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