RESOLVED, RESOLVED, RESOLVED, RESOLVED, 2 That the American Library Association commend the Government Printing Office for the timely development and implementation of the GPO Access program; and, be it further That the American Library Association urge Congress to continue the role of the GPO in assuring the dissemination of government information to the public and fully funding the GPO Access program; and, be it further That the American Library Association urge Congress to hold extensive geographically dispersed hearings that include a broad spectrum of public users before taking any action to reduce, eliminate, or privatize the GPO; and, be it further That copies of this resolution be forwarded to the appropriate Congressional committees and federal officials. Adopted by the Council of the American Library Association Philadelphia, Pennsylvania February 8, 1995 (Council Document 20.5) Mr. PACKARD. I know you will be pleased to hear that there is no one that I am hearing from in Congress that is seeking to significantly downsize or restructure the Library of Congress. It is certainly one of the agencies under this committee that is very well thought of, almost universally. And that-in fact last night I visited with Speaker Gingrich. He says, everything is on the table for him, unless it would be the Library of Congress, and he says treat the Library of Congress well. Ms. TUROCK. Very welcome words, sir. Mr. PACKARD. So I think it certainly has the support of leadership and the support generally of the Members of Congress, and of course the American people. One question. Do you work with or have you in the past worked with or directed a local library that is a depository library? MS. TUROCK. Yes, indeed. Actually, associate director of a library at Rochester and Monroe, New York County library system. Mr. PACKARD. And tell me, if you would, please, if moving into the electronic age-and I am not sure that the depository libraries will have to make a hard choice, but I think we are reaching the point where these kinds of choices are going to have to be made by our depository libraries-if you had to choose between having access to the electronic information that will be provided by the Library of Congress and by the other agencies of government or the hard copies that you have historically been receiving, which would you feel would be the most effective in today's society? MS. TUROCK. Actually, I don't see them as mutually exclusive. I am a vocal proponent of technology, infusing its way through all libraries in the United States. And the library school in which I teach and at which I am a professor is one that insists that no librarian come on to the field who is not technologically competent. In fact, my program as President-elect of the American Library Association focuses on the Library as a key ingredient in the electronic information infrastructure. I see that as something that we all have to concentrate on, making us competent and equipped to handle electronic information. I think that for this time, however, and in the future, there will be a necessity for some formats, other than electronic information to be available to people, for a number of reasons. First of all, not all libraries, depository libraries are going to be equipped to handle the electronic information, and, secondly, not all people will be able to access the information that they need if it is only available electronically. So really, the focus I think of all of us needs to be on the user and how they seek information and how that information can be made more accessible and available to them so that they can participate fully in the American democracy. Mr. PACKARD. Our dilemma, as you can well appreciate, is the additional cost that might be required in this transition where we move from the hard copy to the electronic information. We may find ourselves not able to do both, and depository libraries may find themselves with having to make a choice: Accessing the on-line or other electronic information or getting the hard copies. We may not be able to do both, at least not for an extended period of time. We may have a transition period where we will have to do both. 89-935 95-33 But let's take as a very specific example that the depository libraries all receive copies of the daily congressional journal. That will be on-line and that will be available through CD-ROMs as well in the future. It may be impossible for us to provide both the hard copy that they have been historically getting and the electronic or CD information, the same information electronically. Are you do you see a time when we can wean our depository libraries away from having access to both methods of information? MS. TUROCK. I think that as long as the government's information is made accessible to the people, that we would have no difficulty supporting that. But the real issue is the technological sophistication that has to be made a part of depository libraries so that that can occur. Mr. PACKARD. How many libraries of our 1,400 depository libraries out there are not technologically capable of receiving electronic information? MS. TUROCK. I think they are all technologically capable to receive some information, some information electronically, but that they would need additional equipment and support to enter into the kind of program which you are discussing, which is a total electronic program. I think that it would require the concentration of groups like mine with the minds of Congress to come up with the best system for the people. We would like to be able to work with you on providing a system that will not only enhance the opportunity for government information to be disseminated, but also the people's ability to access and use that information. Mr. PACKARD. Well, and it may be well to consider, even have some kind of assistance to provide that the equipment—we may save the taxpayers money in the long run by providing or assisting some of the libraries to upgrade their equipment to where they do have access. Those are some thoughts that could be done and still save money over the long term. MS. TUROCK. Mr. Chairman, that is one of the things I will be talking to Congress throughout the next year about, just exactly how that fiscal support will occur. Mr. PACKARD. Well, we don't know at this point how it will, either. Mr. DiMario, our witness this morning, indicated that 90 percent of the libraries have electronic capability, but you are saying that their capability may not be sufficient to receive all of the information? Ms. TUROCK. I would have to know what the level of and the sophistication of that electronic receipt was. There are many, there are many kinds of technological equipment. Mr. PACKARD. NTIS is also helping I think to install equipment; is that correct? Ms. TUROCK. Yes, it is. And NTIS might very well work in partnership with the GPO or in fact become a part of the GPO. Mr. PACKARD. Well, there is little question that that is the direction we want to move. Because we think it will broaden the base of information, it will make it much more readily available. I think that we are in the middle we are really between my grandchildren's generation where they are growing up from kindergarten on up, to learn computer technology and my generation which didn't have that training. And so this is the transition that is taking place. But I foresee the day when virtually all the printed-except for historical documents, all of the printed-or the information that will flow out of Congress and out of government to our depository libraries will be on-line or certainly through electronic devices, rather than hard copy, with a few exceptions, as I mentioned. But I see that day coming, the question is how long is it going to be and what we have to do between now and then; and will it save us money. All of that is important to us. Ms. TUROCK. Indeed. To us also. I thank you for your positive attitude toward our libraries. Mr. PACKARD. We appreciate your testimony. I think we will take one more. We have just been called for a vote, but we will take one more before I run up for the vote. It will be about two minutes between then and then I will be back. Mr. Maxwell, Fredric Alan Maxwell, and I believe, is he here? Okay. Thank you. We will then go to Christine Shollenberger, President of AFSCME, the American Federation of-tell me what your acronym stands for. Ms. SHOLLENBERGER. The American Federation of State and Municipal Employees, sir. Mr. PACKARD. This will be on the Library of Congress, I believe, also. Ms. Shollenberger, would you announce the people that are with you? Ms. SHOLLENBERGER. Yes. As stated, I am Christine Shollenberger, President of AFSCME Local 2910, the Library of Congress. Today, I have with me Saul Schniederman, who is our first vice president and chief steward, and Kent Dunlap, who is our chief negotiator. Mr. PACKARD. And do each of them have a statement? Mr. PACKARD. Okay. Thank you. Ms. SHOLLENBERGER. We represent the 1,400 professional employees at the Library. Among our constituency, we have our cataloguers, our copyright examiners, our reference librarians, computer specialists, attorneys, et cetera. Our bargaining of members are basically in your GS-7 to GS-15. They are nonsupervisory, and they are outside of the congressional service. Mr. PACKARD. Excuse me. If you don't mind, I will just ask a question at this time. That are outside the CRS; does that mean that they have a different union, or are they-is that-you do not represent the CRS employees? Ms. SHOLLENBERGER. That is correct. The congressional research employees have a different union. Mr. PACKARD. Okay. Thank you. Ms. SHOLLENBERGER. So we have two unions at the Library. We are here today to wholeheartedly support the Library's budget. But we must point out that this budget was prepared without any consultation with any of the three labor unions. In fact, while we get a copy of the budget, we are not even briefed before these particular hearings. I bring this to bear because we believe that through a more consultative process, our organization could have perhaps suggested several areas of greater efficiencies had we, you know, been able to accomplish this. In our written testimony we have addressed seven areas. I would like to begin by addressing one area that I believe was not significantly addressed yesterday. The Librarian mentioned that the Library of Congress is a solid base, and it is on that solid base that we can be able to build for the future. Well, we represent that solid base; it is the human resources upon which we are going to build. This last year has in many ways been a difficult year. The Library several years ago dismantled its labor relations department and there has been a great deterioration between labor and management of the Library. It almost seemed as if top management is either not willing or unable to make decisions. The result has been chaotic. It is evidenced through the filing of grievances, EEO complaints, and unfair labor practices. Morale is at a very low point; it needs to be improved, and I would say that the distrust among the staff is high. We want to share the Librarian's vision. However, we feel that we haven't been made a part of it yet. We want to be made a partner, because we are going to be the people who are going to be the builders of the information highway. We want our staff involved in the decision-making, so that our creative talents can be better utilized. In addition, we look forward to participating with the Administrative Conference of the United States as mandated by the Accountability Act of 1995. We ask your support for our people. We are going to hold you to your last statement, that you do realize that we are working harder with less, but we ask you to keep in mind that severe shortages in staff and employee services ultimately affect the service to Congress as well as the service that we are able to give to the Nation. We believe the copyright office should remain within the Library of Congress. It makes sense. It should be maintained. And we believe that the effective delivery of the information and dissemination can only be accomplished through a high level of professionalism and experience which our employees bring to the task. As we reduce our famous or should I say our infamous arrearage, we are going to need even more of your support through some of these services. We look forward to the coming year. We ask the Library and we ask Congress to more fully embrace the creative talents of our staff so that we can be involved in the challenges for the future. Mr. PACKARD. Well, thank you very much for your statement, Mrs. Shollenberger. [The information follows:] |