FDLP Desktop: Administrative Notes - Nov. 15/Dec. 15, 2008

Registration is now open for the spring meeting of the Federal Depository Library Council, to be held April 20 -22, 2009 in Tampa Bay, FL. For details, including hotel location and registration, links for the educational programs proposal form, and vendor information, visit the events page on the FDLP Desktop.

Call for Presentations at 2009 Spring Depository Library Council Meeting:
GPO invites the Federal documents community to submit proposals for presentations at the spring Depository Library Council meeting. The spring meeting offers numerous opportunities to share your ideas and knowledge, explore new developments, and network with your colleagues.

The scheduling committee invites presentations from introductory to advanced levels on topics related to Federal information librarianship, especially on "nuts & bolts" issues, including but not limited to:

Presentations may run for 45 minutes or 90 minutes, with a sole presenter or a panel. Audiovisual equipment will be provided.

To submit a proposal, please visit the FDLP Desktop events page. Please submit proposals by February 28.

Nominate the 2009 Library of the Year

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2009 Federal Depository Library of the Year Award. The chosen library will be announced during the Fall 2009 Federal Depository Library Conference and Meeting of the Depository Library Council.

The Federal Depository Library of the Year Award provides special recognition for a library that furthers the goal of the Federal Depository Library Program by ensuring that the American public has free access to its Government's information.

You are invited to nominate any Federal depository library, regardless of its size or type. Past winners, libraries of current Depository Library Council members and libraries on probation are ineligible for consideration.

The nomination deadline is July 1, 2009. The winning library will be notified by the end of July 2009.

Read more about the Library of the Year Award, the nomination guidelines, and access the nomination form on the FDLP Desktop.

FDLP Desktop Re-launched with New Design

On mid-January, 2009, the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) re-launched the FDLP Desktop. Visitors to http://www.fdlp.gov will see that the beta version has been replaced by the new design. At the same time, the homepage for the legacy FDLP Desktop will redirect users to fdlp.gov.

This re-launch comes after a year of development and community feedback and is designed to streamline GPO's dissemination of Program-related news, content, and tools to enhance library participation and public services.

More information on the structure, design, and functionality of the FDLP Desktop is available under Tutorials, which is available from FDLP Desktop homepage.

FDsys Public Beta Released

GPO is pleased to announce that FDsys is now available as a public beta. The information on GPO Access is in the process of being migrated to GPO's Federal Digital System (FDsys), a process that will be complete in mid-2009. The migration is occurring on a collection-by-collection basis. The information on GPO Access will remain current and continue to be available until migration is complete. Users will continue to be able to access all GPO Access content as described in the A-Z Resource List.

GPO is requesting your feedback on the system. All questions and comments should be directed to pmo@gpo.gov. For more information on the capabilities of FDsys by release, visit this Web page.

Authenticated Congressional Bills Now Live on GPO Access

After successful beta testing, GPO has integrated Authenticated Congressional Bills into the live Congressional Bills application on GPO Access .Users of this application will notice digital signatures on bills from the 110th and 111th Congresses.

New Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents Replaces Weekly

Concurrent with the change in Administrations, the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents has been replaced by the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents, effective January 20, 2009. The Daily Compilation will keep the same SuDoc class (AE 2.109:) and item number (0577-A) as the previous title. GPO catalog records will be updated to reflect the title and frequency change.

The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents will continue to be available on GPO Access and the new Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents will be accessible through GPO Access and through FDsys.

GPO Releases Report on Conditions of
Regional Depository Libraries

In 2008, at the request of the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP), GPO undertook a study of the organizational, financial, and technological conditions in regional depository libraries and their affect on public access to depository materials. The final report, Regional Depository Libraries in the 21st Century: A Preliminary Assessment, was delivered to the JCP and is now available on the FDLP Desktop .

GPO thanks the depository library community for participating in the study process and for providing valuable information, comments, and supportive letters.

Issuance of New STAT-USA Passwords Postponed

The issuance of new STAT-USA passwords, originally scheduled for the last week of January 2009, has been postponed.

Through their partnership, STAT-USA and GPO continue to offer free access for Federal depository libraries to STAT-USA products, which include STAT-USA(r)/Internet(tm) and USA Trade(r) Online.

Based upon best practices in database security, STAT-USA and GPO are taking this opportunity to review and revise the Account Validation Form. We are also working to develop a FAQ Web page that will be posted on the FDLP Desktop.

When revision of the form is complete, all depository libraries wishing to have free access to STAT-USA will be required to complete, sign, and return the new Account Validation Form, and new passwords will be issued.

Please continue to use your current passwords at this time. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Census Documents Recalled

In January 2009, GPO was advised by the U.S. Census Bureau that some Census Bureau publications sent to depository libraries from 1992 to 1998 should not have been distributed. These materials were intended for internal use only, for field agent testing. Public access to these documents could compromise the integrity of the Census' program for field agent testing. For that reason the publications are considered to be sensitive. Therefore the Superintendent of Documents requested that depository libraries withdraw these publications from library collections. Notifications were disseminated via the FDLP Desktop, FDLP-L, and through an announcement placed in each library's depository shipping box.

To allow librarians more time to research their collection holdings, the deadline for the date of the recall for Census publications was extended to February 23, 2009.

After you have determined whether your library should have received these documents please locate them within your library and contact us. When you find any or some of these publications please pull them from the shelves and do not circulate them. They will need to be returned to GPO. Please use the contact form to receive further instructions. If any titles should be in the library but cannot be found, we would appreciate knowing this as well.

If your depository did not select these item numbers, you may disregard this notice. Thank you very much for cooperating in this effort.

Comments on the FDLP of the Future Invited

Discussion from the last two meetings of the Depository Library Council on the future and strategic direction of the FDLP was incorporated into a draft strategic plan, Federal Depository Library Program Strategic Plan, 2009-2014: Creating an informed citizenry and improving quality of life.

The draft plan is posted on the FDLP Desktop for comment. It will be updated with more details once input is received from the depository library community and the strategic direction is approved by the Council. GPO invites your comments and thoughts on the draft plan as well as your vision of the FDLP of the future. Please use the comment form provided through the Desktop's strategic plan page.

Administrative Notes Will Cease with
Nov.-Dec. 2009 Issue

Since 1980, Administrative Notes has served to inform the depository library community of policies, procedures, and news relating to the Federal Depository Library Program. It was first published in paper (initially on a monthly basis and later bimonthly, with additional issues as required) and then went online-only. When distributed in paper, each issue was distributed to all libraries in regular depository shipments, along with an annual microfiche cumulation.
Today, the information that has been published in Administrative Notes is not as timely as new Internet technologies have emerged and matured (e.g., email alerts, RSS). Therefore, after a 30-year run, the Administrative Notes newsletter will cease with the November-December 2009 issue. The FDLP Desktop will be the primary communication vehicle about the Federal Depository Library Program. The Administrative Notes archive, including the searchable cumulative table of contents, will remain on the FDLP Desktop.

Update from Ric Davis
Acting Superintendent of Documents and Director, Library Services and Content Management
Federal Documents Task Force Meeting
ALA 2009 Midwinter Meeting
Denver, CO
January 2009

Good afternoon! First I want to extend my gratitude to the Federal Documents Task Force for inviting me to speak to you today and say how happy I am to be here with you for another ALA Midwinter Meeting. Throughout the week, as always, I want to encourage you to approach me or any member of my staff and talk with us about any of the initiatives you hear about today. I am always available for questions or comments, and if you think of any after we return home, you can always e-mail me directly at rdavis@gpo.gov.

Today I am going to update you on many of our important initiatives within GPO’s Library Services & Content Management, but first, one quick item of note to speak of. As of January 20th, the start of President Obama’s administration, the Office of the Federal Register is no longer producing the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents as it has traditionally done. This has been replaced with a version that is updated continuously, as new documents are available. The Compilation of Presidential Documents is available within GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDsys) and on GPO Access. GPO Access and FDsys will continue to provide access to the older, archived Weekly Compilations.

GPO is requesting your feedback on the system. All questions and comments should be directed to pmo@gpo.gov.

At tomorrow’s Government Information Technology Committee (GITCO) session, you will have the opportunity to hear from GPO’s Program Management Office staff. They will be addressing FDsys. Staff at GPO have been working hard on this important system, and tomorrow, you will hear more about the status of FDsys and how it benefits GPO and the library community.

If you haven’t yet seen it, I encourage you to visit a Web page on the FDLP Desktop, "The Value of the FDLP." This page offers a venue to highlight the value of being a Federal depository library including services GPO provides FDLP members, the expertise and services FDLP members provide one another as part of the larger network, and the local value individual libraries place on the FDLP within their institution.

The web page provides a mechanism for depositories to submit success stories to the FDLP Community Forum that GPO will use to build a repository for sharing across the FDLP. Submissions may include any manner of information that conveys how depository users, your institution, or your library finds value in the FDLP. Members of the FDLP can benefit from how you are discovering and growing the value of the FDLP in your community.

In August, I sent a letter to depository library directors, asking them to identify the value Federal depository designation creates at the local level for the library, its staff, and users. The letter also actively sought out success stories and anecdotes about the value of the depository. The response was overwhelming, and I was so pleased to read all of the glowing remarks about the FDLP. The collection of these responses is also posted on the Value of the FDLP Web page on the FDLP Desktop. The stories we received were helpful in our strategic planning process for the future.

Speaking of strategic planning for the future, we have also recently released a draft of our FDLP Strategic Plan.
At the Federal Depository Library Conference and Fall Depository Library Council meeting in 2007, GPO was advised by the Depository Library Council to plan strategically for the future. Initial discussions began at the Spring 2008 Meeting of the Depository Library Council in Kansas City on the vision, mission, and assumptions for the Plan. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis of the FDLP was also started at the Meeting.

Feedback was gathered throughout the following months via the FDLP Desktop, as well as at various library events throughout the year, about the future direction of the FDLP. Based on feedback from the depository community, the draft strategic plan was created.

The strategic plan will serve to be an essential component in guiding the future direction of the FDLP. It builds on the work that is being done for the FDLP now and looks forward to the year 2014.

REGIONAL STUDY
I want to take a moment to speak on the Study on the Conditions of Regional Depository Libraries. As we all know, The FDLP operates under the authority and mandates of Title 44, U.S. Code. The existing structure of selective and regional depository libraries dates back to the Depository Library Act of 1962, which established regional depository libraries. Over the years, there have been attempts to revise Chapter 19, and variations within the regional/selective model have been implemented.

GPO’s September 2007 request of the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) to approve a proposed shared regional designation across state lines highlighted the growing challenges confronting regional depositories in maintaining and supporting effective public access through the FDLP.

GPO was subsequently directed by the JCP to conduct a study on the conditions of regional depository libraries. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the extent to which public access to Federal depository resources may be impaired by current or projected organizational, financial, technological, or other conditions affecting regional libraries.

After consultation with and input from depository libraries, in June 2008, GPO released a draft report and made it available for depository comment. All comments were reviewed, and a final report of findings was created. This report, entitled “Regional Depository Libraries in the 21st Century: A Preliminary Assessment,” was submitted it to the JCP earlier this month. The report is available directly from the homepage of the FDLP Desktop.

Once we hear of next steps or instructions from JCP, we will alert the library community immediately.

AUTHENTICATION
Progress is continuing in regard to our authentication initiative.

As you know by now, GPO is implementing digital signatures to certain electronic documents on GPO Access that not only establish GPO as the trusted information disseminator, but also provide the assurance that an electronic document has not been altered since GPO disseminated it. A digital signature, viewed through the GPO Seal of Authenticity, verifies document integrity and authenticity on GPO online Federal documents, at no cost to the end user.

Just days ago, after successful beta testing, we launched authenticated Congressional Bills on GPO Access. Digitally signed PDF files are now available for the entire collection of Congressional Bills from the 110th Congress, and Bills from the 111th Congress are being digitally signed as they are published. Of course, GPO Access users can still search and browse unsigned Bills from the 103rd Congress forward. Digitally signed Congressional Bills are also available on GPO’s FDsys.

ILS
The overall goal of the implementation of GPO’s Integrated Library System (ILS) is the provision of access to depositories and the public to bibliographic records of Federal government publications, many containing links to the electronic version of the publication, and the use of the system’s power and capabilities to provide services to depository libraries and to the public. The goal is also to streamline workflow and internal activities in support of the FDLP, and to reduce use of and dependency on legacy systems. A lot of new and exciting things have been happening in regard to the ILS.

The ongoing development of the Aleph 500 integrated library system at GPO enhances GPO’s ability to perform statutorily authorized functions of the FDLP and the Cataloging and Indexing Program. Several ILS features and functions have been recently developed and released:

DIGITIZATION
As most of you know by now, GPO has been working with the library community, other Federal agencies, and the public on a national digitization project with the goal of digitizing all retrospective federal publications back to the earliest days of the Federal Government.

The project includes the digitization of the complete legacy collection of tangible U.S. Government publications most of which are held in libraries participating in the FDLP. The objective is to ensure that the digital collection is available, in the public domain, for no-fee permanent public access through the FDLP. The goal of the project will ensure that the collection is digitally reformatted for both preservation and access purposes.

GPO envisions a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship with a private or public sector participant(s) where the uncompressed, unaltered files created as a result of the conversion process are delivered to GPO at no cost to the Government. These files will serve as the digital master copies that will be preserved and used for the creation of access derivatives within FDsys. In exchange, the contractor or contractors shall be able to maintain a collection of files produced in the process for inclusion in their collections (e.g., search indices, book search sites). This content will be made available online, free of charge from GPO.

To help meet this challenge, A Statement of Work was created, and a Request For Proposal was posted to Federal Business Opportunities. The review of the proposals is almost complete. Once GPO makes a decision for award, JCP must then approve that potential selection before work can begin.

We are also continuing down additional paths in regard to digitization. This past year, we worked with other Federal agencies on the National Digital Standards Advisory Board, Federal Still Image Digitization Working Group. The goal of this project is to establish common standards, methods, practices, and guidelines for the digitization of visual material (excluding motion picture images). Common digitization standards will enhance the exchange of research results and developments, encourage collaborative digitization practices among Federal agencies and institutions, provide the public with a product of uniform quality, and set a common benchmark for digitization service providers.

The Web site for the Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative is available. The initiative represents a collaborative effort to establish a common set of guidelines for digitizing historical materials.

The Web site currently features two documents developed by the Still Image Digitization Working Group that are open for comment until mid-November. The first proposes a minimal set of embedded TIFF metadata for use in historical and cultural heritage digital imaging. The second two-part document presents a taxonomy of digital image characteristics and provides corresponding metrics and criteria to describe and validate imaging performance and quality. The Web site also provides a glossary of digitization terms and concepts, and presents digitization-related news and events on the subject from the participating agencies.

I’d also encourage you to visit our Digitization and Preservation Initiatives Web page on GPO Access and review our list of priorities for digitization. If you have any materials we can utilize in coordination with that list, please contact Robin Haun-Mohamed or James Mauldin through the LSCM Contact Form on the FDLP Desktop.

Finally, I want to encourage you to share with us any collaborative efforts in regard to digitization. In the last few months, we launched an enhanced version of the Registry of U.S. Government Publication Digitization Projects . Some notable features of the new Registry include the ability to:

Project listings derive from voluntary and solicited contributions from Federal depository and other libraries, Federal and other government agencies, and other non-profit institutions.

BEN’S GUIDE
Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government, which was created in 1999 as the educational component of GPO Access, will soon be getting a new look.

We are currently soliciting feedback from the Ben's Guide user community in the form of two web site usability surveys. One survey is geared toward kids and students, and the other toward parents, educators, and others. The goal of the surveys is to capture user feedback about Ben's Guide. This includes asking users specific questions regarding what features they like about Ben's Guide as it is now, and also what they would like to see in light of a redesigned Ben's Guide. Also as a result, we hope to learn more about the Ben's Guide user base, and use that information for future considerations for the site. Some examples of the information we are looking for include: how the user came across the site, what information sections they use on the site, technical/navigational/ interactive features they would (or would NOT) like to see on Ben's Guide, other suggested improvements, and various other questions.

The survey will be available until February 2, 2009. We already have over 3,500 respondents. The survey is open to any who wishes to participate, and it can be accessed from the Ben’s Guide homepage, the FDLP Desktop, and the GPO Access homepage.

After survey results are compiled, planning will continue to determine the next steps for Ben's Guide. We are very interested in obtaining beta testers for the next version of Ben’s Guide. If you would like to be a beta tester after a new design has been developed, please see Kelly Seifert, and she will obtain the necessary contact information from you. You may also contact me at rdavis@gpo.gov if you are interesting in beta testing.

FDLP MARKETING PLAN
Last summer, LSCM disseminated the FDLP Marketing Plan and launched the “Easy as FDL” marketing campaign. Our main goal in this initiative is to assist FDLs in marketing their unique and valuable services to the widest audience possible, as well as to provide FDLs with the tools necessary to market their own services to both the general public and non-Federal depository libraries.

If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to visit the FDLP Desktop, review the Plan, order the new “Easy as FDL” promotional products, and use the tips and strategies provided to promote your library.

Additionally, we debuted our first FDLP promotional video in October. You will can view and download that video from the FDLP Desktop. In the coming months, you will see the release of Phase II of the FDLP Marketing Plan. Phase II will provide more tips and strategies on how to market your library and more tips on how to utilize the Easy as FDL promotional products.

FDLP DESKTOP
The FDLP Desktop is continuing to evolve with the latest Web technologies and your input. As part of the evolution of the FDLP Desktop, the site has been divided into fdlp.gov and community.fdlp.gov.

I am pleased to announce that the final redesign of fdlp.gov has been launched. Since its launch on January 5, 2009, the Desktop has seen over 19,000 article views.

FDLP.gov provides dissemination of Program related content, services and news. Community.fdlp.gov provides social networking tools which enable registered individual members to communicate and network with others in the community. There are current almost 150 FDLP Community members.

While content is the first and foremost focus of the new Desktop, we also want to provide you with the latest and greatest social networking technologies to help everyone in the community collaborate together.

I want to encourage you to visit the new fdlp.gov and to join FDLP Community. If you are interested in more information, Kelly Seifert has an informational handout on the features of the new fdlp.gov and the Community Forum.

AUTOMATED METADATA EXTRACTION
In late 2007, GPO entered into an Interagency Agreement with the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) in collaboration with Old Dominion University (ODU) to create cataloging records using automated metadata extraction software tools and processes currently being used by DTIC.

ODU will determine if the engine component developed for the DTIC and NASA projects can be used for GPO collections, including a sample of the GPO EPA harvested collection. However, GPO collections differ significantly from the DTIC and NASA collections and therefore, the scope of the work will be expanded to take the domain into account and answer questions as to what metadata can be extracted.

ODU will also conduct a feasibility study and exploratory prototyping of major types of documents from GPO’s collections to determine if automated metadata extraction is a viable method for creating metadata for these materials.

The Automated Metadata Extraction agreement is being conducted in two phases over two years, with project completion expected in October 2009. The first phase of the agreement, which focuses on GPO EPA harvested documents, is almost completed. During the first phase:

As part of the second phase of the agreement, GPO has identified and provided 1,000 FDLP in-scope Congressional PDF files to ODU for analysis. ODU has analyzed the documents and provided GPO with a characterization and feasibility report. Next steps include GPO evaluating and testing metadata extraction records.

CD-ROM ASSESSMENT
I wanted to take a moment to speak on the CD-ROM assessment project. Last fall, GPO sent out a call for volunteers to participate in a project to assess depository CD-ROMs and identify discs at risk for content loss.

The project involves reviewing CD-ROMs in depository library collections for system requirements, file formats, proprietary software, and other factors that could jeopardize access to the content.

GPO is working on an initial assessment based on GPO catalog records, and through volunteers, is getting assistance from Federal depository libraries that have the discs in their collections in order to get a complete assessment and categorization of at-risk content. We had a brainstorming session to collaborate with libraries in order to get a thorough assessment of CD-ROM collections and identify first, those at the highest risk.

We have also identified a potential partner who has made some discs available online for evaluation. We are working to examine the list and to finalize the members of our working group with depository partners and will use this information to approach content originating agencies to discuss how the content of these discs can be made available for permanent public access. GPO will coordinate with Federal agencies to assure permanent public access to the content.

DARTS
I wanted to give you a brief update in regard to DARTS - Access to Reports, Technical and Scientific.

The FDLP DARTS experiment was a success in giving the Federal Depository Library community access to a portion of the NTIS technical reports collection. In early 2009 the National Technical Information Services (NTIS) will be launching the National Technical
Reports Library (NTRL) to even further enhance accessibility to the NTIS technical reports collection.

While NTIS does not have plans to discontinue or upgrade DARTS output, the purpose for introducing the NTRL is to provide a more sophisticated platform to disseminate federally funded full-text technical reports to the widest possible audience.

The NTRL operates on a system interface that allows users to do queries on the large NTIS bibliographic database. The intent is to broadly expand and improve access to over 2.5 million bibliographic records (pre-1960 to present) and 500k full- text documents in PDF format that are directly linked to that bibliographic database. Documents not in digital format will continue to be available for ordering on the NTIS Webstore in microfiche and print formats.
As required by Federal Law, the NTRL will operate on a cost-recovery subscription business model. The goal is for NTRL to be available to subscribers beginning April 1, 2009. Subscription rates will be based on Full-Time-Equivalent (FTE) at the customer’s site with subscription costs starting at $4,500 per year for small institutions.

Some Federal Depository Libraries are already accessing information as beta-testers of the NTRL. As a DARTS subscriber, NTIS is willing to open your IP range access through March 31, 2009 to the NTRL on a complimentary, trial basis.

A VISITING SCHOLAR
I’d also like to tell you about a special guest we have with us at the GPO. Professor Nobuhiro Igawa is an Associate Professor from The International University of Kagoshima in Japan. In conjunction with the Library of Congress and GPO, Professor Igawa is studying how the United States Government distributes Government information to its citizenry through the FDLP. Professor Igawa is researching the organizational structure, governing bodies, legal, and program requirements of the FDLP. He is looking at how a similar model may be applied in Japan.

Recently, I participated in an interview with Federal News Radio on this endeavor. That is now available on the FDLP Desktop for download.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Finally, there are several facets of community outreach that I would like to touch on today.

TRAVELING
Recently, many GPO staff members have been on the move, participating in outreach events around the country. Locations include Phoenix, Arizona; Seattle, Washington; Anaheim, California; Rapid City, South Dakota; Portland, Oregon; Iowa City, Iowa; Boston, Massachusetts; Gainesville, Florida; Trenton, New Jersey; and Ottawa, Ontario to name a few. We also participated in a depository anniversary celebration for the first time via a presentation on DVD to the University of Louisiana Monroe, University Library. If you would like to request GPO participation at your library, for special events such as anniversaries, or perhaps if you need assistance from GPO with an assessment of your library's adherence to the FDLP, there is a form available on the Desktop to request GPO personnel to visit your institution.

PUBLIC ACCESS ASSESSMENTS
Public Access Assessments have started. The Public Access Assessment program, also known as PAA, is GPO's individual depository library operation assessment and consultation program. It focuses on free, public access to depository resources and also the services and cooperative efforts that support the visibility and use of the depository resources at the library. 14 different sizes and types of volunteer libraries participated in a test of the PAA processes last fall. We are currently preparing our full schedule. We anticipate most Public Access Assessments will be conducted by state or region. Depositories will be notified before these start. If you wish to have current depository management activities documented by GPO now and your state or region is not part of an upcoming round of PAA, you may request one at any time through the Request for GPO Participation Form on the FDLP Desktop.

To assist in the development of successful depository operations, GPO continues its ongoing efforts to share information about FDLP legal and program requirements and related guidance and best practices. We continue to contact the five remaining 2007 Biennial Survey of Depository Libraries non-responders in D.C., Florida, Texas, and Missouri in an effort to obtain submissions of this legally required survey from the libraries. We are also continuing our review of the 2007 Biennial Survey by groups of major areas of concern noted. In some cases, we are highlighting these concerns through direct contacts with depository personnel and through consultation with regional depository personnel. Please keep in mind that depositories continue to determine locally all of the procedures developed to apply the legal requirements and the requirements and other guidance in the Federal Depository Library Handbook. We strongly encourage you to contact us anytime you have a question about depository management so that we may discuss the issues and various options or best practices you may consider. This is just one way we continue to partner together for a more efficient and effective FDLP. Lastly, we are very excited by a new educational resource in development that updates the Self-Study of a Federal Depository Library. This will be for voluntary self-educational or strategic planning use. We believe you may use some or all of the Self-Study to review how your library applies FDLP legal and program requirements and related guidance. We anticipate rolling out modules of the new Self-Study as they become available in the very near future.

PARTNERSHIPS
GPO has been developing partnerships with Federal depository libraries and other Federal agencies to increase access to electronic Federal information since 1997. With an increasing amount of Federal information available electronically, partnerships ensure permanent public access to electronic content and provide services to assist depositories in providing access to electronic material and in managing their depository collections.

These partnerships also allow GPO to take advantage of the expertise of Federal depository librarians and the services they have developed. FDLP partnerships generally fall into three categories: Content Partnerships, Service Partnerships, and Hybrid Partnerships. Partnerships are not limited to these categories, however, and GPO will consider partnership proposals that fall outside of these categories.

In the past year, GPO developed three new partnerships. The first, with the Naval Postgraduate School, allows depository libraries to gain access to the Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL).

In the second partnership for FY2008, GPO joined with the University of Illinois at Chicago and the other participating Federal depository libraries to promote the “Government Information Online: Ask a Librarian” (GIO) service.

In the third partnership with the U.S. Government Accountability Office, permanent public access is ensured for the GAO Reports and GAO Comptroller General Decisions databases that are available on the GAO Web site.

If you would like to propose a partnership with GPO, please submit a partnership inquiry form to us via the FDLP Desktop.

OPAL
I wanted to also take an opportunity to remind everyone that Online FDLP learning is available for Federal depository library participants via OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries), an interactive Web-based meeting and conferencing service.

The educational sessions may be live or prerecorded. In addition, training events are archived to allow those unable to attend a live event to replay the event at their convenience.

Past presentations can be accessed through the OPAL site, which is linked from our Outreach link on the Desktop.

This past year GPO opened up its OPAL room to members of the depository library community who would like to present additional educational and training sessions for the benefit of the community. Proposals should focus on a specific aspect of U.S. Government information, FDLP issues, or depository library operations and management. I encourage you to submit a proposal to participate by completing the Online Educational Program Proposal Form, found on the FDLP Desktop under Outreach. To date, two of our most popular OPAL sessions were presentations given by members of the FDLP community on preservation and creating successful OPAL presentations.

To learn more about OPAL, to obtain URLs to archived GPO OPAL presentations, or to learn how to provide feedback for GPO’s OPAL presentations, please visit the FDLP Desktop.

One of my goals for Tampa is to have every Federal depository library Director present for two very important discussions: a regional meeting and a meeting on the future of the FDLP in which I hope to engage the Depository Library Council, GPO staff, and all Federal depository library Directors.

You can now make your reservations online at the Hyatt’s Web site, which can be accessed through the FDLP Desktop or by calling 1-800-233-1234. You must mention the GPO's Federal Depository Library Conference and Council meeting to receive the correct rate.

Reservations should be made before Saturday March 28th, 2009 to ensure receiving the prevailing Government rate. The Government rate will be honored beginning Thursday, April 16 through Saturday, April 25, 2009.

Finally, I want to thank each and every one of you for your time today and for your continued dedication to Government documents.

Questions?

If you have questions or comments on any of the content in Administrative Notes, please send them to askGPO, the online help service.

To ensure that your question is routed to the correct area, please choose the category "Federal Depository Libraries" and the appropriate subcategory, if any.

You may also contact the GPO Customer Contact Center at 866-512-1800 (Toll-free), or at 202-512-1800 (DC Metropolitan Area), Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., EST.

Administrative Notes is published in Washington, DC by the Superintendent of Documents, Library Programs Service, Government Printing Office, for the staffs of U.S. Federal Depository Libraries. It is published monthly, on the 15th day of each month; some months may have additional issues. Postmaster send address changes to:

Administrative Notes
U.S. Government Printing Office
Stop IDED
Washington, DC 20401

Last update Date: February 25, 2009
Page Name: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/adnotes/ad01-02-1509.html

Administrative Notes: Newsletter of the FDLP

Registration Open for Spring Depository Library Council Meeting Presentation Proposals Invited

Nominate the 2009 Library of the Year

FDLP Desktop Re-launched with New Design

FDsys Public Beta Released

Authenticated Congressional Bills Now Live on GPO Access

New Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents Replaces Weekly

GPO Releases Report on Conditions of Regional Depository Libraries

Issuance of New STAT-USA Passwords Postponed

Census Documents Recalled

Comments on the FDLP of the Future Invited

Administrative Notes Will Cease with Nov.-Dec. 2009 Issue

Update from Ric Davis Acting Superintendent of Documents and Director, Library Services and Content Management Federal Documents Task Force Meeting ALA 2009 Midwinter Meeting Denver, CO January 2009

Questions?

Registration Open for Spring
Depository Library Council Meeting
Presentation Proposals Invited

GPO Releases Report on Conditions of
Regional Depository Libraries

Administrative Notes Will Cease with
Nov.-Dec. 2009 Issue

Update from Ric Davis
Acting Superintendent of Documents and Director, Library Services and Content Management
Federal Documents Task Force Meeting
ALA 2009 Midwinter Meeting
Denver, CO
January 2009