GODORT sponsored two programs at WVLA Conferences:

 

1.  Spring Fling:  "Substance, Not Sound Bites:  Election and Voting Information for Students, Citizens, and Children,"  presented by Ann Henriksson and Majer Khader.

2.  WVLA Annual Conference:  "Economic Census," presented by Delphine Coffey of the West Virginia State Data Center.

 

We held our annual meeting on May 19, 2004, at Salem International University.  Christine Chang, Regional Librarian for the Federal Documents Library Program, presented information about a set of proposed initiatives with the intent to preserve access to government documents.  These include:

 

1.  Legacy collection:  The entire collection of U.S. government documents currently held in depositories (about 2.2 million documents).  The legacy collection will be digitized and preserved for permanent public access.  A national digitization plan is now being developed.  Paper documents are a higher priority than microfiche.

 

2.  Repository library:  There is at present a burden on regional depositories that are expected to collect and maintain all depository items.  The repository library concept would allow multiple libraries to consolidate collections and eliminate redunancy in their collections. 

 

3.  Collection of Last Resort:  This will be a secure dark archive that will contain a comprehensive collection of tangible and electronic titles.  This collection will not be accessed unless there is no other option.

 

4.  Dark archive:  Focus is on preservation, not access.  Materials in the dark archive will conform to cold storage preservation standards and will not be accesssible except as a last resort.  Will preserve both tangible and electronic documents.

 

5.  Light archive:  Focus is on preservation and some access.  Materials in a light archive will conform to standards for archival preservation of temperature and humidity, etc.

 

WV GODORT members were supportive of these initiatives.

 

The next discussion involved the situation with West Virginia depository libraries:

 

1.  Staffing problems.  Almost all insittutions are doing more with fewer staff. 

2.  Catalog access to electronic-only titles.  This involves a great deal of research unless the library subscribes to OCLC catalog records downloaded monthly by item number.

3.  Public relations problems.  The advantages of maintaining depository status are not always understood. 

 

Abdul Aden is the new depository libraraian at West Virginia State University.

 

Peggy Turnbull was elected for a second term as Chair of GODORT.

 

GODORT wishes to thank Salem International University for its ongoing support of our round table.

 

Peggy Turnbull

GODORT Chair.