximize the response rate, basic questions on costs of staffing, equipment, 

bibliographic tools, etc., will be asked on the 1999 Biennial Survey rather than in a separate 

survey. The Committee has developed a proposed set of questions, which are being reviewed 

and discussed. It is the Committee’s goal to have a draft Biennial Survey ready for discussion at 

the October Council meeting. 

Two programs at the October Council meeting are planned to provide opportunities for 

discussion and consultation with the depository library community. One program will focus on 

the Biennial Survey and the other is titled, “How to Determine Costs of Being a Depository.” 

LPS’ goal is to advise the depository community of the contents of the 1999 Biennial Survey 

before the end of 1998. 

 

3. TRAINING 

Council recommends that the Public Printer allocate appropriate resources for GPO Access 

training and user support and asks the Public Printer to provide a progress report to Council on 

the GPO Access Learning Center. In addition Council recommends that GPO expand its GPO 

Access hands-on training efforts. 

Rationale: 

The remarkable success of GPO Access as evidenced by the phenomenal growth in its use as 

well as the positive publicity that has appeared in the professional literature demonstrate the need 

for expanding training opportunities. Despite the reality of constrained funding, Council 

reiterates the importance of training and user support in the continuing transition to a more 

electronic Federal Depository Library Program. The entire GPO Access user community 

continues to benefit from the training efforts at conferences as well as on-site training and user 

support. 

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Response: 

The Public Printer recognizes the value of GPO Access training and user support and has 

endeavored to provide as many high quality services in these areas as resource constraints will 

allow. During the past year approximately 1,000 individuals in the depository library 

community have received hands-on GPO Access training at classes held around the United 

States. Many thousands more have visited the GPO booth at library conferences and trade shows 

to receive information and personal assistance with GPO Access. 

Many of those who attended the training classes have gone on to teach GPO Access classes of 

their own. More than 1,100 copies of the GPO Access training manuals have been shipped to 

individuals who have planned such classes. These dedicated individuals who are working to 

pass on what they have learned to others are rendering a great service by providing GPO Access 

training. This multiplier effect is essential to providing the maximum number of GPO Access 

training opportunities to the library community. 

A Congressionally mandated ceiling on travel in support of the Federal Depository Library 

Program and the other programs funded by the Salaries and Expenses Appropriation imposes 

limits on the number of GPO Access training trips. Superintendent of Documents personnel 

have worked to ensure the widest possible coverage for GPO-taught training opportunities and 

will continue to supply training materials to others teaching GPO Access classes. In addition, 

the GPO Access User Support Team is now fully staffed and has increased its hours of operation 

to 7:00 am to 5:30 pm, Monday-Friday EST, in order to extend services for our West Coast 

customers. The User Support Team responded to more than 85,000 user inquiries in the past 

year. 

GPO also continues to study the feasibility of constructing and operating a GPO Access Learning 

Center at the main GPO facility in Washington, DC. 

4. PROCESSING OF MONTHLY CATALOG TAPES 

Council recommends that GPO resolve problems related to the processing of cataloging records 

so that these records are available in a timely manner for the production of GPO's own products 

and for use by libraries. Specifically, Council urges GPO to: 

a) In the short term, intensify the current analysis of tape processing problems within GPO and 

with the Cataloging Distribution Service of the Library of Congress, to ensure that a usable 

product is available promptly each month. 

b) In the longer term, work toward a solution based on modernizing the entire technological 

infrastructure. 

c) Keep the depository library community informed of developments because of the importance 

of these records to the libraries and their users. 

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Rationale: 

Cataloging of depository information is an essential function of GPO. In addition, many libraries 

depend on tapes of GPO records for their online catalogs. Delays in the production and 

distribution of these tapes cause serious problems for libraries. 

Response: 

We share Council's concerns regarding the delays in distributing GPO cataloging data that 

occurred during the first quarter of this year. We have worked closely with data processing 

personnel of GPO and the Cataloging Distribution Service (CDS), Library of Congress, to ensure 

that monthly data sets are issued promptly by GPO to CDS for data processing and distribution 

to vendors. 

Short term solution: 

Our efforts to re-establish effective services have succeeded. From April 1998 (when all data 

sets from January through April were issued, including the 1998 Periodicals Supplement) 

through August 1998, prompt service has been restored. Monthly data sets are being distributed 

to CDS via tape cartridges within two days of production at GPO. For their part, CDS staff has 

expeditiously disseminated data to customers within one or two days of the receipt and additional 

processing of GPO-produced records. 

Longer term solution: 

Although distribution of cartridges remains a viable manner of transferring data from GPO to 

CDS, both GPO and CDS personnel recognize that a more convenient and potentially more 

effective method of sharing data would be to transmit cataloging records from GPO to CDS via 

an FTP (file transfer protocol) service. Personnel from GPO and CDS are testing and evaluating 

such an option as an alternative to the continued use of cartridges. We will advise Council of 

progress with these efforts. In the meantime, we are confident that procedures employed for 

resuming services this past April will ensure continued and effective distribution of cataloging 

data. 

We also appreciate that the "technological infrastructure" used in producing cataloging records 

should be modernized. We are pleased to report that, in this regard, SAMANTHA, the primary 

software package used for producing Monthly Catalog products, is itself Year 2000 compliant. 

Tests to determine whether SAMANTHA will run without additional modification on GPO's 

new Y2K compliant operating system, OS/390, are expected to take place in October. LPS staff 

will advise Council of test results and are prepared to pursue necessary measures to assure that 

Monthly Catalog products will continue to be supported and produced. 

We recognize that an integrated library system (ILS) for use in producing records, maintaining 

our Web site, and publishing CD-ROM and paper versions of the Monthly Catalog would do 

much to improve the efficiency of dissemination efforts. Preliminary reviews of some 

commercial software applications suggest that ILS products currently available support Web 

OPAC and record creation applications but do not support the publishing of CD-ROM and paper 

catalogs. At present, we do not see an urgent need for an ILS but shall continue to seek products 

that will meet our needs. 

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5. FREQUENCY OF UPDATING THE SUPERSEDED LIST 

Council recommends more frequent updating of the online Superseded List. Council and GPO 

should establish an ongoing committee of depository librarians to evaluate new items for 

retention decisions, with special emphasis on tangible electronic products. 

Rationale: 

The Superseded List is heavily used in depository libraries as a collection management tool. 

More expeditious updating of the list for new information products would greatly assist these 

libraries in the management of their collections. Information about agency policies relating to 

retention of electronic products is especially necessary, since it may be more difficult to ascertain 

from the product in hand. Council believes that GPO is in the best position to determine from 

the publishing agencies their policies and recommendations regarding retention. Regional 

libraries as a group should be encouraged to evaluate new items, in particular new tangible 

electronic products, to make recommendations on retention by some or all Regionals. 

Response: 

LPS staff has recently converted the information in the Superseded List to a data file, including 

annotations for new material not contained in the 1996 revision. We are reviewing the converted 

data for any errors that may have occurred in the conversion process. When completed we plan 

to update the database on a weekly basis similar to the process used for WEBTech Notes. 

The superseded information lends itself to development of an Open Text Database, as part of the 

askLPS service. This will allow users to search the records using the already familiar Open Text 

search strategy. The new application will include the information presently in the printed 

Superseded List: classification number, item number, title, retention notes, and regional 

requirement. In addition, we will add a field for the person who submitted the entry to LPS, and 

a status field to identify if the title is active, inactive, discontinued, or new, and a date field 

associated with any change in status. 

The next step in this process is to obtain assistance from the librarians in the depository 

community to review the current entries and recommendations to be added to the list. It is 

imperative that we have this assistance as LPS does not maintain a physical collection. All 

material obtained for the FDLP is distributed to depository libraries. An initial group of 

volunteers has already been identified, and LPS will continue to seek additional volunteers. 

Progress depends upon the available resources and the makeup of the volunteer committee. LPS 

will publish new Superseded List information as it becomes available, but we intend to complete 

the project by April 1999. 

6. GUIDANCE ON RETENTION OF TANGIBLE PRODUCTS 

Council recommends that GPO provide the FDLP community with guidance on retention of 

tangible products that are available in the FDLP Electronic Collection 

Rationale: 

GPO is now providing permanent public access to many Congressional and administrative 

publications through GPO Access. GPO is also developing plans for the FDLP Electronic 

Collection. In light of these developments, depositories are asking whether they may withdraw a 

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tangible product and rely on the electronic version as their official depository copy. While the 

electronic collection plan is still under development, it is time to begin the deliberations about 

this complex policy issue. Council will want to work with GPO and regional libraries as the 

requirements of the law are clarified and appropriate guidelines are developed. 

Response: 

LPS is formulating guidance to the depository community on the retention of tangible products 

when official and reliable electronic alternatives are available. At LPS’ request the GPO General 

Counsel is reviewing the legislative history and extant opinions relevant to retention of 

publications also available via online databases. In our preliminary discussions, the General 

Counsel has advised us that incorporating an online electronic product into a depository 

collection by substituting it for a tangible product appears to be acceptable, providing that certain 

conditions are satisfied. First, the electronic product must be a complete and official version. 

Second, permanent accessibility to the electronic version must be assured. Third, the library 

must be able to offer to its users unimpeded access to any electronic product incorporated into 

the library’s depository collection. And fourth, the procedures for disposition of the tangible 

product copies shall conform to the requirements established by the Superintendent of 

Documents and the regional depository library. 

7. HEARINGS 

Council recommends that GPO work with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House 

to encourage more Congressional committees to create electronic files of hearings transcripts, 

and that these be made available through the GPO Access database of Congressional hearings. 

Rationale: 

GPO Access provides online access to important congressional resources, including the 

Congressional Record, bills, House and Senate Reports and Documents, and other valuable 

congressional materials. Council applauds efforts by GPO to enhance the GPO Access system 

by creating a database of selected hearings from the 105th Congress (1997) forward and 

encourages further efforts to develop this into a more comprehensive database. 

Response: 

The transcripts of more than 110 congressional hearings are now available through GPO Access. 

Although the inclusion of hearings is still dependent on the request of the originating committee, 

more are requesting that their hearings be added to GPO Access as time goes on. GPO personnel 

are working to encourage more committees to do so and to facilitate the generation and transfer 

of the necessary electronic source files. In order to gain additional insight about congressional 

intent for the electronic dissemination of hearings, we have included hearings of key House and 

Senate committees among the products being studied in the GPO/NCLIS “Assessment of 

Electronic Government Information Products.” 

8. CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE 

Congress is currently considering legislation (S. 1578 and H.R. 3131) that would provide no-fee 

public access through the Internet to issue briefs and reports of the Congressional Research 

Service (CRS). If this legislation is enacted, Council recommends that GPO pursue making 

these important congressional materials available through GPO Access. 

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Rationale: 

CRS Issue Briefs and Reports are an important part of the congressional decision-making 

process. Council believes that, if this legislation is enacted, these important materials should be 

available to the public through GPO Access. 

Response: 

GPO staff is monitoring activity on legislation that would provide public access to Congressional 

Research Service (CRS) reports and issue briefs via the Internet. In addition, a team, created by 

Office of Electronic Information Dissemination Services (EIDS) that includes LPS and the 

Office of Congressional, Legislative, and Public Affairs staff, is examining the possibility of 

obtaining publicly released CRS products in electronic format to either point to or put up on 

GPO Access. One scenario might be to point to CRS products on individual member’s or 

committee Web sites. There are some drawbacks to this idea: it does not address permanent 

access issues and would entail a great deal of staff time. Another scenario would have GPO 

Access hosting the CRS products for all users, with the member or committee site pointing to it 

at GPO Access. This approach requires that GPO obtain the source data files from CRS once the 

member or committee has cleared the product’s release. Also under consideration is how 

cataloging, locator, and classification services should be applied to these products. 

9. Z39.50/GILS 

Council recommends that GPO continue to provide an update at Council meetings on its progress 

in implementing Z39.50/GILS compliance for the databases GPO maintains. 

Rationale: 

Council reiterates its concern, expressed in recommendations of October 1997, that GPO remain 

committed to the interoperability of its online services using the ISO 23950 (ANSI Z39.50) 

international search standard and GILS Profile. This particular interface is essential to GPO's 

ability to keep pace with technology evolution in its own information systems, as well as to 

GPO's ability to enable access to information throughout government. 

Response: 

GPO continues to work toward providing a Z39.50 search interface for GPO Access. This effort 

has examined several possibilities without success, but has identified other potential options and 

is currently exploring them. Among these is the Advanced Search Facility (ASF) project 

currently being examined for possible use with several GPO Access applications. GPO will 

continue to report on this effort as it progresses. 

10. INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE COMMITTEE 

Council recommends the formation of a committee to provide expert advice to GPO and Council 

on issues of information architecture in systems operated in support of the FDLP. 

Rationale: 

The complexity of systems supporting the FDLP would be a design challenge under any 

circumstances. The pace of change in information technologies compounds the challenge and 

makes it even more critical to attend to the basics of information architecture, such as the 

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interfaces between central and distributed databases or facilities for networked information 

discovery and retrieval. Council and GPO could benefit greatly from an ongoing source of 

architectural advice focused specifically on the FDLP. Council believes such advice could be 

obtained directly from information architecture expertise available among institutions 

participating in the FDLP. The work of such a committee might also generate a greater 

awareness of the FDLP among computer science and networking leaders. 

Response: 

The challenges from rapidly changing information technologies require a great deal of attention 

to maintain services such as GPO Access. GPO is fortunate to have a depth of experience and 

talent in this area. Staff constantly monitors and evaluates emerging technologies for possible 

use in improving the products and services of GPO Access. As these efforts progress, GPO 

experts enter into a dialog with outside experts to complete this evaluation process. GPO does 

not, however, think it is necessary to set up a formal committee structure to accomplish this 

valuable interchange. 

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21

Members, Depository Library Council (1998) 

TERM EXPIRES SEPT. 30, 1999: 

Thomas K. Andersen 

CLSA Coordinator 

California State Library 

Library Development Services 

P.O. Box 942837 

Sacramento, CA 94237-0001 

(916) 653-7391 

(916) 653-8443 (fax) 

tanderse@library.ca.gov 

Carol Bednar 

Government Documents Coordinator 

Department of Technical Service 

University Library 

California State University Fullerton 

Fullerton, CA 92634-4150 

(714) 278-7035 

(714) 278-2439 (fax) 

cbednar@fullerton.edu 

Denise M. Davis 

Academic Product Manager 

Information Access Company 

362 Lakeside Drive 

Foster City, CA 94404 

(650) 358-7048 

denise_davis@iacnet.com 

Diane Eidelman 

Documents Librarian 

Suffolk Cooperative Library System 

627 North Sunrise Service Rd. 

Bellport, NY 11713 

(516) 286-1600 ext. 325 

(516) 286-1647 (fax) 

diane@suffolk.lib.ny.us 

Margaret S. Walker 

Head, Government Documents Department 

Florida Atlantic University 

777 Glades Road 

Boca Raton, FL 33431 

(561) 297-3788 

(561) 297-2105 (fax) 

walker@acc.fau.edu 

TERM EXPIRES SEPT. 30, 2000: 

Duncan M. Aldrich 

Head, Business & Government Information 

Center 

University Libraries 

University of Nevada, Reno 

Reno, NV 89557-0044 

(702) 784-6500 ext. 256 

(702) 784-4398 (fax) 

duncan@unr.edu 

Mary Alice Baish 

Assistant Washington Affairs Representative 

American Association of Law Libraries 

Georgetown University Law Library 

111 G Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20001-1417 

(202) 662-9200 

(202) 662-9202 (fax) 

baish@law.georgetown.edu 

Diane L. Garner 

Librarian for the Social Sciences 

Lamont Library 

Harvard University 

Cambridge, MA 02138 

(617) 496-2532 

(617) 496-0440 (fax) 

dgarner@fas.harvard.edu 

Gregory W. Lawrence 

Government Information Librarian 

Albert R. Mann Library 

Cornell University 

Ithaca, NY 14853 

(607) 255-3242 

(607) 255-0318 (fax) 

GWL1@cornell.edu 

Julia F. Wallace 

Head, Government Publications 

10 Wilson Library 

University of Minnesota 

309 19th Avenue South 

Minneapolis, MN 55455-0414 

(612) 626-7520 

(612) 626-9353 (fax) 

j-wall@tc.umn.edu 
AN-v19-#12-10/15/98 

TERM EXPIRES SEPT. 30, 2001: 

Maggie Farrell 

Associate Dean of Libraries 

Roland R. Renne Library 

Montana State University – Bozeman 

Bozeman, MT 59717-0332 

(406) 994-6474 

(406) 994-2851 (fax) 

farrell@montana.edu 

Paula Kaczmarek 

Manager, Government Documents 

Detroit Public Library 

5201 Woodward Avenue 

Detroit, MI 48202-4093 

(313) 833-1025 

(313) 833-0156 (fax) 

pkaczma@detroit.lib.mi.45 

Donna Koepp 

Department Head 

Government Documents and Map Library 

6001 Malott Hall 

Lawrence, KS 66045-2800 

(785) 864-4660 

(785) 864-5154 (fax) 

dkoepp@ukans.edu 

GladysAnn Wells 

State Librarian and Director 

Department of Library, Archives, 

 and Public Records 

State Capitol, Room 200 

1700 W. Washington 

Phoenix, AZ 85007 

(602) 542-4035 

(602) 542-4972 (fax) 

gawells@dlapr.lib.az.us 

Dr. Fred B. Wood 

Special Expert 

Office of Health Information 

 Programs Development 

National Library of Medicine 

Building 38, Room 2S-14 

8600 Rockville Pike 

Bethesda, MD 20894 

(301) 402-9278 

(301) 496-4450 (fax) 

fred_wood@occshost.nlm.nih.gov 

22
Library Programs Service Contacts 

Name Voice Fax E-mail 

DEPOSITORY DISTRIBUTION DIVISION 

Vicki Barber – Chief 202-512-1014 202-512-1429 vbarber@gpo.gov 

Depository Processing Branch 

Colleen Davis – Chief 202-512-1007 202-512-1429 cdavis@gpo.gov 

Depository Claims Office 202-512-1024 202-512-1429 

LIBRARY DIVISION 

Gil Baldwin - Chief, Library Division 202-512-1114 202-512-1432 ebaldwin@gpo.gov 

William Thompson - Program Analyst 202-512-1114 202-512-1432 wthompson@gpo.gov 

Sandy Morton-Schwalb – Management 

Analyst 

202-512-1114 202-512-1432 smortonschwalb@gpo.gov 

Electronic Transition Staff 

Judy Andrews - Electronic Transition 

Specialist 

202-512-1114 202-512-1432 jandrews@gpo.gov 

George Barnum - Electronic Transition 

Specialist 

202-512-1114 202-512-1432 gbarnum@gpo.gov 

Joe Paskoski - Management Analyst 202-512-1698 202-512-1432 jpaskoski@gpo.gov 

CATALOGING BRANCH

Thomas A. Downing – Chief 202-512-1121 202-512-1432 tdowning@gpo.gov 

DEPOSITORY ADMINISTRATION BRANCH

Robin Haun-Mohamed – Chief 202-512-1071 202-512-0877 rhaunmohamed@gpo.gov 

Mike Clark – Program Analyst 202-512-1619 202-512-0877 mclark@gpo.gov 

Acquisitions: Inquiry Group 

Earl Lewter – Supervisor 202-512-1129 202-512-0877 elewter@gpo.gov 

Micrographics Control Section 

Michele Harris – Chief 202-512-1060 202-512-0877 mharris@gpo.gov 

Shipment Control & Administration Group 

Laurie Hall - Library Systems Analyst 202-512-1062 202-512-0877 lhall@gpo.gov 

Yvonne Washington – Publications 

Management Specialist 

202-512-1131 202-512-0877 ywashington@gpo.gov 

DEPOSITORY SERVICES

Sheila McGarr – Chief 202-512-1119 202-512-1432 smcgarr@gpo.gov 

Gail Snider – Inspector 202-512-1119 202-512-1432 bsnider@gpo.gov 

Thomas G. Oertel – Inspector 202-512-1119 202-512-1432 toertel@gpo.gov 

Cynthia Etkin – Inspector 202-512-1119 202-512-1432 cetkin@gpo.gov 

John Tate - Designation Program 

Specialist 

202-512-1119 202-512-1432 jtate@gpo.gov 

For more detail on whom to call in LPS, see the LPS Contacts page on GPO Access at 

<www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/contacts.html>. 
AN-v19-#12-10/15/98 

24

Table of Contents

Interagency Depository Seminar, 12th Annual, Announced for June 1999 ................................. 1 

New Industry Classification System (NAICS) Now Available.................................................... 6 

SuDocs Letter: Destroy Substance Abuse Document................................................................... 7 

Judy Andrews Joins Electronic Transition Staff........................................................................... 8 

Keep Your Library Entry Up to Date ........................................................................................... 8 

Blank Microfiche Used as Packing Material Reduces Costs........................................................ 8 

Readers Exchange: Restricted Access and the GODORT Serial Set Survey / Sleeman .............. 9 

Responses to Council Recommendations, 1998, Spring ............................................................ 13 

Members, Depository Library Council (1998) ........................................................................... 21 

Library Programs Service Contacts ............................................................................................ 23

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 via World Wide Web at URL: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/adnotes.html 

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