- Email: [email protected]
Microformatted government documents online
Governmenr Publications Review, Vol. 8A, Printed
pp. 353-359, 1981
0196-335X/81/040353-07$02.00/0 Copyright 0 1981 Pergamon Press Ltd
in the USA. All rights reserved.
MICROFORMATTED
GOVERNMENT
CHARLES School
of Library
Science,
DOCUMENTS
ONLINE
R. MCCLURE
University
of Oklahoma,
Norman,
OK 73019
ROBERT SWISHER School
of Library
Science,
University
of Oklahoma
INTRODUCTION
In recent years, a most significant development regarding access to government publications is the availability of microformatted government publications through online data bases. The combination of two technologies, i.e., micrographics and bibliographic data bases, provide the government documents librarians with numerous potential strategies to increase bibliographic and physical access to government documents. The perceived complexities of accessing government publications by some patrons and non-documents librarians can be reduced by taking advantage of these combined technologies. The benefits of online government publications data base searching are substantial and include: increased access to specific types of government publications not indexed elsewhere; reduced time lag between availability of the document and its bibliographic access; reduced expenses by not having to purchase numerous hard copy indexes that may be only infrequently used; the searching process, itself, can be much more rapid than using hard copy indexes; increased search strategies including Boolean and proximity operators; increased access to documents based on unique access points related only to documents such as SUDOCS number; information agencies of all types have quick access to a broad range of depository, GPO non-depository, and non-GPO government publications; problems associated with traditional searching because corporate or agency entries are reduced; and many of the documents data bases provide unique services that include regular selective dissemination of information (SDI) and ordering of documents online. Of special interest to this column is the ability, now, not only to search a broad range of government document data bases but to also order government publications online and obtain, in many instances, microformatted government publications that can be ordered directly through the mail from the data base producers or an independent jobber. This increased bibliographic access and physical availability to government publications by ordering microfiche online allows the documents librarian to have much more direct control over accessing government publications rather than having to work through the Government Printing Office or a host of other federal agencies.
NOTE:
Prices mentioned
in this article are subject to change. 353
Please check with data base producer
for latest prices.
354
CR.
MCCLURE
and R. SWISHER
Furthermore, the data bases that currently provide access to government publications online can only increase, and so too the next step, of making those documents available online by way of microfiche. The unbelievable number of existing “in-house” government “information systems”[ I]-many of which are bibliographic data bases-have the potential to be loaded into one of the three data base vendors (Lockheed DIALOG, Systems Development Corporation ORBIT, and BRS) and made accessible to a broad range of users and potential users. Thus, with the current availability of a number of government document data bases online that allow the user to order microfiche copies of any publication listed in the data base and the likelihood that the number of these data bases can only increase, the time is opportune to provide a brief introduction to some of these data bases for the practicing documents librarian. Specifically, the column will identify those data bases available through DIALOG, ORBIT and BRS where government publications can be obtained in a microformat. After a brief description of the data bases providing these services, an explanation of the ordering procedures, online, will be provided. No attempt is made here to replace the detailed information about these data bases and the availability of microfiche that is described in the user guides and technical information supplied by each of the three data base vendors and individual data base producers. Those wishing to obtain specific information regarding microformatted government documents online will require the manuals as they provide excellent information about the data bases’ background, searching concepts, procedures regarding the use of the data bases, strategies for online searching, and procedural commands to access the data bases and obtain microformatted government publications [2]. DATABASES
WITH ONLINE ORDERING
POSSIBLE [3]
1. AS1 (ORBIT)-The American Statistics Index provides abstracts and indexing of all federal statistical publications containing social, economic, demographic,or natural resources data plus a selection of scientific and technical publications. Any publication indexed is available in microfiche. For AS1 Index (the hard copy version) subscribers and Documents Deposit Account customers: %.75/unit (indicted as the number of fiche for each document in the online record); for other customers: $1.25/unit plus $5.00 service charge. The fiche are also available in a variety of series. For Documents-on-Demand orders (individual documents), the microfiche provided are diazo, safety-base film, negative polarity with positive polarity, color-backed eye-legible headers. The headers list the bibliographic item of document title, date, AS1 accession number, and fiche number. The CIS Sales Catalog each year provides complete information on all CIS products; sample microfiche are available on request. (Review: Microform Review, v.4, no.2, April 1975, pp. 112-I 13.) 2. CIS (DIALOG, ORBIT)-The Congressional Information Service provides comprehensive access to the entire Congressional output of hearings, prints, documents, reports, executive documents and executive reports. Any publication indexed is available. Cost and fiche description is the same as for ASI, described above. (Review: Microform Review, v. 1, no.2, April 1972, pp. 133-136.) 3. DISCLOSURE (DIALOG)-The DISCLOSURE database provides extracts of reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by publicly owned companies. However, the full text of any report filed since 1967 may be ordered online. The cost is $7.50/report for microfiche. Microfiche format must be specified as paper copy is supplied
Microformatted
government
documents
online
355
unless otherwise indicated. Deposit accounts are not necessary. Microfiche are diazo, safety-base film, negative polarity with eye-legible headers which list the SEC file number, the SIC code, company name, stock exchange name, Disclosure company identification number, type of report designation, and date. (Review: Microform Review, v.4, no.4, Oct. 1975, pp. 281-283) 4. ENERGYLINE, ENVIROLINE (DIALOG, ORBIT)-Both of these databases, produced by Environmental Information Center, include both Congressional and governmental agency reports pertaining to energy and environmental concerns. The cost is $S.OO/microfiche; each fiche contains a maximum of 98 pages. The format must be specified in the order, and a .minimum deposit account of $50.00 must be established or prepayment must accompany the order. Microfiche are diazo, safety-base film, negative polarity with eye-legible headers which give title, document source, date of the original, EIC Abstracts volume number (where abstract of document appeared), and Energyfiche or Envirofiche identification (accession) number. (Envirofiche review: Microform Review, v.1, no.2, April 1973, pp. 123-125.) 5. ERIC (DIALOG, ORBIT)-This database is the complete database on educational material from the Educational Resources Information Center. Documents indexed in the Research in Education portion of the file, the ED-numbered items, are available in microfiche from the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). The cost is based on a price code which is contained in the ED record abstract. On the DIALOG system, the price table is available online with the command, ?ERICCODE. The format must be specified in the order. Deposit accounts are not required. Microfiche are vesicular, safety-base film, negative polarity with eye-legible headers which list ERIC accession number, title, author, publication place and date, and number of pages. 6. NTIS (DIALOG, ORBIT)-Produced by the National Technical Information Service, the database consists of government-sponsored research, development, and engineering plus analyses prepared by federal agencies, their contractors, or grantees. The cost is based on a price code that is contained in the NTIS record abstract. The format must be specified in the order. Deposit accounts with NTIS of $25 minimum are required. On the DIALOG system, the price table is available online with the command, ?NTISCODE. The format must be specified in the order. Deposit accounts are not required. Microfiche are diazo, safety-base film, negative polarity with eye-legible headers which list author, title, corporate source, contract number, page number, date, NTIS subject classification number, and NTIS report number. ONLINE ORDERING VENDORS PROVIDING GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS IN MICROFORMAT 1. DATA-SEARCH (DIALOG)-This vendor will provide the full text or specified portion of any U.S. government document cited in any online bibliographic search. It will also provide any document or portion thereof published or distributed by the U.S. Government Printing Office, the National Technical Information Service, and the Educational Resources Information Center. The cost is $5.00/item up to 3 fiche plus %.50 for each additional fiche. If available, microfiche copy will be supplied unless otherwise specified. Deposit accounts are not required. 2. MICROMEDIA LIMITED (DIALOG)-This vendor will supply Canadian government reports (federal or provincial); Canadian bills, regulations, parliamentary papers, court reports; Statistics Canada publications; and Canadian patents. The cost is $3.00/item for Canadian patents; $5.00/fiche for other documents. There is a minimum charge of
C.R.McCLURE
356
$1500/order of Statistics pp. 55-57.)
or a deposit account Canada Publications,
and R. SWISHER
minimum of $100.00. Prices are Canadian dollars. (Review 1851-1975, Microform Review, v.7, no.1, Jan./Feb. 1978,
The following phone numbers are current as of May, 1981 and can be used by readers obtain more information on the above data bases: ASI/ CIS DIALOG DISCLOSURE EIC ERIC NTIS ORBIT DATA-SEARCH BRS MICROMEDIA
LTD
GOVERNMENT
to
800-638-8380 (outside Md.), 301-654-1550 800-227-1960 (outside Md.), 800-982-5838 800-638-8076 (outside Md.), 301-951-1300 2 12-949-947 1 703-487-4650 703-487-4650 800-421-7229 (outside CA), 800-352-6689 919-542-5114; Mr. Alan Metter, DATA-SEARCH, Pittsboro, NC 27312 800-833-4707 4 16-593-5211; Document Delivery Center, Micromedia Ltd., 144 Front St., W., Toronto, Canada M5J 2L7
DOCUMENT DOCUMENTS
DATA BASES WITH MICROFORMATTED AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE
A number of government document data bases are searchable on DIALOG, ORBIT, or BRS, which do not provide for direct ordering online of microformatted material but such microformatted material can be obtained elsewhere. The GPO Monthly Catalog (BRS DIALOG) includes publications which are being issued by numerous publishers such as CIS and NTIS in a microformat. The Federal Register (DIALOG, ORBIT) provides access to all federal regulations and announcements and has been made available in microfiche by private publishers as well as the GPO. The Congressional Record (DIALOG, ORBIT) is available in microformat from a variety of micropublishers. Environmental Impact Statements (BRS) is produced by Information Resources Press and the data base provides full coverage of federal environmental impact statements. (Review: Microform Review, v.7, no. 1, Jan./ Feb. 1978, pp. 35-36.) Various U.S. Patents files are available on BRS, DIALOG, and ORBIT. Microfiche of these materials can be obtained through private micropublishers. The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) is available through DIALOG and covers aspects of law enforcement and criminal justice including many government reports and documents. Free microfiche of selected non-copyrighted documents are available directly from NCJRS and an availability statement is included in the online abstract. The Publications Reference File (DIALOG) is a “Books in Print” for government publications. Access points are: GPO stock number, SUDOCS classification number, and titles, series, key words, key phrases, subjects, and personal authors. The PRF is available in microfiche from the GPO. The above listing is intended only to provide the reader with a brief idea of the government documents data bases available online that are supported by microformatted versions of materials available from private publishers or the GPO itself. An excellent summary of private publishers that provide microformatted materials for the above listed items is contained in Documents Available in Nancy Johnson’s recent article, “Space Consuming U.S. Government Microform” [4]. Document librarians can only hope that the day will soon be here when microformatted documents from the GPO Monthly Catalog, Patents, the Federal Register, the
Microformatted
Congressional Record, directly online!
NCJRS, and the Publications
ORDERING
357
government documents online
MICROFORMATTED
Reference
File (PRF) can be ordered
DOCUMENTS
ONLINE
Acting simply as online maildrops, both SDC ORBIT and LOCKHEED DIALOG have made it possible to transmit orders for documents to a variety of suppliers, Ordering information, which is held in a supplier file, is accessed electronically by a supplier, many times on a same-day basis. The cost of this convenience is really quite nominal, but does depend upon the amount of connect time taken to place an order (or orders) and the rate of the file to which the user must be attached while placing the order. DIALORDER@ Lockheed’s online ordering service, DIALORDER@, is utilized in the particular database from which citations are being drawn for ordering purposes. Because of the several parameters associated with Lockheed’s KEEP command, though, the amount of time it takes to enter an order can be very short. KEEP automatically saves appropriate order information in a special set 99; and the command may be used to place a complete set of records into set 99 (KEEP 5), place a certain record in set 99 (KEEP 5/ 3), place a range of records into set 99 (KEEP 5/ 3-6), or to place records in set 99 by accession number (KEEP 8004055). As is the case with the PRINT command, a KEEP- version of the command exists which can be used to edit records out of set 99. The TYPE command may be issued to view the contents of set 99. The command that actually places set 99 in an order file is .ORDER xxxx, where xxxx is replaced by the appropriate supplier acronym. By default, the mailing address of the user’s DIALOG password is associated with the order. If special instructions are called for-an alternate shipping address, separate billing account number, a special method of shipping, a particular document format-such as microfiche-, etc., up to 200 characters of message are allowed following the .ORDER command. An efficiency of DIALORDER@ is its ability to reduce user keyboarding: the system allows the user to build order records from either accession numbers or previously assembled sets, and it automatically attaches default shipping and billing information from the user’s password. However, it is also possible to order items which are not found in DIALOG data bases, with the user now supplying information about citations. The command to do this, .ORDERITEM, differs from the .ORDER command in that it may be used while attached to any data base, but only one item per .ORDERITEM command is allowed. Again, 200 characters of message are allowed, which in this case must be used to actually type in the appropriate bibliographic data. Several other special commands and command parameters are available to be used which simply add to the system’s basic versatility. These features, as well as the basic features of DIALORDER@ are explained in Lockheed’s Technical Note 4. (February 1981.) Supplier requirements for online ordering are listed in a “yellow pages” section of Lockheeds Guide to DIALOG Searching, and announcements are made in Chronolog, Lockheed’s newsletter. ELECTRONIC
MAILDROP@
The SDC service, ELECTRONIC MAILDROP@, differs from DIALORDER@ in two ways: one, the user must be attached to the ORBIT file and not a database to issue the command to keyboard an order message, and two, therefore, the system does not supply citation information to be used in building the order message. The command ORDER xxxx,
358
C.R. MCCLURE and R. SWISHER
where xxxx is again replaced by the appropriate supplier acronym, simply places the system in message file mode and returns an augmented prompt to the user: ENTER ORDER OR TYPE DONE USER: Once in this order mode, the user would key in both supplier-required and other appropriate optional information, formatting the message through the use of the carriage return (which returns another ENTER . . . DONE prompt) and, if wished, the line continuation symbol. If several items are ordered in the same order message, a good deal of typing time can be saved, since the supplier-required information (ship and bill, deposit account number, etc.) can be typed once followed by a number of citations. To exit the order message mode and have the order saved, the user simply responds with the keyword DONE in response to the ENTER . . . DONE system prompt. Specific supplier requirements are listed in the SDC ORBIT User Mmual, and announcements of both new suppliers and changes in prices, scope of services, etc., of suppliers are found in the issues of ORBIT News. For a helpful guide to both DIALORDER@ and ELECTRONIC MAILDROP@ one should read the recent Gibbs and Laszlo article, “Document Ordering Through Lockheed’s DIALOG and SDC’s ORBIT-A User’s Guide”[S]. In addition, BRS users should note that by Fall 1981, BRS intends to bring up an online ordering system as well, lending even another option to those who have already found online ordering to be an efficient alternative for accessing government documents. ENTERING
THE FUTURE,
TODAY
As the preceding material clearly suggests, there is a new world of government document bibliographic access and physical availability online. Document librarians no longer are tied to traditional searching and ordering procedures either through the GPO or via hard copy indexes. Equally important, the potential audience that can access government publications has been significantly increased because these data bases are available to a much broader audience than only librarians in academic and public libraries. Microformatted government publications online can provide an added dimension of documents reference services that otherwise would not be available. Patrons can request searches and when the search produces a list of documents and abstracts, the user can select those items desired. Should he/ she wish to do so, microform copies of those items can then be ordered directly online and sent to the user by the data base vendors/jobbers. For data bases such as CIS and ASI, finding a listing of the item desired assures its availability in microfiche. The actual holdings of the library takes on less significance when the documents can be accessed and made available completely online. In short, small and medium sized libraries do not need to be depository libraries to have bibliographic and physical availability to a broad range of government publications. Despite the obvious benefits of these online services being extended to government publications, problems do exist. A first concern is the cost. Although start-up costs to purchase a terminal and initiate the searching process can be less than $2,000, the costs associated with performing the actual searches for patrons can be a problem. The issue of “free versus fee” online services will have to be addressed-will the patron pay for the online searching or will some or all of the online searching costs be subsidized by the institution? Another area of concern is related to the online searching skills of government document librarians. Document librarians must obtain adequate training on how to search government
Microformatted
government
documents
online
359
document data bases. The experience of the authors suggests that general reference librarians not familiar with the intricacies and idiosyncracies of government publications encounter the same searching problems and psychological problems that might limit their success with hard copy government document indexes. Thus, government document librarians should be trained to do the searching and be provided with access to the terminals to assist the patrons. While online data base searching has been with us for some time now, only now have government document data bases been widely available, and only recently has there been the availability of microformatted government documents online. Yet, the area of government publications seems to be one of the few that coordinates micrographics with online searching and utilizes these innovative technologies together. But it is up to the individual document librarian to obtain adequate training to search online government document data bases, become familiar with the ordering procedures to obtain microformatted government documents online, and develop innovative services and programs to exploit these services for the user. The responsibility for initiating and developing online government document data base searching and accessing microformatted government documents online lies with the documents librarians. Likely as not, other librarians may not see the potential for services, increased bibliographic access, and physical availability of online microformatted government documents that the documents librarian will recognize. By making online microformatted government documents available in your library, government publications can be better integrated into the total reference process and increase the user’s access (both bibliographic and physical) to a broader range of government information resources. Give it a try, make online microformatted government publications an integral part of your reference services! NOTES AND REFERENCES I. Federal Information Sources and Sysrems: A Direcrory. Washington, D.C. Government Administration Office, 1977. 2. A listing of reference tools, user manuals, and current awareness tools regarding the data bases can be obtained directly from DIALOG@, ORBIT@, or BRS. 3. The online ordering system-Lockheed DIALOG Dialorder@ or SDC ORBIT Electronic Maildrop@-is indicated by the system name in parentheses after the database name. 4. Nancy P. Johnson, “Space Consuming U.S. Government Documents Availble in Microform,” Microform Review 9 (1980): 228-235. 5. Mary Margaret Gibbs and George A. Laszlo, “Document Ordering Through Lockheed’s DIALOG and SDC’s ORBIT-A User’s Guide,” Online 4 (October 1980): 31-37.
pp. 353-359, 1981
0196-335X/81/040353-07$02.00/0 Copyright 0 1981 Pergamon Press Ltd
in the USA. All rights reserved.
MICROFORMATTED
GOVERNMENT
CHARLES School
of Library
Science,
DOCUMENTS
ONLINE
R. MCCLURE
University
of Oklahoma,
Norman,
OK 73019
ROBERT SWISHER School
of Library
Science,
University
of Oklahoma
INTRODUCTION
In recent years, a most significant development regarding access to government publications is the availability of microformatted government publications through online data bases. The combination of two technologies, i.e., micrographics and bibliographic data bases, provide the government documents librarians with numerous potential strategies to increase bibliographic and physical access to government documents. The perceived complexities of accessing government publications by some patrons and non-documents librarians can be reduced by taking advantage of these combined technologies. The benefits of online government publications data base searching are substantial and include: increased access to specific types of government publications not indexed elsewhere; reduced time lag between availability of the document and its bibliographic access; reduced expenses by not having to purchase numerous hard copy indexes that may be only infrequently used; the searching process, itself, can be much more rapid than using hard copy indexes; increased search strategies including Boolean and proximity operators; increased access to documents based on unique access points related only to documents such as SUDOCS number; information agencies of all types have quick access to a broad range of depository, GPO non-depository, and non-GPO government publications; problems associated with traditional searching because corporate or agency entries are reduced; and many of the documents data bases provide unique services that include regular selective dissemination of information (SDI) and ordering of documents online. Of special interest to this column is the ability, now, not only to search a broad range of government document data bases but to also order government publications online and obtain, in many instances, microformatted government publications that can be ordered directly through the mail from the data base producers or an independent jobber. This increased bibliographic access and physical availability to government publications by ordering microfiche online allows the documents librarian to have much more direct control over accessing government publications rather than having to work through the Government Printing Office or a host of other federal agencies.
NOTE:
Prices mentioned
in this article are subject to change. 353
Please check with data base producer
for latest prices.
354
CR.
MCCLURE
and R. SWISHER
Furthermore, the data bases that currently provide access to government publications online can only increase, and so too the next step, of making those documents available online by way of microfiche. The unbelievable number of existing “in-house” government “information systems”[ I]-many of which are bibliographic data bases-have the potential to be loaded into one of the three data base vendors (Lockheed DIALOG, Systems Development Corporation ORBIT, and BRS) and made accessible to a broad range of users and potential users. Thus, with the current availability of a number of government document data bases online that allow the user to order microfiche copies of any publication listed in the data base and the likelihood that the number of these data bases can only increase, the time is opportune to provide a brief introduction to some of these data bases for the practicing documents librarian. Specifically, the column will identify those data bases available through DIALOG, ORBIT and BRS where government publications can be obtained in a microformat. After a brief description of the data bases providing these services, an explanation of the ordering procedures, online, will be provided. No attempt is made here to replace the detailed information about these data bases and the availability of microfiche that is described in the user guides and technical information supplied by each of the three data base vendors and individual data base producers. Those wishing to obtain specific information regarding microformatted government documents online will require the manuals as they provide excellent information about the data bases’ background, searching concepts, procedures regarding the use of the data bases, strategies for online searching, and procedural commands to access the data bases and obtain microformatted government publications [2]. DATABASES
WITH ONLINE ORDERING
POSSIBLE [3]
1. AS1 (ORBIT)-The American Statistics Index provides abstracts and indexing of all federal statistical publications containing social, economic, demographic,or natural resources data plus a selection of scientific and technical publications. Any publication indexed is available in microfiche. For AS1 Index (the hard copy version) subscribers and Documents Deposit Account customers: %.75/unit (indicted as the number of fiche for each document in the online record); for other customers: $1.25/unit plus $5.00 service charge. The fiche are also available in a variety of series. For Documents-on-Demand orders (individual documents), the microfiche provided are diazo, safety-base film, negative polarity with positive polarity, color-backed eye-legible headers. The headers list the bibliographic item of document title, date, AS1 accession number, and fiche number. The CIS Sales Catalog each year provides complete information on all CIS products; sample microfiche are available on request. (Review: Microform Review, v.4, no.2, April 1975, pp. 112-I 13.) 2. CIS (DIALOG, ORBIT)-The Congressional Information Service provides comprehensive access to the entire Congressional output of hearings, prints, documents, reports, executive documents and executive reports. Any publication indexed is available. Cost and fiche description is the same as for ASI, described above. (Review: Microform Review, v. 1, no.2, April 1972, pp. 133-136.) 3. DISCLOSURE (DIALOG)-The DISCLOSURE database provides extracts of reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by publicly owned companies. However, the full text of any report filed since 1967 may be ordered online. The cost is $7.50/report for microfiche. Microfiche format must be specified as paper copy is supplied
Microformatted
government
documents
online
355
unless otherwise indicated. Deposit accounts are not necessary. Microfiche are diazo, safety-base film, negative polarity with eye-legible headers which list the SEC file number, the SIC code, company name, stock exchange name, Disclosure company identification number, type of report designation, and date. (Review: Microform Review, v.4, no.4, Oct. 1975, pp. 281-283) 4. ENERGYLINE, ENVIROLINE (DIALOG, ORBIT)-Both of these databases, produced by Environmental Information Center, include both Congressional and governmental agency reports pertaining to energy and environmental concerns. The cost is $S.OO/microfiche; each fiche contains a maximum of 98 pages. The format must be specified in the order, and a .minimum deposit account of $50.00 must be established or prepayment must accompany the order. Microfiche are diazo, safety-base film, negative polarity with eye-legible headers which give title, document source, date of the original, EIC Abstracts volume number (where abstract of document appeared), and Energyfiche or Envirofiche identification (accession) number. (Envirofiche review: Microform Review, v.1, no.2, April 1973, pp. 123-125.) 5. ERIC (DIALOG, ORBIT)-This database is the complete database on educational material from the Educational Resources Information Center. Documents indexed in the Research in Education portion of the file, the ED-numbered items, are available in microfiche from the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). The cost is based on a price code which is contained in the ED record abstract. On the DIALOG system, the price table is available online with the command, ?ERICCODE. The format must be specified in the order. Deposit accounts are not required. Microfiche are vesicular, safety-base film, negative polarity with eye-legible headers which list ERIC accession number, title, author, publication place and date, and number of pages. 6. NTIS (DIALOG, ORBIT)-Produced by the National Technical Information Service, the database consists of government-sponsored research, development, and engineering plus analyses prepared by federal agencies, their contractors, or grantees. The cost is based on a price code that is contained in the NTIS record abstract. The format must be specified in the order. Deposit accounts with NTIS of $25 minimum are required. On the DIALOG system, the price table is available online with the command, ?NTISCODE. The format must be specified in the order. Deposit accounts are not required. Microfiche are diazo, safety-base film, negative polarity with eye-legible headers which list author, title, corporate source, contract number, page number, date, NTIS subject classification number, and NTIS report number. ONLINE ORDERING VENDORS PROVIDING GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS IN MICROFORMAT 1. DATA-SEARCH (DIALOG)-This vendor will provide the full text or specified portion of any U.S. government document cited in any online bibliographic search. It will also provide any document or portion thereof published or distributed by the U.S. Government Printing Office, the National Technical Information Service, and the Educational Resources Information Center. The cost is $5.00/item up to 3 fiche plus %.50 for each additional fiche. If available, microfiche copy will be supplied unless otherwise specified. Deposit accounts are not required. 2. MICROMEDIA LIMITED (DIALOG)-This vendor will supply Canadian government reports (federal or provincial); Canadian bills, regulations, parliamentary papers, court reports; Statistics Canada publications; and Canadian patents. The cost is $3.00/item for Canadian patents; $5.00/fiche for other documents. There is a minimum charge of
C.R.McCLURE
356
$1500/order of Statistics pp. 55-57.)
or a deposit account Canada Publications,
and R. SWISHER
minimum of $100.00. Prices are Canadian dollars. (Review 1851-1975, Microform Review, v.7, no.1, Jan./Feb. 1978,
The following phone numbers are current as of May, 1981 and can be used by readers obtain more information on the above data bases: ASI/ CIS DIALOG DISCLOSURE EIC ERIC NTIS ORBIT DATA-SEARCH BRS MICROMEDIA
LTD
GOVERNMENT
to
800-638-8380 (outside Md.), 301-654-1550 800-227-1960 (outside Md.), 800-982-5838 800-638-8076 (outside Md.), 301-951-1300 2 12-949-947 1 703-487-4650 703-487-4650 800-421-7229 (outside CA), 800-352-6689 919-542-5114; Mr. Alan Metter, DATA-SEARCH, Pittsboro, NC 27312 800-833-4707 4 16-593-5211; Document Delivery Center, Micromedia Ltd., 144 Front St., W., Toronto, Canada M5J 2L7
DOCUMENT DOCUMENTS
DATA BASES WITH MICROFORMATTED AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE
A number of government document data bases are searchable on DIALOG, ORBIT, or BRS, which do not provide for direct ordering online of microformatted material but such microformatted material can be obtained elsewhere. The GPO Monthly Catalog (BRS DIALOG) includes publications which are being issued by numerous publishers such as CIS and NTIS in a microformat. The Federal Register (DIALOG, ORBIT) provides access to all federal regulations and announcements and has been made available in microfiche by private publishers as well as the GPO. The Congressional Record (DIALOG, ORBIT) is available in microformat from a variety of micropublishers. Environmental Impact Statements (BRS) is produced by Information Resources Press and the data base provides full coverage of federal environmental impact statements. (Review: Microform Review, v.7, no. 1, Jan./ Feb. 1978, pp. 35-36.) Various U.S. Patents files are available on BRS, DIALOG, and ORBIT. Microfiche of these materials can be obtained through private micropublishers. The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) is available through DIALOG and covers aspects of law enforcement and criminal justice including many government reports and documents. Free microfiche of selected non-copyrighted documents are available directly from NCJRS and an availability statement is included in the online abstract. The Publications Reference File (DIALOG) is a “Books in Print” for government publications. Access points are: GPO stock number, SUDOCS classification number, and titles, series, key words, key phrases, subjects, and personal authors. The PRF is available in microfiche from the GPO. The above listing is intended only to provide the reader with a brief idea of the government documents data bases available online that are supported by microformatted versions of materials available from private publishers or the GPO itself. An excellent summary of private publishers that provide microformatted materials for the above listed items is contained in Documents Available in Nancy Johnson’s recent article, “Space Consuming U.S. Government Microform” [4]. Document librarians can only hope that the day will soon be here when microformatted documents from the GPO Monthly Catalog, Patents, the Federal Register, the
Microformatted
Congressional Record, directly online!
NCJRS, and the Publications
ORDERING
357
government documents online
MICROFORMATTED
Reference
File (PRF) can be ordered
DOCUMENTS
ONLINE
Acting simply as online maildrops, both SDC ORBIT and LOCKHEED DIALOG have made it possible to transmit orders for documents to a variety of suppliers, Ordering information, which is held in a supplier file, is accessed electronically by a supplier, many times on a same-day basis. The cost of this convenience is really quite nominal, but does depend upon the amount of connect time taken to place an order (or orders) and the rate of the file to which the user must be attached while placing the order. DIALORDER@ Lockheed’s online ordering service, DIALORDER@, is utilized in the particular database from which citations are being drawn for ordering purposes. Because of the several parameters associated with Lockheed’s KEEP command, though, the amount of time it takes to enter an order can be very short. KEEP automatically saves appropriate order information in a special set 99; and the command may be used to place a complete set of records into set 99 (KEEP 5), place a certain record in set 99 (KEEP 5/ 3), place a range of records into set 99 (KEEP 5/ 3-6), or to place records in set 99 by accession number (KEEP 8004055). As is the case with the PRINT command, a KEEP- version of the command exists which can be used to edit records out of set 99. The TYPE command may be issued to view the contents of set 99. The command that actually places set 99 in an order file is .ORDER xxxx, where xxxx is replaced by the appropriate supplier acronym. By default, the mailing address of the user’s DIALOG password is associated with the order. If special instructions are called for-an alternate shipping address, separate billing account number, a special method of shipping, a particular document format-such as microfiche-, etc., up to 200 characters of message are allowed following the .ORDER command. An efficiency of DIALORDER@ is its ability to reduce user keyboarding: the system allows the user to build order records from either accession numbers or previously assembled sets, and it automatically attaches default shipping and billing information from the user’s password. However, it is also possible to order items which are not found in DIALOG data bases, with the user now supplying information about citations. The command to do this, .ORDERITEM, differs from the .ORDER command in that it may be used while attached to any data base, but only one item per .ORDERITEM command is allowed. Again, 200 characters of message are allowed, which in this case must be used to actually type in the appropriate bibliographic data. Several other special commands and command parameters are available to be used which simply add to the system’s basic versatility. These features, as well as the basic features of DIALORDER@ are explained in Lockheed’s Technical Note 4. (February 1981.) Supplier requirements for online ordering are listed in a “yellow pages” section of Lockheeds Guide to DIALOG Searching, and announcements are made in Chronolog, Lockheed’s newsletter. ELECTRONIC
MAILDROP@
The SDC service, ELECTRONIC MAILDROP@, differs from DIALORDER@ in two ways: one, the user must be attached to the ORBIT file and not a database to issue the command to keyboard an order message, and two, therefore, the system does not supply citation information to be used in building the order message. The command ORDER xxxx,
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where xxxx is again replaced by the appropriate supplier acronym, simply places the system in message file mode and returns an augmented prompt to the user: ENTER ORDER OR TYPE DONE USER: Once in this order mode, the user would key in both supplier-required and other appropriate optional information, formatting the message through the use of the carriage return (which returns another ENTER . . . DONE prompt) and, if wished, the line continuation symbol. If several items are ordered in the same order message, a good deal of typing time can be saved, since the supplier-required information (ship and bill, deposit account number, etc.) can be typed once followed by a number of citations. To exit the order message mode and have the order saved, the user simply responds with the keyword DONE in response to the ENTER . . . DONE system prompt. Specific supplier requirements are listed in the SDC ORBIT User Mmual, and announcements of both new suppliers and changes in prices, scope of services, etc., of suppliers are found in the issues of ORBIT News. For a helpful guide to both DIALORDER@ and ELECTRONIC MAILDROP@ one should read the recent Gibbs and Laszlo article, “Document Ordering Through Lockheed’s DIALOG and SDC’s ORBIT-A User’s Guide”[S]. In addition, BRS users should note that by Fall 1981, BRS intends to bring up an online ordering system as well, lending even another option to those who have already found online ordering to be an efficient alternative for accessing government documents. ENTERING
THE FUTURE,
TODAY
As the preceding material clearly suggests, there is a new world of government document bibliographic access and physical availability online. Document librarians no longer are tied to traditional searching and ordering procedures either through the GPO or via hard copy indexes. Equally important, the potential audience that can access government publications has been significantly increased because these data bases are available to a much broader audience than only librarians in academic and public libraries. Microformatted government publications online can provide an added dimension of documents reference services that otherwise would not be available. Patrons can request searches and when the search produces a list of documents and abstracts, the user can select those items desired. Should he/ she wish to do so, microform copies of those items can then be ordered directly online and sent to the user by the data base vendors/jobbers. For data bases such as CIS and ASI, finding a listing of the item desired assures its availability in microfiche. The actual holdings of the library takes on less significance when the documents can be accessed and made available completely online. In short, small and medium sized libraries do not need to be depository libraries to have bibliographic and physical availability to a broad range of government publications. Despite the obvious benefits of these online services being extended to government publications, problems do exist. A first concern is the cost. Although start-up costs to purchase a terminal and initiate the searching process can be less than $2,000, the costs associated with performing the actual searches for patrons can be a problem. The issue of “free versus fee” online services will have to be addressed-will the patron pay for the online searching or will some or all of the online searching costs be subsidized by the institution? Another area of concern is related to the online searching skills of government document librarians. Document librarians must obtain adequate training on how to search government
Microformatted
government
documents
online
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document data bases. The experience of the authors suggests that general reference librarians not familiar with the intricacies and idiosyncracies of government publications encounter the same searching problems and psychological problems that might limit their success with hard copy government document indexes. Thus, government document librarians should be trained to do the searching and be provided with access to the terminals to assist the patrons. While online data base searching has been with us for some time now, only now have government document data bases been widely available, and only recently has there been the availability of microformatted government documents online. Yet, the area of government publications seems to be one of the few that coordinates micrographics with online searching and utilizes these innovative technologies together. But it is up to the individual document librarian to obtain adequate training to search online government document data bases, become familiar with the ordering procedures to obtain microformatted government documents online, and develop innovative services and programs to exploit these services for the user. The responsibility for initiating and developing online government document data base searching and accessing microformatted government documents online lies with the documents librarians. Likely as not, other librarians may not see the potential for services, increased bibliographic access, and physical availability of online microformatted government documents that the documents librarian will recognize. By making online microformatted government documents available in your library, government publications can be better integrated into the total reference process and increase the user’s access (both bibliographic and physical) to a broader range of government information resources. Give it a try, make online microformatted government publications an integral part of your reference services! NOTES AND REFERENCES I. Federal Information Sources and Sysrems: A Direcrory. Washington, D.C. Government Administration Office, 1977. 2. A listing of reference tools, user manuals, and current awareness tools regarding the data bases can be obtained directly from DIALOG@, ORBIT@, or BRS. 3. The online ordering system-Lockheed DIALOG Dialorder@ or SDC ORBIT Electronic Maildrop@-is indicated by the system name in parentheses after the database name. 4. Nancy P. Johnson, “Space Consuming U.S. Government Documents Availble in Microform,” Microform Review 9 (1980): 228-235. 5. Mary Margaret Gibbs and George A. Laszlo, “Document Ordering Through Lockheed’s DIALOG and SDC’s ORBIT-A User’s Guide,” Online 4 (October 1980): 31-37.