ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program -------------------------------------------------------------------- April 15, 1999 GP 3.16/3-2:20/07 (Vol. 20, no. 07) -------------------------------------------------------------------- [Handout] ELECTRONIC TRANSITION STAFF UPDATE SPRING 1999 DEPOSITORY LIBRARY COUNCIL MEETING Building the FDLP Electronic Collection After Managing the FDLP Electronic Collection: A Policy and Planning Document (the "collection plan," available at ) was published in late 1998, the next step was to identify and implement the steps that will bring its provisions into practice. This began with an exploratory, cross-organizational team from Depository Administration Branch, Cataloging Branch, Electronic Information Dissemination Services and the Electronic Transition Staff (ETS). The team met for two weeks to define the possibilities, identify the issues and develop strategies for dealing with the issues. The team was re-configured slightly and officially became the "Electronic Collection Team." This team is examining and evaluating electronic products for inclusion in the Electronic Collection. The team also continues to develop the techniques and procedures to process electronic resources. This includes selection, bibliographic control, persistent naming, archiving and outreach. The collection building activities will be discussed by Laurie Hall and Judy Andrews at the Federal Depository Conference on Tuesday, April 13 at 11:00 a.m. Outreach ETS personnel continue to make presentations on the collection plan, the electronic collection and other facets of the electronic transition. ETS staff spoke at meetings of the Federal Publishers Committee, a group of agency publishing officials, in January, and the Internet Information Management Work Group at the Department of Health and Human Services, in March. Other recent ETS staff contacts include meetings with personnel from the National Transportation Library, the library at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. Partnerships New Partnership Model The role of partnerships in providing ongoing access to Government information is evolving. The initial model was a three-party agreement between an agency, a cooperating institution, and GPO, with GPO in the role of facilitator and safety net. ETS is now drafting a new model agreement in which GPO plays a more active role in identifying, "acquiring," providing access to information products, and facilitating permanent storage with an institutional partner such as a library or university. This new model will better position GPO to offer a useful service to agency publishers and to gain the benefits of permanent access for the FDLP and the public. National Technical Information Service The NTIS/GPO Pilot Project went live on January 18, 1999. 22 depository libraries have access to a NTIS database of approximately 35,000 image documents. The pilot is scheduled to run for a year. As of mid-March, the search site was averaging 100 visits per week. As the libraries explore the site's potential, they are making excellent suggestions for its improvement. Walter Finch, project director for NTIS, will be speaking about the project at the Federal Depository Conference on Monday, April 12, at 3:45 p.m. FDLP/ERIC Digital Library Pilot Project The FDLP/ERIC Pilot Project concluded on December 31, 1998. GPO is analyzing the results of the user surveys and considering options for availability of ERIC reports electronically. A report on the Pilot Project should be issued this spring. National Civil Aviation Review Commission The University of North Texas has taken on permanent access responsibility for the Web site of the National Civil Aviation Review Commission, which ceased operation in late 1997. Based on the model for the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, GPO and the University of North Texas have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding that assures permanent accessibility to the Commission materials on the site. Notices have been added to the site advising users of the status of the commission . Digital Publications Preservation Steering Committee Gil Baldwin and George Barnum represent GPO on a Steering Committee organized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement the Framework for the Preservation of and Permanent Public Access to USDA Digital Publications. The "Framework" was developed following a 1997 conference for which GPO was one of the co-sponsors. The Steering Committee meets quarterly to address the issues of inventory and life cycle management of USDA digital publications, technical requirements, and user access and retrieval. Participation in this group has been highly beneficial to the development of the FDLP Electronic Collection.