----------------------------Original message----------------------------
These are the minutes of the CUAC meeting in Chicago.  Thanks to Melissa Lamont
for notes on the GODORT FedDocs Update. Sorry for the delay in posting these.
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CUAC Report - ALA Annual Meeting, Chicago
 
CUAC met on June 25, 1995
 
Representatives present: Margaret Brill & John Stevenson (MAGERT); Donna Koepp
(GODORT); Dan Seldin (NACIS)
 
I. Agency reports:
 
1. Census Bureau:
 John Stevenson reported that the PUMS CDs are being issued with TIF files for
the maps.  The disks are being reissued as result of feed-back from the user
community.  John will continue to post information about the Census mapping on
MAPS-L.
 
2. DMA: As usual, more questions than answers about DMA.  For example, when is
the Digital Chart of the World II going to be released?  It is supposed to
include the TPCs at 1:500,000 scale.  There was another question  about the 3-
year updates for the ONCs.  We also discussed the situation with the
declassified JOGs and recommended distributing them through GPO if possible.  MB
promised to call DMA/USGS about these issues on her return.  [NOTE: I tried to
do this and no one answered the phone!   I checked with GPO, who said that Mark
Ward, our former rep., has been reassigned and they do not yet have a
replacement.  GPO promised to look into DCW II for us. In the meantime I called
USGS, and was informed that they don't expect it before October at the earliest.
I will post any additional information I get on this.]  Note that the DMA
gazetteers are available on the Web at http://164.214.2.50/ Log in as "Guest";
password "Guest".]
 
3. USGS:
 Michael Domaratz of the US Geological Survey spoke at the GODORT Federal
Documents Update Meeting.  He noted that USGS is interested in increasing the
currency and timeliness of information through electronic publication.
Electronic solutions may offer the user more flexibility and keep costs lower
than print formats. Mr. Domaratz suggested that new information technologies
make updating or enhancing only a portion, or layer, of a previously print
product much easier.  For example, the National Mapping Division might digitize
and update only the hydrographic data or only road lines without completely
revising and reissuing the map.  Such capability allows USGS to more quickly
update, but also leaves libraries with only paper map collections a step behind.
Although the digital data could be very current, USGS might not reprint paper on
a regular basis.  For the moment print version will continue, though we should
expect more printing on demand.  USGS expects that CD-ROM technologies, the
Internet and just the increasing technological sophistication of customers will
decrease reliance on traditional print media.
 
Although Mr. Domaratz did not verbalize the idea; map librarians and other
professionals may need to clearly prioritize needs and requirements.  If we
continue to demand paper products, resources within the agency may need to be
shifted from maintenance and updating to production costs.  Mr. Domaratz
emphasized that USGS will need to establish partnerships for the future.  In
partnerships with other government agencies or businesses the question of what
constitutes a government document will arise.  He also suggested greater
involvement with local and regional governments.  Such collaboration will result
in data covering units smaller than the state level. Necessarily such data will
be more diverse, and more customized to meet current issues.
 
In his concluding remarks Mr. Domaratz outlined some current Internet
initiatives.  USGS is working to provide metadata, product description and
ordering information on-line.  The agency also hopes to expand National Spatial
Data Infrastructure clearinghouse participation.  They are also working on
providing access to the data directly through the Internet.  All this means a
very welcome move away from microform materials, especially for indexes, in
favor of online access.
 
    Later, in conversation with Melissa Lamont and myself, Mr. Domaratz talked
about the raster scan of topo quads which will be released over the next year
and a half.   There will be about 840 CD-ROMs.  USGS has the ability to cover
the whole country, but they may not.  Updating will depend on demand.  Libraries
will need large-format printing capability.   DEMs will be available on the
internet at no charge in SDTS format.   There will be a charge for other
formats.  DOQs will be available on the Internet when the compression software
is available to compress a DOQ down to 1 meg then uncompress it without loss of
data.
 
4. There was discussion about the Wetlands Inventory maps on the Internet, and
how to know what is there.
 
II.  There was a brief CUAC business meeting when we decided to try and organize
a meeting in DC next spring following the Depository meeting.   Given the
current budget cutbacks in the federal government, it is even more important to
communicate with the agencies producing maps and digital spatial data.   The
MAGERT reps agreed to contact all the participating organizations to update the
membership roster.  [NOTE: this has now been done, and a roster will be
published on MAPS-L soon].