In this issue, Mary Alice Baish provides her insights as Superintendent of Documents for the need to collaborate to develop a national strategy for the future of the FDLP. Meanwhile, your colleagues, Linda Spiro (Rice University) and Lynda Kellam (University of North Carolina at Greensboro) write about new ways to promote their depository and virtual collaborative training.

Also in this issue we feature collaboration of:

• Shaping the future of the FDLP;
• FDsys;
• Digitization guidelines;
• GPO’s ILS team;
• Partners and Spotlights on libraries;
• and more!

Sign up to receive our newsletter via e-mail. The theme for the March issue is "Going Mobile" and in April the focus will be “access”.

Share your expertise, unique services, and other items of interest with fellow colleagues throughout the library community by contributing to future issues of FDLP Connection.

For submissions or questions, use askGPO.

Cynthia Etkin & Kelly Seifert
Co-Editors, FDLP Connection
U.S. Government Printing Office

Due to the implementation of the new system, libraries will no longer be able to use the “Amendment to Item Selections” web form at <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/tools/amendment.html> to drop item numbers after 11:59pm February 7, 2012. A new item selection management tool is expected to go live and be available for library use on February 27, 2012. During this three week transition period, libraries’ item selections will remain unchanged. Additional information about this project and the “Amendment to Item Selection” replacement tool will be available in the coming days on the FDLP Desktop.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we work to improve services to FDLP libraries.

Read more information about the Shared Vision for the Future of the FDLP project that was previewed at the 2011 Depository Library Council Meeting and Federal Depository Library Conference and at the 2012 ALA Midwinter Meeting.

Recently posted threads include information regarding:

1. Screenshots of the proposed final template designs for both fdlp.gov and Ben’s Guide.
2. Screenshots of proposed responsive templates for Ben’s Guide (fdlp.gov is forthcoming).
3. Calls for volunteers to develop lesson plans based on Ben’s Guide concepts.
4. Request for feedback on a proposed games-based certificate incentive for educators.

In order to expedite the relaunch of both sites, coding must begin very soon. The goal is to relaunch Ben’s Guide in the spring in order to take advantage of the remaining school year. The relaunch of fdlp.gov relies on tool integration and content finalization, which is dependent on the site design.

Comments on the proposed designs for Ben’s Guide must be received as soon as possible. Discussions related to lesson plans, game concepts, et cetera are on-going. Participate in the Ben’s Guide discussion.

Comments on the proposed designs for fdlp.gov should be submitted by Wednesday, February 8. Participate in the fdlp.gov discussion.

See you on the forums! Feel free to start threads on other topics.

If you dropped items in December 2011 please check the Item Lister to see if your deselections are listed.

If they are not listed, resubmit your drops via the Amendment of Item Selections Web form. If you have over 100 drops submit an inquiry to askGPO for assistance.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

The app allows users to:

• Browse editions of the Congressional Record by date.
• Perform keyword searches within individual documents or sections within documents.
• Identify the latest bills and resolutions considered daily on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Identify the latest bills, resolutions, treaties, and nominations considered daily on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
• Save documents to your preferred iPad PDF reader.
• Share documents via email.

GPO will play an ongoing role in enabling LOC to determine when updates to Congressional Record content are available through access to site maps on GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDsys). The link for the new app is http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-congressional-record/id492077075 or you can search in the App Store for “The Congressional Record.”

“The GPO appreciates the opportunity to participate in this project, and is pleased that our partnership with the Library of Congress continues to evolve in the digital age,” said Acting Public Printer Davita Vance-Cooks. “GPO is here to meet the information dissemination needs of Congress, and this new Congressional Record app is one more way that GPO is supporting Congress and its daily legislative functions.”

View the full press release.

• A buyout that targeted a reduction of 330 positions
• A special taskforce that to date has collected more than $12.5 million in outstanding payments owed by customer agencies
• A GPO survey of congressional offices that allowed them to opt out of receiving printed copies of the documents
• Expansion of GPO’s social media channels by launching GPO’s Facebook page
• The release of GPO’s first mobile Web app
• Development of a strategic vision for the agency and a strategic investment plan to modernize GPO’s technology

Boarman looks forward to completing the remainder of the term of his appointment, which expires at the end of the Congressional session.

• Chairman Chuck Schumer’s remarks regarding Boarman’s nomination.
• Watch the program segment of the Boarman nomination.

Individuals appointed to serve on the DLC are typically leaders and innovators in key areas related to the future of the FDLP. Currently, this includes essential elements of development, management, and dissemination of electronic information, such as version control, authentication, and preservation of digital information. In addition, ideal candidates for such service should possess a commitment to the mission and goals of the FDLP, with a focus on increasing access and services as related to Federal Government information.

Recommendations will be accepted now through January 20, 2012. To submit the names of one or more qualified individuals for consideration, please fill out this form.

In this issue, Mary Alice Baish provides her insights as Superintendent of Documents from the Meeting and Conference and delivers a “call to action” to provide feedback and ideas; your opinion is very important. Meanwhile, your colleagues, Suzanne Sears (University of North Texas) and Dan O’Mahony (Brown University) write about their marketing and Title 44 reform presentations.

Also in this issue we feature:

• Depository Distribution relocation.
• Federal agency contributions to the Meeting and Conference.
• State forecasts and action plans.
• New FDLP marketing campaign brainstorming.
• Spotlights on libraries and partners.
• “Get to Know” the GPO staff who put together the Meeting and Conference.

Sign up to receive our newsletter via e-mail. Being the "State of the Union" month, our January theme is "State of the Program".  February's theme is "Collaboration".

Share your expertise, unique services, and other items of interest with fellow colleagues throughout the library community by contributing to future issues of FDLP Connection.

For submissions or questions, use askGPO.

Cynthia Etkin & Kelly Seifert
Co-Editors, FDLP Connection
U.S. Government Printing Office

Since this announcement was made, questions have been received about other public-facing services provided by GPO, specifically, eCFR, askGPO, and the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP). Though eCFR, askGPO, and the CGP have the branding of GPO Access, they actually are run on separate platforms and are not a part of GPO Access. These services continue to be updated and are available for use, and will not be taken offline.

Houk was a native of Michigan and graduate of Michigan State University. He began his career in the printing industry at the Ford Motor Company in 1954, where he helped modernize printed business forms management and procurement. He also cofounded UFORMA, Inc., in 1965 and held executive positions at the company until 1988. Houk served as Chairman of the Board of Printing Industries of America (PIA). He was inducted into the Printing Hall of Fame at Rochester Institute of Technology in 1988. Houk served in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1947 and from 1952 to 1954.

“On behalf of the GPO, I extend our sincere condolences to the family of Public Printer Houk,” said Public Printer Bill Boarman. “Public Printer Houk helped guide GPO into the future while ensuring GPO's support for Congress, Federal agencies, and the public we serve."

If they are not listed, resubmit your drops via the Amendment of Item Selections Web form. If you have over 100 drops submit an inquiry to askGPO and we will assist.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

On October 20, 2011, following the Depository Library Council Meeting and Federal Depository Library Conference, a dialog was started about an outcomes-based, collaborative process to reach agreement on the future of the Program. Based on that session, we have posted the project’s background information and related documents.

Read more about the project’s background information and related documents.

All depositories are encouraged to participate and share their voice. At this time, feedback is specifically requested regarding the following materials:

1. Strategic Changes Through Cooperative Efforts (handout)
2. State Forecast (handout)
3. State Focused Action Plan (handout)
4. Strategic Changes Through Cooperative Efforts (PowerPoint slideshow)
5. Transcripts from the Fall 2011 DLC Meeting (Refer to the Thursday, October 20, 2011 bookmark).

Provide comments on these materials and/or the project's forum page on FDLP Community.

Thank you for your help as we work together to ensure the future success of the FDLP.

Of the new app, Public Printer Bill Boarman says, “GPO has experienced an incredible transformation in its 150 year history from handset type to handheld devices. We are very excited to release our first app for the public and provide a tool that will connect the public with Members of Congress. GPO looks forward to developing more apps in the future to provide the public with new options for accessing Government information.”

To access the app on your mobile device, go to http://m.gpo.gov/memberguide or scan the QR code with your mobile device.

Supported Devices

• iPad or iPhone (iOS 4.3.3 or higher)
• Android devices (Android 2.1 or higher)
• Blackberry devices (Blackberry 6.0 or higher)

In collaboration with the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), the collection has been released on FDsys.

This collection has been made public as a result of the July 29, 2011 order by Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia Royce C. Lamberth that the June 1975 transcript of Nixon’s testimony and the “Associated Materials” to that testimony be released to the public following the review of these documents for any information that must be redacted as required by law. It is rare for any grand jury testimony to be made public.

In May 1975, the Watergate Special Prosecution Force (WSPF) decided that it was necessary to question former President Richard M. Nixon in connection with various investigations being conducted by the WSPF. Mr. Nixon was questioned over the period of two days, June 23 and June 24, 1975, and the testimony was taken as part of various investigations being conducted by the January 7, 1974, Grand Jury for the District of Columbia (the third Watergate Grand Jury).

“GPO has a 75 year relationship with NARA in providing the public with Government information and GPO is honored to work with NARA to host this historically important, never before seen collection on FDsys,” said Public Printer Bill Boarman. “By providing access to these transcripts, GPO and NARA continue to increase transparency on the workings of the Federal Government.”

This is the first time the public will have access to this historic collection.