WHEREAS, Equitable, no-fee public access to unclassified government information is vital for maintaining a democratic society; and
WHEREAS, Timely and systematic access to unclassified federal scientific and technical information (STI) is of vital importance to the economic well-being and security of the nation; and
WHEREAS, The National Technical Information Service (NTIS), an agency within the Department of Commerce, currently serves as a centralized federal government clearinghouse for much STI by collecting, indexing, abstracting, and selling reports to researchers, businesses, and the American public; and
WHEREAS, Many federal agencies use NTIS to act as a repository for their STI; and
WHEREAS, The Secretary of Commerce William H. Daley announced on August 12, 1999 his intention to close the NTIS eliminating some functions, and transferring other NTIS functions to other agencies - pending the passage of necessary legislation; and
WHEREAS, The American Library Association (ALA) is on record urging the Federal government to maintain government information services and to provide for a centralized source and permanent repository for a broad range of federal, international, state, local, and other unclassified STI; and
WHEREAS, The Government Printing Office (GPO) operates a sales program that sells more than 19 million publications per year in multiple formats; and
WHEREAS, The GPO operates the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) which is the primary provider of public access to federal government information and serves constituents through 1,350 academic, public, and other libraries, in Congressional districts nationwide, including the Library of Congress (LC); and
WHEREAS, The indexing, abstracts, and reports in the NTIS collection should be available through the FDLP for no-fee public access; and
WHEREAS, Public access returns the public investment in STI resulting from Federal research and development; and
WHEREAS, Proposals for any decentralized access system to STI will be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive for researchers, businesses, and the American public; and
WHEREAS, GPO, LC, and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), are already cooperatively providing permanent preservation and access to some government information including STI; and
WHEREAS, Combining the NTIS scientific and technical information with the STI that GPO already receives would create a single, comprehensive, and efficient STI collection that will decrease duplication and increase easy access for researchers, businesses, and the American public; and
WHEREAS, The GPO with its experience and expertise with large-scale distribution and sales of government information is presently positioned as the appropriate government agency to assume these responsibilities; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the American Library Association (ALA) urge that the clearinghouse functions of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) for unclassified scientific and technical information (STI) remain centralized to facilitate use by researchers and businesses to promote technological advances and economic growth; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That ALA urge the Congress to pass legislation to transfer these centralized NTIS clearinghouse functions for STI to the Government Printing Office (GPO), which has responsibility for printing, procurement, and dissemination of all formats of government information ; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the ALA urge Congress to require a systematic implementation plan supported by adequate funding to transfer the NTIS clearinghouse functions; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That any implementation plan for the transfer of these clearinghouse functions from NTIS be developed with the full participation of the affected communities including the ALA, education, research, and publishing communities, the government agencies, Congressional representatives and others, as appropriate; and be it further
RESOLVED, That Congress provide sufficient annual appropriations to support the continuing NTIS clearinghouse functions; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That any plan should broaden and expand public access to STI by including these products, materials, and information through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP); and, be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent to appropriate members of Congress, the Comptroller General of the United States, the Chair of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), the Secretary of Commerce, the Director of NTIS, the Librarian of Congress, the Public Printer and other appropriate agencies.
Adopted by the Council of the
American Library Association
San Antonio, TX
January 19, 2000
(Council Document 20.2)