28 April 1978 The President Dear Mr. President: I have the honor of transmitting to you the sixth Annual Report of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS). This report is submitted in accordance with Section. 5(a)7 of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science Act (Public Law 91-345 as amended by Public Law 9329, Section 802), and covers the fifteen month period from July 1, 1976, through September 30, 1977. This has been a very busy period for the Commission, beginning in July of 1976, when the long-awaited "call" of the White House Conference on Library and Information Services was finally announced. Since Public Law 93-568, which authorized the White House Conference, designates NCLIS to plan and conduct the Conference, there was an immediate expansion of activity. NCLIS submitted a budget request for the Conference process, testified in its support, brought together the White House Conference Advisory Committee for its first meeting, added staff for the White House Conference, and began the process of informing the state library agencies how to apply for grants to help support their preconferences. By the close of the Fiscal Year, nearly all of the states and territories had committed themselves to holding preconferences to prepare for the White House Conference, which is now scheduled to be held October 29 through November 2, 1979. In parallel with the White House Conference activity, NCLIS continued its normal task of promoting the implementation of its National Program for Library and Information Services with a variety of activities. Three contracted studies produced reports which are: an inventory of library needs on a national basis; a study of library photocopying; and an evaluation of the effectiveness of Federal funding programs for public libraries. An examination of the characteristics of a bibliographic data base for the national network and a study of the required characteristics of bibliographic records for audiovisual materials are also underway, with results expected next year. Task Force activity intensified, with the Task Force on a National Periodicals System submitting its report, and three new task forces being established to examine the development of computerto-computer protocols, the future of American National Standards Committee Z39, and the role of the school library/media center in a nationwide network. Throughout this period, NCLIS continued its active participation in cooperative activities with other government agencies, such as, for example, the Domestic Council Committee on the Right to Privacy, whom we were able to assist by helping them to obtain input to their report, National Information Policy, and later publishing the report for them and for the library/information community. Cooperative activities extended to non-government activities, as well. An example of this is our support of an Urban Libraries Council study based on data collected for NCLIS and our subsequent publication of the resulting report. The Commission appreciates your continued support of library and information service programs. Sincerely, Frederich Burkhard Frederick Burkhardt Chairman Table of Contents Introduction The National Program: An Approach to Improved Library/ The Goal The Time Scale Operations White House Conference on Library and Information Supporting Studies National Inventory of Library Needs-1975 - Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Federal Funding of Library Photocopying in the United States. The Role of the Library of Congress in an Emerging 12 Task Force on Computer-to-Computer Protocols 17 18 19 Implementation Activities National Policy Issues Conference and Report State Library Agency Management Seminars 20 2226 20 Cooperation with Other Government Agencies 26 27 29 V. Toward a National Program for Library and A Summary 44 VI. Part A-The White House Conference (Public 57 IX. Contracts and Task Forces Supported by the Information Science X. Fiscal Statement 81 103 Introduction This is the sixth annual report of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), covering the fifteenmonth period (including the Transition Quarter and FY 1977) from July 1, 1976 through September 30, 1977. The major development during the year was the official "call" by the President of the White House Conference on Library and Information Services (authorized by Public Law 93-568). Funds were requested and appropriated in the Spring of 1977, and by the close of the fiscal year, the process of informing the states and territories of the procedures for requesting grants for their individual preconferences had been completed, most of the states had formalized their intent to hold a preconference, and some of the initial grant payments had been made. The ongoing implementation of the Commission's National Program continued to accelerate during the year. Final reports were obtained from three studies undertaken earlier: Inventory of Library Needs-1975; Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Federal Funding of Public Libraries; and Library Photocopying in the United States. Three additional studies-The Role of the Library of Congress in the Emerging National Network; Initial Considerations for a National Network Data Base; and a study of the requirements for and characteristics of a National Data Base for Audiovisual Resources-were underway, with results anticipated early next year. The Task Force on a National Periodicals System completed its work with a report: Effective Access to the Periodical Literature, and three more task forces were constituted and put to work on: (1) establishing Computer-toComputer Protocols for the exchange of bibliographic information; (2) the Recommended Future Directions for the American National Standards Committee Z39 on Library and Documentation Standards; and (3) the Role of the School Library/Media Center in the National Program. A number of activities initiated in earlier years continued throughout FY 1977. These included support, in conjunction with other agencies and organizations, of the Committee for the Coordination of National Bibliographic Control, constant communication, coordination and cooperation with other Government agencies and the professional community, and keeping abreast of |