Government and Geographic Information Services Task Force (GGIS)
Transforming the Regional Depository
Government & Geographic Information Services
University of Maryland Libraries
September 7, 2006
Purpose
The primary purpose of this activity is to develop a plan to implement the vision and calendar from the June 2 nd 2005 C-Team discussions on the future of Government Documents & Maps. This is an important undertaking that can ensure the Libraries provide services to users in the most appropriate way to meet their needs, as well as providing leadership in the development of new models for FDLP programs and services that assures the fundamental principal of providing access to US Government documents to an informed citizenry.
The FDLP portion of the effort dovetails with other visioning exercises undertaken by GPO, DLC, and ARL during the past two years. Of particular note is The Federal Government Information Environment of the 21st Century: Towards a Vision Statement and Plan of Action for Federal Depository Libraries. This and other visioning documents are available at 2021: A Depository Odyssey. Significant attention will also be paid to maps and GIS (geographic information systems) collections and related services.
Several assumptions will inform this work:
- The regional depository system as historically defined will soon be fundamentally changed and the University of Maryland Libraries will work closely with the US Government Printing Office to develop the new model.
- Documents may be distributed in different ways (including e-only) and in different aggregations than previously distributed via FDLP. Government entities other than GPO will increasingly distribute documents directly.
- Digitizing projects initiated by libraries and government entities may also provide reliable access to aggregations of U.S. government documents.
- As retrospective digitization of legacy print collections progresses the relationship of the Regional Depository will shift to the new model that emphasizes handling of collections less and access to them more.
2010 Vision for Government & Geographic Information Services (GGIS)
GGIS will be a model of integrated and virtual collections and services in the context of a federal ‘depository' system that has been transformed. Transformation and leadership-oriented, GGIS will be a forerunner/state of the art entity among campus libraries with the following attributes:
- Significant movement toward robust digital collections and away from physical collections, while maintaining free public access;
- Locally housed core works required in print, including maps, with increased offsite storage for other tangible materials;
- The extent to which print collections are retained (offsite or locally) will be dependent on the archiving practices that GPO initiates, and the retrospective digitization of those collections;
- Effective means of access, including full integration of government information into discovery tools;
- Distributed services at service points throughout the Libraries, including virtually;
- Increased emphasis on geographic information, including GIS and maps;
- Strong partnerships with campus groups, commercial vendors, and government agencies, including GPO;
- Close work with GPO to continually improve and transform the FDLP regional model.
Government & Geographic Information Services (GGIS) Task Force
A GGIS Task Force will lead the project. The Task Force will report to the Director of Public Services. Analysis and recommendations will be data driven.
Charge to the GGIS Task Force
Based on C-Team's 2005 vision, and with GPO, Director of Public Services, and Dean of Libraries, develops a plan of a future FDLP regional library suite of relationships and services that serves UM campus faculty, staff, and students, USMAI, FDLP selective depository libraries, and the public. Incorporate GIS and map collections/services and include collection development, equipment, staffing models and skill sets, budget proposal, and outreach opportunities. Steps and timeline will follow those outlined in the June 2005 C-Team outcomes.
- Identify a core print collection, a retro print collection, and titles that will be e-only. Recommend modifications to FDLP selection profile and cataloging profile.
- Identify digitization priorities and explore opportunities to collaborate with GPO on initiatives such as light, dark, and back-up archives and to partner with other commercial vendors.
- Recommend priorities for organizing and cataloging maps & GIS datasets.
- Recommend partnerships with campus groups for maps/GIS collection development and outreach.
- Evaluate options to integrate GGIS content into UM Libraries discovery tools.
- Recommend approach to distributing GGIS services across UM Libraries service sites (including virtually). Identify staff training, hardware, software, and other technology needs.
- Recommend a new name for the Government Documents & Maps team (GGIS?).
- Coordinate efforts with task group developing updated service and staffing models for PSD.
Schedule
Once the work of the Task Force commences it should be completed within eight months. Early in its deliberations the Task Force should develop a calendar that provides an appropriate timeline for this work.
GGIS Task Force Members
- Gerri Foudy (Chair. Government and Politics, Public Policy, and Law Librarian, University of Maryland )
- Cindy Etkin (Program Planning Specialist, Office of the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office)
- Jim Gillispie (Head, Access Services and Government Publications/Maps/Law Library, Johns Hopkins University)
- Jim Miller (Senior Reference Librarian and College Park PTDL Representative, Engineering & Physical Sciences Library, University of Maryland)
- Kim Ricker (GIS/Data Librarian, University of Maryland)
- Cindy Todd (Information and Research Services Team Leader, and Acting Head of Government Documents and GIS/Maps, University of Maryland)
- Tanner Wray (Ex Officio. Director of Public Services, University of Maryland Libraries)
- Annie Young (Government Information Librarian, University of Maryland)
Attachment: June 2005 C-Team Calendar/Timeline
UM Libraries Library Executive Council. July 18 2006
