[U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual]
[What is GPO Access?]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 
                           WHAT IS GPO ACCESS?
                  <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su--docs>

History

  In 1993, Congress passed Public Law 103-40, amending GPO's duties to 
include provisions for the dissemination of information in electronic 
format. Under the GPO Access legislation, the Superintendent of 
Documents, under the direction of the Public Printer, is required to: 
(1) Maintain an electronic directory of Federal electronic information; 
(2) provide a system of online access to the Congressional Record, the 
Federal Register, and other appropriate publications as determined by 
the Superintendent of Documents; (3) operate an electronic storage 
facility for Federal electronic information (the Storage Facility); and 
(4) maintain the Federal Bulletin Board, already in existence.\1\ 
Collectively these components are referred to as GPO Access. As a 
result, in June 1994, GPO Access was introduced, encouraging and 
supporting immediate public access to electronic information products of 
the United States Government.

\1\ Senate Report 103-27 incorporated the Federal Bulletin Board, which 
existed prior to P.L. 103-40, into GPO Access.

  The vast majority of information currently available via GPO Access is 
information derived from databases used in the printing of Government 
publications. For example, in the case of congressional publications, 
GPO's Congressional Printing Management Division receives a requisition 
from a congressional office asking that a specific document be processed 
for online access. Internal GPO communication then establishes 
authorization, priorities, etc. Subsequent to processing the database 
for printing, software developed by the Production Department's Graphic 
Systems Development Division is used to prepare the data for optimum 
screen presentation and place it in the form required by commercially 
procured server software which indexes the data to facilitate effective 
searching via client software and/or World Wide Web browsers. At the 
same time, PostScript output of GPO's automated composition software is 
processed by Electronic Photocomposition Division personnel via a 
network version of Adobe's distiller software to produce files in the 
Adobe Acrobat PDF (Portable Document Format), which are then 
programmatically associated with the appropriate online documents. These 
Production Department computer-based operations are all performed on 
equipment configured and maintained by personnel of the Electronic 
Systems Development Division.

[[Page vi]]

  In order to assist users in all facets of GPO Access and to monitor 
user requirements, the GPO Access User Support Team was developed. This 
team provides the public with a wide range of support for the electronic 
products and services available through GPO Access.
  To contact the team, call 202-512-1530 in the D.C. area or toll-free 
1-888-293-6498, between the hours of 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., EST, Monday 
through Friday--except Federal holidays. The team can also be contacted 
by fax at 202-512-1262 or e-mail at [email protected].

Objectives

  The objectives of GPO Access are as follows:

      Improve access to official Federal Government information in 
    electronic formats.
      Provide electronic document delivery and online interactive 
    services that are well-designed, easy to use, and available to the 
    public without charge.
      Ensure access to a broad spectrum of users with a wide variety of 
    technical capabilities both directly and through an active 
    partnership with Federal Depository Libraries.
      Establish and operate an online interactive service that is 
    capable of rapid expansion to meet the needs of Federal agency 
    publishers and public users.
      Encourage the use of electronic database standards and permit 
    dissemination of the original document, without rekeying, in print 
    and/or electronic format.
      Utilize a variety of dissemination media and methods, including 
    World Wide Web (Web), bulletin board services and online interactive 
    search and retrieval services in order to achieve cost effective 
    information delivery, that is appropriate to both the type of 
    information being disseminated and the needs of users of that 
    information.
      Ensure permanent public access to Government information made 
    available through GPO Access and the FDLP via direct provision, the 
    electronic storage facility, and development of a distributed 
    networked system of partner institutions.
      Provide services to other Federal agencies on a reimbursable 
    basis--saving time, money, and other resources.
      Provide access to Government information that is official and 
    complete. GPO secures the integrity of its databases to ensure 
    against unauthorized changes in text or graphics.

[[Page vii]]

Features of GPO Access

  GPO Access was carefully designed, developed, and implemented so that 
it is easy to access and use. The free services of GPO Access fall 
within the following categories:

      Government information databases available for online use that 
    provide full-text search and retrieval capabilities. These databases 
    include regulatory materials, such as the Federal Register and the 
    Code of Federal Regulations; Congressional products, such as the 
    Congressional Record and Congressional Bills; and business 
    materials, such as the Commerce Business Daily (CBDNet).
      Individual Federal agency files that are available for download 
    from the FBB (Federal Bulletin Board).
      Tools that assist users in finding Government information 
    available for sale or free of charge. These tools include keyword 
    searches that locate information products by topic, title, or 
    agency; lists and tables that may be browsed; and hyperlinks that 
    direct users to related databases and Web sites in order to 
    facilitate their searches and highlight connections among 
    information products. When print and electronic sale products are 
    identified, an electronic order mechanism enables users to purchase 
    them online.
      Guides to collections of Federal Government information available 
    for free use at nearly 1,300 Federal depository libraries throughout 
    the United States.
      User support.

Everyone can benefit from GPO Access

  The benefits of GPO Access extend to all individuals and groups who 
have an interest in the workings of the Federal Government. Citizens can 
obtain vital Federal information instantaneously, allowing for informed 
participation in the democratic process. Congressional staff members 
enjoy immediate access to documents they require while engaged in the 
legislative process. Librarians, legal researchers, and academic 
institutions have an excellent up-to-date reference and research tool at 
their fingertips. Procurement officials and public- and private-sector 
professionals can access relevant data and use it to create new 
products. The benefits are as numerous as the users who profit from 
them.

Multiple methods of public access

  In recognition of the various needs and technological capabilities of 
the public, GPO Access supports a wide range of information 
dissemination technologies, from the latest Internet applications to 
dial-up modem access. Methods compatible with technologies to assist 
users covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act are also available. 
To accommodate people without computers, nearly 1,300

[[Page viii]]

Federal depository libraries throughout the United States provide free 
access to the service through public-access workstations.
  The system was designed to serve a large base of users through a 
variety of methods with the overall goal of ensuring widespread and 
equitable information dissemination. Statistics gathered on the number 
of searches and retrievals indicate that GPO Access is achieving this 
goal.

Information

  The Government Printing Office recently introduced a new GPO Access 
home page for the Web interface to provide users with easier and more 
efficient access to online resources. The new home page is available at 
the following URL (Uniform Resource Locator): <http://
www.access.gpo.gov/su--docs>.
  The rules of grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc., as stated in this 
Style Manual, will serve well when preparing documents for electronic 
dissemination. Most of the documents currently available via GPO Access 
are derived from databases used in the printing of Government 
publications. However, as electronic dissemination of Government 
information continues to grow, the rules as stated in this Manual will 
continue to be the GPO's standard for all document preparation, 
electronic or otherwise.