F e d e r a l D e p o s i t o r y L i b r a r y P r o g r a m ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program ------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 15, 2001 Vol. 22, no. 16 (Vol. 22, no. 16) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Developments in the FDLP Remarks by Francis J. Buckley, Jr. Superintendent of Documents Depository Library Council Meeting Alexandria, VA October 15, 2001 Good morning! Let me also add my welcome to you. I am very pleased to see such a good turn out at this conference. We at the Government Printing Office (GPO) recognize that many of you had to rearrange travel plans and take convoluted routes to get here and we thank you for taking these extra efforts. Indeed the perseverance and determination you all have shown to get to this joint meeting of the Depository Library Council and the annual Federal Depository Library Conference is just one indication of your dedication and commitment to the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and what it stands for. I have a little story to tell you. It is said that in the House of Representatives in the 1890s, the then Speaker of the House, Thomas Brackett Reed, was once forced to send telegrams to absent members asking their attendance in order to obtain a quorum. One congressman, delayed by a flood that had disrupted railway service telegraphed back: "Washout on line. Can't come." Upon receiving this message Reed sent a reply telegram: "Buy another shirt; come on next train." Well, we certainly didn't have to send telegrams to get you here and I know you will not be disappointed in your decision to attend the conference. We have a full agenda in the coming days, so I'd like to take just a few minutes to talk about the state of the Federal Depository Library Program. State of the Program Last week I traveled to the heartland of America to speak with librarians at the Missouri Library Association in St. Louis and to participate in a program at Fort Hayes State University to recognize their 75th anniversary as a depository library. What I took away from those programs was a renewed recognition of the strength and importance of the FDLP to librarians and the public. Next week I'll be traveling to Wichita to recognize their 100th anniversary in the FDLP. But, of course, the Program today has changed dramatically from when these libraries became depositories. Inside the Beltway we hear that change happens at a glacial pace in the Federal bureaucracy. Indeed, it took eleven years and the careers of four Public Printers for GPO to move from the horse and carriage to the electric automobile (1912). However, this is not so with the transition to an e-FDLP. It was at the request of Congress that GPO began the transition in 1996. It only took three years for online dissemination of information to exceed tangible distribution. A major part of building the Federal Depository Library Program Electronic Collection (FDLP/EC) has been in partnership with libraries and Government agencies. I am pleased to be able to announce today a new partnership with the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI). Energy Citations Database, (ECD) is now available through GPO Access. ECD contains bibliographic records for energy and energy-related scientific and technical information from the DOE and its predecessor agencies, the Energy Research & Development Administration (ERDA) and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). Dr. Walter Warnick will be talking about this new service during the Federal Agency Update Session on Tuesday afternoon. GPO and depository libraries are now on the threshold of year six of the electronic transition. We have seen Y2K come and go and we have seen a change in administrations. We weathered both of those events nicely. Of course, that is not to say that we have been without challenges. And today, as an aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, we, as Americans and as depository librarians, find ourselves confronted with an old issue with a new face--access to Government information. Our favorite quote of James Madison from 1822 (A popular government without popular knowledge or the means of acquiring it is but a prelude to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both) is being used by more than the depository community these days. In the LA Times last week it closed a commentary entitled "An Informed Public is the Greatest Weapon of Democracy." The Government is grappling with trying to balance our "right-to-know" with ensuring national security. In this environment we are concerned with two types of access: (1) physical access to information itself and (2) publishing agencies taking information out of the public arena. And again, these are not new. Physical access involves not only the patrons being able to get into a library, but also being able to get to the information they need. This includes using tangible materials as well as the library having the equipment to access online Government information. The purpose of the Federal Depository Library Program is to make Government publications available for the free use of the general public and restricting such access is a direct violation of Title 44. Mindful of safety and security issues facing libraries, GPO has tried to build flexibility into its access and service policies, allowing libraries to strike a balance. The Internet Use Policy and Service Guidelines for Electronic Formats are available from the FDLP Desktop and are handouts here at the conference. We are interested in learning if depositories are facing this problem and how you are handling it. The Government Printing Office is entrusted by the Congress with the stewardship of depository materials, both as tangible property and as intellectual property for free distribution and public use. There have been occasions, and no doubt there will be more, when GPO has asked depositories to remove documents from their collections. Considering the number of publications that have been distributed to depositories through the years, there have not been many requests of this nature. Over the last couple of decades there has been an average of two documents recalled per year. Only the Public Printer, the Superintendent of Documents, or our agent can legitimately order a library to withdraw a document from its depository holdings. Let me review how this process works. It is important to remember that GPO acts as an "agent of the agency." We do not decide that a title should be pulled; that decision is made by the publishing agency. When they contact us this sets into motion a sequence of events: 1. Verify that title was distributed 2. Discuss with the agency's official contact the reason for recall Is it an error in content? If so, will they be replacing it with a revised version? Was official or sensitive information released inadvertently? Is the publication to be embargoed until a certain date? We try to get as much information as we can so that we can have comprehensive records and we pass as much information as we have on to you. The reasons for a recall are numerous. Sometimes agencies just don't give us a reason, and we do not have the authority to demand one. 3. Inform the agency of the recall options o Request libraries destroy o Request libraries pull the title and hold until further notice o Request libraries return the title to LPS o Request libraries return the title to the agency 1. Inform the agency that GPO must receive the request in writing GPO will take no action until a written request is received. It has happened that after speaking with GPO agencies change their mind about undertaking this process. These procedures are for tangible products that were distributed to depositories. We are in the process of formulating a policy and procedures for titles that are online only, in the FDLP Electronic Collection. A model consistent with that for tangible products will be applied to EL titles. Again, we are agents of the agency. Our business is to provide public access to published Federal Government information that is within the scope of the Program and we will do this unless we are directed by the agency to do otherwise. As to what is to be made available to the public, §1902 of Title 44 states: Government publications, except those determined by their issuing components to be required for official use only or for strictly administrative or operational purposes which have no public interest or educational value and publications classified for reasons of national security, shall be made available to depository libraries through the facilities of the Superintendent of Documents for public information. State Plans In the electronic environment the relationship between GPO and depository libraries and among depositories is changing. Rather than GPO being a provider of materials and depositories being receivers, we are working together even more as partners in the Federal Depository Library Program. In a recent letter to all depository libraries and directors I urged that state plans for depository services be reviewed in light of changes in the Program and expectations of information seekers. State planning is one way that depositories can come together in the spirit of resource sharing to help each other improve delivery of services to users and make the best use of already stretched limited resources. We have always said the Federal Depository Library Program functions best when libraries cooperate rather than work in a vacuum. State plan revision strategies were discussed at yesterday's meeting of regional librarians and I am certain that we will all benefit from the creative juices generated by the discussion. Sales Program Update Documents Sales Service is now offering a standing order plan for acquiring the U.S. Congressional Serial Set for the 107th Congress (2001-2002). The volumes will be distributed during the years 2004-2005 and will cost approximately $26,000. There is concern in the community about how long it takes to assemble and distribute the Serial Set. I have had discussions with Production about picking up the pace of this process and extra staff has been assigned to this project. GPO Bookstores in Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco and McPherson Square in Washington, DC are now closed. The decision to close these locations was based upon program performance. Despite increased marketing attempts, these locations continued to have significantly reduced sales. This has resulted from the public's increased ability to access Government publications free of charge over the Internet, as well as a reduction in the number of publications produced to sell. Press releases announcing the closings encourage the use of the Online Bookstore and the new toll free number (866-512-1800, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time). Free use of Government information at local Federal depository libraries is also encouraged. Conclusion Amid our rapidly changing environment there are some things that never change. The Federal Depository Library Program will survive, as its purpose is based on the principles of access to government information. And though part of a larger community, depositories respond to local needs and have an impact in their districts daily. The expertise of a government information specialist is still very important and there will continue to be a role for them in libraries. The president's Management and Performance Plan has citizen centered e-government initiatives as key elements of government reform. As you cope with change and try to find new meaning for what we do, turn to the jargon of the day. Dig deep to find the meaning and purpose. Cross-agency citizen centric information portal is a new way to say Federal depository library. I am going to close today with a little technology trivia. On this day in 1950 the first radio paging service began and the first page was sent to a doctor on a golf course twenty-five miles outside of New York City. While many of you probably have pagers and/or cell phones with you today, you will not need them to find GPO staff. We are all around this place, and will be through Wednesday, should you need assistance or just want to talk. Enjoy your stay in the DC area and have a good conference. Thank you very much.