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Below is the text of the Action Alert from the Chair of the ALA/Government
Documents Round Table. Although this information is targeted for Documents
Librarians, anyone working with government information needs to be aware of
this information. Please feel free to pass this information to your
colleagues, supervisors, Library Directors or Deans. Thank you.
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March 10, 1995
TO: Federal Depository Librarians
FROM: Mary Redmond, Chair, Government Documents Round Table
American Library Association
RE: Action Alert
Your help is vitally needed to ensure the continuing existence of
the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). Equitable access
to information by and about the Federal government is essential
to an informed electorate. In the current atmosphere of budget
cutting your help is needed to preserve this low-cost and
efficient program with its wide-reaching and long-lasting
benefits.
With many new Representatives and Senators in Congress, it is
absolutely essential that every legislator be contacted by the
depository librarians in his or her district. Members of
Congress need to be better informed about the value of depository
libraries to their constituents. Depository library staffs are
in a unique position to inform legislators about how their
constituents are served in depository libraries, and how
government information is used. It is important to stress small
business uses of government information, for example, and to give specific
illustrations. Depository libraries can also assist Congressional
district offices with inquiries from the public.
Key members of Congress have indicated interest in shifting the
Federal Depository Library Program to all-electronic
distribution. The FDLP is making the transition from
dissemination of Government information to libraries in the
traditional print formats to the appropriate use of electronic
media. Of greatest significance will be the change from the
physical dissemination of documents to a system of electronic on-
demand delivery of the information. Such delivery, in either
image or full text format, offers potential future economies for
both libraries and the Government. Depository libraries will
also be acting in new roles, serving as intermediaries helping
the public find paths to Federal electronic information and
providing access to the information via electronic gateways.
There are a variety of legislative proposals before Congress
which would affect the Government Printing Office (GPO) and the
Federal Depository Library Program. GPO is an attractive target
because it has a large number of employees devoted to
Congressional printing. However, more than 75 percent of GPO's
printing is procured from the private sector. But GPO's
involvement in the printing process, either directly, or through
contracting, ensures that materials get into the depository
library program, are distributed to libraries throughout the
United States and thus are preserved for current and future use.
Legislators need to be better informed about how the public uses
Federal information, as still today only a small proportion of
Federal information is available in electronic formats. Further,
only a small proportion of the population has access to
electronic information formats, or can use information in
non-print formats. Depository libraries provide a valuable
function in delivering electronic information, such as the
National Trade Data Bank, to users who need assistance or lack
equipment to access electronic information. The point is that
while the FDLP is moving forward with the use of electronic
media, there is a thoughtful transition to be undertaken before
the electronic format becomes the norm for general public use.
It is imperative that you communicate with your legislator in a
non-partisan manner, as the Federal Depository Library Program
works in a non-partisan partnership role in nearly every
Congressional district in the nation.
Various members of the Government Documents Round Table, a group
of more than 1,300 individuals interested in promoting access to
government information, have prepared the attached fact sheet
which summarizes information about the depository library
program. Like our parent organization, the 55,000 member
American Library Association, we are a non-partisan, nonprofit
educational association.
You, as a depository librarian, staff member, director or
library user, are the most qualified to provide the information
that legislators need to make intelligent, informed decisions on
critical government information issues. You know the value of
Federal information in all formats, the importance of preserving
it, and how the legislator's constituents use government
information.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
* Please, contact your Representative's and Senators' local
office and invite them--and his or her staff--to visit your
depository library. It's important to call now. Since the House
and Senate will be in recess from mid to late April, Members of
Congress will be returning to their districts. If a visit to
your library cannot be arranged, ask for an appointment to visit
the legislator or staff.
* Besides educating your local legislators, which is of primary
importance, also contact members of the Appropriations
Committees, particularly the Legislative Branch Subcommittees in
the House and Senate. A list of members and addresses is
attached. Concentrate first on members from your state. Members
of the Subcommittees are making decisions now about GPO's FY 1996
funding request of $30.3 million for the Superintendent of
Documents Appropriation. This sum includes $25.6 million for
acquisition and distribution of publications and electronic
information to depository libraries, and $3.3 million for
cataloging and indexing of government publications so that it is
accessible to the public.
* Once you have established contact with your legislators,
maintain communication. If you visit Washington, D.C., visit
Congressional offices. Attend town meetings and other local
functions that put you in contact with your legislators. Keep
abreast of developments in Congress. Let your Representative and
Senators know how legislation would affect their local depository
library and service to their constituents. The American Library
Association Washington Office monitors Federal legislation of
interest to libraries, and can provide specific information.
Members of the Government Documents Round Table Legislation
Committee can also assist. Addresses are at the bottom of this
letter.
* Urge your legislators to:
1) support the continued distribution of print and electronic
products to the Federal Depository Library Program; and
2) oppose legislation that would eliminate GPO's centralized
printing and printing procurement, and sever the link between the
printing function and distribution to depository libraries.
Legislators need to be better informed about the distribution of
Government information, because they may erroneously assume that
all information is available online.
Addresses:
Mary Redmond
Chair, Government Documents Round Table (GODORT)
Cultural Education Center (518) 474-3940
New York State Library [log in to unmask]
Albany, NY 12230
Linda Kennedy
Chair, GODORT Legislation Committe (916) 752-1656
Government Documents Department [log in to unmask]
Shields Library
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA 95616
American Library Association (ALA)
Washington Office (202) 547-4440
110 Maryland Avenue N.E
Washington, D.C. 20002
______________________________________________________________________________
Append to cover NAAN cover letter:
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
H 218 Capitol, Washington, D.C. 20515-6015
(202) 225-2771
Republicans Democrats
R. Livingston, Jr. (LA), Chmn. David R. Obey (WI)
Joseph McDade (PA) Sidney Yates (IL)
John Myers (IN) Louis Stokes (OH)
Bill Young (FL) Tom Bevill (AL)
Ralph Regula (OH) John P. Murtha (PA)
Jerry Lewis (CA) Chalres Wilson (TX)
John Edward Porter (IL) Norm D. Dicks (WA)
Harold Rogers (KY) Martin Olav Sabo (MN)
Joe R. Skeen (NM) Julian C. Dixon (CA)
Frank R. Wolf (VA) Vic Fazio (CA)
Tom D. DeLay (TX) W. G. "Bill" Hefner (NC)
Jim Kolbe (AZ) Steny H. Hoyer (MD)
Barbara Vucanovich (NV) Richard J. Durbin (IL)
Jim Ross Lightfoot (IA) Ronald D. Coleman (TX)
Ronald C. Packard (CA) Alan B. Mollohan (WV)
H. L. Callahan (AL) Jim Chapman (TX)
James T. Walsh (NY) Peter J. Visclosky (IN)
Charles H. Taylor (NC) Thomas M. Foglietta (PA)
David L. Hobson (OH) Esteban Edward Torres (CA)
Ernest Jim Istook (OK) Nita M. Lowey (NY)
Henry Bonilla (TX) Ray Thornton (AR)
Joe Knollenberg (MI)
Dan Miller (FL)
Jay Dickey (AR)
Jack Kingston (GA)
Frank Riggs (CA)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ)
Roger Wicker (MS)
Michael Forbes (NY)
George Nethercutt (WA)
Jim Bunn (OR)
Mark Neumann (WI)
Legislative Subcommittee
Packard, Chmn. Fazio
Young Thornton
Taylor Dixon
Miller
Wicker
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
S-128 Capitol Building, Washington, D.C. 20510-6025
(202) 224-3471
Republicans Democrats
Mark Hatfield (OR), Chmn. Robert Byrd (WV)
Ted Stevens (AK) Daniel Inouye (HI)
Thad Cochran (MS) Ernest Holldings (SC)
Arlen Specter (PA) Bennett Johnston (LA)
Pete Domenici (NM) Patrick Leahy (VT)
Phil Gramm (TX) Dale Bumpers (AR)
Christopher Bond (MO) Frank Lautenburg (NJ)
Slade Gorton (WA) Tom Harkin (IA)
Mitch McConnell (KY) Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Connie Mack (FL) Harry Reid (NV)
Conrad Burns (MT) Robert Kerrey (NE)
Richard Shelby (AL) Herbert Kohl (WI)
James Jeffords (VT) Patty Murray (WA)
Judd Gregg (NH)
Robert Bennett (UT)
Legislative Branch Subcommmittee
Mack, Chmn. Murray
Bennett Mikulsi
Jeffords
JOINT COMMITTEE ON PRINTING
SH-818, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-5241
Thomas, Bill (R-CA), Chmn
Stevens, Ted (R-AK), V-Chmn
Senate members:
Hatfield, Mark (R-OR) Ford, Wendell (D-KY)
Thad Cochran (R-MS) Inouye, Daniel (D-HI)
House members:
Roberts, Pat (R-KS Hoyer, Steny (D-MD)
Ney, Bob (R-OH) Jefferson, William (D-LA)
RULES AND ADMINISTRATION
SR-305, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
20510-6325
Phone: (202) 224-6352
Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) -- chairman
Republicans: Democrats:
Mark O. Hatfield (Ore.) Wendell H. Ford (Ky.)
Jesse Helms (N.C.) -- ranking member
John W. Warner (Va.) Claiborne Pell (R.I.)
Bob Dole (Kan.) Robert C. Byrd (W.Va)
Mitch McConnell (Ky.) Daniel K. Inouye (HI)
Thad Cochran (Miss.) Daniel Patrick Moynihan (N.Y.)
Rick Santorum (Pa.) Christopher J. Dodd (Conn.)
Don Nickles (Okla.) Dianne Feinstein (Calif.)
HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
H-312 Capitol, Washington, D.C. 20515-6157
(202) 225-8281
Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) -- chairman
Republicans: Democrats:
Vernon J. Ehlers (Mich.) Vic Fazio (Calif.)
Pat Roberts (Kan.) -- ranking member
John A. Boehner (Ohio) Sam Gejdenson (Conn.)
Jennifer Dunn (Wash.) Steny H. Hoyer (Md.)
Lincoln Diaz-Balart (Fla.) William J. Jefferson(La.)
Bob Ney (Ohio) Ed Pastor (Ariz.)
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FACT SHEET: The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP)
PARTNERSHIP:
The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is operated by the
Government Printing Office (GPO) and its partnership network of 1,391
private, state, and Federal libraries located throughout the United States
and its Territories. This network of libraries, each staffed by
professional librarians knowledgeable about Government information,
provides a Government information infrastructure for the nation.
* The FDLP is a partnership between the Federal Government
and libraries funded by state or local government or private
institutions to serve the public in their local communities.
* Depository libraries ensure equitable access to government
information, an essential function in a democracy.
* Depository libraries are designated by members of Congress
and located in public, academic, federal and private libraries in
all parts of the country.
* The nearly 1,400 depository libraries contribute at least
three times the value of the documents they receive, by
providing cataloging records, storage and work space,
microform and computer equipment, and professional staff with
expertise in government information to assist the public.
* During the period of transition to electronic delivery,
depository libraries must also continue to service the historical
paper and microfiche collections of Government documents while
expanding their capability to handle electronic information.
Depositories will also help the public find Federal electronic
information and provide access to the information via electronic
gateways.
* Depository libraries have been one of the most important
factors in preservation of the historical record of the
Government of the United States of America, by acquiring,
cataloging and preserving federal government information.
* Depository libraries take a significant burden from the
Government by making its information accessible to the public,
and preserving it for future use.
ELECTRONIC INFORMATION
The FDLP is expanding the electronic delivery of Federal
information through depository libraries, but a thoughtful
transition period is needed. Electronic delivery, in either
image or full text format, offers potential future economies for
both libraries and the Government.
* Depository libraries already provide access to a wide variety
of government information in electronic formats distributed by
GPO. In addition, there are a growing number of online electronic
services from government agencies. HOWEVER, the vast majority of
government information is still available only in PRINT.
* Of the over 64,000 titles distributed through the FDLP in
FY 1994, less than 0.5% were even available electronically.
* Access to electronic information is still limited to a
minority of the population:
** The majority of citizens are not computer users and require
assistance in using both printed and electronic information.
** Estimates vary as to how many people actually use the Internet.
According to the National Journal (1/21/95), 36 percent of U.S.
households own computers, but few of these are high-end machines
that can fully access the Internet. In 1993, only 22% of
schools had computers with modems (1994 Statistical Abstract).
** Even at that level of use, many popular sites are not
available at peak periods.
* The electronic form of a publication is not recognized as a
legal citation.
WHY THE FDLP WORKS SO WELL
* Congress created a centralized Government Printing Office
in 1861 to end mismanagement in printing procurement. In 1895
Congress recognized the advantage of linking the FDLP with the
GPO's printing function, and reassigned responsibility for the
FDLP to GPO.
* More than 75 percent of GPO's printing is already
contracted out to the private sector. The remaining 25 percent,
printed at GPO's facilities, is primarily for Congress and key
executive products with special printing requirements.
* The FDLP is efficient because it consolidates the printing
and distribution of publications of many agencies into one system
of printing, selection, cataloging and classification, and
distribution to libraries all over the country, thus realizing
enormous economies of scale.
* The FDLP provides a selection mechanism for depository
libraries to customize its selection of publications according
to the needs of its user community. GPO "rides" agency print
orders by adding the requisite number of copies for selecting
libraries, keeping production costs to a minimum.
* The FDLP has cost-effective procurement contracts to
convert paper publications to microfiche when appropriate, saving
millions of dollars in printing and distribution costs. GPO's
distribution network provides a cost effective mechanism for
consolidating and shipping publications.
* GPO's distribution provides depository libraries a mechanism to
request publications which have not been received and to answer
queries, relieving the publishing agencies of this responsibility.
COSTS:
* The cost to the taxpayer for the FDLP and the Cataloging and
Indexing Program is approximately $28 million per year, out of a
Superintendent of Documents appropriation of $32 million. This
represents less than one percent of the Legislative Branch
appropriation, or about 0.002 percent of the entire federal
budget. In other words, the annual cost of this critical national
resource is less than 11 cents per person.
* In FY 1994, Federal depository libraries received more than
20 million copies of over 64,000 individual documents, at a cost
to the taxpayer of just over $1 per copy.
* This level of efficiency is achieved through the centralization and
specialization of the FDLP. If operated on a decentralized basis,
its costs could triple, and coverage of Government information
would decline.
Government Documents Round Table, American Library Association
March 10, 1995
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