Preliminary Assessment of the Proposed Closure of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS): A Report to the President and the Congress

Preliminary Assessment of the Proposed Closure of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS): A Report to the President and the Congress PDF

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 73

ISBN-13:

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The United States National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) is an independent agency charged by Section 5 of PL 91-345 to take a leadership position on matters pertaining to the library and information needs of the nation. Specifically, Section 1504(a)(1) of Title 20 says that the Commission shall "advise the President and the Congress on the implementation of national policy by such statements, presentations, and reports as it deems appropriate." In fulfillment of that statutory mandate, the Commission has been carefully studying the proposal made in August 1999 by the Department of Commerce to close the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) and shift its paper, microfiche, digital archives, and bibliographic database to the Library of Congress. Soon after Secretary Daley's announcement, the Commission met with senior Departmental officials, as well as staff members of both the Senate and House committees holding jurisdiction over science and technology issues. All recognized the value of an independent examination of the Commerce proposal, and all participated in the Commission's public and working meetings, and other fact and opinion gathering activities during the September 1999 - February 2000 period. I am attaching our report, which documents results of the Commission's research, interviews, public meetings, government meetings, and other fact and opinion gathering efforts, and spells out fully our specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations. It is called a "preliminary assessment" because we plan to undertake an in-depth study of all alternatives later.

A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination

A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination PDF

Author: United States. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science

Publisher:

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 294

ISBN-13:

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It was a simple announcement on a summer day. It appeared to be a straightforward proposal to solve a serious problem. Constrained by a statutory requirement for self-funding and facing a new paradigm in information dissemination, the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) was failing. As federal agencies distributed reports at no cost on the World Wide Web-- reports that formerly NTIS had distributed--NTIS was unable to collect revenue sufficient to cover its costs of cataloging and maintaining its collection. The proposal put forth in August 1999 by the Department of Commerce (where NTIS is organizationally located) was to close NTIS and move its collections and functions to the Library of Congress. The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) immediately recognized this proposal to be far more significant than it first appeared. Fundamental issues regarding how the government used, disseminated and valued its information resources were at stake. The Commission stepped forward and prepared a preliminary assessment of the proposed closure of NTIS, which it delivered to the President and Congress. This report recommended a number of steps to keep NTIS operational, but it also stated that a much broader assessment of the underlying issues involved in public information dissemination throughout government was needed.

The Changing Face of Government Information

The Changing Face of Government Information PDF

Author: Suhasini L. Kumar

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-10-28

Total Pages: 285

ISBN-13: 1136444033

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Learn what innovative changes lie in the future of government information The Changing Face of Government Information comprehensively examines the way government documents’ librarians acquire, provide access, and provide reference services in the new electronic environment. Noted experts discuss the impact electronic materials have had on the Government Printing Office (GPO), the reference services within the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), and the new opportunities in the transition from paper-based information policy to an electronic e-government. This source reveals the latest changes in the field of government documents librarianship and the knowledge and expertise needed to teach users how to access what they need from this enormous wealth of government information. Major changes have taken place in the way government information is created, disseminated, accessed, and preserved. The Changing Face of Government Information explains in detail the tremendous change taking place in libraries and government documents librarianship. Topics include the increasing accessibility to the federally funded technical report literature, information on the Patriot Act’s effect on the status of libraries in the aftermath of 9/11, the uses of Documents Data Miner©, and information about catalogs, indexes, and full text databases. This book also provides a selective bibliography of print and electronic sources about Native Americans and the Federal Government, as well as specific sources for information about the environment, such as EPA air data, DOE energy information, information on flora and fauna, hazardous waste, land use, and water. Each chapter is extensively referenced and several chapters use appendixes, tables, and charts to ensure understanding of data. This useful book gives readers the opportunity to learn: how the University of Oregon successfully integrated its business reference service and map collection into its government documents collection the results of a survey of FDLP institutions identifying the factors contributing to the reorganization of services details of the pilot project undertaken by the University of Arizona Library along with the United States Government Printing Office’s Library Programs Service to create a model for a virtual depository library which critical features are missing in today’s e-government reference service models details of the GPO’s plans to provide perpetual access to both electronic and tangible information resources—and the strategies to authenticate government publications on the Internet The Changing Face of Government Information is stimulating, horizon-expanding reading for librarians, professors, students, and researchers.