Transcript Document

THE EVOLUTION OF PUBLIC
PRINTING in the UNITED
STATES
Jeffrey M. Wilhite
Associate Professor of Bibliography
Government Documents Reference Librarian,University of Oklahoma
Information
is the Currency
of Democracy
– Thomas Jefferson
First, what is a government document?
• “Informational matter which is published as an
individual document at government expense,
or as required by law”
–U.S. Code Title 44, Ch. 19, Sec. 1901.
• Types: laws, reports, documents, maps, et al.
• Topics: Congressional, economic, health, research,
demographic, informative, et al.
• Formats: Paper, microfiche, electronic (3.5 Disc,
CD-ROM, DVD), Internet, et al.
Two Main Divisions to Consider:
1. Government Printing Office
(GPO)
2. Federal Depository Library
Program (FDLP)
HISTORY OF
THE GPO/FDLP
• The first United States
documents (1776-1860)
were published by private
contract printers, as
appointed by both houses
of Congress, such as Gales
and Seaton, and Blair and
Rivers.
• Dissemination was
limited, even to the
members of the fledgling
government, with many
inherent problems.
1800’s
• The Federal Depository Library
Program had its origins in
special acts of the first twelve
congresses, which provided for
the printing of a sufficient
number of copies of the House
and Senate Journals for
distribution to the Executive
Branch and each house of the
state and territorial legislatures.
• 1813: An act authorized one
copy of each chamber’s Journal
to be sent to selected University
and state libraries and to
historical societies.
The Earliest Known Depository
• 1814: The American
Antiquarian Society in
Worcester, Massachusetts.
• As early as 1818 a
congressional committee
recommended the creation
of a government printing
office to ensure prompt
and accurate records of
Congressional
proceedings.
• Legislation in the 1850s established the framework
of the present system:
– 1852: Printing Act of 1852 appointed a Superintendent of
Public Printing within the Department of Interior.
– 1852: The Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) was
empowered to mediate disputes between the
Superintendent and the printers.
– 1857: A Superintendent of Public Printing was appointed
in the Department of Interior. The Secretary of Interior
could designate depositories.
– 1858: U.S. Representatives were authorized to establish
depository libraries, from their own district.
– 1859: U.S. Senators were authorized to establish one
depository in their own state.
• The Printing Act of 1860 provided
for the establishment of the
Government Printing Office
(GPO) in the Legislative Branch to
consolidate Congressional
printing.
• The JCP was directed to set
standards for the GPO
• The GPO was inaugurated the
same day Abraham Lincoln was as
the sixteenth president of the
United States (March 4, 1861).
*1869: An Appropriations Act established a
Superintendent of Documents in the Interior Dept.
*1870’s: Congressional discussion began to strip the GPO of
its printing “monopoly.” It did not occur.
*1876: A law changed the title of the “Superintendent
of Public Printing” to “Public Printer, ” and made the
position a Presidential appointment with Senate
confirmation.
*1887: Geological depositories established.
*1895: Patent depositories established.
GPO MILESTONES
-1895 Printing Act:
1. The Superintendent of Public Documents
was transferred to the GPO from
Interior (“Public” was dropped from
the title), making “FDLP” now part of
the GPO
2. Sale and distribution was added to GPO’s
charge.
3. Free access was given: “All Government
publications delivered to designated
depositories or other libraries shall be for
public use without charge.”
4. Centralized printing sought to eliminate wasteful
and disorderly distribution practices of the day.
5. Added Executive departments to depository
distribution.
6. Libraries from the Executive Branch departments
and the military academics added to the depository
system.
7. This act was an antecedent of Title 44 of the US
Code.
*July 17, 1895 First Depository shipment
*1895: There were 420 Depository Libraries
*1895: All depository libraries received 100%
of publications and could only weed
superceded items.
*1895: Monthly Catalog appeared
• 1895-1903: SuDocs
classification developed
by GPO Librarian
Adelaide Hasse.
• 1907: Land Grant colleges
added to system.
• 1923: Libraries could select
materials, not just receive
100%.
• 1923: 418 depositories.
• 1924: Geological and Patent
depositories dissolved.
The SuDoc Call Number System
• Based on provenance, or source
i.e. the issuing agency.
• Titles are arranged by agency
not subject matter:
• A = Agriculture
• C = Commerce
• D = Defense
• E = Energy
• ED = Education
• EPA = Environmental
Protection Agency
• etc…
A 1.1: 975
A 1.2: 43
A 1.3: 6/1
A 1.3: 6/2
A 1.3: 6/4200
A 1.4: AM 52
A 1.4: AM 64
A 1.4/2: AM 77
A 1.4/2: 1
A 1.5: B/3
A 1.5/A: B/3
1940’s and 1950’s
• 1945: 555 depositories.
• 1947: First biennial
survey of depository
libraries.
• 1950s: Modern shipping
lists began.
• The Depository Act of 1962
-”Cleaned-up” the depository system.
-Authorized the establishment of regional
depositories.
-Allowed selective libraries to keep items for
only 5 years, not permanently.
-Increased to two the number of depository
libraries permitted per congressional
district.
-Added libraries from independent Federal
agencies.
1970’s
• 1972: Highest appellate courts of the states added
to the system.
• 1973: Public Documents Highlights began to be issued.
• 1977: More than 1,200 libraries in the depository
library system.
• 1977: Microfiche authorized to be distributed to
libraries.
• 1978: Law Libraries added to the system.
1980’s and 1990’s
• 1980: Administrative Notes began.
• 1988: First CD-ROM distributed to
depository libraries.
• 1994: GOVDOC-L adopted by the LPS as
its method of e-mail communication.
1993 GPO Electronic Information
Access Enhancement Act
• Amended Title 44 to require
online dissemination of
information.
• Establishment of GPO
ACCESS.
• GPO ACCESS was named
one of the “Best Feds on the
web” by Government
Executive magazine in 1998.
GPO in 2000
• Created primarily to satisfy the
printing needs of Congress,
GPO today is the focal point
for printing, binding, and
information dissemination for
the entire Federal community.
In addition to Congress and
the White House
approximately 130 Federal
departments and agencies rely
on GPO’s services.
Basic Tenets of the GPO
• Located in Washington, D.C.
• Title 44, United States Code defines
the laws enforcing the GPO’s role.
• The Public Printer is GPO’s chief
officer. The current Public Printer
is Bruce James, 2003• In FY 2000, GPO distributed 12.2
million copies of approximately
29,000 tangible products in print,
microform, and CD-ROM formats
to depository libraries.
FDLP in 2000
• Administered by U.S. Code Title 44, Ch. 19
• The FDLP is based upon three principles:
1. With certain specified exceptions, all Federal Government
information products shall be made available to Federal
depository libraries.
2. Federal depository libraries shall be located in each State
and U.S. Congressional District in order to make
Government information products widely available.
3. That Federal Government information in all media shall be
available for the free use of the general public.
Superintendent of Documents
Judith C. Russell, 2003-
Responsibilities include:
• Management of FDLP.
• Distributing public
documents to depository
libraries and to other
institutions and officials
authorized by law.
• Sale of documents.
• Bibliographic control.
Depository Library Council
• The Depository Library Council (DLC) to the
Public Printer was established in 1972 to
provide advice on policy matters relating to
the FDLP.
• The primary focus of the DLC's work is to
advise the Public Printer, the Superintendent
of Documents, and appropriate members of
GPO staff on practical options for the efficient
management and operation of the FDLP.
• 15 Member Committee, appointed by the
Public Printer.
• 53 Regional Libraries
• 1300+ Selective
libraries
• Depositories are:
-50% Academic
-20% Public
-11% Law
-19% Other
• Federal depository
libraries serve an
estimated 9.5 million
people each year.
Depository
Libraries
in 2000
Depository
Libraries in
Oklahoma
• Two Regionals:
1893 -Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL)
1907 -Oklahoma State University (OSU)
• Seventeen Selectives
1893 - University of Oklahoma (OU) – 89%
-Tulsa, Edmond, Shawnee, etc.
Sources consulted/cited:
• Joe Morehead, Introduction to United States Government
Information Sources, Sixth Edition (Libraries Unlimited:
Engelwood, CO), 1999.
• Administrative Notes, “Keeping America Informed:
Federal Depository Library Program,” Administrative
Notes 19, no. 4 (2/15/98), pg. 19-22.
• Shiela McGarr, A Snapshot of FDLP updated from an article
in Administrative Notes, v. 15, #11, 8/15/94, pp. 6-14.
• GPO Web page: http://www.gpo.gov