Letter from the Superintendent of Documents to Library Directors on the FDLP Forecast Study

Dear Depository Library Director:

In October GPO convened the annual Depository Library Council Meeting and Federal Depository Library Conference and an entire day was spent on visioning for the future of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). At that time, GPO proposed to create two tools that will assist in determining a national FDLP forecast and national strategy, an FDLP State Forecast questionnaire and State Focused Action plan. Members of the FDLP community expressed interest in submitting individual library Forecasts in addition to the state level Forecasts which were originally proposed. GPO staff welcomed this opportunity to survey the opinions of coordinators and directors at the individual library level as a first step and to collect additional data that will enrich our understanding of how coordinators and directors view the effectiveness of the Program. Individual library Forecast questionnaires were added to the State Forecasting Project in response to community feedback.

The FDLP Library Forecast questionnaire, which is available on Survey Monkey, was announced yesterday to depository coordinators along with instructions for accessing it. View a PDF version of the questionnaire. All depository libraries are strongly encouraged to participate. This is an important collaborative initiative to gather both quantitative and qualitative information on the state of each depository library. Survey results will be used to cumulatively represent the environment of all types of Federal depository libraries in a state and identify issues that libraries are facing now and anticipate in the future. The most pressing needs of depository libraries and new leadership opportunities and roles for libraries will be identified and documented.

I am pleased that the energy and enthusiasm of that day in October have continued through discussions with GPO on the FDLP Community Site, as well as by GPO staff being invited to participate virtually in meetings of depository librarians. With the participation of the entire depository library community in the state forecast project, and through our shared values and commitment to the permanent public access of Federal Government information for the American public, we will ensure the FDLP is relevant and robust in the 21st century.

Our final challenge will be achieving consensus within the community on a national strategy for the future of the FDLP. Thank you, in advance, for your strong commitment to the FDLP and I hope you will participle in this very important initiative. Your involvement will be crucial to its success. For more details about this project, and other FDLP news, please refer to the February issue of our monthly newsletter, FDLP Connection.

Best regards,

Mary Alice Baish
Assistant Public Printer
Superintendent of Documents