Recommendations for FLICC/FEDLINK

As federal libraries move ahead into an uncertain future that is likely to include less funding, a diminished stature, and decreased support for many of them, FLICC/FEDLINK’s role of promoting the interests and services of federal libraries will take on a greater importance. One only needs to look at the popularity of and support for the National Library of Medicine, to name just one example, to realize that federal libraries do make an immense and important contribution to the federal government and the country.

FLICC/FEDLINK’s unique advantage of bringing together the federal library community can and should be galvanized to help this important sector of the information profession transform itself to succeed over the next five years. Moreover, FLICC/FEDLINK should leverage the services and resources of its parent institution, the Library of Congress, to better meet the needs of its members and further establish the Library of Congress as a central figure within the federal library community. Specific Library of Congress resources FLICC/FEDLINK can tap into to create new or expanded services for its members include, but are not limited to, foreign language capabilities, knowledge organization/cataloging, preservation, acquisitions, and research. New FLICC/FEDLINK initiatives, described at the end of this section, include consulting, consortium pricing, digital repository development, web site redesign, portal development, a federal library directory, and more. A summary of FLICC/FEDLINK Initiatives, derived from member, vendor and staff feedback in the surveys, are listed below.

Recommended FLICC/FEDLINK Initiatives

• Create a new image for FLICC/FEDLINK, associating it even more closely with the Library of Congress and positioning it as a provider of leading-edge products, services, and information.

• Work with Library of Congress divisions and experts to develop training, information and consulting services related to member needs and interests. Library of Congress divisions FLICC/FEDLINK should investigate working more closely with include, but are not limited to, the Cataloging Directorate/Bibliographic Access Divisions, Preservation Directorate, Federal Research Division, Acquisitions Divisions, American Memory Project, Digital Programs and Collections, and foreign language experts.

• Create fee-based consulting services in the fields of preservation, digital library development, web design, space planning, content management selection, and other areas of interest to members through relationships with renowned consultants and/or Library of Congress experts.

• Work with FLICC/FEDLINK members to create a true buying consortium of federal libraries; negotiate with vendors to obtain beneficial consortium pricing; and create a payment system that allows such purchasing.

• Explore new ideas and programs to encourage members to buy more products through FEDLINK, including better promotion of vendor products, lowering FEDLINK’s fee, and adding new vendors and/or types of products to FEDLINK’s network, as articulated by members in the surveys.

• Invest in a state-of-the-art financial accounting/e-commerce system that allows credit card purchasing and electronic access to account information.

• Hire additional staff to work with FEDLINK members, and ensure staff members have adequate back-up and customer service training so all FEDLINK member inquiries are answered in a timely, friendly and complete manner.

• Develop web-based training, education, and information campaigns that members can access both synchronously and asynchronously to extend FLICC/FEDLINK’s education programs outside of Washington, DC, and to promote new FLICC/FEDLINK services, developments, and vendor products.

• Redesign the FLICC/FEDLINK web site by incorporating state-of-the-art web technologies, such as content management, XML encoding, and more user-friendly navigation, site architecture, and search capabilities to give FLICC/FEDLINK a new 21st century look and to serve as an example for FLICC/FEDLINK web design consulting services.

• Create a FLICC/FEDLINK portal and/or digital library to serve as an example of FLICC/FEDLINK’s digital library consulting services and to use as a potential template for member libraries.

• Design and distribute an e-letter with weekly information on breaking news developments and continuously updated product information.

• Create and disseminate key information resources for members on federal library developments, news, and research in a timely manner through the web site, e-letter, and new communications media such as webcasts, videoconferences, audioconferences, RSS feeds, etc..

• Work with vendors to improve communications, promote their products more aggressively, and reverse the trend of FEDLINK members buying directly from vendors instead of through the FEDLINK network.

• Establish a data sharing network of federal librarians to leverage on their experience and lessons learned.

• Create a directory of federal libraries that includes background information, contact details, collections holdings, links to catalogs/OPACs and future plans for every federal library.

• Work with one or more federal libraries to help develop an institutional repository along the lines of PubMedCentral, e.g. work with the National Agricultural Library to develop a scientific repository.

• Develop an advocacy expert or group at FLICC that raises awareness of federal libraries within their agencies and the public at large; supports them before and during outsourcing and/or closure; and works with OPM to ensure the 1410 series receives professional status, a positive education requirement, and adequate salary levels.

Next: Conclusions