================================================================= ALAWON Volume 5, Number 22 ISSN 1069-7799 April 26, 1996 American Library Association Washington Office Newsline In this issue: PUBLIC COMMENT NEEDED ON ELECTRONIC FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY PROGRAM NEW OMB DOCUMENT RELEASED ON CONTRACTING OUT ________________________________________________________________ PUBLIC COMMENT NEEDED ON ELECTRONIC FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY PROGRAM In early April, GPO released a draft report for _The Study to Identify Measures Necessary for a Successful Transition to a More Electronic Federal Depository Library Program_. This was in response to a Congressional directive to Public Printer Michael DeMario last year to study the functions and services of the Federal Depository Library Program to shift to a more electronic program. After a 60-day public comment period, this study and strategic plan is likely to be in final form. ALA President Betty Turock testified on March 6 before the House Legislative Appropriations Subcommittee. She urged Chairman Ron Packard (R-CA) to approve the GPO requested $30.8 million for FY 1997 for funding the Federal Depository Library Program, including $500,000 to provide "technology grants" to depositories. She also told Congress that planning toward the goal of a more electronic depository program must take into account the realistic capabilities of all of program partners--the federal government, libraries, and the public. Moreover, she said, a rapid shift to a predominately electronic system at this time would undermine the significant progress already achieved by depository libraries and the Government Printing Office in enhancing public access through electronic technologies. At the March 6 hearing, Representative Packard appeared impatient with statements from Turock and DiMario that libraries, users and federal agencies needed more than two years to make a transition to a nearly entirely electronic depository library program. The Senate Legislation Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Senator Connie Mack (R-FL), plans hearings on the GPO budget request for FY 1997 in mid-May. GPO's draft study was the second report GPO has prepared on the transition to a substantially electronic depository program. The first, released in December 1995, assumed a two-year transition to an almost entirely electronic program. GPO's recently released draft responded to the concerns of librarians and others that the first transition plan was based on an overly ambitious time frame, and GPO is now recommending to Congress a five to seven year transition. Although long supportive of a more electronic program, librarians have continuing concerns with the transition plans, such as: Shifting costs to libraries and the public; Utilization of appropriate formats for government publications; and Long-term permanent access and preservation of electronic files for continuing use. ACTION NEEDED. Senators and Representatives need to hear directly from librarians and users of government information about how the proposed rapid transition to an almost entirely electronic Federal Depository Library Program would affect YOUR library and YOUR users. Urge Congress to fund the Federal Depository Library Program at the level GPO has requested: $30.8 million for FY 1997, including $500,000 to provide "technology grants" to depositories needing special help. _________________________________________________________________ NEW OMB DOCUMENT RELEASED ON CONTRACTING OUT In the April 1 _Federal Register_, pp. 14338-46, the Office of Management and Budget released a revised transmittal memorandum to OMB Circular No. A-76, "Performance of Commercial Activities." Federal librarians and others concerning about contracting out government functions should review this publication its results on library services. According to introductory material, "[t]he revision seeks the most cost-effective means of obtaining commercial support services and provides new administrative flexibility in the government's make or buy decision process. The revision modifies and, in some cases, eliminates cost comparison requirements for recurring commercial activities and the establishment of new or expanded interservice support agreements; reduces reporting and other administrative burdens; provides for enhanced employee participation; eases transition requirements to facilitate employee placement; maintains a level playing field for cost comparisons between Federal, interservice support agreement and private sector offers, and seeks to improve accountability and oversight to ensure that the most cost effective decision is implemented.. Copies of the Revised Supplemental Handbook may be obtained by contacting The Executive Office of the President, Office of Administration, Publications Office, Washington, DC 20503, at (202) 395-7332. The document is also accessible on the OMB Home Page. The on-line OMB Home Page address (URL) is http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/omb _________________________________________________________________ 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 Washington Office Newsline. Web page HTTP://www.ala.org/alawashington.html. 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 H. Heanue All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. =================================================================