Table Of Contents Introduction_. The Framework: Elements of the National Program The Ideal of Equal Opportunity. The Basic Assumptions The Program Objectives Approach to Implementation White House Conference On Library And Information Supporting Studies. Elements of Information Resources Policy: Library and National Inventory of Library Needs. The Role of the Library of Congress in the National 11 State Library Agencies and the National Program: A Computer Network Standard Protocol.. Other Activities.... The Copyright Compromise. Tuesday at the White House _ _ Regional Library Services Program Officers' Meeting.. Communication with the Library and Information Service Future Plans. Administration And Organization.......... Appendices I. The Act-Public Law 91-345. IV. List of Commission Committees. V. Toward a National Program for Library and mary VI. Part A-The White House Conference (Public Part B-White House Conference Advisory Com- VII. Official Resolutions of the National Commission on VIII. NCLIS Publications. IX. Contracts and Task Forces Supported by the Na- X. Fiscal Statement 68 Introduction This is the fifth Annual Report of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS); it covers the period. July 1, 1975, through June 30, 1976. With the publication, at the end of the last fiscal year, of its official program document, "Toward a National Program for Library and Information Services: Goals for Action," the Commission marked a significant turning point in the direction of its activities. For several years prior to that milestone, the Commission's emphasis had been on preparation of the program document, tapping the resources of the library/information science (LIS) community, as well as the community at large, for the input necessary for the development of a sound, workable program. With the publication of the program document-and its almost immediate acceptance by the major professional LIS associations-the emphasis shifted from program development to implementation. This was not, of course, the beginning of implementation. On the contrary, over a year earlier, as the program was approaching its present form, it became apparent that certain requirements would not be altered by further refinements, and implementation in these areas was begun. It was also apparent that a good deal of information that would be required for making implementation decisions was not currently available, so efforts to collect the required data were also begun. Typical of these early activities were the support of conferences leading to the establishment of the Continuing Library Education Network and Exchange (CLENE) and a study of the interactions between traditional library services and new information services. However, during fiscal 1976, data collection and implementation activities became the major thrust of the Commission's work. Underway or initiated in fiscal 1976 were studies of: the role of the Library of Congress in the national network; the impact of federal funding programs on public libraries; an inventory of national library needs; and the volume and characteristics of library photocopying. NCLIS-sponsored task forces were formed to develop a program for providing ready access to periodicals and to develop protocols for computer communication between differing library network systems. At the same time, NCLIS was involved in other activities in the areas of continuing library and information science education, coordination. of bibliographic control, resolution of copyright issues and identification of significant issues to be addressed by national information policy. All of these activities have required intensive communication and coordination with other organizations-both government and nongovernment-with which the Commission has common interests. Both Commissioners and staff have devoted considerable time and energy to informing many organizations and the general public about The Framework: Elements of The National Program A complete description of the Commission's program appears in Toward a National Program for Library and Information Services: Goals for Action. Single copies of this document may be obtained from the Commission at 1717 K Street, N.W., Suite 601, Washington, D.C. 20036. Single or multiple copies may also be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 20402 (Stock Number 052-003-0086-5, price $1.45). A summary of the program is contained in Appendix V of this report. In order to establish a framework for the year's activities, only the basic elements of the program are quoted from the program document in this section. The Ideal of Equal Opportunity of Access In order to provide a long-term focus for its activities, the Commission has adopted the following ideal: To eventually provide every individual in the United States with equal opportunity of access to that part of the total information resource which will satisfy the individual's educational, working, cultural and leisure-time needs and interests, regardless of the individual's location, social or physical condition, or level of intellectual achievement. The Basic Assumptions Both the ideal and the program by which the Commission proposes to pursue that ideal are based on the following set of assumptions: First, that the total library and information resource in the United States is a national resource which should be developed, strengthened, organized and made available to the maximum degree possible in the public interest. This national resource represents the cumulated and growing record of much of our nation's, and indeed, much of the world's, total cultural experience-intellectual, social, technological, and spiritual. Second, that all the people of the United States have the right, according to their individual needs, to realistic and convenient access to this national resource for their personal enrichment and achievement, and thereby for the progress of society. 230-068 0-77-2 |