This message is from Melissa Lamont and is from GOVDOC-L. ---Johnnie
-----------------------------------
Tue, 1 Jun 1993 16:32:35 EST
Discussion of Government Document Issues <[log in to unmask]>
Gary Cornwell <[log in to unmask]>
Recommendations from Spring DLC meeting
Forwarded from govdoc-l, sorry for any repetition
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
May 27, 1993
The Depository Library Council to the Public Printer offers the
following recommendations to Michael DiMario, Acting Public
Printer as a result of our Spring 1993 meeting:
1. Council agrees with the Acting Public Printer that meetings of
the DLC should alternate between Washington D.C. and other
cities around the country. However, it is the opinion of
Council that there is value to holding the Spring Council
meeting in Washington D.C. in conjunction with the Federal
Depository Conference and Library Legislative Day.
Consequently, we recommend that the Spring meeting remain
in Washington D.C. and that the Fall meeting be "on the road."
Airport "hub" cities, since they are easier and less expensive to
get to, should be given first consideration as locations for road
meetings.
2. GPO should experiment with teleconferencing the next DLC
meeting as a prototype for improving communications with
depository librarians and other interested stakeholders unable
to attend the meeting.
3. Future Council meetings should be extended to at least 2 1/2
days and should include an open forum discussion by
observers on the specific DLC topic for that meeting. The open
forum should be moderated by a member of Council.
4. Council strongly supports the appointment of more practicing
documents librarians to the DLC than has been true in the recent
past, but feels just as strongly that a balance must exist in the
membership of Council between practicing librarians and other
interested stakeholders.
5. An Operations Committee of Council should be established.
The first charge of this committee would be to work with the
GODORT Depository Operations Work Group (and other
operations groups that might exist) to determine the best way
to establish a single access point that libraries could contact
for assistance with operational issues affecting the DLP.
6. Council strongly supports the short-term electronic goals of
GPO (as articulated by the Superintendent of Documents*)
with particular emphasis on the need for a real (and
immediate) success in the online distribution of electronic
information.
*GPO at this point needs to have something useful, that is visible, that
is focused and that succeeds. We need a visible success to move into
this field. Because a lot of the stuff we are talking about is so
changeable, the first thing we need to do is become a player. I am kind
of interested in the Access bill because, in effect, it sets up a core.
There are two things in the core to begin with and then it says as other
agencies are willing to come forward more can be added. Heh, that's a
start, right? If we do that successfully we are in the ballpark. And, I
would say, as we move we would set up certain things we want to see
included. You start with things that are of high level of interest. Why
start with a low level of interest and insure there is no visible success?
So, start with high demand items in the core list. And I would say we
would deliver it in user friendly formats....identifying the depository
libraries who have the resources and the interest, who are able to
provide the participation and the evaluation of what worked. Then we
take that and build on it as a prototype for what might work system
wide.
7. At a minimum, GPO should move into the electronic arena as
defined in the GPO Access bills (H.R. 1328, S. 564), whether
or not these bills become law. Inherent in this
recommendation is that GPO would connect to the Internet
and take the initiative in developing an online access program
regardless of the outcome of these bills.
8. The type of software that was demonstrated before Council for
the online Congressional Record is the kind of forward
thinking, innovative software that we would like to see
accompany all Congressionally produced electronic products.
Council recommends that in instances where GPO has input
into the level and quality of software that accompanies
electronic products and services that this or similar level
software be used.
9. Council should work with the Coalition for Networked Information
(CNI) and with GPO to optimize results from the Coalition's
Access to Public Information Program (APIP). In particular,
Council is interested in ensuring that results from the
"Connectivity of Depository Libraries" initiative that is part of
APIP help provide the answers necessary to determine the
feasibility of "electronic depositories."
10. Council recommends a moratorium on the establishment of
new depository libraries.
11. Minimum technical requirements for existing depository
libraries should be developed. In addition, it is the opinion of
Council that libraries should be given a reasonable amount of
time to meet these requirements. Failure to comply with these
requirements after a reasonable period of time has passed
should be treated as non-compliance and a major infraction of
the rules for depository libraries.
12. The depository library community should be surveyed (with all
deliberate speed) regarding potential interest in the following
two ideas for short-term restructuring of the Depository
Library Program:
A) Basic Service Centers - a library could select a core
collection but have no opportunity for other selections or
changes. This would reduce overhead and maintenance
for the library and reduce distribution costs for GPO.
B) Cooperative regionals or multi-state regionals where the
terms and conditions of being a regional are different
from the current structure. For example, Regionals
might not have to select 100% or might not be required
to retain all material forever.
13. Council concurs with Mr. DiMario's reading of Congress that
the bound Serial Set is a valuable resource tool for the
depository community and should be available to all
depositories wishing to select it. Council is willing to work
with GPO to develop a less expensive method of producing this
title.
14. Council supports the recommendation made by the Dupont
Circle Group that the focus of the inspection program be
changed to place more emphasis on education and training.
In addition, Council believes that inspectors should rotate
within GPO as ombudsman to communicate with libraries on
depository issues.
15. GPO should explore the feasibility of distributing hardware to
depository libraries to use electronic products. While this
would probably require a revision to Title 44, long-term cost-
savings by a "wholesale switch" to electronic distribution
rather than traditional paper format would give credibility to
this alternative.
16. GPO should solicit letters from Ken Rogers (Dept. of
Commerce) and Phyllis Christenson (GAO) regarding the value
of the Federal Depository Conference to agencies, either as
vendor demonstrators or presenters at the conference. Letters
would go to Federal Publishers Committee and other
appropriate organizations for distribution to federal agencies.
17. Should a stakeholders conference on the restructuring of the
Depository Library Program be held, it is the strong opinion of
Council that GPO should be an active participant.
**** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** ****
GARY CORNWELL PHONE: (904) 392-0366
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LIBRARIES FAX: (904) 392-7251
DOCUMENTS DEPARTMENT BITNET: GARCORN@NERVM
LIBRARY WEST INTERNET: [log in to unmask]
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA 32611
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