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THE FOLLOWING IS BEING POSTED ON GOVDOC-L, MAPS-L, AND LAW-LIB.
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| T H E D U P O N T C I R C L E R E P O R T E R |
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| An Informal Newsletter for the Federal |
| Depository Library Community |
| May 5, 1993 No. 3 |
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CONTENTS: * Trouble in Capitol City
* What If We Do Nothing?
* What Can We Do?
* Suggested Readings for More Information
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TROUBLE IN CAPITOL CITY
The Federal Depository Library Program is in trouble -- BIG TROUBLE!
Structural, organizational, and budgetary weaknesses that have hindered
the program for years have been exacerbated by the recent onslaught of
electronic government information products and services. Budget
problems at all levels -- from the Federal government to the local
depository library -- have forced a reevaluation of the way public
information is being delivered through the program. Many regional
depository libraries are reconsidering their regional status, no longer
able to handle the collection and other burdens of the system. And
as new technologies develop, different delivery mechanisms are emerging
that do not bother to include depository libraries.
The underlying ideals behind a "depository library" are still as valid
as ever -- all citizens have a right to access public information in all
formats, and depositories play an integral role in providing free and
open access to govenment information. The question is how can a system
established around a print-based, 19th Century model adapt to the
very different dissemination and access requirements of the current
information environment?!
The Dupont Circle Group is attempting to focus discussion on
the problems and issues facing the Depository Library Program in
an effort to formulate a proposal for an improved program for
access and delivery of government information. Please lend your
voice to the discussions by participating in local, state, regional,
and national meetings which will address these issues. For more
information, please contact any member of the Dupont Circle Group.
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WHAT IF WE DO NOTHING?
Given the current budgetary situation and the rapid development
of information technologies and delivery mechanisms to the citizen,
the following is a view of the Federal Depository Library Program
environment in five years if the status quo is maintained:
* The national information infrastructure will continue to develop
at an increasingly rapid pace, with or without depository
libraries.
* Less information will be available through the Depository Library
Program to stimulate small businesses and other entrepreneurial
enterprises.
* Less information will be available through the Depository Library
Program to citizens to make informed political and social
decisions.
* Less information will be available through the Depository Library
Program to students to further their education and to the general
public for life-long learning.
* Less information will be available through the Depository Library
Program to researchers for innovations in scientific and
technological developments.
* Less information will be available through the Depository Library
Program to scholars for the furthering of human knowledge and
social good.
* What is available through the Program is increasingly distributed
to taxpayers in untimely, inappropriate, and unusable formats.
* The long term and continuous history of budget deficiencies will
continue to plague the Program and deteriorate information
services to the public.
* The diffusion of electronic government sources will continue without
structure or organization, making it more difficult for the average
citizen to access public information.
* The GPO and the FDLP are effectively locked out of online
electronic information dissemination, constricting the availability
of these tax-supported resources to the public.
* As more critical government information is disseminated
electronically, what remains in the FDLP becomes increasingly
less relevant and less useful.
* As individual libraries are forced to take on greater
responsibilities in locating and acquiring government
publications and information services, the overall costs to the
public will increase.
* As the government information environment becomes
increasingly decentralized and complicated, citizens will not know
where to turn for information.
* Scattered and unconnected channels of distribution will develop
leading to waste, duplication, and inefficiency.
* GPO's diminished role will negatively impact on the identification
and bibliographic control of government information sources, and
citizens will not know where to look for information.
* Unstructured dissemination will further divide citizens into the
information "haves" and "have nots."
* Some libraries will find the Program is not meeting the needs of
their communities and will drop out, thus further reducing
overall public access.
* "Back to the Future" -- As the basic components of the FDLP are
undermined, the public faces a return to the costly and chaotic
days before the Printing Act of 1895.
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WHAT CAN WE DO?
Changes are ocurring in the national information infrastructure.
Whether depository libraries will continue to be a part of this
infrastructure will depend on the community's actions. We must take
an active role in determining our future and the future of public
access to government information.
The documents developed by the Dupont Circle Group attempt to
focus discussion on these issues. These documents begin to outline
the mission, goals, and benefits of a depository library program.
In addition, they propose models for governance and service of a
depository library program. Above all, the documents ask questions
that need input and responses from all of us in the depository
community.
The Dupont Circle documents referred to here will be distributed
beginning with the next issue of the Reporter. (In addition, we are
working on setting up an FTP site where the documents will also
be available.)
These documents are not a "final result" but rather a suggested
start for discussion. Local, state, and regional associations and
library groups are encouraged to add these discussions to their
upcoming meetings. All members of the depository community should be
provided the opportunity to contribute toward reshaping the Depository
Library Program. Discussion sessions are being planned for the
national meetings of the American Library Association, the Special
Library Association, and the American Association of Law Libraries.
State GODORT meetings in Minnesota, Florida, and other states will
also address these issues. Reports from these meetings will be
posted here, to further discussion and present the status of our
progress. It is the hope and intent of the Dupont Circle Group that
the input and feedback from all of these discussions can be coalesced
to form a consensus report on the future direction of the depository
program (to be completed by mid-October).
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SUGGESTED READINGS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Cornwell, Gary, et al., "Problems and Issues Affecting the U.S.
Depository Library Program and the GPO: The Librarians'
Manifesto," Government Publications Review, vol. 20, no. 2
(March/April 1993), pp. 121-140. [NOTE: See also in the same
issue of GPR articles by Paul Massa, J. Timothy Sprehe, and Bruce
Morton.]
"GPO/2001: Vision for a New Millennium," Government Printing
Office, 1991. SuDoc: GP1.2:V82.
"Informing the Nation: Federal Information Dissemination in an
Electronic Age," Office of Technology Assessment, 1988. SuDoc:
Y3.T22/2:2In3/9 (also Exec. Summary).
Kahin, Brian, "Information Policy and the Internet: Toward a Public
Information Infrastructure in the United States," Government
Publications Review, vol. 18, no. 5 (September/ October 1991) pp.
451-472.
"National Publications Act of 1979," Committee Print prepared for
the Committee on House Administration, 1979. SuDoc: Y4.H81/3:N21.
Oakley, Robert, et al., "Alternatives for Restructuring the
Depository Library Program: A Report to the Superintendent of
Documents and the Public Printer from the Depository Library
Council," April 1993.
Rhulin, Michele, et al, "National Research and Education Network
and the Federal Depository Library Program," Documents to the
People, vol. 19, no. 2 (June 1991), pp. 106-109.
Dupont Circle Reporter/Number 3/May 5, 1993
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