DLC: Opening Plenary Session - 3/31 am

Bob Tapella (Public Printer) - GPO has recorded net income for the 4th consecutive year. [primarily e-passports]; testified before house leg appropriations subcommittee - for fy 2009 requesting 174 million 350 thousand dollars

- meet requirements for congressional printing and binding; info dissemination project/fdlp; complete release of fdsys; continue systems enhancements, IT infrastructure; building maintenance and repairs

digitizing gpo’s legacy collection - [what? why are they still focusing on this?]

money requested is required to cover mandatory pay increases; projects linked to fdsys

building project:  gpo needs a modern and efficient facility [ideally with green something certification]; would allow current employee head counts; stay on site; not require appropriations

security and intelligent documents business: addressing the wash times articles [some say we're too successful]; gpo is experiencing accelerated revenue recognition, not excess profits.  [wash times articles: part 1, part 2, part 3]

gpo is different from other agencies [revolving fund] - for exact text see press release from last week

search for next sudocs: met with various library constituencies. no candidate has been identified - he’s not rushing, esp. while ric is still acting sudocs

fdsys: highest priority at gpo; mike wash — we’ve moved away from master integrator approach; program changes were implemented earlier this year. gpo is taking full responsibility for all program management - harris is doing only software development. confident that fdsys will be produced on time and on budget

selene is program manager of fdsys.

fdsys update later today

addresses washtimes articles: ‘level of reporting one would expect from the national enquirer.’ [rough quote]

passports are made in U.S. component (chip, antenna) are made overseas. all vendors have met gpo’s, state dept’s and us intelligence communities security standards

money made in past year is earmarked for costs of other passport costs - building in ms, etc.

[he talks really fast]

was stennis, ms, a good location for the passport production facility? - offers an already established gov’t campus; federal gov’t is committed to helping citizens in ms - contributing to area’s economic recovery. stennis is where people evacuated to in katrina

gpo travel: all travel noted in article was business-related. gpo travel followed gsa travel in regard to costs

bonuses: gpo started bonus program - will extend to all employees next year, following discussions with unions. something about gao

$10K photo - photographer on gsa schedule. who took many photos, including the official one of the public printer.

blah blah blah ‘we’d appreciate your support’

shows video of gpo history - is played in visitors center every day. [is linked from the left-nav bar - is available in different sizes depending on connection.]

Ric Davis, acting SuDocs:

recognizing council members rotating off: marian, mark, geoff, peter. no word yet on incoming class.

lscm update:

authentication: gpo has begun implementing digital signatures to certain docs on gpo access [2009 budget of the us gov't; public/private laws 110th congress] - next up for discussion are bills

integrated library system: fdld release 2 has been completed; now folks can update their directory info through the ILS. now public interface is available; so is z39.50 access to cgp for fdls; upgrade to aleph v. 18 is complete; cgp web interface is scheduled for enhancement; additional svcs for depositories, etc. update tomorrow am will give further detail

digitization: pmo & lcms team. rhm, james mauldin, matt landgraf, kirk knoll. rfi released on digitization of pubs in scope of fdlp. files would be delivered to gpo - would also have to ? public/private partner would also be allowed to keep files. gpo is reviewing proposals.

gpo & lc are digitizing bound congressional record - 43rd congress - ?; statutes at large, v. 82-103 (1951-2002)

shared regionals: w/in statutory framework of t44, different models have been approved by gpo over the years. [gives examples]. for the past 15 years alternative models have been discussed. with guidelines in place, depositories should be allowed to explore methods for providing access and services. KS/NE shared regional proposal was first to move forward to GPO and JCP. [CRS memo]. concerned that the request signals the growing challenges facing regionals.  JCP asks GPO to undertake a thorough examination of the current state of regionals nation-wide. due early summer (june 1st); provide legislative suggestions re: title 44.

gpo guidelines for shared regionals are still in effect. cindy etkin has taken leadership role in terms of study.

fdlp marketing plan: gpo’s main goal is to assist libraries in marketing their unique collections and services. try to expand awareness of fdlp. new slogan, marketing campaign: ‘easy as fdl: [various statements beginning w/f,d,l]‘

fdl handbook: chapter on public access assessments coming soon

biennial survey: responses are available on fdlp.gov; 94% of respondents have a written coll dev policy, 75% have other policies such as binding, access, etc.; 8% of deps are making policies publicly available.

fdlp.gov registration is now open to the public

web harvesting - session this afternoon.; update on dtic/odu metadata project

pacer: 17 pilot libraries are working with gpo. first bi-monthly report - dec 2007 to jan 2008 - lots of new pacer users

new recommended specs for fdl workstations - note to self, still need to check out public pcs…forward to docs list to ensure that selectives have seen.

fdlp budget request: additional funds asked for program outreach, additional data storage, modernization of item selection systems & other mainframe-based systems that won’t be replaced by fdsys. continue with automated metadata-extraction processes. legacy digitization.

outreach: gpo travel, partnerships, assessments, etc.

can request gpo participation at your library - fill out the form on the desktop.

additional assessments person will be on staff at the end of april. final version of p.a.a. guidelines is forthcoming.

new partnerships: naval postgraduate school - homeland security digital library; gio; reminder: opal programs can be suggested.

fall dlc: at doubletree in arlington. spring 2009 - tampa, florida

Spring DLC meeting

I’m in Kansas City, attending the Spring Meeting of the Depository Library Council.  Will be posting my rough notes later, fyi.

Maps

I was in Maryland [my home state] for the Easter holiday, and while there I had a chance to visit the exhibit “Maps: Finding Our Place in the World” at the Walters Art Museum [part of Baltimore's Festival of Maps]. The exhibit included maps from all over the world, from various time periods - I found it fascinating. And it got me thinking about the different kinds of maps of Alabama that are available, either online or in our collection (or both!)

The first site that came to mind was Alabama Maps - a project of the Cartographic Research Lab here at UA. Obviously, the focus of the site is on maps of Alabama, and there are all kinds of gems that have been digitized and made available for download (for example, the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps and the Historical Soil Survey Maps).

Other kinds of maps available from state agencies include:

- Maps of Alabama’s Surface Water Classifications and Alabama Waterways Guide Maps (Alabama Department of Environmental Management)

- Wildlife Management Area Maps and Where to Boat [note: works in IE, not Firefox] (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources)

- the Alabama Department of Archives and History has blank maps available for download - in case you want to test your knowledge of Alabama county locations!  They also have a database of maps in their collection - about half of which are digitized.

- Alabama Watershed Assessment Maps (Soil and Water Conservation Committee)

- Digital Geologic Map of Alabama  (Geological Survey of Alabama)

- County Maps (Department of Transportation)

Census 2010

In today’s Tuscaloosa News there’s an article about technology problems that could affect the accuracy of the 2010 census. For the first time, the Census Bureau is planning to use computers for gathering data (as opposed to pencil and paper) on those citizens who fail to return the form.
Another change for 2010? There won’t be any long forms. Previously, a sample of the population received more detailed forms to fill out - asking questions on topics ranging from income to commute time to the number of rooms in a person’s dwelling. Now this data is gathered by the American Community Survey, so the Decennial Census returns to its original purpose - counting the population of the United States.

Update, 2008-04-04: The Census has decided to use paper and pencil for data gathering in the 2010 Census, instead of computers.

Alabama and the AT

Alabama will soon have a connection to the Appalachian Trail (AT)! The Pinhoti Trail will officially open on Sunday, connecting Cheaha Mountain State Park to Springer Mountain in Georgia. To have Alabama marked as the official Southern terminus of the AT will require an act of Congress.

If you’re interested in reading more about the Congressional aspect of the National Trails System, or specifically on the Appalachian Trail, you might want to check out the items that can be found in the Gorgas Library Government Documents collection. Some examples:

- Appalachian Trail amendments : hearing before the Subcommittee on Parks and Recreation of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Ninety-fifth Congress, first session, on S. 2066 … H.R. 8803 … November 1, 1977. Call number: Y4.En2:95-81

- Appalachian Trail, Tennessee and North Carolina (map). Call number: A 13.28 67

- Appalachian Trail : national scenic trail/Maine to Georgia (map). Call number: I 29.2:Ap 4/4

- Comprehensive plan for the protection, management, development and use of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Call number: I 29.2:Ap 4

Grading the States ‘08: Alabama

Yesterday the Pew Center on the States released their Grading the States 2008 Report - an “assessment of the quality of management in the 50 states.” Alabama was given a C+ - with many more weaknesses than strengths.

Neighboring states received the following grades: Mississippi C+, Tennessee B-, Georgia B+, and Florida B-.