ALAWON v5n76 (October 15, 1996) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v5n76.txt ------------------- ALWN576.TXT follows -------------------- ========================================================== ALAWON Volume 5, Number 76 ISSN 1069-7799 October 15, 1996 American Library Association Washington Office Newsline In this issue: (110 lines) REP. THOMAS PROPOSES DRASTIC CHANGES TO THE FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY PROGRAM--COMMENTS NEEDED _________________________________________________________________ REP. THOMAS PROPOSES DRASTIC CHANGES TO THE FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY PROGRAM--COMMENTS NEEDED On September 28 House Oversight Committee chair Bill Thomas (R-CA) introduced H.R. 4280, the Government Printing Reform Act of 1996. The bill is a major revision of the sections of Title 44, _United States Code_, applying to government printing, procurement, dissemination of government publications, and the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The bill would also replace the Joint Committees on Printing and the Library with a Joint Committee on Information. ALA and the Government Documents Round Table are evaluating the 68-page bill for its potential impact on the FDLP and public access to government information. To understand the changes that would be made to the law, it is essential to compare the language of the bill with current law. It also would be wise to compare it to draft legislation the Government Printing Office sent to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration (available at depository libraries in the _Administrative Notes_ dated August 30, 1996). Title V of H.R. 4280 would make drastic changes to Chapter 19, the law that governs the FDLP partnership that has provided no-fee public access to government information through a nationwide system of nearly 1400 libraries. Other provisions in the bill would affect distribution of publications, including the U. S. Congressional Serial Set, to depository libraries. This bill is the latest of several proposed legislative revisions of the Federal Depository Library Program arising in Congress and elsewhere. In addition to the recent proposal GPO gave to the Senate, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget sent Congress proposed legislation titled "The Electronic Depository Library Act of 1996." Neither proposal has been introduced as a bill to be considered by Congress. Highlights of the proposed H.R. 4280 would: o Strike from the law the statutory authority for designation of depository libraries by Senators and Representatives and by statute. There is language in the bill that could be interpreted to intend that libraries designated before January 1997 could continue as depositories. o Appear to eliminate the statutory authority for a Congressional appropriation to fund the distribution of publications to depository libraries that are requisitioned through GPO. It is not clear whether this would also eliminate the appropriation for staff and other support for the program. o Give the Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) permission to obtain government publications from "issuing components," including the dissemination and republication of government publications, with the cost of dissemination and republication to be borne by the federal government entity involved. No mechanism for securing payment is provided. o Require components of the government ordering publications to "furnish such publications for distribution to designated depository libraries." No enforcement mechanism is provided. o Revise the definition of government publication to read: "Government publication" as used in this chapter, means informational matter which is made available for dissemination or disseminated at Government expense, or as required by law. o Eliminate the statutory requirement that SuDoc issue a classified list of government publications to facilitate the selection of only those publications needed by depository libraries. o Eliminate the requirement that selected publications be distributed in accordance with SuDoc regulations. o Eliminate statutory language requiring permanent retention of government publications by some depositories. Instead of going to regional libraries for permission to dispose of publications after 5 years, selective depositories could dispose of publications only in accordance with regulations established by SuDoc and approved by the Joint Committee on Information. o Eliminate statutory authority for excluding cooperative publications from the program. To find H.R. 4280, the Government Printing Reform Act of 1996 on the Web, connect to either GPO Access or Thomas . For example, using the GPO gate at the University of California, San Diego, ; Search Congressional Bills 103-104; type H.R. 4280 in the full-text box, then click Run Search. Users without an Internet connection can go to one of the approximately 650 depository libraries offering public access workstations able to connect to GPO Access. COMMENTS NEEDED: Continuing a strong and enhanced Federal Depository Library Program into the 21st Century is an important priority of ALA. To help achieve that goal and respond to legislative challenges, ALA is soliciting suggestions, comments, criticisms, etc., about the provisions of H.R. 4280 and also other related issues involving the Depository Library Program that might need to be addressed. Please send your comments to Anne Heanue e-mail aah@alawash.org by Friday, November 15. Additionally, before Congress reconvenes in January 1997, invite Senators and Representatives to visit your depository library. Help them understand the tremendously valuable service--public access to a multi format government information collection--federal depository librarians provide to constituents. _________________________________________________________________ ALAWON is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname]" to . ALAWON archives gopher.ala.org; select ALA Washington Office Newsline. Visit our Web site at . ALA Washington Office 202.628.8410 (V) 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, #403 202.628.8419 (F) Washington, DC 20004-1701 Lynne E. Bradley, Editor Contributors: Anne A. Heanue Deirdre A. Herman All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. ==========================================================