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ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES


Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program

[ PDF version ]  [ Back Issues ]
Cumulative Table of Contents Vol. 1 - present [ PDF ] ( includes current issue )

June 15, 2004

GP 3.16/3-2:25/07
(Vol. 25, no. 07)

Summary, Depository Library Council Meeting
April 18 – 21, 2004 - St. Louis, MO

Council commends GPO for embarking on a strategic planning process as initially described in the Public Printer’s presentation Keeping America Informed in the 21st Century. In addition to its implications for GPO, this process affects depository library partners and the public’s continued no-fee access to government information.

As it moves forward in the strategic planning process, GPO should also consider the following:

  • Standards

The best practices as articulated in the meeting of experts on digitization are an excellent beginning. A similar meeting on metadata, including MARC cataloging, will continue the process of developing GPO standards. As this proceeds, DLC urges GPO to consider web capture, delivery and preservation requirements as well (see Recommendation number 7).
  • Technology

The Council strongly supports GPO’s efforts to upgrade its technical infrastructure. GPO should continue to seek best practices, new technologies and state-of-the-art hardware and software for gathering, authenticating, disseminating, storing, and preserving no-fee permanent public access to Federal Government information.
  • Fully digital FDLP

As it develops a comprehensive digital collection, GPO should pay particular attention to "born digital" federal information (See Recommendation number 6). Council wholeheartedly supports GPO’s efforts to partner with libraries of all sizes and types to realize a fully digital FDLP. Partner opportunities could include:
    • supplying cataloging and other metadata for digital and tangible information sources (See Recommendation number 3)
    • digitizing partner materials (as envisioned in the Collection of Last Resort document) (See Recommendation number 7)
    • providing real-time reference for government information (See Recommendation number 8)
    • hosting topical listservs to foster communication (See Recommendation number 2)
    • developing customized portals for various sizes and types of libraries.
  • Agency Service

GPO’s enhanced services to its Federal agency customers should ameliorate the fugitive document problem while providing opportunities to more readily capture "born-digital" and paper publications.
  • Training

GPO should be mindful that just as its own employees need training, so do government information specialists. (See Recommendation number 1).