Washington, DC - The National Commission for Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) announced today that it has launched a study to assess the long-term impacts of shifting more and more Government information products from paper and microform mediums to Federal Agency web sites and other electronic mediums. To assist in the effort, a contract has been awarded to Westat Inc., Rockville, Maryland.
This unprecedented study, which will involve a survey to be sent to about 20 Federal agencies in all three Branches, sampling several hundred information products, was authorized by the Joint Committee on Printing, and is being closely coordinated with the Superintendent of Documents and other elements of the Government Printing Office. The Department of Education assisted NCLIS with procurement and contracting support.
The study is expected to take approximately nine months. A January 1998 memorandum to the CIO Council from Sally Katzen, former Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Office of Management and Budget underscored joint Executive-Legislative support for the survey.
The study is a direct outgrowth of the Congress's concerns with the impact of electronic publishing on the ability of citizens to obtain access to Government information. In a letter dated May 24, 1996, to Michael F. DiMario, the Public Printer, jointly signed by Senators John Warner and Wendell Ford of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, the Committee underscored the importance of a healthy and viable Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP):
The FDLP has served, and continues to serve, the American public by insuring localized access to federal government information. The mission continues to be as important today to the fundamental success of our democracy as it was when the FDLP was created. The FDLP's original mandate, to assist Americans regardless of economic, educational, or geographic considerations, is one that must not be lost as we strategically and thoughtfully use the tools of the electronic age to enhance that mandate.
Remarks made by the newly-appointed Superintendent of Documents, Francis J. Buckley, Jr., to the Federal Library and Information Center (FLICC) Forum on March 19, 1998, underscored the magnitude and diversity of the many challenges targeted by the survey and the importance of reaching useful conclusions, findings and recommendations:
We believe that the electronic transition should proceed based on: the actions of the publishing agencies; cost-effectiveness; and usability of the information by the depository libraries and the public. A critical component of our transition to a more electronic FDLP is information about the standards and mediums being already used or which agencies plan to use for electronic dissemination.
The assessment will: (1) identify medium and format standards that are the most appropriate for permanent public access; (2) assess the cost-effectiveness and usefulness of various alternative medium and format standards; and (3) identify public and private medium and format standards that are, or could be, used for products throughout their entire information life cycle, not just at the dissemination for permanent public access stage. The contractor will complete an analysis of the data and opinions and produce a final report that will be available from GPO.
NCLIS Chairperson Jeanne Hurley Simon has promised widespread library and information industry participation in reviewing the results of the study, including the printing and publishing communities, access to government information groups, computer and information systems groups, and electronic standards groups. NCLIS will periodically report progress to the various public and private groups which have been tracking the study, including a special library association working group (IAWG).
As of January 31, 1998, there were 1,365 libraries in the Federal Depository Library Program. Approximately 30,000 physical items are catalogued annually within GPO, and in Fiscal Year 1997, 13.4 million copies of 44,820 titles were distributed to depositories.
Westat, Inc. is a firm which specializes in government surveys, and has successfully concluded a number of similar types of studies to this one in the library and educational fields in recent years.
Questions should be directed to NCLIS Consultant Woody Horton at (202) 606-9200. Dr. Horton can be e-mailed at wh_nclis@inet.ed.gov.
The U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science is a permanent, independent agency of the Federal government charged by Public Law 91-345 to advise the President and Congress on national and international library and information policies and plans.