Ennis, Lisa A. 2007. Government Documents Librarianship a Guide for the Neo-depository Era
Chapter 3 - The Modern GPO and FDLP: The Neo-Depository Era
Ennis argues that "the time has come for a new and different kind of depository" (Ennis, 19).Ennis also argues that "it is up to all librarians, whether in a depository library or not, to carve out their place in the world of digital government information" (Ennis, 20). She supports this argument with reference to two articles, one by Jacobs and Yeo and the other by Shuler.
This is in keeping with the September 2005 report in which the DLC states that, "all librarians "now have an opportunity to shape a vision of the government information environment of the 21st century with themselves as contributing participants." (Ennis, 27).
Mission of GPO
According to Ennis, the mission of the GPO is "to keep America informed by producing, procuring and disseminating government documents" (Ennis, 20).
Changes in the way the GPO fulfills it mission
Ennis argues that although this mission remains the same, technological advances have brought changes in the method and means used by the GPO. According to Ennis, "the GPO must now capture, organize, maintain, authenticate, distribute and provide permanent public access to digital information." Further to this, the GPO must improve web-based information seeking services, develop digital standards and provide for the authentication and preservation of digital government information (Ennis, 20-21).
Government Information Issues Related to Technological Change
Preservation of Documents and Version Control
"the Internet allows any government agency to publish its own material without going through the GPO. This also means that agencies can alter or remove documents without any notice" (Ennis, 22).
GPO Access is the main Web-based information service provided by the GPO. This portal allows the public to access documents published by any branch of the federal government. The GPO attempts to copy all electronic government documents onto the GPO Access servers in order to provide permanent access to electronic documents, even if they are later changed or removed from the local agency website.
However, there is still the problem of "fugitive" digital documents that do not show up in the nation's bibliographic record system. (Ennis, 23).
Authentication of Documents
Because of the ease with which digital documents can be altered to look official, or official documents can be tampered with, it is important for the GPO to set the appropriate standards for the documents and to provide a means to identify whether or not a government document is genuine, authoritative and unmodified (Ennis, 23).
Chapter 4 - FDLP Requirements: Dragons and Beasts
Librarians staying informed
With increasing access to electronic government documents online, many depository librarians are finding themselves in the unenviable position of defending their library's continued membership in the FDLP. Ennis argues that the FDLP has new opportunities for participating federal depository libraries that make it more advantageous to be an FDL. She also argues that the burdens of being an FDL have decreased (Ennis, 32).
Librarians, in general, especially federal depository library coordinators, need to stay informed about the opportunities for FDLs to participate in the FDLP. These valuable opportunities should be publicized to the rest of the library staff because the coordinator will need to negotiate with them to do their part. This is one way to keep the library staff aware of the value of participating in the program.
Value of participation in the program
Ennis points us to the SOAR "Stay With the Program" Web site as a resource for illustrating the value of the FDLP to FDLs. She also highlights the opportunity for FDLs to be a partial or full virtual depository library that stores electronic and tangible resources, and she emphasizes the value of the print collection and the difficulties of relinquishing depository status.
Analysis of FDLP library program in it's most current incarnation. What do librarians get? What do the public/the library patrons get? What does the GPO/the federal government get?
Virtual Depositories
Libraries that are Virtual Depositories are provided by the federal government with electronic and tangible items. Presumably, they must provide the storage space and an appropriate data management system. Full Virtual depository libraries are required to provide "full cataloging of all their depository selections, and a higher level of technology, such as scanning equipment and chat reference" (Ennis, 36). These Full Virtuals are also "required to have Internet access and a well maintained government documents Web page.
Ennis argues that the benefits of being a Virtual Depository are the ability to provide patrons with 24/7 access to the collection; and the savings on staff salaries for tasks related to processing and providing permanent access to a print collection. However, this may not be a benefit to a library considering becoming an FDL, and it also may not be a benefit to a library that does not have the finances to provide the kind of technical support for a virtual depository.
Furthermore, if the electronic documents made available for inclusion in Virtual Depositories are the same electronic documents that are available through GPO access, then becoming a Virtual Depository does not provide patrons with any value because they can already access these items 24/7 online.
To the extent that a Virtual Depository library contains items that are not freely available online, this is an added value. However, if this material is made available to library patrons 24/7 online, then it is once again freely available online, unless patrons are required to use a password. This would negate most of the value of having exclusive access to digital information, since the point of having it in the Virtual Depository is to provide the public with 24/7 access to the depository collection. This does not seem like a huge incentive to libraries to participate in the FDLP.
However, the value of the opportunity to create Virtual Depositories of authenticated government documents is infinite. The principles of government documents held by librarians reveal the value of Virtual Depositories. To the extent that Full Virtual Depositories contain authentic versions of all available electronic government documents, this is a step towards making the government accountable for government information. This would go a long way towards ensuring that there is at least one authentic version of electronic government documents that the government is unable to access and change after publication.
In summary, libraries have the responsibility of creating and maintaining these Virtual Depositories, the GPO provides the information that will populate the Virtual Depository, and in exchange, the library must provide access to the collection and fulfill the requirements of the FDLP. Libraries are being asked to undertake a huge project, the value to the profession of librarianship is great, as it is an important task, to be charged with preserving digital government documents but, the division of work is very unequal, as the government need only provide the electronic information while the librarians must provide the appropriate hardware and personnel and undertake many extensive and time consuming tasks that must all be funded by the library.
This is not to say that there may not be other reasons why a library might want to establish or maintain FDLP status, however, each library will have to evaluate the opportunities to participate in the FDLP as they apply to their own library.
Consequences
Ennis indicates that the consequences of leaving the FDLP include the loss of the print collection that contains items that are important to the library collection. These items would have to be replaced.
Libraries should be able to participate in the FDLP to the extent that is good for their library. Although this is a good argument for an FDLP coordinating librarian to make, if the library director expresses an interest in withdrawing from the program, if the only reason that a library is remaining in the FDLP is to avoid crippling their own collection with the loss of valuable FDLP documents that must be returned, then such a library is unlikely to be interested in actively participating in the program.
Regardless of the exact nature of the FDLP, the existence of a federal depository library program, and one that can be influenced by librarians is an important tool for the librarianship profession. I agree with Ennis, that the FDLP is "growing and evolving". This if the tool that librarians have for carrying out their mission with regard to government documents. This is a partnership, and government documents librarians need to be well informed in order to negotiate our place in a program that changes, as technology changes, to meets the needs of the users. Librarians need to be aware of the political climate, the sources of funding for various aspects of the FDLP and they need to understand not just the legal minutia of their responsibilities under Title 44 Section 19, but also, the principles behind the provision of access to government information so that they can be aware of and contribute to the professional
discourse on the future of the FDLP and government information.
Chapter 5 - Networking and
Training: You are not alone
Law librarians tend to work together in law libraries, academic librarians work together at university libraries, but, usually, government documents librarians are one to a library, this geographic isolation can lead new government documents librarians to feel very much alone. Government documents librarians have many ways to share resources, to connect with other government documents librarians and to
train in specialized aspects of documents librarianship and FDL management.
Ennis recommends that new depository librarians contact their regional depository librarian. The regional librarian should be the leader for all the selective depositories in the state. The regional librarian ensures that the region's collection is complete. Only the regional librarian is authorized to permit a library to discard depository materials. Ennis also recommends networking with other depository
librarians in the state.
Institutional support for government documents librarians comes from several large library organizations. Within the ALA, GODORT and MAGERT are the most relevant ALA round tables, and the national organizations the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) and the Special Library Association (SLA) also have a stake in government information and may provide resources that are helpful to government documents
librarians. Also, there are regional documents librarians organizations.
To participate in the discussion, or to just remain aware of current changes; in the FDLP and to government documents, or undertake specialized training, librarians can attend any of the three GPO and FDLP Conferences.
Chapter 6 - Managing and Administering: The Big Picture
Every depository library must have a depository coordinator. In most libraries this person will also be the government documents librarian. By highlighting the job tasks of the depository co-ordinator, Ennis reminds us that the responsibility for the FDL's participation in the FDLP is borne not only by the documents librarian, but by the library as a whole. Each librarian must be aware that they are the instrument of the library for carrying out their FDLP obligations. They must be aware of and devote time as appropriate to carrying out their FDLP duties. It will probably be up to the depository co-ordinator to broach these issues in as diplomatic a way as possible,
and to encourage library personnel to take responsibility for the depository collection. Ennis recommends the the depository library coordinator refer to the collection as "ours" and make it as easy as possible for librarians to do their FDL related tasks (Ennis, 52).
If the depository librarian is to undertake the responsibility for the administrative aspects of the FDL, their duties will include developing and updating depository collection policies, keeping statistics and creating annual reports (Ennis, 55).
With regard to housing the tangible collection, some libraries choose to intersperse the collection with other library resources in the Library of Congress collection. However, Ennis argues that managing and promoting the depository collection may be easier for the depository coordinator if the depository is kept together, organized in SuDocs order, and clearly marked with signs directing people to ask at the reference desk for help (Ennis, 57).
The requirements for the depository collection are that it be treated with the same "care, maintenance, and preservation standards" as the rest of the library collection. However, in come cases, the standards may be higher, for instance, the accessibility of the collection must be up to the standards of the "Americans with
Disabilities Act" (Ennis, 58).
Chapter 7 - Public Services Issues: Making the Government Documents Collection Sparkle
Public services with regard to the depository collection should be focused on access and visibility. Depository libraries are required to provide the same or better access to the depository collection as to similar items in the rest of the collection.
Ennis highlights some issues that may come up with regard to online access. A depository library is required to have a policy that mandates free access to government information for all users (Ennis, 64). This means that FDLs must allow all users access to the print collection and access to computers without internet filters for access to the electronic collection (Ennis, 65). Furthermore, the FDL is required to have a well maintained government documents library Web page. GITCO, GODORT's Government Information Technology Committee provides a
(Ennis, 66; Government Information Model Web Page Template
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/godort/godortcommittees/gitco/govinfotemplate.cfm).
The Web page, "should tell the users the purpose and goals of the collection, and it should identify the government documents librarian and provide contact information. This Web page is also an opportunity to create finding aids and brief lists of the government resources that are most relevant to the information needs of the patron
demographic (Ennis, 66).
FDLs are also expected to market and promote the depository collection (Ennis, 69). The GPO through the FDLP Desktop provides promotional resources for FDLs, including
Desktop http://www.fdlp.gov/outreach/promotionalresources).
Depository librarians are encouraged to teaching government information literacy, and government information seeking skills to library patrons. Depending on the type of library, the nature and content of instruction will differ. Furthermore, with academic libraries, professors should be encouraged to provide their students with links to online government resources. Whether through online tutorials, or in-person instruction, and whether it takes place in the library or through outreach to the
larger community, it is important to provide patrons with opportunities to learn more about the value of government information in their lives, and the methods to access this information.
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