For Information contact Peter Young e-mail: py_nclis@inet.ed.gov

• PRESENT = 20%
  • Opportunity for NCLIS to provide an overview of plans relating to Standards Assessment Project
• LISTEN - DISCUSS - INTERACT = 80%
  • Opportunity for NCLIS to hear from DLC and FDLP about plans relating to NCLIS Standards Assessment Project

• INTRODUCTIONS:
  • NCLIS Chairperson, Jeanne Hurley Simon
  • NCLIS Vice Chair, Martha B. Gould
• NCLIS MISSION AND BACKGROUND
  • P.L. 91-345: Members and Mission
  • Functions and Activities
• NCLIS AND GOVERNMENT INFORMATION
  • WHCLIS 79 and 91
  • Principles of Public Information
  • NCLIS Resolution 22 July 1996
• NCLIS ASSESSMENT OF STANDARDS for Creation and Dissemination of Electronic Government Information

• NCLIS provides policy advice to:
  • President and Congress
  • State and local governments
  • Private agencies
• Conducts studies, surveys and analyses of information needs of people of U.S.
• Develops overall plans
• Coordinates Federal, State, and local activities
• Recommends effective utilization of nation's educational resources
• Promotes research and development activities

• 1996 NCLIS Focus:
  • Congressional Reauthorization of LSCA
  • 1996 National Survey of Public Libraries and the Internet
  • FCC Universal Service Proceedings
• 1997 NCLIS Focus:
  • IMLS/LSTA Transition
  • Government Information Standards Assessment
  • Human Resources and the NII

• 1990 Principles of Public Information:
  • Guaranteed public right of easily available access to public information through national networks and FDLP
• 1991 WHCLIS Recommendations:
  • increased support for depository library program
  • amend FOIA to ensure open, timely, free, and uninhibited access to public information
  • comprehensive indexing for all public documents to provide easy and equitable access
• 1996 NCLIS Standards Assessment Project Resolution

• Proceed with a study to facilitate improved public access to government information focused on end users and addressing:
  • future agency publishing plans
  • cost-effectiveness of various formats
  • usefulness of government information to the people
  • public and private format standards
  • training requirements for those who use government information

• What?
  • Study and assess government information format cost-effectiveness, usefulness, and standards
• How?
  • Focus groups, site visits, surveys, benchmarking
• When?
  • Fiscal year 1997
  • Who?
  • Initial discussions with National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) for developing work statement

• Collect and assess data about government information systems and standards
• Develop performance measures and business process reengineering strategies for improving FDLP services to the public
• Formulate policies, standards, and plans for improved public access to government information through electronic and network technologies

Questions 1

• What are the key challenges facing FDLP in the transition to electronic information?
• How are depository libraries responding to changing requirements for:
  • training and education
  • hardware and software
  • communication hardware and fees
  • facilities and maintenance
  • program planning/management/staffing

Questions 2

• What FDLP information is needed about users and usefulness of government information services?
• What FDLP cost information is needed to plan government information services?
  • What FDLP information is needed about training to access and use government information?
  • What user/patron feedback information is needed?

Questions 3

• What are FDLP concerns about current electronic government information services?
• How are patrons using electronic government information systems? How are these services being integrated with depository collections?
• What criteria and guidelines are needed to determine government information distribution format(s)? (e.g., paper, microfiche, CD/ROM, Internet, WWW, etc.., or multiple combinations)

Questions 4

• How are electronic government information services affecting ILL and resource sharing among libraries?
• How will FDLP libraries fund the costs of a transition to more electronic information services?
• What are the technical, format, and system standards issues, problems, and concerns of the FDLP community?

Questions 5

• How can permanent access to government information be assured?
• What is required to develop coordinated search platforms for government information?
  • What standards and procedres are required to develop permanent uniform resource locators (URLs) for accessing government information?
• What mechanisms are needed for NCLIS to coordinate with the FDLP community?