[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 111 (Friday, June 9, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 30609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14091]
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NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
Principles of Public Information
AGENCY: National Commission on Libraries and Information Science.
ACTION: Request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In 1989 and 1990 the National Commission on Libraries and
Information Science (NCLIS) developed and adopted Principles of Public
Information and offered them as a foundation for governmental decisions
about public information, for use in developing information policies,
and for use in creating, using, disseminating and preserving public
information. The Commission is reviewing these Principles of Public
Information and invites public comment on their current application,
relevance and usability.
DATES: Comments should be received by July 15, 1995.
ADDRESSES: All comments should be sent to Peter R. Young, Executive
Director NCLIS, 1110 Vermont Avenue, NW., Suite 820, Washington, DC
20005-3522. Comments can be sent by fax to 202/606-9203. Comments can
be sent by electronic mail to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peter R. Young or Jane Williams, tel. 202/606-9200.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Following are the principles as adopted by
the Commission on June 29, 1990.
Principles of Public Information
Preamble
From the birth of our nation, open and uninhibited access to public
information has ensured good government and a free society. Public
information helps to educate our people, stimulate our progress and
solve our most complex economic, scientific and social problems. With
the coming of the Information Age and its many new technologies,
however, public information has expanded so quickly that basic
principles regarding its creation, use and dissemination are in danger
of being neglected and even forgotten.
The National Commission of Libraries and Information Science,
therefore, reaffirms that the information policies of the U.S.
government are based on the freedoms guaranteed by the constitution,
and on the recognition of public information as a national resource to
be developed and preserved in the public interest. We define public
information as information created, compiled and/or maintained by the
Federal Government. We assert that public information is information
owned by the people, held in trust by their government, and should be
available to the people except where restricted by law. It is in this
spirit of public ownership and public trust that we offer the following
Principles of Public Information.
Principles
1. The Public Has the Right of Access to Public Information
Government agencies should guarantee open, timely and uninhibited
access to public information except where restricted by law. People
should be able to access public information, regardless of its format,
without any special training or expertise.
2. The Federal Government Should Guarantee the Integrity and
Preservation of Public Information, Regardless of its Format
By maintaining public information in the face of changing times and
technologies, government agencies assure the government's
accountability and the accessibility of the government's business to
the public.
3. The Federal Government Should Guarantee the Dissemination,
Reproduction, and Redistribution of Public Information
Any restriction of dissemination or any other function dealing with
public information must be strictly defined by law.
4. The Federal Government Should Safeguard the Privacy of Persons Who
Use or Request Information, as Well as Persons About Whom Information
Exists in Government Records
5. The Federal Government Should Ensure a Wide Diversity of Sources of
Access, Private as Well as Governmental, to Public Information
Although sources of access may change over time and because of
advances in technology, government agencies have an obligation to the
public to encourage diversity.
6. The Federal Government Should Not Allow Cost to Obstruct the
People's Access to Public Information
Costs incurred by creating, collecting and processing information
for the government's own purposes Should not be passed on to people who
wish to utilize public information.
7. The Federal Government Should Ensure that Information About
Government Information is Easily Available and in a Single Index
Accessible in a Variety of Formats
The government index of public information should be in addition to
inventories of information kept within individual government agencies.
8. The Federal Government Should Guarantee the Public's Access to
Public Information, Regardless of Where They Live and Work, through
National Networks and Programs like the Depository Library Program
Government agencies should periodically review such programs as
well as the emerging technology to ensure that access to public
information remains inexpensive and convenient to the public
Conclusion
The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science offers
these Principles of Public Information as a foundation for the
decisions made throughout the Federal Government and the nation
regarding issues of public information. We urge all branches of the
Federal Government, state and local governments and the private sector
to utilize these principles in the development of information policies
and in the creation, use, dissemination and preservation of public
information. We believe that in so acting, they will serve the best
interests of the nation and the people in the Information Age.
Invitation to Comment
Interested persons are invited to submit comments and
recommendations regarding these principles. All comments submitted in
response to this notice will be available for public inspection, during
and after the comment period, in Suite 820, 1100 Vermont Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
Dated: June 1, 1995.
Peter R. Young,
NCLIS Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 95-14091 Filed 6-8-95; 8:45 am]
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