ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES 

 Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program

Vol. 17, no. 10 GP 3.16/3-2:17/10 July 25, 1996 

Panel Discussion before the 

Federal Librarians Round Table (FLRT) 

Remarks by 

Wayne P. Kelley 

Superintendent of Documents 

1996 Annual ALA Conference 

New York, NY 

July 6, 1996

 Thank you for the opportunity to join this distinguished panel to discuss the emerging "virtual" 

library. Those of us gathered here this morning have a lot in common. We are Federal 

employees. We are responsible for providing access to information. And we face the challenge of 

managing change in a difficult environment. 

 I'm going to tell you a little bit about what we are doing at the Government Printing Office to 

make a transition to a more electronic Federal Depository Library Program. Then, I'm going to 

suggest some things we might do to help each other. 

 As you know, the Federal Depository Library Program has served the American public for 

more than 100 years, making a broad range of Federal Government publications available locally, 

through libraries in virtually every Congressional district. Today, there are 1,382 libraries in the 

program--including 72 Federal agency libraries. This system of free, timely and convenient access 

is the chief guarantor of the public's right to be informed about the activities of their Federal 

Government. 

 The GPO collects publications in print or microfiche, reproduces them at no cost to the agency, 

and distributes them to libraries which house them and provide free access to users. Most libraries 

select only those titles of interest to their communities. But 53 regional depositories receive and 

preserve all titles in the program. 

 In recent years GPO has included larger numbers of titles in electronic formats such as CDROMS. Since June 1994 we have provided information online over our GPO Access Service. 

1
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

2

GPO Access is available free, contains more than 40 databases, including the Federal Register, the 

Congressional Record, Congressional Bills and Reports. Documents are being downloaded at the 

rate of 2 million per month. 

 Last August, GPO, at the direction of Congress, undertook a cooperative Study to Identify 

Measures Necessary for a Successful Transition to a More Electronic Federal Depository Library 

Program. The Public Printer established a working group of representatives from GPO, 

Congressional committees, the Congressional Research Service, the Office of Management and 

Budget, the National Archives and Records Administration, the Federal Publishers Committee, 

the Interagency Council on Printing and Publication Services, the Administrative Office of the U.S. 

Courts, and the depository library community. He also invited a number of private sector and 

library organizations to designate representatives to serve as advisors. I served as chair of the Study 

and Judy Russell of GPO was chair of the working group. 

 The Study was issued last week. Here are some of the conclusions: 

1. On the Cost of Electronic Information Dissemination. While there are many benefits inherent 

in the use of electronic information, including more timely and broader public access, there is no 

conclusive data at this time to support the assertion that it will result in significant savings to either 

depository libraries or the Government. 

Costs to libraries and the public may increase in the short run. Government costs may increase 

when agencies assume some of the responsibility currently held by regional libraries for ensuring 

permanent public access to Government information. 

2. On Permanent Access to Official and Authentic Information. To ensure permanent public 

access to official electronic Government information, all stakeholders (information producing 

agencies, GPO, depository libraries and the National Archives) must cooperate to: (1) Establish 

the authenticity of official information; (2) Provide persistent identification and description of 

Government information products, and; (3) Arrange for long-term access. 

3. On Standards for Electronic Information Products. There is no single standard in which all 

Government information products can, or should, be created or disseminated. Nevertheless, it is 

in the best interests of the Government, and those who use Government information, to achieve a 

greater degree of standardization than now exists, and to develop recommended standards for each 

major type of Government information product in order to facilitate the exchange and use of that 

information. 

 The Study Report is about 300 pages. We did our best to accurately reflect the views of all 

participants. You can request a copy by phone, fax or e-mail. [Voice: (202) 512-1114; Fax: (202) 

512-1432; e-mail: direclps@access.digex.net; the report has been distributed to all depository 

libraries.] 

 For the GPO, one of the best things to come out of the study was the opportunity to talk 

candidly on a personal basis with a wide range of participants over a 10-month period. We feel we 

learned a lot. And what we learned was incorporated in a Strategic Plan. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

3

 We were under pressure from our House Appropriations Committee for a very rapid 

conversion to an all-electronic program. The Study gave us an opportunity to test this idea using a 

two-year time frame. Virtually no one saw this as practical. Agencies weren't ready. Libraries 

weren't ready. Users weren't ready. Even the technology, rapidly changing almost monthly, was 

not ready since it would be entirely different within 24 months. 

 Here are the essentials of our Strategic Plan: 

 The transition to a more electronic program will take place over a five to seven year period. 

 The preferred method for incorporating additional electronic information into the Federal 

Depository Library Program will be to point and link to electronic information services provided 

by Federal agencies. When this is not possible, GPO will obtain electronic source files from 

agencies for mounting on GPO Access. 

 Tangible Government information products will continue to be distributed to libraries, including 

CD-ROM discs, diskettes, paper or microfiche, as appropriate to the needs of users. 

 GPO will work with stakeholders to coordinate a distributed system that provides continuous, 

permanent public access to Government electronic information. When the originating 

organization cannot provide permanent access, GPO will seek to do so, or make other 

arrangements through cooperative agreements. 

 GPO will catalog and index electronic Government information products available over the 

Internet. Monthly Catalog World Wide Web records are being linked by URLs to electronic titles 

at Government Internet sites. 

 Let me pause here, and ask you a couple of questions related to locating electronic documents 

at your agency. 

 1.How many of you have a good knowledge of electronic titles published at your agency's Web 

site? (A show of hands, please.) 

 2.How many are routinely advised when new titles go on the Web site? When they are 

removed? 

 3.How many are personally acquainted with the agency's Web master? 

 4.How many work at an agency which produces Anglo-American Cataloging Rules records for 

titles it publishes? 

 Looks like we are all faced with some interesting challenges. 

 Well, here is a way you can help us. Please ask your Web master and your publication officer 

to work with us in identifying their electronic titles. The number for our Depository 

Administration Branch is (202) 512-1071. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

4

 How will we help you? We'll catalog your electronic titles. We'll make your agency's 

information available via GPO Access without charge. We'll work with your agency to make sure 

electronic information is maintained permanently for use by your agency and the public. 

 We will assist you in every way we can to make your library and your services a recognized and 

indispensable asset to your organization. I hope that the Federal Librarians Round Table will 

consider creating a task force to explore cooperative initiatives with the Federal Depository Library 

Program. You need not be a depository. In this virtual environment, we are all as one. 

 Which brings me to a few observations about "virtual libraries." 

--What will become more virtual is the collection, as we move from on-site ownership of physical 

items to remote electronic access. 

--Other defining characteristics of libraries will remain--or become--even more important: 

 *The role of the trained professional "navigator" to find the right information and separate 

the wheat from the chaff. (James Billington, the Librarian of Congress, recently used 

the term "knowledge navigator.") But I like one from an essay in the Christian Science 

Monitor even more. The piece was based on a study of corporate libraries at Apple 

Computer and Hewlett-Packard Research Labs. "Librarians are more than 

technicians," the authors said. "They are, it seems, information therapists who analyze 

problems as well as find answers." 

 *Also certain to remain a library function is cataloging and organizing information, which 

enables users to find what they need. And when they find it, to present it in a logical 

fashion. 

 As your library becomes more virtual, do it for the right reasons. To provide better service. To 

make available information you otherwise could not. To preserve content which would otherwise 

be lost. 

 Don't do it to save money. You probably won't. 

 At the beginning of my remarks, I said that we are all responsible for managing change in a 

difficult environment. It is a time when there is popular sentiment for making the Federal 

Government smaller. But little appetite for giving up most of the things Government does. 

 I was talking to a good friend at the General Accounting Office last week. She is in charge of the 

library, distribution and records. In 1993 she had 71 employees. This year she has 34. But she 

still has all the same functions to perform. 

 I was reminded of one of those glib, but oh-so-true, management quotes I heard when I ran a 

company in the private sector. There is good, there is fast, and there is cheap. But you can only 

have two at the same time--even in the Government. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

5

 When I think of change these days, I am not thinking of structural change, or cyclical change, 

incremental or sweeping change. I see only two kinds: good change and bad change. 

 Good change is when the public is well served, by functions best performed by the Government-

-when the pain of change is temporary, and the people who survive feel a sense of pride in their 

activities. 

 Bad change is when there is no measurable benefit to the public, although there may be to 

certain groups with narrow interests. When the pain of change is of long duration, or crippling to 

those involved, and the survivors feel inadequate in their new roles. 

 As professionals, we are all being asked to manage change. We must be as creative and 

enterprising as we can. Professionals are used to working in teams. We can network with each 

other, exchange ideas, and cooperate where we have common interests: in effect, forming a human 

version of the local area network. 

 Managed properly, virtual libraries in the Federal Sector will be a very good change. 

 Thank you again for this opportunity to share a few thoughts. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

6

LPS Actions to Implement the Strategic Plan 

Remarks Before the Federal Documents Task Force 

by

J.D. Young 

 Director, Library Programs Service 

1996 Annual ALA Conference 

New York, NY 

July 6, 1996

 Good morning, everyone. My thanks to Anne Watts and GODORT for inviting us here to update the 

Federal Documents Task Force on recent events which concern the FDLP. Now you've heard Judy tell 

you about the study and describe its findings and conclusions. The whole study process required a 

tremendous investment of time, but we got a lot of value out of the experience. Compared to just a year 

ago, we now have a good idea of where this program is going, how long it's going to take, and what we need 

to do to get there. I'm going to give you an overview of LPS' implementation activities; how we see the 

electronic transition shaping up within LPS, and who will be leading these various projects and tasks. 

 But first, I want to recognize the contributions made by Maggie Parhamovich Farrell and Raeann 

Dossett. Their time is nearly over at GPO; this is Maggie's last event as a GPO representative, and Raeann 

will only be with us another month. I thank you both for what you've done, and I want to say it's been a 

real pleasure to have you with us. Last week we got together for a little farewell luncheon for them, and I 

remarked on how amazingly well they had fit into the organization. Well, it took them a few minutes to 

get over that, but they're good sports and they don't hold it against me. 

 Seriously, we've all benefited from their advice and knowledge, and hopefully they have also benefitted 

from their time with us. Later on you'll be seeing the most visible evidence of their work: the Pathway 

Services, including the Web indexer prototype. 

 Maggie and Raeann's contributions have confirmed that the FDLP has a lot to gain from the outsider's 

point of view and expertise. So we will be continuing this approach in the coming year. I'm happy to 

announce here what many of you probably already know - that Duncan Aldrich from the University of 

Nevada - Reno has joined us for the next year. Duncan's here today in his official capacity: employed as 

an expert at GPO. We've been giving him the total immersion treatment to get up to speed on the various 

projects we have underway. One of the areas we've identified for him to concentrate on is permanent 

public access, and beginning to develop the alliances which will keep electronic FDLP information 

available to libraries and the public. 

 The Public Printer has also approved bringing on a second person from the library community, and 

we're looking for another person with the library and Internet skills and standing in the community as an 

expert. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

7

FY 1997 Budget Appropriation

 I want to give you a little more detail about where our FY 1997 appropriation stands. In our budget 

request last December, we requested $30.8 million for the FY 1997 Superintendent of Documents 

Salaries and Expenses (S&E) appropriation. This was an increase of $520,000, or 1.65 percent, over FY 

1996, and included about $27.2 million for the FDLP; $2.6 million for cataloging and indexing; and about 

$0.5 million each for the International Exchange System (IES) program and the By-law Distribution 

Program. 

 So far, we've had the House appropriations hearing. The House has recommended funding the S&E 

programs at $29,077,000, or a reduction of $1.75 million from what we requested. The House language 

approved our request, with these three exceptions: 

- The $500,000 for the technology grants was not approved. 

- The House cut $1.2 million by directing that most Serial Sets be provided in CD-ROM. Regional 

depositories, plus one library in each state without a regional, and the International Exchange 

Program will continue to receive paper copies of the Serial Set. 

- Finally, another $50,000 was cut from the S&E request by directing the conversion of the bound 

Congressional Record to CD-ROM. This saving is apparently based on the current cost of providing 

the bound CR to regionals plus one library in each state without a regional, compared to the estimated 

cost of furnishing them with a CD-ROM edition only. 

 The Senate Legislative Branch appropriations hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday, July 10. It 

remains to be seen whether the Senate will go along with all of the House recommendations, or what 

amendments may be introduced from the floor. 

 As a major shift, the House language did recognize the validity of the more deliberate 5-7 year 

timetable for the transition to a more electronic FDLP, even though that timetable is referred to as 

"somewhat lengthy." So again, it seems your collective voices carried the day, and convinced the Congress 

of the wisdom of permitting a longer period to adjust the Program and accommodate the new 

technologies. 

LPS Activities Supporting the Strategic Plan

 Now, I'll shift to our LPS activities which support the transition. As part of our internal tactical 

planning to carry out the Strategic Plan, we defined a number of key transition tasks, assigned responsible 

individuals to oversee them, and developed specific steps and milestones toward their completion. Two of 

our LPS staff who are not here today are key players in the implementation process: Gil Baldwin, Chief of 

our Library Division, and Ric Davis, head of our Electronic Transition Staff in LPS. Gil, and especially 

Ric, put in a lot of work on the study, and now they are taking the lead in overseeing our transition tasks. 

 Briefly, we have identified four major areas for LPS electronic transition activities: 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

8

Acquisitions

 Acquiring content for the FDLP is Robin Haun-Mohamed's major responsibility, and she will be giving 

you some detail next about individual products and negotiations with agencies. I just want to touch on two 

content-related issues. Both of these came up in our study discussions of possible revisions to Title 44. 

 The first concerns the scope of the FDLP. We want to expand the content of the program to make it 

more comprehensive, and we believe that the rapid expansion of agency electronic publishing offers 

opportunities to make the FDLP more inclusive. However, we are all concerned about information that is 

leaving the program, either because the agency now chooses to publish only over the Internet, because of 

funding problems, or because they are avoiding GPO altogether. So one of our highest priorities is the 

retention of information content that historically has been in the program but may now be leaving it. 

 The second issue concerns notification and compliance. Historically, the FDLP has relied heavily on 

the ability of the program to automatically obtain material as it was printed or procured through GPO. 

With the growing emphasis on electronic dissemination, and decreasing compliance with statutory 

requirements for agencies to print through GPO, identifying and obtaining information for the FDLP is 

becoming increasingly difficult. This problem has escalated significantly within the past few months with a 

legal memorandum from the Department of Justice, which takes the position that there are constitutional 

separation of powers issues with the legislative branch establishing requirements for the executive branch 

with respect to printing. This memo appears to have the effect of encouraging executive agencies to 

bypass GPO for their printing services, although this seems to contradict a White House memorandum 

signed by Leon Panetta in April directing the executive agencies to utilize GPO's printing services for the 

remainder of the fiscal year. Beyond the obvious impact of the Justice Department position on fugitive 

Government information, it also potentially has a very serious impact on GPO's financial situation. I 

believe that any revision to Title 44 must address this issue, and include new means to inform agencies of 

their responsibilities and to ensure agency compliance with FDLP obligations. In addition, there must be 

effective means for all three branches of Government to notify GPO of the intent to initiate or publish a 

new information product, substantially modify an existing product, or eliminate products and services. 

Compliance is an area where we will be looking to our oversight committees, House Oversight and Senate 

Rules, to take the lead. 

Cataloging and Locator Services

 We are referring to our second implementation project area as cataloging and locator services. This is 

the way in which GPO can assist depository libraries and the public to identify and obtain access to the full 

range of Federal Government information. This project falls to Tad Downing, Chief of our Cataloging 

Branch, and he will fill you in on developments later on in the program. 

 In this area we feel that we offer significant services to depository libraries and public users: not only 

the Pathway Services, but also our Monthly Catalog Web service. In one place, you find information on 

both the latest Government electronic products available via the Internet and the traditional print products 

in depository libraries. 

Services to Depository Libraries
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

9

 Sheila McGarr is in charge of our third project, which we call services to depository libraries. Since 

Sheila isn't here, I will very briefly touch upon some of activities which this task grouping includes. 

 As you know we have again issued the updated technical specifications for computer work stations in 

depository libraries, most recently with the supplemental specifications to support spatial data, or online 

maps, applications. Sheila's area is responsible for these specifications, and we will update them 

periodically. 

 LPS is currently finalizing the depository library self-study, which will become a very important tool in 

the modified inspection process. Based on the voluntary use of the self-study, we are making some 

changes to make it simpler and more easily understood. I thank those of you who have taken the time to 

use the self-study; your comments and experiences are helping to improve it for everyone. In the Strategic 

Plan we indicated that we intend to change the inspection program to an "as needed" basis, and this will be 

phased in beginning this fall. 

 Sheila's people are working with our Electronic Transition Staff to develop an FDLP administrative 

information Web page. This will form the basis of an electronic channel for official program 

communications. We plan to include such content as Administrative Notes, the Federal Depository 

Library Manual, and more, as we get them HTML coded for presentation. We are also looking into a 

Web "forms" interface to our legacy mainframe systems so we can collect information from you, such as 

surveys, selection updates, conference registrations, etc., and then update our databases on the fly. 

 As always, Sheila is involved in the planning cycle for the 1997 Federal Depository Conference. It will 

be tough to top this year's conference, but we'll try. She would welcome your suggestions for topics and 

speakers for next spring's conference, so if you have an idea about a topic or a person, please let her know 

[(202) 512-1119]. 

Permanent Public Access to Official and Authentic Information

 Perhaps the fourth project area is the most challenging. This is to ensure permanent public access to 

official and authentic information. The FDLP has always had the responsibility for providing permanent 

access to the official Government information disseminated through the program. Historically this has 

been the role of the regional depository libraries, and this has been a cost-effective means of ensuring that 

Government information remained available to the public indefinitely. Permanent access also is an 

essential element of the more electronic depository library program, but it will be more difficult to attain. 

To ensure permanent public access to official electronic Government information, all of the institutional 

program stakeholders (information producing agencies, GPO, participating depository libraries and the 

National Archives) must cooperate to establish the authenticity of official information, provide persistent 

identification and description of Government information products, and establish appropriate 

arrangements for their continued accessibility. In this regard, we have a meeting set up with the Deputy 

Archivist next Friday. 

 We have received feelers from the University of California-San Diego and Galileo, which stands for 

"Georgia Library Learning Online," about becoming partners in providing electronic Government 

information or full or partial mirror sites for GPO Access. Of course there are a huge number of issues to 

be worked out, but we think it's encouraging that some libraries are already approaching us to get involved 

in developing a permanent public access solution. We are assigning this critical task to Duncan Aldrich 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

10

and Ric Davis. If your library may be interested, please speak with Duncan. We expect to update you in 

more detail by the fall Council meeting. 

 LPS is taking opportunities to meet with information publishing agencies about getting more of their 

products into the FDLP. To that end we've developed the handout about how to Improve Public Access 

to Your Agency's Information. We plan to make use of this in face-to-face meetings with agencies, and we 

can use it for basic talking points about what agencies get out of participating in the FDLP. You'll see that 

the main areas highlighted on the handout correspond with the task areas I've just described. We're also 

working to prepare a similar message for agency printing officials and another version to communicate 

with agency Web masters. 

 Now I would like to introduce Robin Haun-Mohamed, Chief of our Depository Administration 

Branch, who will fill you in on the details of her operation and the efforts to obtain electronic products for 

the FDLP. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

11

 Depository Administration Branch in Transition 

 Remarks Before the Federal Documents Task Force 

 by

 Robin Haun-Mohamed

 Chief, Depository Administration Branch 

 1996 Annual ALA Conference 

 New York, NY 

 July 6, 1996

 Good morning. I'm pleased to be here addressing you on the activities of the Depository 

Administration Branch of the Library Programs Service. Most areas of the Federal Depository Library 

Program fit into nice categories--Cataloging, Depository Services, Distribution, and then there is the 

Depository Administration Branch (DAB). Many of the long time documents librarians know what we do 

in this branch, but for those who are not quite sure, let me give a sample list--acquisition and classification 

of new products, fugitive inquiries, maintenance of the library item selection profile, maintenance and 

overseeing of the List of Classes, input for many columns found in the Administrative Notes Technical 

Supplement, conversion of paper products into microfiche titles, maintenance of records for agency direct 

deals, monitoring of contracts for products delivered to libraries (both direct distribution contracts, such as 

the Commerce Business Daily, and the microfiche distribution contracts), pulling of claims for direct mail 

claims, responding to inquiries via fax, e-mail, and traditional mail, inspection of microfiche converted 

from paper products by contractors, and classification corrections. These are the traditional services DAB 

has provided over the years for the Federal Depository Library Program. And they are not going to go 

away any time soon. 

Transition to a More Electronic Federal Depository Library Program

 Now that Library Programs Service (LPS) has been directed to move to a more electronic Federal 

Depository Library Program, DAB staff have been learning all we can about electronics, the Internet, 

gopher and FBB sites, and yes, even HTML coding. Welcome to the wonderful world of electronics. 

Since our objectives for this arena are much clearer now than at the Midwinter meeting, I'd like to relate 

some of what we are finding in relation to electronics. 

 First, fugitive products in paper format have been slippery enough in the past. Electronic products 

often add a whole new dimension to the problems associated with fugitives. Often you will be referred to 

an online site, only to find out that the product or title is not easily found at the site. Or the product is 

there, but it is not the complete product, but simply a summary of a product that you may purchase from 

an agency. An example of this is the School District Atlas. We surveyed for this 40+ CD-ROM set in 

January 1995 as we were assured by Education that the set would be available through the FDLP. Earlier 

this spring, due to budget limitations, I was advised the set would not be distributed to the depository 

libraries because Education did not have the funds to make the copies available for depository 

distribution. We have been trying to determine a way to make this product available to depository 

libraries. And when I contacted the agency again week before last I was referred to a Web site where I 

was told the material was located. But when we checked the site (LPS does not point to any site without 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

12

verifying its existence and content) we found the site contained summary files, but not the whole product. 

We will continue to work with Education to find a solution to this problem. 

 Often we are given a site and the material has not yet been loaded at the site, or it is simply a place 

from which to gain ordering information. I'm sure many of you have encountered this in your searches on 

the Internet. Another aspect of electronics that proves frustrating is the lack of standardization among sites 

and even within agencies. Some material is posted in PDF, some in HTML, some in ASCII, and some in 

different word processing software. Early on GPO determined its responsibility to make products 

available which comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act. It is our intention to have an ASCII or 

HTML file for all products loaded on the GPO server whenever possible. And when we speak with 

agencies to discuss their products, we are also emphasizing the need for agency material to also be 

available in an ASCII format. 

 When dealing with other agencies, we are having to explain the need for retention of older material 

when the newer issues are loaded onto the agency servers. Often this is not taken as a constructive 

suggestion, something of importance to all as recognized by the members of the depository community, 

but is regarded as interference and an assumption of control by GPO over information. We have recently 

begun conversations with NASA, Treasury, and Agriculture to discuss options when information is 

routinely overwritten when new issues of specific titles are put up on the Web. And of course we continue 

to work to try to get notification of title changes and changes in frequency, formats, etc. We now have 

additional people to work with as the managers of electronic products are usually not the same staff as the 

project managers of print products. 

 Many of you have seen LPS responses on GOVDOC-L, with my signature line attached. I try to read 

it every day, not because I have nothing else to do (I do), or because I enjoy the wit and humor often 

displayed on the list-serv (and I do), but because you are so in touch with changes and patterns in 

Government documents, especially Federal documents, that I learn a great deal by following the 

discussions. Recent additions to the FDLP that can be attributed to your discussion on GOVDOC-L 

include the Tide Tables from NOAA on CD-ROM, and Kickstart and A Nation of Opportunity. I rely 

on this assistance and hope you continue to send this type of information in my direction. 

Fugitive Titles

 As I have a captive audience so to speak, I'd like to relay some of my recent favorites stories concerning 

changes in publishing arrangements and the efforts by LPS staff to obtain these titles for the program. My 

personal favorite is Hispanics-Latinos; Diverse People in Multicultural Society. I am also most saddened 

by this one because it is not in the program, despite our best efforts, and efforts by such as Clark McLean 

at the University of New Mexico, who notified us almost one year ago that this title was being advertised as 

available from a private firm and asked us to check on the depository status. We did, at least four times. 

And we received a yes, a no, a maybe, and then a no. We finally obtained a copy of it in April from the 

National Association of Hispanic Publications, but it is copyrighted material. I find it interesting that 

"Current Population Reports, 1995" is printed on the front cover. And on the title page is the Bureau of 

Census logo next to the logo of the Phillip Morris Companies. Again, this is one of those titles that was 

long delayed in publishing and referrals were made to the Census home page for the information 

contained in the report long before the printed report was published. We were able to find some of the 

statistics, but the report as it is found in the printed version is not available on a Census site that we can 

locate. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

13

 Last fall there was an announcement that the title, American Indian Reservation and Trust Areas was 

being revised. This product was last published 21 years ago and was distributed to depository libraries. I 

am happy to say we have been promised copies of this title for depository distribution and I checked with 

the Department of Commerce recently. It still has not been published, but they had the correct number 

of copies and our receiving address for the depository copies. I think we are getting to be on a first name 

basis with these folks in this area of Commerce. 

 The demise of the paper Tide Tables left a big hole in some depository collections. Cynthia Teague 

had an inquiry for the tables that were not met by the information posted on the online site. She raised 

the question on the listserv and we raised the questions in a Cartographic Users Advisory Council (CUAC) 

meeting. When a representative from NOAA was at the most recent meeting, we asked how the 

commercial company obtained the data to produce the printed copies of the Tide Tables. We were 

advised the agency was supplying a CD-ROM to the company. The following week LPS had a copy of the 

CD-ROM and it will be distributed to the libraries in the near future. 

 One of the most controversial and not yet completed discussions that we have recently participated in is 

the FBIS/JPRS on CD-ROM. In early spring we were visited by staff from FBIS advising us they would be 

discontinuing the microfiche distribution to depository libraries. We asked a series of questions of the 

agency representatives, a request to have a copy of the database on CD-ROM if we could not obtain access 

to the online NTIS service. The initial response was negative and this was the information I relayed at 

Council/Conference in April. But I'll be darned if they didn't listen to our suggestions and very probably 

your response to the announcement that this material would no longer be available. At this point we have 

a letter of commitment from FBIS to provide a quarterly CD-ROM to the Library Programs Service to 

allow depository libraries to continue receiving this material even after the discontinuance of the 

microfiche. The agency-supplied microfiche material will essentially cease after August of this year. There 

may be some overlap in some of the series between the microfiche and the material on the CD-ROM 

which we anticipate to be delivered sometime in November. The software on the product is Dataware, 

which many of you are familiar with. 

 There are still royalty issues to be resolved as NTIS pays for the royalties for their subscribers, and for 

FBIS's use of the database. We are awaiting clarification from FBIS on depository coverage for royalty 

payments if we replicate and distribute the CD-ROM. We will survey for this product later this summer 

after these issues have been resolved. 

 Kickstart and A Nation of Opportunity are two titles released by the NIIAC that were originally 

produced and distributed by West Publishing Company in a color format. There was some rather heated 

discussion on the Internet about the publishing arrangements for these titles, but the upshot was the 

depository libraries were left off the distribution schedule for the full color versions of these titles. The 

Joint Committee on Printing heard of the arrangement and the National Telecommunications and 

Information Administration at the Department of Commerce placed a requisition through GPO to 

procure additional copies in black and white. FDLP and the Sales program rode this requisition to obtain 

copies for the depository libraries and for sales copies. 

 In 1994, the U.S. Industrial Outlook was discontinued despite outcry from throughout the library 

community, not just the depository libraries. I recently heard this title was coming back and called the 

International Trade Administration to verify the rumor. It was verified and when I asked about the 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

14

depository copies, I was assured the new agreement with NTIS and McGraw-Hill included arrangements 

for depository copies. This was verified in a telephone discussion with NTIS. The Industrial Outlook is 

due to be completed after the first of the year. Stay tuned also on this one. 

 The latest inquiry about a fugitive that proved a "bit sticky" is the Census publication, Population of 

States and Counties of the United States: 1790-1990. Thanks to those who sent a copy of the 

announcement to LPS for us to check with the agency. The depository copies seemed to have been 

"forgotten" in some outside arrangements that had been set up to produce this title. The good news is that 

because of your efforts a copy was obtained and is now being reproduced for distribution to the depository 

libraries. The bad news is the binding and format of this product may not stand up to the tasks it will see 

over the years, even though we specified our version have a cover and paper stock in a better grade than in 

the NTIS version. GPO Sales will carry this title at $15.00, much less than the $35.00 NTIS is charging 

for this product. 

 OK, enough war stories. Now on to the traditional stuff that we know and love so much. Now that the 

agencies have identified the available dollars for this fiscal year, some of the suspended series have begun 

arriving again on a regular basis. An example of this is the Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts. But 

generally, the number of products is still down for the FDLP. And the products that are coming in are 

generally smaller in size. We continue to see combinations of titles to maximize space and funds. And 

some agencies, such as NASA, have essentially changed to an electronic only format. 

 Most libraries will have noticed an increase in the number of electronic shipping lists and products 

distributed to the libraries each week, especially those libraries selecting the Digital Raster Graphics and 

the Digital Orthophotoquads by USGS and the Magellan series by NASA. We have changed the 

procedures in house to make sure the CD's are sent in a timely manner, but we don't ship too many at one 

time to minimize damage to the jewel cases. 

Ongoing Projects: List of Classes, Microfiche Backlogs, Congressional Record...

 One of the projects assigned to DAB in coordination for the transition to a more electronic FDLP is 

the review of the List of Classes in relation to physically distributed products. Laurie Beyer Hall and Mike 

Clark have begun this review by running a list of active titles in the List of Classes against a computer 

report of those titles not used since ACSIS, our online acquisitions system was brought up in 1992. We 

are doing a random sample of titles to check with the agency to determine the status of the titles. Our 

assumption is that if the product has not been received in LPS since 1992, then it is probably no longer 

active, at least not in a paper format. And we will discontinue the class in the List of Classes. Look for 

large upcoming issues of the Administrative Notes Technical Supplement with information on how this 

project progresses. 

 Staff in DAB are working on clearing up two backlogs. As has been noted by many librarians, we have 

a backlog of microfiche that we are working on getting out as fast as we can. Our emphasis is on the FBIS, 

GAO and NASA microfiche. FBIS has had some classification problems we have been trying to work out 

with the agency. GAO had problems associated with obtaining a new contractor and thus we recently 

received several boxes of GAO microfiche at one time. Look for heavy shipments from the contractor for 

microfiche titles. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

15

 The area of microfiche conversion has been an active area this past year as we have focused on 

conversion of the bound Congressional Record. I appreciate the libraries' assistance in identifying 

problems with the microfiche conversion of the bound Record. Our own inspection of the microfiche 

indicated severe problems with the original contractor, and with the libraries' review supporting our 

conclusions, GPO was able to show the contractor was not meeting contract specifications. GPO placed 

the contractor in default for this program. 

 We have also been trying to work with the regional libraries to fill in any missing older issues of the 

bound Record under the existing contract. The bound Congressional Record is several years behind in 

distribution to the libraries. Thus, volume 135 nos. 19 and 21 have not yet been distributed; your library 

has not missed them. And remember, selective libraries may select the bound Congressional Record in 

microfiche format only. 

 The other backlog we are attempting to deal with in a systematic manner is the paper inquiry backlog. 

Remember the backlogs are dealt with by the same staff who acquire and class the publications and who 

respond to telephone, fax, and e-mail requests. This is also my time to make an appeal for fuller 

information when you contact LPS. When sending an inquiry, no matter what form the inquiry is sent in, 

please always include your library number, your telephone number, your fax number, your e-mail address, 

and your name. Most libraries provide this information on fax and written requests, but e-mail is another 

story. I have my return address information on my e-mail responses because I use a commercial Internet 

provider which has a roving IP address. I have learned the hard way not to just allow the machine to use 

the address the e-mail came from because others also have this problem. And as I like to address my 

correspondence to someone in particular, a name is very important. 

New Supervisor in Micrographics

 LPS now has a new supervisor in the Micrographics Control Section. Many of you have already 

spoken with Michele Munn who took over the section in early June. She has been with GPO for 9 years 

and most recently was an inspector of the microfiche in the Micrographics Control Section. She's bright 

and enthusiastic and I look forward to her input on the general operation. Michele can be reached at 

(202) 512-1060 by telephone, or by fax at (202) 512-1636. Her e-mail address is lpsmail@access.digex.net. 

Shipping lists via U.S. FAXWATCH

 Shipping list retrieval via the U.S. FAXWATCH has been in effect since September 1995. It 

continues to be a highly used resource in LPS. Remember there is a 60 day limit for shipping lists posted 

to FAXWATCH. If you need a list older than 60 days, please contact DAB directly by e-mail, fax, or 

GPO inquiry form. This is my time to plug the wonders of a fax machine. I do not yet have voice mail, 

but I check the fax on a regular basis. If you try calling and cannot find me, try faxing to one of the two fax 

numbers that are located in DAB. They are (202) 512-1636 and (202) 512-0877. 

Annual Item Selection Update Cycle Ends

 The annual item selection update cycle closed yesterday, July 5, 1996. I want to thank all of you who 

submitted your green cards on time. And remind those of you who did not, the time has ended. We 

always breathe a big sigh of relief when the update period ends and we know how many changes we must 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

16

make (manually at the present time). It looks as if the libraries have not made as many changes as they 

have in previous years. 

Superseded List Being Updated

 Sheila McGarr has been working with many of you in the depository community on updating the 

Superseded List. I have my own copy for review here while I have some "free time." We thank you for 

your input and effort and anticipate having the finished project done this fall. 

Depository Distribution

 Another reason to read GOVDOC-L is the way the libraries communicate problems and find solutions 

among themselves on the "net". This spring there has been several discussions including problems with 

UPS deliveries and the mix-up with the IRS Tax forms vols. 1, 2, and 3. Carl Redd, Chief, Distribution 

Division sends his thanks for your efforts on communicating these problems to GPO. The "cc" button is a 

terrific invention. 

Depository Access to Electronic Products

 LPS continues to work with other agencies to try to expand access to their services. We are in 

discussions with STAT-USA to try to increase the number of access points to the online service and also 

to try to obtain an agreement to allow mounting of the NTDB on a LAN once again. Recently 

information concerning the restriction of limiting simultaneous use of this extremely popular CD-ROM 

was relayed to the depository libraries in the documentation accompanying the disc. A notice from Ken 

Rogers, Director of STAT-USA, was posted on GOVDOC-L and was included in the July 15 issue of 

Administrative Notes. At the present time, libraries may not put the NTDB on a LAN without making 

prior arrangements with STAT-USA. And libraries are still limited to one user at a time for the free 

depository subscription to the online database. We hope to have additional access points in place, 

possibly by the new fiscal year. 

 Discussions continue with the Census Bureau about depository access to the online "Electronic 

Subscription Service." According to Census, this service includes all Census Bureau publications printed 

by the Government Printing Office after January 1, 1996 as well as selected reports released before that 

date. It is located at http://www.census.gov/prod/www/. At the present time there is no charge for this 

service, but it will convert to a charge service after the initial preview period has been completed. Census 

has made a commitment to making this service available to all Federal depository libraries at no charge to 

the libraries. The specifics of the arrangement have not yet been completed, but we will advise you of the 

specifics when we are able to do so. 

 While I often envy others in LPS because their areas seem so distinctive and clear cut (which they 

usually are not in DAB), I also am very pleased to be able to deal with new and exciting projects in a very 

"hands-on" fashion. It is often exhilarating, and I can usually be found standing on some soap box or other 

at meetings or conferences. Today I'd like to tell you about two new Pathway Services we have been 

working on. Actually, one is an expansion of the service proposed at Council/Conference and the other 

was developed in response to a Council suggestion. 

Pathways Link to New Electronic Titles
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

17

 The "Browse Electronic Titles" page is located at 

<http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/btitles.html>. This is a listing by agency of new electronic titles 

in the FDLP. Titles listed include those on the GPO servers and titles that are located at other agency 

sites. This is essentially a current awareness tool. It is updated once a week. There is a "Recent 

Additions" listing and the date of the listing has been included in response to suggestions made by 

librarians. We are hoping to have a hot link established in the near future to the Monthly Catalog entry 

for monographs, but it is not yet in place. The listings are hot linked to the product sites on the Internet. 

If you haven't seen the site since the April meeting, please take a look. All material on this site will be 

cataloged for inclusion in the FDLP. There may be a slight time lag between a listing on the "Browse 

Electronic Titles" page and inclusion of the bibliographic record in the online Monthly Catalog, but we 

think this will generally not be the case. I'd like to thank Joe Paskoski, Mike Clark, and all the librarians 

who have already established Web pages similar to this site. We have freely drawn upon their work to 

develop this site. 

 Please note that the item numbers and class numbers listed on the "Browse Electronic Titles" page are 

the same class numbers and item numbers that were assigned to these products in a physical format. Only 

products that are brand new to the program, that have not had a class or item number assigned before, are 

given a new class and item number. If the electronic product can be placed under an existing class and 

item number, we will use those numbers. We have also begun using the ACSIS number in the 

classification number as proposed at Council/Conference. 

Test Page for Graphically Intensive Documents

 Another project we have been working on is the test page for graphically intensive documents. This 

page can be found at <http://www.access.gpo.gov/gpo_test>. You may also link to it off the "Browse 

Electronic Titles" page as identified previously. At the Spring Council/Conference meeting a 

recommendation was made to investigate alternate formats for scanning of documents. We took eight 

products that would otherwise be distributed in microfiche and had them converted to JPEG, PDF, and 

ASCII files. LPS would like your response to these formats, but please do not test the products here over 

a modem as the JPEG files are very large and take a great deal of time to download the image. Raeann, 

could you pull up the image You and the Army. These have been loaded onto our machine's hard disk to 

speed up the retrieval rate, but we urge you to evaluate these formats in your libraries. In looking at these 

documents, remember we also had ASCII files made to meet ADA compliance. Please advise us of your 

response via the addresses listed on the Web pages. 

Electronic Dissemination Project

 Finally, I would like to address the role of DAB in relation to the projects as identified by Jay Young 

earlier. I am project manager for Electronic Dissemination of the FDLP Electronic Transition 

Implementation Plan. The goal of the project is to incorporate in the FDLP Government information 

products available via Federal agency Internet sites and increase the array of products disseminated to 

depositories and the general public via GPO Access. DAB staff will be working on eight objectives to try 

to make this transition as easy and systematic as possible. The objectives include obtaining the source data 

files from Federal agencies, coordination with Federal agencies to provide FDLP access to Government 

information products at their sites, maintenance of the "Browse Electronic Titles" page, development of 

format standards for source data file conversion, reduction of duplication of product content, and 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

18

identification of agency fee-based services for Government information products. Timelines have been 

established for each objective with specific tasks identified for completion within a five year time frame. 

 Many of the things I have been discussing are tasks included in the project. We have begun 

conversations with NASA, Treasury, the Small Business Administration, and Energy Information 

Administration for acquisition of source files for superseded agency Internet material and for products 

formerly distributed in paper or microfiche. At present most of this is material discontinued by the agency 

in paper or microfiche format, not by Library Programs Service. We are also in the process of developing 

standard language for inclusion in term contracts to have the source files for products delivered to GPO as 

part of the contractual requirements. And we are in the process of developing communications with 

agency printing officers and Web masters about the value of participating in the FDLP. 

 Thank you for your time and attention. The next speaker is Tad Downing, Chief of the Cataloging 

Branch. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

19

 Electronic Transition Affecting Cataloging Branch 

Operations 

 Remarks Before the Federal Documents Task Force 

 by

 Tad Downing

 Chief, Cataloging Branch 

 1996 Annual ALA Conference 

 New York, NY 

 July 6, 1996

 Good morning everyone, and thank you for this opportunity to describe cataloging and locator services 

as they evolve to support an increasingly electronic Federal Depository Library Program. 

Time of Transition

 As with other services within the Library Programs Service, policies and procedures for cataloging are 

changing in response to the need to implement the expanded objectives described in the Strategic Plan 

portion of the recently published Study to Identify Measures Necessary for a Successful Transition to a 

More Electronic Federal Depository Library Program. 

 The locator services component of strategic planning (p. 27) associated with the study identifies 

sections 1710, 1711, and 4101 of Title 44 U.S.C. as statutory authority for expanding the scope of the 

Cataloging and Indexing Program to include responsibility for identifying and locating remotely accessible 

electronic products. 

 All of us here today appreciate the challenges of this task. In the recent past, our concerns were limited 

to cataloging titles soon after distribution to depositories. Today, we retain this traditional concern as we 

adapt to new challenges associated with cataloging remotely accessible electronic titles. 

 Such efforts require some new policies, some new procedures, and a determination to learn as we meet 

new challenges. We are not alone in these efforts. Most, if not all, technical service organizations are 

faced with the same challenges. By acting on these challenges we are stepping up to the leadership 

position that GODORT and Council have urged us to assume. 

 Our leadership in this area is particularly necessary because the pace of change appears greater at the 

Federal level than in any other sector of publishing. Federal agency publishers are applying new 

technologies to cut costs and still meet agency missions to disseminate information, even if only for a short 

while. Internet publishing creates exciting and challenging times for all of us. Some of these challenges 

are reflected in current Cataloging Branch operations. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

20

Cataloging Branch Operations

 Our objectives are to catalog physical forms shortly after distribution and electronic forms shortly after 

notification of their appearance at Web sites. Titles are cataloged after distribution or dissemination 

because this enables us to assure entry of accurate item numbers, shipping list numbers, and URLs in 

Monthly Catalog records. Such information is available only after the physical distribution or electronic 

dissemination has occurred. SuDocs class numbers, item and shipping list numbers, and URLs, are 

provided to us by personnel of the Depository Administration Branch. At the present time, 257 MOCAT 

records contain URLs. We are pleased to announce that URLs in our MOCAT Web site application are 

hot linked to electronic publications at various Internet sites. 

 Hot links are an important feature that brings our Web site Monthly Catalog application to a "state of 

the art" level. Our MOCAT Web site applications have advanced from records only to records with a 

locate function, to records with "hot links." In effect, we now have an online National Catalog of U.S. 

Government Publications that either locates distributed titles or provides access to electronic ones. 

 The address for MOCAT Web site is: <http://www.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/adpos400.html>. We 

expect to see a considerable increase in the number of MOCAT records with hot linked URLs. At the 

present time, our experience with learning where to display this information is reflected by the fact that 

such information appears in the 530 field of some records and the 856 field of others. 

Internet Cataloging

 Recently, we have established comprehensive policies for transcribing URL data in records for maps, 

monographs, and serials, and we now enter URLs only in the 856 field. As time permits, we expect to 

move URL data in older records from the 530 to the 856 field to assure a consistent approach that uses a 

single data element for this purpose. 

 URLs in cataloging records are obtained from physical form publications and from personnel of the 

Depository Administration Branch. Cataloging Branch staff do not routinely "surf the net" to identify 

equivalent electronic editions as they catalog titles in physical forms. As anticipated, an increasing number 

of electronic only titles are sent to us for cataloging via DAB. A new and promising source of Internet 

titles is the new titles page of our Web site. 

 Our policies for cataloging Internet titles and transcribing URLs are in complete accord with CONSER 

policies. We have had extensive meetings with the CONSER coordinator at the Library of Congress to 

ensure that our practices are consistent with CONSER policy. Those wishing to know more details about 

cataloging matters may wish to attend the GODORT Cataloging Committee tomorrow morning from 9:30 

to 11:00 a.m. at the Sheraton. 

 We recognize that Internet access for all catalogers is needed to support extensive cataloging of the 

increasing number of Internet titles. Access for only several catalogers is insufficient. We intend to obtain 

access for each cataloger in the branch and are working with telecommunications personnel to expedite 

access to the Internet. Hardware and software now used for cataloging is completely satisfactory and does 

not need to be upgraded for cataloging Internet titles. Many of our catalogers are thoroughly familiar with 

the Internet and those who need additional experience are being trained. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

21

Monthly Catalog Related Information

 I would like to share some information with you concerning the Monthly Catalog. All Monthly Catalog 

records are produced in OCLC before appearing in the abridged paper edition of the Monthly Catalog, 

our soon-to-be published MOCAT CD-ROM edition and our Web site MOCAT. Records appear at the 

Web site within two days after production in OCLC. With the exception of those records produced 

approximately within the most recent six to eight weeks, all MOCAT Web site records have been 

replaced by edited versions. In the near future, we expect that MOCAT record ID numbers will be 

displayed in edited records at the Web site, and in all records in the CD-ROM, and abridged paper 

editions. This MOCAT entry number is assigned as part of the final edit process, hence recently 

produced Web site records will not have it. Records replaced by the edited version will contain this 

number. 

 Web site records represent the production of nearly 66,000 records in the OCLC database from 

January, 1994 through as recently as two days ago. As mentioned previously, a "locate function" associates 

item numbers within records with the name and address of depository libraries that have selected the title. 

 Users are able to obtain the name and address of the nearest depository library that has selected a title of 

interest. 

 If a MOCAT record does not appear within the OCLC database and the Web site MOCAT within 

two weeks after a publication has been received in your library, please let us know. When doing so, please 

include such information as title, class number, shipping list number, and format. Please e-mail this 

information to me at: catlps@access.digex.net. If possible, please FAX a photocopy of the title page and 

verso to us at: (202) 512-1432. 

 We appreciate your assistance in helping us assure prompt and thorough cataloging. We will assist this 

process by checking titles on shipping lists against MOCAT records at our Web site. 

Corrections to "Numbers" and URLs

 In general, questions regarding class numbers, item numbers, shipping list numbers, and URLs should 

be directed to the Depository Administration Branch (DAB) and not to the Cataloging Branch. Directing 

questions concerning these specific elements to DAB personnel will expedite decision making and hasten 

the pace of correcting these elements within MOCAT records as well as other LPS systems which carry 

the same data. We input information in these elements in accordance with information supplied to us by 

Depository Administration Branch personnel. DAB personnel may be contacted by phone at (202) 512-

1153. The FAX number is (202) 512-1636. DAB e-mail should be directed to: 

staf3dab@access.digex.net. 

Evolving Pathway Services

 An additional Internet related effort is our creation and maintenance of Pathway GILS records at the 

agency level. This Pathway Browse application contains 34 GILS records and is available at 

<http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/gils/pathway.html>. Users are able to navigate from the GILS records 

in this application to an agency's Web site via hot links. We look forward to participating in the 

development of additional Pathway applications as needs for services are identified. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

22

MOCAT Paper and CD-ROM Editions

 As you may have gathered, we consider our Web site Monthly Catalog to be our premier application. 

The ability of users to obtain online access to records produced as recently as two days after production in 

OCLC, the locate function that associates libraries and their holdings, and now, hot linked access from the 

record to electronic publications make this version ideal for cataloging and locator services. However, 

before concluding my remarks, I would like to mention the availability of the abridged paper and CDROM editions of the Monthly Catalog. We began publishing the abridged paper edition early this year 

and, in response to several requests, will soon display the MOCAT record number in edited records 

published in the paper, Web, and CD-ROM versions. The paper edition is now a true pamphlet form 

and includes a single title key word index and abbreviated records. Thus far, we have published issues 

from January through June, 1996. 

 We expect to publish the first issue of the CD-ROM version of the Monthly Catalog this month. The 

initial issue will consist of the 1996 Periodicals Supplement and data sets for the months of January 

through June, 1996. Issues will cumulate each month and each will include the Periodicals Supplement 

and records from January, 1996 through the present. We anticipate cumulating up to several years of 

MOCAT records on each monthly CD-ROM. 

 We are particularly grateful to the more than thirty people who reviewed this product and provided 

useful suggestions. We look forward to improving this product in the future. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

23

 Pathway Services Update and Demonstration 

 Before the Federal Documents Task Force 

 by

 Maggie Farrell and Raeann Dossett

 Internet Specialists 

 1996 Annual ALA Conference 

 New York, NY 

 July 6, 1996

 Good morning! Already you have seen some of the tools and many of you have either seen our demos 

or used our Web page so we will not go into great detail this morning. The best way to see our services is 

to check out the Pathway Services Web page <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces760.html>. 

 When we started Pathway Services, we designed the tools to mimic the reference process within 

libraries. We have two general categories: browse and search. Patrons usually use one of these methods 

to locate information in libraries. Robin has already demonstrated the Browse Titles function. The other 

two browse functions are Browse GILS and Browse Topics. 

 Browse Topics was the original concept of Pathway Services over a year ago. Browse Topics is for 

individuals who are browsing for general or broad subjects. Browse Topics is similar to library guides 

which you create for your patrons. The topics are based upon terms from the Subject Bibliographies and 

there are approximately 160 topics. One example is "coins and medals": 

<http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/pathbrws.html >. We choose Internet sites from available 

Federal Internet sites which have significant content on the chosen subject. Browse Topics points to the 

site or sub-site level of information. 

 The topics reflect intelligent selection as opposed to computer selection such as the Pathway Indexer. 

If you perform a computer search for medals using an indexer, the results would include biographies of all 

the military generals listing their military medals. Under Browse Topics, however, you will retrieve 

descriptions and pictures of military medals. You will see this more clearly when we discuss search tools. 

 As much as possible, we draw the annotations directly from the site. If an Internet site does not have a 

good description, we will develop a brief annotation to assist individuals in analyzing Internet sites. 

 There are other Internet sites, both governmental and private, which have a topical approach to 

government information on the Internet. An example is FedWorld which contains about 40 topics mostly 

on science and technology. However, each topical listing is geared towards the unique clientele of that site. 

 We have tailored our services to depository librarians by using topics which you are familiar with and 

which are general enough for the public. 

 Another browse function is Browse GILS. This was a demonstration project developing a discreet set 

of GILS records for Federal agencies. The GILS record includes the SuDocs classification stem for the 

agency as well as information which promotes the Federal Depository Library Program for locating 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

24

Government information. Hot links to the Monthly Catalog, the agency’s main Web site, and to the 

agency’s GILS information (if available) are also included. The Pathway GILS are available through the 

Pathway Services page or directly on the GPO GILS page <http://www.access.gpo.gov/gils/gils.html>. 

 Pathway Services also has two search functions: the Monthly Catalog and the Pathway Indexer. Tad 

Downing already discussed the Monthly Catalog and actually this is not a Pathway product but it 

complements the other Pathway tools. The Pathway Indexer searches keywords of selected Federal 

Government Internet sites. The Pathway Indexer points to the file level and is much deeper and detailed 

than the Browse Topics. 

 The Indexer consists of a robot which crawls Federal Internet sites and generally these are .gov and 

.mil domains. The robot creates a database and individuals query the database to locate the information 

they need. The Pathway Indexer is good for detailed and specific searches. The Indexer is similar to 

other commercial indexers such as Yahoo! and Open Text, however; it is limited to Federal Internet sites. 

 The URL for the Pathway Indexer is <http://gather.access.gpo.gov/Harvest/brokers/Pathway/query.html>. 

 If we do a search such as: "'environmental protection' and wildlife" we will retrieve 50 items, which is the 

default maximum result set, but you can set the search options to different parameters. The first result is 

information from the "Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge Superfund Site Cleanup" from the U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge System, and we are retrieving information from a 

specific file on the NWRS Internet server. 

 Currently the Pathway Indexer is in a prototype stage and we are working on increasing the size and 

scope of the database. We hope you will test all of the Pathway Services and let us know what you think of 

these services. If you have questions or comments, please e-mail us at ets@gpo.gov or call (202) 512-1698. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

25

 Raeann and Maggie's Farewell Song

 ALA New York was the final site for demonstration of Pathway Services for Raeann and Maggie. To 

say goodbye, they sang the following song to sum up their Washington, DC experience. Thank you to all 

of you who supported Raeann and Maggie during their project at the Government Printing Office. 

(sung to the tune of the Beverly Hillbillies) 

I’LL TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT MAGGIE AND RAEANN 

WORKING IN THE FIELD, DOCUMENTS LIBRARIAANS 

AND THEN ONE DAY THEY WERE SURFIN' ON THE NET 

UP FROM THE WEB CAME PATHWAY SERVICES 

 FINDING TOOLS DYNAMICALLY LINKED SERVICES 

SO THE FOLKS AT GPO SAID WE GOT A GREAT IDEAR 

GODORT SAID NOW MOVE AWAY FROM HERE 

THEY SAID THE CAPITAL IS THE PLACE YOU OUGHT TO BE 

SO THEY LOADED UP COMPUTERS AND HEADED TO DC 

 WASHINGTON POLITICS BLIZZARDS 

NOW A YEAR'S GONE BY AND OUR WORK IS MOSTLY DONE 

WE WANNA THANK YOU KINDLY AND IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN 

TO THANK EVERYBODY WOULD BE A REAL TRICK 

A FEW WE'D LIKE TO MENTION ARE JAY, JOE AND RIC 

 YOUNG PASKOSKI DAVIS 

NOW IT'S TIME FOR RAEANN TO GO BACK TO ILLINOIS 

AND MAGGIE TO MONTANA, TOGETHER IT'S BEEN A JOY 

DUNCAN'S TAKING OVER AND WE WISH HIM LOTS OF LUCK 

MAKING THE TRANSITION, DOING POLITICAL KINDS OF STUFF 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

26

Michael F. DiMario 

Public Printer 

Prepared Statement before the 

Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Appropriations 

Committee on Appropriations 

U.S. Senate 

on 

Appropriations Estimates for Fiscal Year 1997 

Wednesday, July 10, 1996

 Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, I am pleased to present the funding requirements 

of the Government Printing Office (GPO) for FY 1997. 

 HIGHLIGHTS OF OPERATIONS FOR FY 1995

Financial Condition, FY 1995:

 The financial picture at GPO improved significantly in FY 1995 over the previous year. The year-end 

loss, which was $21.8 million in FY 1994, was approximately $3 million in FY 1995. The losses have been 

due to reductions in revenue resulting from a declining workload and to an under-recovery of costs by 

GPO’s printing rates, which remained unchanged from January 1990 through April 1996. To offset these 

factors, GPO has been undergoing a program of downsizing to reduce costs. During the year, GPO’s 

financial systems and statements were audited by Arthur Andersen, under contract with the General 

Accounting Office. The audit resulted in a clean opinion for GPO. 

 Because GPO’s regional printing plants continued to lose money in FY 1995, it is no longer feasible to 

continue most of these operations. Last year we closed the Seattle regional printing plant. This year we 

will close the Chicago, New York, and San Francisco plants. These downsizing and consolidation 

measures follow the recent consolidation of Superintendent of Documents operations from leased to 

owned space at GPO’s central office, the downsizing of warehouse space in Virginia, and the relocation of 

Rapid Response Center operations from the Washington, DC, Navy Yard to the central office plant. 

 Since February 1993, GPO has reduced its workforce by approximately 900 positions, realizing a 

savings of about $45 million annually. The number of supervisors has also been reduced. Of the 4,000 

positions reduced from the workforce through improved technological productivity in the past 20 years, 

nearly a quarter has been reduced in the past three years. By September 1996, GPO will meet the 

mandated FTE level of 3,800. We recently concluded two early-out retirement programs which resulted 

in reducing staffing by 108 employees. Another early-out program is planned for July-August 1996. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

27

Performance:

 Congress was in session longer in 1995 compared to the previous year, generating more pages of the 

Congressional Record. For the first session of the 104th Congress, there were a total of 35,003 pages of 

House and Senate proceedings, compared with a total of 27,044 pages for the second session of the 103d 

Congress, an increase of 29 percent. Throughout FY 1995, the Record was delivered on time 97 percent 

of the time; instances of lateness were usually due to late sessions. Overall, however, other congressional 

workload levels were moderate, especially in the latter part of the year. 

 Overtime utilization during FY 1995 decreased 21 percent, yielding a reduction in costs of $2.6 million, 

or 19 percent, compared with the previous year. The reduction in overtime was due to a combination of 

factors, including less overtime worked by GPO details to Congress due to improved overtime 

management by the committees and GPO staff, increased efforts by GPO to improve the scheduling of 

work and control overtime use, and a relatively moderate congressional workload. 

 During the Government-wide shutdown in November 1995, GPO’s production and congressional 

printing management operations remained at work at the request of the House and Senate leadership to 

provide legislative products essential to the orderly conduct of congressional business. 

 Total revenues from printing procurement were $574.7 million in FY 1995, compared with $526.8 

million the previous year, an increase of 9 percent. The rise in dollar value was attributable in part to 

increased paper prices in the private sector. GPO attained a 94 percent on time delivery rate and a 99 

percent quality acceptance rate for procured printing during FY 1995. 

Technology Improvements:

 Three state-of-the-art offset presses are now operational for producing the Congressional Record and 

the Federal Register. We operate print-on-demand capabilities, which are networked with our automated 

composition system, at our plant and on-site for the Senate. We provided assistance in establishing a 

similar print-on-demand capability for the House. The on-site print-on-demand systems on Capitol Hill 

are designed to reduce the volume of documents stored in the House and Senate document rooms. In 

addition, we are starting a pilot program to test the use of a print-on-demand capability in GPO’s main 

bookstore for the remote printing of Government publications downloaded from GPO Access, GPO’s 

online information dissemination service. 

GPO Access Service:

 GPO’s online Access service now has 58 databases, including the daily Congressional Record, the 

Congressional Record Index from 1983 forward, the daily Federal Register, the Unified Agenda of 

Federal Regulations, congressional bills, Economic Indicators, General Accounting Office reports, the 

U.S. Government Manual, the Congressional Directory, Senate and House calendars for the 104th 

Congress, the U.S. Code, the U.S. Budget for FY 1997, and Government Information Locator (GILS) 

records from a variety of different agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and 

the Departments of Commerce, State, and Treasury. Additional databases, including the Code of Federal 

Regulations, are under development. GPO-produced databases for the Record and other legislative 

information are used by the Library of Congress’s THOMAS legislative information service and the 

information services provided by House Information Resources (HIR). 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

28

 Public acceptance and utilization of GPO Access expanded dramatically in the past year. In December 

1995 we announced that the service would be provided at no charge. Utilization increased dramatically to 

approximately 2 million document downloads per month (these are measured as actual document 

downloads by GPO’s Wide Area Information Server--WAIS--rather than simply as file or system 

transactions). During the Government-wide shutdown in November, GPO Access was the only 

Government information system providing continuous daily online access to the Congressional Record, 

Federal Register, and other databases. 

 GPO is acquiring a Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) software package that will 

provide the most flexibility and capability for meeting the requirements of congressional, Federal agency, 

and public information needs, in accordance with the GPO Electronic Information Access Enhancement 

Act of 1993 (P.L. 103-40). In September 1995, a multi-agency pilot program was initiated for the purpose 

of standardizing electronic submissions in SGML for documents published in the Federal Register and the 

Code of Federal Regulations. 

Other Online Improvements:

 In 1995 we inaugurated a GPO home page linking users electronically with a wide variety of GPO 

information services. These services include the electronic posting of bid solicitations to enhance 

competitive opportunities for Government printing contracts among private sector printers. GPO’s home 

page also links users with GPO Access via the World Wide Web, although unlike virtually any other 

Government information service GPO Access remains available to users who do not have access to the 

Web via dialup and telnet capabilities, and through a network of electronic gateways established in 

cooperation with participating depository libraries nationwide. 

 These and other operational improvements, combined with GPO’s ongoing downsizing, are 

transforming GPO into a smaller but more technologically proficient information service to meet the 

demands of Congress, Federal agencies, and the public. 

 FY 1997 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST

 

 For FY 1997, we are requesting $114.6 million for those programs that require annual appropriations 

directly to GPO. This is an increase of less than one-half of one percent over the funding approved for 

FY 1996. The request includes $83.8 million for the Congressional Printing and Binding Appropriation 

and $30.8 million for the Salaries and Expenses Appropriation of the Superintendent of Documents. The 

request for the Salaries and Expenses Appropriation includes a plan for the transition of the Federal 

Depository Library Program from ink-on-paper dissemination to predominately electronic information 

dissemination, in accordance with the directive of this Subcommittee and the requirement contained in 

section 210 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for FY 1996 (P.L. 104-53). 

 CONGRESSIONAL PRINTING AND BINDING APPROPRIATION

Estimated Requirements and Workload:

 Our request of $83.8 million is the same as the level appropriated in the current fiscal year. 

Workforce downsizing, improved production efficiencies, and reductions in the number of copies 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

29

distributed have reduced the cost of congressional printing. The Congressional Printing and Binding 

Appropriation has declined in each year since FY 1992, a reduction of 6.3 percent over the period. This 

reduction has been achieved despite the need to fund pay raises, increases in the cost of paper, and other 

mandatory increases. 

 The major categories of work produced for Congress include the Congressional Record, committee 

hearings, bills, committee reports, committee prints, documents, stationery, franks, and business and 

committee calendars. The volume of work required by Congress varies based on the legislative agenda 

and schedule of each session of Congress, as well as other factors which sometimes are unpredictable. 

 Based on historical analysis of workload data by session, we anticipate there will be a reduction in work 

for the Congressional Record, committee and business calendars, committee reports, documents, 

miscellaneous printing and binding, and details to Congress. Cost reductions in these categories of 

printing will offset projected cost increases for workload increases in other categories. We project an 

increase of about 23,000 pages of committee prints, 13,000 pages of bills, and 11,000 pages of hearings. 

We also project an increase of 6,000 pages for miscellaneous publications, which will include a revised 

printing of the U.S. Constitution Annotated and various Presidential inaugural products. 

Cost Savings Initiatives:

 We have reduced the page rate for the Congressional Record to reflect productivity gains in production 

as well as the requirement for a reduced number of copies. The new rate is $435 per page, as opposed to 

the old rate of $466, a reduction of 6.7 percent. In addition, we are offering a discount of $39 per page to 

encourage the submission of Record copy in electronic format and to reflect reduced costs from electronic 

submission. As a result, for those pages submitted electronically, there is now an overall page rate 

reduction of 15 percent from the old rate. 

 The Senate continues to make significant progress in submitting Record copy electronically. In May 

1996, electronic submissions constituted 55.7 percent of Senate Record copy. Very little Record copy for 

House proceedings is submitted electronically to GPO, although we are fully prepared to accept it. The 

House began submitting proceedings in electronic format via fiber optic links with GPO in late November 

1995. 

 In the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for FY 1996, Congress directed a number of cost saving 

measures aimed primarily at reducing the number of paper copies of various congressional publications 

distributed without charge. The total distribution of copies of the Congressional Record in paper has been 

cut from 16,935 to 10,615, a reduction of 6,320 copies per issue, based primarily on the direction to 

eliminate the distribution of copies to public agencies and institutions designated by House Members. 

This will save about $1.5 million annually. 

 The number of copies of hearings provided to originating House committees has been reduced from 

300 to 150. Special binding for House committees has been limited to two copies per publication. 

Funding for free copies of congressional publications distributed by Congress without charge to recipients 

designated by law, with the exception of depository libraries, has been eliminated. Recipients affected 

include former Members, judges, the Library of Congress, and various Government agencies. The free 

distribution of soil surveys by Members of Congress has been eliminated. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

30

 GPO is working with the staff of the Joint Committee on Printing to carry out these reductions in a 

reasonable manner, providing certain exemptions in order to meet legislative needs. We have ended the 

issuance of bulk shipments of Record copies to Congress. Instead, each copy is being labeled to facilitate 

accountability for all copies printed. 

 SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS

 SALARIES AND EXPENSES APPROPRIATION

Estimated Requirements:

 Our request of $30.8 million is an increase of $520,000, or 1.7 percent, over the funding approved for 

FY 1996, but a reduction of $780,000, or 2.5 percent, from the funding approved for FY 1995. The 

Salaries and Expenses Appropriation funds the FDLP ($27.2 million, or 88 percent of the total Salaries 

and Expenses Appropriation request, is for this program), the Cataloging and Indexing Program ($2.6 

million, or 8 percent), the International Exchange Program ($509,000, or 2 percent), and the By-Law 

Distribution Program ($482,000, or 2 percent). 

 Our request includes $500,000 for technology grants to depository libraries and an additional $20,000 

in travel for promoting training and continuing education opportunities for the librarians. Both of these 

initiatives are part of the transition plan to convert the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) to 

predominately electronic information dissemination. 

 The technology grants would ensure reasonable public access and proximity to at least one 

electronically-capable library in every congressional district. The grants, at up to $25,000 each, would be 

used for public access work stations and Internet connections in depository libraries. This one-time 

financial assistance would enable the libraries to achieve a minimum level of capability to serve the public 

with on-line electronic Government information. In order to be eligible for the technology grant, the 

libraries would have to demonstrate a need and stipulate that no other funding source is available for that 

purpose. 

 The $20,000 requested for travel would provide hands-on training for librarians in the use of the GPO 

Access on-line services and facilitate training in other agency systems. 

 FDLP STUDY

 Section 210 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for FY 1996 required GPO to conduct a 

study to identify measures necessary for a successful transition to a more electronic FDLP. In response to 

the direction from this Subcommittee for broad consultation on the study, GPO formed a group 

comprising representatives from GPO, the Joint Committee on Printing, the Senate and House 

Appropriations Committees, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, the House Oversight 

Committee, the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, OMB, the Congressional 

Research Service of the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 

federal publishing agencies, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the depository library 

community, and others. The study was completed in March 1996 and issued as a draft document for a 

public comment period of 60 days. The final report, titled “Study to Identify Measures Necessary for a 

Successful Transition to a More Electronic Federal Depository Library Program,” has just been 

completed. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

31

Preliminary Transition Plan:

 Separately, a document titled "The Electronic Federal Depository Library Program: Transition Plan, 

FY 1996 - FY 1998" was developed by GPO and included with our FY 1997 appropriations request. The 

budget-driven Transition Plan had to be completed prior to much of the work on the Study due to the 

timetable for annual budget submissions. This early version envisioned an aggressive approach to 

changing the FDLP to a predominantly electronic program in 2.5 years. The Transition Plan was useful in 

eliciting public comment on these issues, and several major themes surfaced. 

 The first of these was that a 2.5-year transition period was too rapid and exceeded the ability of the 

depository libraries, the publishing agencies, and the public to properly use or support this volume of 

electronic information. Input from publishing agencies and depository libraries indicated that a 5 to 7 year 

transition would be more realistic and cost-effective since it would allow GPO to change to electronic 

information as rapidly as the publishing agencies could produce it and the libraries could absorb it. It 

would be substantially more costly for GPO to convert agency print publications to electronic formats than 

it would be to work in partnership with the agencies, assisting them in accelerating their own electronic 

publishing initiatives. Second, the needs of users for appropriate information product formats, suited to 

the intended audience and usage of the products, may have been undervalued. And third, the 2.5-year 

Transition Plan did not incorporate adequate measures to ensure permanent preservation of and public 

access to electronic information products. The public comments in response to the Transition Plan led 

directly to the development of the Strategic Plan that is included in the June 1996 Study Report. 

Study Report Strategic Plan:

 The Strategic Plan included in the final Study Report proposes a more gradual transition during the 

period FY 1996-FY 2001. The Strategic Plan builds on the strengths of the existing program and will 

affirmatively move the FDLP toward a significantly greater electronic information dissemination and access 

program. The Plan reflects the views and advice of the library community, Federal publishing agencies, 

and users of Government information. 

 Under the Strategic Plan, the FDLP will provide official Government information products in a variety 

of formats to the Nation's nearly 1,400 depository libraries. Incorporating electronic Government 

information into the FDLP will augment the traditional distribution of tangible products with connections 

to Government electronic information services such as Internet sites. Electronic information will be 

accessible to the public directly or through depository libraries from a system of Government electronic 

information services administered by GPO, other Government agencies, or institutions acting as agents for 

the Government. The FDLP will identify and connect users to electronic information services of other 

agencies or, when appropriate, obtain electronic source files from agencies for mounting on GPO Access. 

 Tangible Government information products will be distributed to libraries, including CD-ROMs, 

diskettes, paper, or microfiche, as appropriate to the needs of users and intended usage. 

 The FDLP will ensure that electronic Government information products are maintained for permanent 

public access, in the same spirit in which regional depositories provide permanent access to print products. 

 This requires the development of a system which includes all of the institutional program stakeholders: 

information producing agencies, GPO, depository libraries and NARA. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

32

 Effective public use of Government information, especially in the less-structured environment of the 

Internet, depends on the ability of users to identify and locate the desired information. Through 

continuation of its cataloging services, and the development of Pathway information locator services, the 

FDLP will meet this need. 

Funding Requirements:

 Significant progress toward a more electronic FDLP can be made by the end of FY 1998 with 

essentially flat funding. For the out years, FY 1999 and beyond, there are too many variables involved to 

accurately project program funding requirements at this time. Our FY 1997 funding request assumes that 

some FDLP expenses, especially those associated with acquiring and shipping printed products, will 

decline as the use of electronic information dissemination technologies increases. Cost savings in the 

FDLP under the transition plan will support no-charge use of the GPO Access services for depository 

libraries and the general public. However, there will be offsetting increases in other areas, such as 

expanding the capacity of the GPO Access service, acquiring and converting electronic source data files, 

and CD-ROM licensing fees. 

Study Conclusions:

 Two major conclusions emerged from the study. The first was strong support for retaining the 

authority for a broad-based public information program in the legislative branch. Nearly all of the 

participants felt that this model has served the public well. High value was placed on the presence of the 

FDLP in every congressional district to directly serve the public in local library settings. 

 There was also strong support for having a single entity in the Superintendent of Documents to 

coordinate library-related information dissemination activities. The depository library community has 

consistently affirmed the utility and cost-effectiveness of a "one stop shopping" approach to acquiring 

Government information. The study participants agreed that it is not only possible but desirable to 

increase the dissemination of electronic information to depository libraries within the overall structure of 

current law and program operations, and that having a central entity to assist libraries and the public in 

accessing electronic Government information in a distributed environment is more vital now than ever. 

Other key findings included the following: 

Scope of the FDLP:

 There is widespread interest in expanding the content of the program to make it more comprehensive, 

and a great deal of optimism that the rapid expansion of agency electronic publishing offers cost-effective 

options to do so. Nevertheless, the highest priority remains the retention of information content that 

historically has been in the program and is rapidly leaving it as agencies move from print to electronic 

publishing or eliminate information products to reduce costs. 

Notification and Compliance:

 Historically, the FDLP has relied heavily on the ability of the program to automatically obtain material 

as it was printed or procured through GPO. With the growing emphasis on electronic dissemination, and 

decreasing compliance with statutory requirements for agencies to print through GPO, identifying and 

obtaining information for the FDLP is becoming increasingly difficult. The study examined new means to 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

33

inform agencies of their responsibilities and to ensure compliance with agency FDLP obligations. It also 

focused on effective means for all three branches of Government to notify GPO of the intent to initiate or 

publish a new information product, substantially modify an existing product, or eliminate products and 

services. 

Permanent Access to Official and Authentic Information:

 The FDLP is responsible for providing permanent access to official Government information 

disseminated through the program. Historically this has been the role of the regional depository libraries, 

and this has been a cost-effective means of ensuring that Government information remained available to 

the public indefinitely. Permanent access also is an essential element of the electronic depository library 

program, but it will be more difficult to attain. To ensure permanent public access to official electronic 

Government information, all of the institutional program stakeholders (information producing agencies, 

GPO, depository libraries, and NARA) must cooperate to establish the authenticity of official information, 

provide persistent identification and description of Government information products, and establish 

appropriate arrangements for their continued accessibility. This includes establishing standard formats for 

dissemination and preservation and maintaining the technological currency of the data. 

Locator Services:

 The Cataloging and Indexing Program required by 44 U.S.C. §1710 and §1711 and the Locator 

Services required by 44 U.S.C. §4101 provide the statutory basis for GPO to assist depository libraries and 

the public in identifying and obtaining access to the full range of Government information. In an 

environment where libraries and users often access remote electronic information rather than local 

collections, the tools for identifying and locating the information will become increasingly critical 

components of an effective program. 

Cost of Electronic Information Dissemination:

 While there are many benefits in the use of electronic information, including more timely and broader 

public access, there is no conclusive data at this time to support the assertion that it will result in significant 

savings to the FDLP in the next few years. Based on information developed to date, electronic 

dissemination and access will shift the costs among the participants and will increase costs to the 

depository libraries and the public, at least in the short run. In addition, the migration to an increased use 

of electronic information technologies requires significant resources which are costs that the Government 

will incur when it assumes some of the responsibility currently held by regional libraries for ensuring 

permanent public access to Government information. Costs for migration can be minimized by the 

adoption and use of open systems standards through the entire life cycle of information products, from the 

time the original source files are created by the publishing agencies to final preservation by NARA. At the 

same time, depository libraries and their users will have to pay to print, or purchase printed copies, of 

information that is needed, but no longer disseminated, in print through the FDLP. Libraries also will 

have to provide specialized staff training, public access work stations, and the related services necessary to 

connect the public to remote Government information. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

34

Assessment of Standards:

 The study concluded that the use of electronic Government information products can be enhanced by 

the greater utilization of standards in the creation and dissemination of information. Therefore, GPO is 

proposing an Assessment of Standards for Creation and Dissemination of Electronic Government 

Information through a joint effort with the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

(NCLIS). 

 For the successful implementation of a more electronic FDLP, additional information about future 

agency publishing plans is needed, as well as an expert evaluation of the cost-effectiveness and usefulness 

of various electronic formats that may be utilized for depository library dissemination or access. The 

Government produces an enormous quantity and variety of information. The standards best suited for 

one type of data may be substantially less suited, or even entirely inappropriate, for another. 

Consequently, there is no single standard in which all Government information products can, or should, 

be created or disseminated. Nevertheless, it is in the best interests of the Government, and those who use 

Government information, to achieve a greater degree of standardization than now exists, and to develop 

recommended standards for each major type of Government information product in order to facilitate the 

exchange and use of that information. 

 To accomplish this, we need to know the range of formats Federal agencies currently use in the 

creation and dissemination of information and to assess the de facto or actual standards that are in use for 

each major type of data. We also need to identify areas where there is no standardization, or such limited 

standardization that the effect is virtually the same. Finally, we need to evaluate standards utilized by 

private sector and other non-governmental publishers. This information will provide the basis for an 

assessment, in consultation with the depository library community, of the usefulness and cost-effectiveness 

of various electronic formats for depository library dissemination or access. It will also be the basis for a 

dialog with NARA, NCLIS, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and others with 

an interest in establishing and promulgating Government-wide standards for information creation and 

dissemination. 

 The assessment would be conducted under an interagency agreement with NCLIS and financed from 

available FY 1996 FDLP funds. 

Legislative Changes To Support the Transition:

 GPO has the necessary statutory authority to incorporate electronic Government information products 

into the FDLP, and substantial changes in the FDLP already are underway within the structure of the 

existing statute. However, certain amendments to chapter 19 of Title 44, U.S.C., which authorizes the 

FDLP, would clarify this authority and facilitate the transition. Suggested legislative changes to chapter 19 

were included with our budget submission as part of the preliminary transition plan. The FDLP study 

participants further considered these and other potential changes and included suggestions for legislative 

change in the final report. These were discussed by Superintendent of Documents Wayne Kelley in 

hearings on the FDLP before the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration on June 18. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

35

 OMB DRAFT LEGISLATION

 Recently, the Director of OMB transmitted to several Members of Congress proposed legislation titled 

"The Electronic Depository Library Act of 1996." We were provided with a copy of the proposal and 

have analyzed its provisions. Copies of our analysis were transmitted to the Chairman and ranking 

Member of this Subcommittee as well as other Members of Congress. 

 Several key provisions of OMB's proposal contrast sharply with the legislative direction contained in 

the Study Report. Although the current FDLP includes information from all three branches of 

Government, the OMB proposal would apply to the executive branch only. It would potentially 

circumscribe the type of information that would be made available to depository libraries. It would 

transfer policy oversight for electronic dissemination to depositories from the Superintendent of 

Documents to agency Chief Information Officers (CIO's), who are accountable by law to OMB. It would 

allow agencies to make individual arrangements with depository libraries to pay for fee-based information 

services operated by agencies, and would set no limit on the fees, signaling a dramatic departure from the 

traditional principle of making Government information available to depositories without charge. It would 

effectively transform the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) of the Department of 

Commerce--which has no depository distribution authority and which could provide no guarantee of 

assuring equitable public access to any information it disseminates to depositories--into the executive 

branch's depository of final resort. It would also establish NTIS as the centralized point of access for 

executive branch information, in contrast to OMB's objection to the "centralized management model" 

currently operational in the FDLP. While the OMB proposal is purportedly designed to improve 

depository access to electronic information, the enforcement mechanism it provides would be weak and 

ineffectual. 

 The most prominent shortcoming of OMB's proposal lies in the provisions regarding the 

dissemination of online services. Agency CIO's would make direct, individual arrangements with 

depository libraries for access to online services "in some suitable electronic format." Online services 

would be required to be listed in each agency's information locator service so that libraries could find 

them. 

 This part of the bill seriously miscalculates the value and utility to the library community of having a 

single entity in the Superintendent of Documents to coordinate library-related information dissemination 

activities. Currently, GPO deals with hundreds of departments, agencies, bureaus, and offices, 

represented by approximately 4,500 billing address codes. To deal with a potentially vast number of 

online publishing entities in an increasingly distributed electronic environment, each of approximately 

1,400 depository libraries would assume an enormous administrative burden without the presence of a 

central entity to coordinate services, provide notice of information availability, promote standards, develop 

guidelines on timeliness, and suggest user-friendly interfaces. Providing equitable dissemination to all 

libraries, regardless of differing equipment capabilities in the library community, would be equally 

burdensome to agencies. The GPO Electronic Information Access Enhancement Act of 1993 was 

enacted in part to relieve agencies of this burden by establishing a single online service that would 

standardize service provision to all depository libraries. Since it is unlikely that many agencies would want 

or be able to provide differing levels of services, the result would be that only those libraries with the most 

comprehensive electronic capabilities would be able to access most Federal online systems. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

36

 To support its legislative proposal OMB stated their opinion that "the centralized management model 

of chapter 19 [of Title 44, U.S.C.] is not appropriate for distributed electronic information products and 

services." However, this is not the conclusion that was reached by the broad spectrum of participants in 

the FDLP study. The study confirmed the value of a central entity to assist libraries and the public in 

accessing electronic Government information in a distributed environment. Statutory improvements 

identified by the study could be attained through legislative revisions that would be less sweeping than 

those proposed by OMB, less burdensome on agencies, depository libraries, information users, and the 

taxpayers, and less damaging to the comprehensive and equitable system of access to Government 

information provided through the depository library program today. 

 WITHDRAWAL OF FEDERAL PUBLICATIONS FROM THE FDLP

 Under the guise of reinventing Government, several prominent publications of the Commerce 

Department are being withdrawn from the FDLP as the consequence of public/private sector joint 

ventures in publishing. 

Big Emerging Markets:

 One of these is The Big Emerging Markets, 1996 Outlook, produced by the International Trade 

Administration. The book lists U.S. and foreign trade contacts for American businessmen. Printed in 

September 1995, it is a 480-page, three-color volume. It might have appealed to users of depository 

libraries or business people throughout the United States who rely upon depository libraries for access, 

but it was not disseminated through the FDLP. Although all the editorial work was done at Government 

expense, Big Emerging Markets was published by a private publisher under a partnership agreement with 

NTIS. NTIS is currently selling it for $45/copy, and the private publisher is selling it for $43.95/copy. 

These compare with GPO’s estimated sales price of $40/copy. 

 The Commerce Department asserted that because of this publishing arrangement Big Emerging 

Markets is not a Government publication, and thus not subject to depository distribution requirements 

under Title 44. However, if the Commerce Department had allowed GPO to handle the competitive bid 

for printing this book, any Federal agency wanting copies could have placed an order at the cost of only 

printing, paper, and binding. Any private sector publisher could have obtained the reproducible materials 

to print and sell the book themselves under current provisions of law. Most important of all, if GPO had 

printed or procured the book, it would have been distributed to depository libraries for no-fee public use. 

U.S. Export Administration Regulations:

 Another recent example is the U.S. Export Administration Regulations, published by the Bureau of 

Export Administration. GPO has handled this publication for 48 years, and the Superintendent of 

Documents has promoted it to an expanding audience largely made up of small businesses. In addition, 

the FDLP has ordered copies for distribution to selecting libraries throughout the country where it is in 

demand by many citizens, some of whom cannot afford their own subscriptions. Several months ago, 

however, the Under Secretary for Export Administration announced that it is placing all publication and 

distribution functions related to the Export Administration Regulations exclusively with NTIS. This 

arrangement will remove the publication from GPO’s FDLP and sales program. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

37

 To prevent this, we expressed our desire to purchase a copy of the Export Administration Regulations

electronic source files in whatever formats are available. Since the electronic disk is being produced by 

Government employees, at Government expense, and procured with appropriated funds, copies should 

be available to anyone at cost. That would be the case if the disk were being procured through GPO. The 

Bureau of Export Administration initiated a procurement with a private contractor through GPO on 

March 21, 1996, for a WordPerfect Export Administration Regulations disk. On April 18, 1996, after the 

Superintendent of Documents ordered a duplicate copy of the disk, the procurement was canceled by the 

Bureau. 

 We are concerned that this publishing arrangement may violate Section 207 of the Fiscal Year 1995 

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act (P.L. 103-283), which, apart from certain limited exceptions, 

requires executive branch agencies to obtain printing and reproduction services from GPO. It also 

appears to contravene the policy direction provided in a Memorandum For Heads Of Executive 

Departments and Agencies from White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, dated April 11, 1996, which 

requires them “to make maximum use of the capabilities and expertise of the Government Printing Office 

in handling your agency's printing and duplicating procurements during the next 12 months.” In addition, 

the arrangement is contrary to the policy set forth in OMB Circular A-130, which directs agencies to "avoid 

establishing, or permitting others to establish on their behalf, exclusive, restricted or other distribution 

arrangements that interfere with the availability of information dissemination products on a timely and 

equitable basis." We have asked for an OMB review of this matter. 

 The end result of this joint venture will be a decrease in the number of print subscribers and needless 

inconvenience to the many clients served continuously by GPO for nearly a half-century. If we were able 

to obtain the electronic source data it could be made available to depository libraries and the general 

public via the Internet on the GPO Access service. This would permit us to encourage use of the 

electronic Export Administration Regulations by depository libraries and reduce the need for print copies. 

 It would not prevent NTIS, or any commercial vendor for that matter, from adding value and selling the 

Export Administration Regulations database at any price they wish. 

U.S. Industrial Outlook:

 In another example, on May 14, 1996, a major private sector publisher and NTIS announced that "the 

two organizations have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of a multitude of 

information products and services, such as the U.S. Industrial Outlook and other market-specific projects." 

 Last produced in 1994, the U.S. Industrial Outlook, a product of the International Trade 

Administration, was distributed to 1,210 depository libraries. Although we have a preliminary 

commitment from the International Trade Administration to keep the U.S. Industrial Outlook in the 

FDLP, we will have to wait until late this year to be certain this commitment is met. Once again, however, 

an exclusive arrangement is being made between a Government agency and a private sector concern, 

which is likely to raise barriers to widespread public access to the information. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

38

Hispanics-Latinos:

 A final example is the publication of Hispanics-Latinos: Diverse People in a Multicultural Society, by a 

Washington-based trade association. The data for this publication was prepared by the U.S. Census 

Bureau as part of its Current Population Reports (P-20) series, which are basic components of the 1990 

Census of Population Data Products. But although the data for Hispanics-Latinos was gathered and 

prepared at public expense, it was provided to a private group which then copyrighted the publication and 

now sells copies for $10.00 each. The funding for printing the publication was provided by Philip Morris 

Companies, Inc., whose contribution is noted in the printed acknowledgments in the publication. The 

publication prominently displays Philip Morris’s corporate logo along with a list of its various subsidiaries, 

including Miller Brewing Company. The publication is not available for distribution to depository 

libraries through GPO’s FDLP. 

 REVOLVING FUND

 GPO’s revolving fund, established by section 309 of Title 44, is authorized on an annual basis. 

Appropriations are not requested for the fund, because the fund is designed to recover costs through 

offsetting collections for services provided. Revenue is received from Government agencies for printing 

procurement, printing production, publications distribution services performed for agencies, and from the 

public for the sale of Government publications. 

Current Financial Condition:

 Despite improved financial performance in FY 1995, during the first 8 months of FY 1996 GPO’s 

revolving fund sustained operating losses totaling $17.4 million. While our costs declined substantially, 

revenues dropped faster. Compared to the same period last year, expenses were reduced by $16.4 

million. Revenues, however, fell by $25.4 million, due primarily to reductions in the workload performed 

by GPO’s central office plant. Total revenues from plant printing operations fell $11.4 million compared 

to this time last year, due in part to a lighter-than-anticipated congressional workload in addition to printing 

rates maintained at 1990 levels through April 1996. 

 In the Superintendent of Documents sales program, revenues declined $6.8 million due to a variety of 

factors. Four snow days in January, during which all Washington, DC, area Government operations were 

shut down (including the mail order operation in Laurel, MD), contributed to revenue losses. Apparently, 

GPO’s sales suffered as part of a public perception that we were closed during the second, longer 

Government wide budget shutdown earlier this year. The growing availability of free electronic formats on 

the Internet, such as the Federal Register, may also be contributing to reduced sales. 

 Although printing procurement operations were relatively stable through April 1996, the delayed 

resolution of budget talks between Congress and the Administration (which kept many of GPO’s customer 

agencies on short-term continuing resolutions providing funding at 75 percent of FY 1995 allocations for 

the first half of this fiscal year) may affect procurement revenues in the coming months as reductions in the 

procurement cycle begin to be felt. As noted above, we are also contending with growing noncompliance 

by several executive branch agencies, particularly the Department of Commerce, with Title 44 

requirements to print and distribute publications through GPO. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

39

 In view of these developments, we have worked with the Joint Committee on Printing to resolve GPO’s 

need to fully comply with 44 U.S.C. §309 in the setting of printing rates that fully recover our costs. As a 

result, we have made the first adjustment to GPO’s scale of prices for printing products since 1990. In 

addition, at the request of the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing, we proposed a number of 

actions aimed at downsizing the workforce, consolidating space and functions, and improving efficiency 

and service to customers. 

Request for Retirement Incentive Authority:

 The most recent financial results indicate the need for a targeted retirement incentive program similar 

to the one GPO ran in early FY 1994. At that time, GPO succeeded in reducing the overall workforce by 

357 employees, resulting in annual savings of $17.5 million. A targeted retirement incentive program 

would enable GPO to reduce costs promptly, adjust to the trend of decreasing workload without 

interrupting services, and restructure operations to facilitate the introduction of improved technology 

services. 

 GPO would require statutory authorization for such a program but it would be financed from available 

funding. However, to minimize the impact on the revolving fund, a portion of GPO’s Congressional 

Printing and Binding Appropriation could be authorized for this purpose. We are prepared to work with 

this Subcommittee, as well as the House Legislative Appropriations Subcommittee, to develop details for a 

GPO retirement incentive program. 

Reducing Facility Energy Costs:

 As required by the conference report on the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for FY 1996, GPO 

is initiating an energy conservation program to reduce facility energy costs. The greatest energy costs for 

GPO are electricity and steam heat. We have already achieved substantial energy cost savings through 

recent consolidations of space. Recent and planned closings of regional printing plants will also achieve 

energy cost savings. Our energy saving initiative includes turning off transformers and air conditioning 

units on weekends and utilizing high efficiency light fixtures. Additionally, we will reevaluate the ambient 

temperatures of our facility and make appropriate adjustments. Since compliance with the Clean Air Act 

and the use of dryers on presses will tend to increase our consumption of natural gas, we are looking at 

measures to achieve savings on natural gas purchases. These and related measures will enable GPO to 

maintain energy costs at a relatively stable level to offset the cost impact of escalating utility rate increases 

(for example, PEPCO increased Government rates 3.8 percent in July 1995). 

 For more efficient energy consumption and to upgrade necessary utilities, GPO should be included in 

the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 8287). This would allow us to contract for energy 

conservation services with performance guarantees and pay for them in the future from resulting cost 

savings. Specifically, it would provide a way to fund the acquisition of new air conditioning equipment for 

GPO’s buildings from the revolving fund without the assumption of a significant financial burden. The air 

conditioning equipment is leaking freon and is badly in need of replacement. The following is draft 

legislative language that would accomplish this purpose (the language is similar to section 402 of P.L. 103-

211, which included the Architect of the Capitol): 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

40

The Government Printing Office shall be considered an agency for the purposes of the election in 

section 801(b)(2)(B) of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act and the Public Printer shall 

be considered the head of the agency for the purposes of subsection (b)(2)(C) of such section. 

 RECENT JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM

 On May 31, 1996, the Office of Legal Counsel of the Department of Justice issued a memorandum to 

the General Services Administration (GSA) regarding “Government Printing Office Involvement in 

Executive Branch Printing.” The memorandum concludes that “the GPO’s extensive control over 

executive branch printing is unconstitutional under the doctrine of separation of powers.” 

 GPO does not concur with this view. We handle executive work in a purely ministerial capacity. We 

cannot refuse to fulfill an executive branch requisition for printing. We have no control over editorial or 

informational content of executive branch publications. Our job is only to ensure that printing requisitions 

are fulfilled in the most cost-effective and timely manner possible, and to provide for the comprehensive 

and equitable dissemination of Government information to the public through copies of publications 

purchased with GPO funds. These functions are performed under the authority of the Public Printer 

who, like members of the Cabinet, heads of executive branch agencies, and other high level Federal 

officials, is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate and serves solely at the pleasure of the 

President. Under the law, the Public Printer maintains no veto authority over executive branch work. 

 The view that GPO performs an essentially ministerial function with respect to executive branch 

printing was itself expressed in a September 13, 1993, memorandum of the Office of Legal Counsel, also 

to the GSA. At that time, the Office of Legal Counsel said that the requirement contained in section 207 

of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act [which was re-enacted and is currently at P.L. 103-283] for 

agencies to procure printing by or through GPO: 

does not violate the separation of powers by delegating executive authority to the GPO...It does not 

give the GPO authority to refuse to print any materials, but merely requires that printing be 

procured “by and through” the GPO. Moreover, because 44 U.S.C. §1101 provides that “[the] 

Public Printer shall execute such printing and binding for the President as he may order and 

make requisition for,” the executive branch retains its ability to ensure that materials are printed. 

 A March 11, 1994, memorandum of the Office of Legal Counsel reaffirmed this position. Since there 

have been no procedural changes or statutory modifications of any substance in this area of the law since 

that time, GPO’s general counsel has requested the Office of Legal Counsel to reconsider this matter. We 

have also referred the Justice Department’s memorandum to the general counsel of the General 

Accounting Office, which in a September 30, 1994, letter to the Honorable Wendell H. Ford held that 

contractors performing printing work directly for Federal agencies outside the authority of Title 44 and 

section 207 may not be paid. Additionally, the White House Chief of Staff’s April 11, 1996, 

memorandum to heads of departments and agencies directs them to utilize the capabilities and expertise 

of GPO to the maximum extent possible for the next 12 months. 

 The implementation of the Justice Department’s memorandum would have strongly negative 

consequences for Government printing. Assuming that executive branch printing policy would be 

characterized by decentralization as detailed in various reinventing Government reports, the removal of 

executive branch printing from GPO would increase the cost of Government printing significantly. It 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

41

would increase the cost and reduce both the comprehensiveness and equity of current publications 

distribution policies, such as the FDLP, undercutting the congressional appropriations made for that 

purpose. It would forestall efforts to standardize and expand access to electronic information products 

through a single source such as GPO Access. In addition, there would be negative impacts on the printing 

industry and on the Government’s ability to enforce comprehensive recycled paper, permanent paper, and 

vegetable ink utilization policies, all of which are established pursuant to statute. 

 Notwithstanding these reasons, we have learned that several Federal agencies may use the Justice 

Department’s recent memorandum to remove work from GPO. We are extremely concerned about the 

possible impacts of this action and its implications for current Federal printing and publications 

distribution policies. 

 * * * 

 Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, this concludes my prepared statement, and I would 

be pleased to answer any questions you may have. 
AN-v17-#10-7/25/96 

42

Table of Contents

Remarks before the Federal Librarians Round Table, 1996 Annual 

 ALA Conference: Kelley .............................................................. 1 

LPS Actions to Implement the Strategic Plan, Remarks before the 

 Federal Documents Task Force, 1996 Annual ALA Conference: Young..... 6 

Depository Administration Branch in Transition, Remarks before the 

 Federal Documents Task Force, 1996 Annual ALA Conference: 

 Haun-Mohamed..........................................................................11 

Electronic Transition Affecting Cataloging Branch Operations, Remarks 

 before the Federal Documents Task Force, 1996 Annual ALA 

 Conference: Downing ..................................................................19 

Pathway Services Update and Demonstration before the Federal 

 Documents Task Force, 1996 Annual ALA Conference: Farrell 

 and Dossett ...............................................................................23 

Public Printer: Statement before Subcommittee on Legislative Branch 

 Appropriations, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, on 

 Appropriations Estimates for Fiscal Year 1997....................................26