ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program ------------------------------------------------------------------------ October 25, 1999 GP 3.16/3-2:20/14 (Vol. 20, no. 14) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Handout] Electronic Transition Activities Update Fall 1999 Depository Library Council Meeting October 18 - 21, 1999 Electronic Collection Team (ECT) This cross-organizational group reviews new electronic resources acquired for the Federal Depository Library Program Electronic Collection (FDLP/EC). The Electronic Collection Team analyzes entries for inclusion in Browse Electronic Titles (BET), Browse Topics and other Pathway Services. The group discusses cataloging practices, classification and item number assignment and internal processing practices that may be impacted as these resources are incorporated into the LPS workflow. Electronic Collection Manager George Barnum returned to the Library Programs Service (LPS) in late September in his new position as Electronic Collection Manager. He will be responsible for all initiatives related to the FDLP/EC and permanent public access to electronic resources in the collection. Prototype Electronic Archive LPS and GPO's Production Department are working out the details necessary to build a prototype electronic archive. LPS is developing procedures for identifying, capturing and organizing electronic resources for the electronic archive. Initial efforts are focused on capturing electronic publications for which no tangible equivalent has been located or identified by LPS for distribution. These are typically FDLP titles that the agency has chosen to discontinue in paper, CD-ROM or other format. As the archive prototype develops, discussions are underway regarding: * Tools and procedures to organize, manage and maintain the contents of the collection; * Public access to the collection; * Accuracy and authenticity of archived resources; * Internal workflow procedures. Migration from Microfiche to Online Distribution LPS is evaluating titles that are currently distributed in microfiche format for migration to online dissemination. Most of the titles under consideration are selected by fewer than 500 depository libraries. If an official, reliable version of the publication is available online, LPS will decide if it is appropriate to make only the digital version available to depository libraries. A primary consideration is whether permanent public access to the product can be assured, typically by including the online publication in the GPO electronic archive. Partnership Activities NTIS Judy Andrews, one of the Electronic Transition Specialists, left LPS at the end of August for Portland (OR) State University where she assumed the position of regional documents librarian. During her year with LPS, Judy's responsibilities included managing the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) pilot project. She worked closely with the participating libraries and NTIS to launch the active phase of the project in January 1999. She also evaluated the pilot project's potential for the FDLP. NRC LPS has worked with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to produce a cooperative plan to ensure public access to a body of NRC information (previously distributed by NRC in microfiche) that would no longer be accessible through the NRC Local Public Documents Room (LPDR) program as of September 30, 1999. In August, the Superintendent of Documents accepted the legacy microfiche collections from LPDR libraries into the FDLP. Letters were sent to 18 regional libraries to inform them that they would be receiving the collections from NRC. LPS staff have been working with the librarians at the 18 regionals regarding the shipment of the materials as well as any necessary selective housing agreements. New Staff Steve Kerchoff will join the LPS staff as an Electronic Transition Specialist for a one-year term beginning in October 1999. Kerchoff, a librarian from the Library of Congress' Federal Library and Information Center Committee (FLICC), will use his extensive knowledge of Federal libraries and information resources to assist in increasing awareness about GPO's Electronic Collection activities and in developing additional partnership opportunities with agencies. Partnership Opportunities A promotional packet containing information about partnership opportunities has been developed. Copies are available from LPS. Contact Sandy Schwalb at to obtain a copy. LPS staff is cooperating with other GPO units to ensure that internal processing information is available to other organizations serving as GPO partners. Web Activities LPS staff perform ongoing maintenance to the Pathway Services and FDLP Administration applications in order to provide users with current information about the FDLP. New titles are added to BET weekly and the Browse Topics pages are updated continuously with new and revised entries identified by the Electronic Collection Team and by depository community volunteers. Recently, two LPS staff members began a labor-intensive project to update or remove dead links on the FDLP Administration pages in preparation for the GPO Access site search engine.