Publishing and Depository Services

1
Publishing and Depository Services

• Presentation
• At
• CALL Conference - Ottawa
• May 8, 2007
• by
• Gay Lepkey
• Manager, Depository Services Program

2
Electronic Publications Services Strategies

• Current Situation
• The Depository Services Program (DSP) began
  building an online
• collection of Government of Canada publications
  in 1996.
• Between 1996 and 2006 the collection grew to
  40,000 documents.
• Current rate of expansion is about 7000 documents
  per year.
• 3.5 million document downloads from the
  electronic collection in 2006,
• an increase of 40 over the previous year.
• Operational funding and human resources are
  static.

3
Electronic Publications Services Strategies

• Analysis
• In January of 2006, based upon an analysis of
  ISBN assignments and
• publications received, departmental compliance
  with DSP requirements
• was 20 25.
• DSP was receiving 20 25 of publications known
  to be produced
• by government organizations.
• As a result of DSP effort, increased to 40 for
  print and 60 for
• electronic publications.
• Conclusion An increase of at least 100 over
  current rate of acquisition
• is required to build a complete and comprehensive
  collection of
• Government of Canada electronic publications.

4
Electronic Publications Services Strategies

• Options
• Business As Usual
• Embrace the Future
• Get Out Now, as Fast as Possible

5
Electronic Publications Services Strategies

• Option 1 - Business As Usual
• Pro
• Easy to do
• Con
• Law of entropy applies

6
Electronic Publications Services Strategies

• Option 2 - Embrace the Future
• Pro
• Significant role for the DSP in preservation
  access.
• Real cost savings for depository libraries.
• Strengthen DSP survivability.
• Con
• Additional funding would be required.
• Statistics from depository libraries required.

7
Electronic Publications Services Strategies

• Option 3 - Get Out Now, as Fast as Possible
• Pro
• DSP could concentrate on distribution of hard
  copy publications.
• DSP would realize immediate cost savings on the
  IT side.
• Con
• Loss of the Information Safety Net factor.
• Depository libraries would have to find other
  means of acquiring
• information about and access government
  electronic publications.
• DSP risks becoming irrelevant in an increasingly
  digital world.