28 April 1978 The President The White House 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 Burkhardt Frederick Burkhardt Chairman Table of Contents Page 1 Introduction The National Program: An Approach to Improved Library/ The Goal The Time Scale 3 3 3 4 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 2220 Cooperation with Other Government Agencies Plans for the Future Administration and Organization 24 24 25 26 26 27 29 31 33 V. Toward a National Program for Library and A Summary 44 VI. Part A-The White House Conference (Public 57 |