THE EVOLUTION OF PUBLIC PRINTING in the UNITED STATES LIS 205 Spring 2004.

THE EVOLUTION OF PUBLIC PRINTING in the UNITED

STATES

LIS 205

Spring 2004

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 Documentswas transferred to the GPO fromInterior (“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: 975A 1.2: 43A 1.3: 6/1A 1.3: 6/2A 1.3: 6/4200A 1.4: AM 52A 1.4: AM 64A 1.4/2: AM 77A 1.4/2: 1A 1.5: B/3A 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.

Depository Libraries in 2000

• 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.

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