[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 14, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 42631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20417]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Technical Information Service

[Docket No. 010719182-1182-01]
RIN 0692-XX08


Information Dissemination Activities; New Method of Disseminating 
an Information Product

AGENCY: National Technical Information Service, Technology 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION:  Notice; Request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 
NTIS is seeking public comment on its proposal to (a) Make a portion of 
the NTIS Database available to the public at its web site and (b) 
assist users in locating free copies of reports described in that 
portion of the Database.

DATES: Comments must be received not later than September 13, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Walter L. Finch, 
Associate Director for Business Development, National Technical 
Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161, 
or sent by e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter L. Finch, (703) 605-6507.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506(d)(2) of Title 44, United 
States Code, directs agencies to solicit and consider public input on 
their dissemination activities. Section 3506(d)(3) of that Title 
directs them to notify the public when initiating, substantially 
modifying, or changing an information product. In accordance with those 
provisions, NTIS is seeking public comment on its proposal to (a) make 
a portion of the NTIS Database available to the public at its web site 
and (b) assist users in locating free copies of reports described in 
that portion of the Database.
    NTIS produces a Database of records describing approximately three 
million scientific and technical reports, most of which were prepared 
by or for federal agencies. The reports are available from NTIS for 
sale to the public. The NTIS Database aids the researcher in 
identifying relevant material by providing essential bibliographic 
information about each report as well as a detailed abstract of its 
technical content. Revenue from the sale of the individual reports 
supports NTIS, which receives no appropriated funds.
    The NTIS Database is disseminated to the public through information 
vendors who typically charge for access to it and such other databases 
as they may carry. A portion of the fee is returned to NTIS to support 
the continued development and maintenance of the Database.
    NTIS makes the Database available to any vendor under standard 
terms but does not now provide free public access to it. It does 
provide a search engine that allows the public to search for titles and 
topics of all items entered into the Database since 1990, but not the 
abstracts. Researchers who require full access to the entire Database 
may purchase an economical one-day pass.
    NTIS is proposing to make available at its web site without charge 
complete bibliographic information, including abstracts, about all 
technical reports entered into its collection since 1997, when NTIS 
began scanning all new acquisitions into electronic format. In 
addition, if the agency that created the document makes it available 
for downloading at that agency's web site, NTIS expects to provide a 
cross-link that takes the user to that site. The link will be 
permanent, ensuring the availability of that document even if the 
agency that created it moves it or takes it off the Web.
    Request for Comments: Persons interested in commenting on the 
proposed action should submit their comments in writing to the above 
address. All comments received in response to this notice will become 
part of the public record and will be available for inspection and 
copying at the Department of Commerce Central Reference and Records 
Inspection facility, room 6228, Hoover Building, Washington, D.C. 
20230.

    Dated: August 2, 2001.
Ron Lawson,
Director.
[FR Doc. 01-20417 Filed 8-13-01; 8:45 am]
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