NCC News, March 1988

National Historical Publications and Records Commission

In October Sen­ator Jim Sasser (D-TN) introduced S. 1856, legislation to reauthorize the grants program of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the next five years with an appropriation ceiling of $10 million for each fiscal year. Now we are awaiting introduction of legislation in the House of Representatives. Indica­tions are that very soon Representative Jack Brooks (D-TX) will be introducing NHPRC legislation. The House sub­ committee with oversight responsibility for the National Archives and the NHPRC, the Subcommittee on Govern­ment Information, Justice, and Agricul­ture of the Committee of Government Operations, plans to hold a hearing on February 17 on the reauthorization of the NHPRC grants program. Charlene Bickford, who is a member of the Vir­ginia State Historical Records Advisory Board and the editor of the First Feder­al Congress Project at George Washing­ton University, will be testifying on be­ half of NCC member organizations. All members of both the House and Senate need to be encouraged to become co­ sponsors of the NHPRC reauthorization bills and especially the members of the House subcommittee need to hear from historians concerning the role of this important program in preserving our nation’s documentary heritage.

Members of the House Subcommittee on Government Information

Glenn English (D-OK), Chairman; Louise Slaughter (D-NY); Bill Grant (D-FL); Edolphus Towns (D-NY); John Spratt (D-SC); Barney Frank (D-MA); Al McCandless (R-CA), ranking  minority; Amory Houghton (R-NY); J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL). Address: U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.

Recent Report Highlights Concerns Over Government Information Policy

The Association of Research Libraries has recently published the report of the Task Force on Government Informa­ tion in Electronic Format titled Technolo­gy and US Government Information Poli­ cies: Catalysts for New Partnerships. The ARL issued this report to “encourage discussion of technology and US Gov­ ernment information policies and a dearer understanding of how the char­acteristics of electronic formats affect the availability of information.” Focusing on the technological advances in information storage and retrieval, the report addresses five issues: “challenges to US Government information poli­ cies; the roles of the private sector and Government responsibilities in making information available; models for analy­sis of the distinctive characteristics of information in electronic formats; a changing framework for library serv­ices; and the consequent influence of these four sets of issues. on the Deposi­tory Library Program, a Congressional program designed to provide equitable public availability of government infor­mation.” With an acute appreciation of the complexities of government information policy, the report seeks to clarify how the characteristics of electronic for­mats affect the availability of informa­tion. Copies of this report may be ob­tained by sending $5 (prepayment re­quired) to the Association of Research Libraries, 1527 New Hampshire Ave­nue, NW, Washington, DC 20036.

The National Agricultural Library

In­creased interest is now focusing on H.R. 1435, legislation designed to consolidate and expand the statutory authority for the National Agricultural Library. Introduced last spring by Representative E. de la Garza (D-TX), who chairs the House Agricultural Committee and Ed­ ward Madigan (R-IL), the ranking mi­ nority member of the committee, this legislation would clarify that the Nation­ al Agricultural Library’s mission is to “serve as the Nation’s primary agricul­ tural information resource.” The bill would bring together legislative author­ity in various acts, strengthen the Li­brary’s position in the Department of Agriculture, consolidate the definition of function of the Library, and define the relationship of the Library to the agricultural and information communi­ ties. This legislation would establish the National Agricultural Library as an equivalent institution with the National Library of Medicine and would enable the National Agricultural Library to achieve many of the goals identified in 1982 by an interagency blue ribbon pan­el. The panel’s report, “Assessment of the National Agricultural Library- Fi­ nal Report to the Secretary,” was pub­lished by the United States Department of Agriculture in August, 1982. Action to implement this report may finally be forthcoming.

Freedom of Information Day

The Sen­ate has passed and the House is consid­ering legislation that designates March 16 as Freedom of Information Day. On this day, the birthday of James Madison, one of the earliest champions of the citizen’s right to access of government information, citizens are urged to cele­brate with appropriate activities the Freedom of Information Act. Enacted in 1966, this act stands as the primary legal basis for public access to records of federal agencies. Not only are many historical studies more comprehensive and insightful because of material re­ceived through FOIA requests, but citi­zens groups have obtained information that has enabled Americans to live safer and healthier lives and to press for more economical and efficient government programs.

Women’s History Month

Repre­sentative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen­ator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) have intro­ duced joint resolutions proclaiming the month of March, 1988 Women’s His­tory Month. Communities all across the country participate in this annual cele­bration which commemorates the lives, experiences, and struggles of American women of every race, class, and ethnic background. Educators, librarians, and state and local commissions of women have been in the forefront of promoting the vast amount of information that is now available on the history of Ameri­can women.