What you need to know:
- It was the consensus of the Task Force that the FDLP can, and should, move to a digital program.
- GPO is designing a phased approach for implementation, as there are a number of significant societal, technical, and legislative matters that require stakeholder engagement and thoughtful consideration. We intend to work with outside change management consultants to increase productivity and efficiency.
- In consultation with our partners, GPO is evaluating and prioritizing key activities in progress for FY23 or scheduled for FY24 and mapping them to the Task Force recommendations.
- Tangible holdings in depository libraries remain an important part of the National Collection.There are no changes to existing FDLP rules and guidance regarding the weeding of paper, microfiche, or other tangible formats from FDLP collections at this time. Information about weeding FDLP collections may be found in Weeding a Depository Collection. Learn more.
What to expect:
- The FDLP Community can expect changes to operations in GPO’s Library Services & Content Management (LSCM) that focus on a digital first approach to service.
- LSCM will communicate its progress and keep the FDLP community apprised of changes as they prepare for a new model for the Program.
- The Task Force recommendations impact all LSCM operations. Many of the recommendations are already in progress in LSCM and require only expanding or improving upon tasks and projects underway. Other recommendations will take significant investigation, evaluation, assessment, and planning to implement and operationalize.
- Depository libraries will continue to receive shipments of tangible materials at present.
What's in progress:
| Action | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Develop a staffing plan to support implementation and change management within LSCM | In Progress | |
| Examine current workflows and processes and determine what needs to be transformed to create a primarily digital content and services organization | In Progress | This will also be incorporated in the implementation plans |
| Develop a strategic plan and service framework for the National Collection Service Areas | In Progress | |
| Develop a comprehensive preservation plan for both tangible and digital resources of the National Collection of U.S. Government Public Information | Planning | Following project plan outlining requirements and scope, LSCM will solicit feedback from the FDLP community |
| Continue to seek and obtain feedback and comments on the next generation CGP | Planning | Process will include FDL focus groups on government information ecosystem |
| Foster program partnerships with depository libraries | Planning | We will investigate new outreach approaches to increase FDL particiation in partnerships and models for mentorship, building communitiies of practice and networking for FDLs |
| Develop and implement an outreach strategy for Federal agencies | In Progress | |
| Develop a multi-year strategy to secure and expand appropriations funding | In Progress | |
| Develop flexible, custom metadata, which is needed for discovery and access, and investigate new options for delivery of metadata and bibliographic records | Planning | Conduct analysis of user needs for types and kinds of metadata |
| Increase efforts to digitize, and ingest into GovInfo, at risk titles from the historical tangible collections in depository libraries | In Progress | Recently Completed Projects
|
| Add the holdings of regional depository libraries to the CGP | Planning | |
| Maintain ISO 16363 Trustworthy Digital Repository recertification for GovInfo | In Progress | Engage in surveillance audit in 2023, and prepare for recertification in 2024. |
| Develop a strategy and standard operating procedures for managing at-risk depository library collections | In Progress | |
| Evaluate LSCM web harvesting activity, and recommend strategies to improve the capture of born digital Federal agency content | Planning | |
| Seek CoreTrustSeal certification for GovInfo | In Progress | Certification paperwork submitted |
| Investigate the print-on-demand landscape and provide options for delivery of this service | In Progress | White paper started. Consult with experts in the publishing, library, government documents, FDLP, and GPO communities; survey FDL community to investigate other alternatives to traditional selection, acquisition, and distribution |
| Explore and test non-print centric content for ingest into GovInfo | In Progress | Ex: eBook, Audio-Visual, Interactive Digital Objects, Datasets, Websites |
| Share records after conducting CGP bibliographic record comparisons with the catalogs of depository libraries | In Progress | Test sample set (UVA/CGP) being evaluated. Share finding and develop next steps and approach for simliar actions. Plan to include: develop and procure tools and processes to analyze, evaluate, and update records and specific metadata elements in records, especially access points |
| Conduct a collection and bibliographic assessment pilot to determine if user needs are met by the depository library collection | Planning | |
| Create a new division in the LSCM organization to manage the lifecycle of the National Collection's tangible publications, which is to include digital imaging and collection services to depository libraries | On Hold | |
| Identify and prioritize the creation of new positions within LSCM while evaluating existing position vacancies | Planning | New positions are on hold due to budget restrictions, but key position analysis and staff training plans are in progress. |
| Explore the feasibility of implementing additional formats for downloading publications from GovInfo (ex: eBook formats) | On Hold | |
| Investigate how LSCM can better support the relocation of depository materials to Federal depository libraries | In Progress | |
| Digitize the complete set of FDLP microfiche distributed to depositories from one of the silver-halide master collections. | On Hold | Complicated by de-duplicating large serials already scanned, e.g. Federal Register |
| Conduct a study to determine the condition, holdings, and feasibility of the Superintendent of Documents' Public Documents Library serving as a collection of record for the National Collection | Planning | Preliminary assessment; further work on hold |
| Continue to provide opportunities that foster no-fee access to Federal Government information | In Progress | Continuing our support of efforts that increase broadband to underserved communities, GPO is hosting a webinar on May 8th with the FCC on the Affordable Connectivity Program which helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare, and more. |
| Explore public access requirements and consultation models with Depository Libraries | Planning | |
| Improve contact with agency publishers beyond receiving printing orders. Discussions about how best to distribute their information to the public will be part of this outreach. | Planning | |
| Develop a system to link to agency repository content via the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) rather than continue to catalog agency publications that reside in the agencies’ repositories. | Planning | Currently exploring this with first agency repository partner |
| Build on the GPO legislative proposals from 2022 to modernize the FDLP. | Complete | GPO sent updated proposals to Title 44 to Congress in March 2023 |
Resources:
- Task Force on a Digital FDLP project page (archived)
- Task Force Member Roster
- Feasibility of a Digital FDLP: Report of the GPO Director’s Task Force (December 19, 2022)
- Informational video on the Task Force Report
- GPO Director’s Response to the Final Report from the Task Force (February 8, 2023)
- Key Takeaways & FAQs from the Final Report of the Task Force
- Evolution of a Digital Federal Depository Library Program: A Transition Timeline (August 3, 2023) PDF document | Web page
Background:
In response to a recommendation from the Depository Library Council (DLC), GPO Director Hugh Halpern established a Task Force to study the feasibility of a digital FDLP. The 23-member Task Force had representation from the DLC, the depository library community, and Federal agencies.
In 2022, the Task Force delivered a report to Director Halpern entitled Feasibility of a Digital Federal Depository Library Program: Report of the GPO Director’s Task Force.
Director Halpern accepted the Task Force recommendations, with few exceptions, and responded with how the GPO plans to implement a digital FDLP.
Questions & feedback:
For comments and questions about this process, please visit askGPO.