ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program [ Back Issues ] -------------------------------------------------------------------- May 1, 1999 GP 3.16/3-2:20/08 (Vol. 20, no. 08) -------------------------------------------------------------------- AGENCY OUTREACH & DAB OPERATIONS Remarks by Robin Haun-Mohamed Chief, Depository Administration Branch Before the Depository Library Council and Federal Depository Conference April 12, 1999 Bethesda, MD Good morning! I thank you for the opportunity to bring you up-to-date on activities in the Depository Administration Branch. LPS contacts agencies when we find out about fugitive documents, publications, or fee-based Web sites. This is a difficult task as we must make queries about their decision-making matrix, request tangible products that cut into their budgets, or ask for no-fee access to a revenue producing service. Recent inquiries have included requests for access to the GOV.Research Center (GRC) and the NTIS service on Northern Light. At this time libraries do not have access to these services through the FDLP. Some of the resources available through the paid services are available at other sites at no charge. For example AGRICOLA is available from the National Agricultural Library Web site and the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy databases (ERIN) are available from a Department of Energy Web site. Agency outreach continues to be beneficial in obtaining products for distribution through the FDLP. When we spoke with the U.S. Institute for Peace to ask about a fugitive publication, we also asked to obtain one copy of each of their publications and to be notified before future publications are printed. The agency has provided LPS with one copy of each of its current publications for conversion to microfiche format and distribution to the libraries. Although many people do not want publications in microfiche format, when the products are not available on a Web site, this is still the best way to obtain titles for distribution to the libraries after the publications have been printed. Some examples of titles you will soon see in the libraries are Building Peace, Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies, and Russian Negotiating Behavior: Continuity and Transition. In the spring and summer of 1998, staff from LPS worked with auditors from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on an NIH audit. The purpose of the NIH initiated audit was to review access of NIH printed products for dissemination to GPO for purposes of distribution to the depository libraries and inclusion in the Cataloging & Indexing program. Here are some of the findings of this March 1999 report, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General: * Of the 100 random FY97 printing jobs chosen for the audit, 38 items were not subject to distribution to the libraries (internal use only such as letterhead, signs, and administrative forms). * Of the 62 remaining print jobs, 46 publications were identified in the audit as requiring copies for distribution to the depository libraries. NIH provided sufficient copies to GPO in only 10 instances. * Although specific components of NIH are exempt from using GPO for printing products, these components are not exempt from the requirements to provide publications to GPO for distribution to the depository libraries. * NIH did not provide GPO with a listing or copy of every document issued or published by NIH as required under 44 USC §1710. * Because NIH did not provide copies of publications to GPO for FDLP distribution, depository libraries and the people who use them do not have ready access to documents to which they are entitled; that were printed with taxpayer funding. * The NIH components improperly printed through commercial vendors items that should have gone through GPO. None of the unauthorized printing jobs that were in the sample were sent to GPO for FDLP or Cataloging & Indexing (C&I) purposes. Had they been printed through GPO, as required by law, the FDLP and C&I requirements would have automatically been met. Since the beginning of the audit, and indeed through this last week, LPS has seen a significant increase in notification and cooperation in obtaining publications for distribution to the libraries and for inclusion in the Cataloging & Indexing Program. The Review of the National Institutes of Health Printing Program provides strong reinforcement of the value and importance of the FDLP and C&I Programs by an executive branch agency. This was truly time well spent. Recent discussions with staff at the Central Intelligence Agency have also proved beneficial. The Center for the Study of Intelligence is also providing one copy of each publication for microfiche conversion and distribution to the libraries. Two examples are the CIA and the Vietnam Policymakers: Three Episodes, 1962-1968, and The CIA and the U-2 Program, 1954-1974, which will be distributed to the libraries later this spring. The Handbook of International Economic Statistics will be distributed to libraries in paper format later this spring. Libraries will begin seeing the FBIS in microfiche again in the libraries for a short time. These are all older issues that were not distributed to the libraries, thus they should fill in most of the gaps in this historical collection. Special thanks go to Sally Burkman, Ruth Davison, Susan Field, Carolyn Kohler, Ann Miller, Sandy Peterson, Barbie Selby, and Julia Stiles for checking on the missing issues, obtaining paper copies, and sending them to GPO for microfiche conversion and duplication. One final issue with the CIA has to do with the software for the FBIS CD-ROM. Effective with the January-March 1999 issue, the agency has begun using the Folio software for this product. Libraries will need to be sure they are following the agency instructions as last posted in the February 15, 1999 issue of Administrative Notes. To state these limitations briefly, the agency has provided LPS with a copy of the product for use in the depository libraries. But the information on the CD-ROM can only be read-it may not be download or printed. The agency has not yet submitted the November-December or January-March issues to GPO for distribution to the libraries. LPS has also been involved in outreach to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in relation to the Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office (CEPPO). This is the area responsible for obtaining and maintaining the data from the EPA's Risk Management Program, including the availability of Offsite Consequence Analysis (OCA) data, which translates into the worst-case chemical accident information. We hope to be part of the network by which the public is able to gain access to OCA data, but there are still several outstanding issues at EPA and we don't have a definitive answer at this time. The Risk Management Plan on diskette is one of two products included in Survey 99-001. Survey 99-001 will run from April 15 through April 30, 1999. Risk Management Program, Version 1.0.6 is a free software package for facilities to use in submitting Risk Management Plans (RMP). It consists of a set of four diskettes that must be downloaded to the library's hard drive. Users must also temporarily store the material on the library's hard drive. The second title, the USGS Biological Resources Division Gap Analysis Program (GAP) is the primary Federal program for mapping and assessing the status of biodiversity in the U.S. Data for each state will appear on 1 to 4 CDs depending on the size of the state and data complexity. We are working to resolve problems with obtaining National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) maps for distribution to depository libraries. Although the NIMA map survey last fall provided LPS with current information on map depositories and libraries responded to the survey in a timely manner, so far LPS has been unable to send out NIMA maps under the new distribution plan. The original plan as discussed with NIMA and NIMA's distribution agent, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), was to send material to GPO for distribution via the LPS Distribution Division. At this time we have some maps to distribute, but we have insufficient copies for full distribution. We are trying to obtain sufficient copies of the maps to make full distribution to the libraries. Up to now we have given few specifics about the new map distribution plan. We hope the plan will be in effect and that maps will be distributed to the libraries once again by the end of May. Here are some details: * All NIMA maps that were distributed directly to the libraries from NIMA in the past will now be sent to GPO for distribution. * The maps will be sent to the libraries in mailing tubes whenever possible. * Because many libraries have a separate location for maps, a separates shipping list will be prepared and mailed to the separate map location. The depository of record will continue to receive the shipping list also via the regular shipment box. * The shipping list number format will be: 99-2001-S. * Map shipping lists will be posted to the U.S. Fax Watch and to the Federal Bulletin Board (FBB). Because the NIMA map survey last fall went so well, LPS is also developing a USGS survey for all libraries selecting USGS topographic and other maps. The survey will take place early this summer. USGS staff are reviewing the List of Classes for inactive and discontinued titles in preparation for this survey. Librarians are encouraged to review their item selection profile if needed and to make any necessary additions or deletions to their UGSG map collection during the survey. At this time there are no plans to discontinue the distribution of USGS maps from the Denver Warehouse. The annual item selection update cycle will again be open from June 1, 1999 through July 31, 1999. On April 5, 1999, changes were made to Item Lister and the Amendment program to correct some problems noted earlier in the spring. We checked the system and found it to be working fine, but if you experience something out of the ordinary when you use the system, please contact us by submitting an askLPS inquiry, or contact Joe Paskoski at (202) 512-1698. LPS continues to work on reviewing the procedures for the microfiche conversion operation. We are in the process of posting a position for a second Micrographics Inspector. An additional inspector will enable us to inspect not only the actual microfiche, but also all other receivables due from the contractor. Recently microfiche with very dark headers were distributed to the libraries. LPS is working with staff from GPO's Term Contracts and Quality Assurance services to reject these shipments and have them re-filmed and re-distributed to the libraries. Revision of the Superseded List began earlier this year with 35 volunteers from the depository library community. The information will be put into a database that will be accessible from the FDLP Administration page. We had hoped to have a portion available for viewing during conference, but it is not yet ready for release. Council will be advised of the site when it is available. The database will then be updated as needed and libraries will be able to search from a Web site, or pull the data off the FBB in a .DBF format, similar to the processes now associated with the List of Classes files. LPS continues to receive many fugitive documents requests from askLPS and our regular e-mail addresses. At this time we have a backlog of 200 askLPS inquiries, mostly dealing with DAB issues. The backlog is due in part to the sheer volume of requests and in part to the change in staffing because of Laurie Beyer Hall's well-deserved promotion. We continue to work on the askLPS backlog daily, with a focus on answering the most recent inquiries and attempting to work systematically through the older inquiries. LPS has also been unable to maintain the regular weekly WEBTech Notes postings to the FBB. They have been sporadic since the first of the year. At this time we are trying to re-establish bi-weekly postings for the summer with a goal of weekly postings once again later this fall. As Mr. Buckley and Gil have mentioned, the processes associated with the FDLP Electronic Collection continue with the assistance of staff members located throughout LPS. DAB staff play an integral part of this process, including the identification and classification of new online resources, reviewing of existing procedures for acquisition of the tangible depository titles, and modification and application of those processes to the new online resources now found on a daily basis. Since January 1, 1999, over 200 entries have been added to the "What's New" weekly listing of Browse Electronic Titles. As always, if you have any questions about the Depository Administration Branch, or my presentation, please let me know. Thank you for the opportunity to bring you up-to-date on actions in LPS.