OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm

Agencies’ implementation of increased transparency and promotion of greater use of information should include strategic and aggressive use of existing library networks, including the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). An important aspect of any effort to increase government transparency is to make sure the public is aware of and able to use the new information. For this, libraries across the nation – public, academic, legal, research, and many others – are perfectly positioned to help notify and explain the new access to the public. Many Americans look to libraries for assistance in finding or understanding information, especially for those members of the public with no or limited Internet access. Libraries provide a broad range of E-Government services and resources but these have not as yet been successfully coordinated with the various Federal agencies. Librarians, as managers of information, can be among the most knowledgeable and effective advocates. Greater public participation in government and expanded use of government information are the true goals of increased transparency, and the federal government should develop a clear plan to use libraries in completing that process to achieve those goals.

The president should direct heads of agencies to coordinate E-Government and other programs of information dissemination with libraries in general and with the FDLP more specifically. This program, created by Congress and administered by the Government Printing Office, provides no-fee permanent public access to a broad range of government information. The president should direct agencies to insure that their government information products are included in the FDLP and thus public access assured.

- From the 21st Century RTK Agenda