Summary of Actions to Implement

the 96 Recommendations and Petitions of

the 1991 White House Conference on

Library and Information Services:

March 1994 through December 1996

Prepared by the

White House Conference on Library and

Information Services Taskforce

January 1997

Contents

Preface

Progress Towards Implementing WHC II Recommendations

I. Availability and Access to Information
Recommendations 1 - 23

II. National Information Policies
Recommendations 24 - 43

III. Information Networks Through Technology
Recommendations 44 - 60

IV. Structure and Governance
Recommendations 61 - 72

V. Services for Diverse Needs
Recommendations 73 - 82

VI. Training to Reach End Users
Recommendations 83 - 87

VII. Personnel and Staff Development
Recommendations 88 - 91

VIII. Preservation of Information
Recommendations 92 - 94

IX. Marketing to Communities
Recommendations 95 - 96

Quick Subject Index

Keyword Index

Scope
This report attempts to present the implementation status of the 1991 White House Conference (WHC II) recommendations. It is an update to the March 1994 Snapshot prepared by Mary Alice Hedge of the National Commission on Library and Information Science (NCLIS). Summaries are provided about federal laws, selected bills that were not enacted into law, and activities from March 1994 through December 1996 that implement the WHC II recommendations. This report may be a useful guide for persons and organizations interested in the WHC II recommendations. It is not meant to be a comprehensive study.

Methodology
In Fall 1995, WHCLIST president Claude Blakley organized the 1995-96 Resolutions committee for the purpose of updating the 1994 Snapshot. The members of the committee were: Richard Akeroyd, Council of State Library Agencies; Mary Costabile, American Library Association Washington Office; Carol Diehl, American Library Association Legislation Committee; Mary Alice Hedge, National Commission on Library and Information Science; Robert Schnare, WHCLIST; Pat Wand, intern to the ALA Legislation Committee; and chair, Trellis C. Wright, WHCLIST. Schnare and Wright prepared a working draft for the WHCLIST annual conference which was held in Greenville, SC in August 1996. The working draft was distributed to conferees and others, and comments were accepted through December. The report was presented to the WHCLIST Steering Committee in January 1997.

Organization
Following the preface, there is a table with explanatory text, Progress Towards Implementing WHC II Recommendations. Next, information on enacted federal laws, bills, and activities that implement the recommendation is summarized for the 96 WHC II recommendations. In addition, there are subject and keyword indexes.

Distribution
WHCLIST distributed this report to interested persons and organizations who are library supporters and advocates. WHCLIST grants permission for copying.

Acknowledgement
WHCLIST would like to thank Mary Alice Hedge, whose 1994 Snapshot made this document possible, the individuals who shared their comments, and WHC II delegates Robert Schnare and Trellis Wright, who wrote the report.

The White House Conference on Library and Information Services Taskforce, a network of individual, corporate, governmental, and organizational members, is a national grass-roots organization dedicated to improving the nation's library and information services. WHCLIST educates the public about library issues and builds support for the White House Conference resolutions. In the words of Public Law 100-382, WHCLIST exists "for the further improvement of the library and information services of the Nation and their use by the public..." Persons who are interested in obtaining additional information about WHCLIST can write to WHCLIST, P.O. Box 65232, Baton Rouge, LA 70896.

Five (5%) of the 96 recommendations from White House Conference II have been implemented. Of the remaining 91 recommendations, 79 (87%) have seen progress towards implementation, and 12 (13%) have seen no progress towards implementation. In the tables that follow, (x) marks appear in columns marked I for implemented, P for progress towards implementation, and N for no progress. Priority recommendations appear in bold type; 2 (15%) of the 13 priority recommendations have been implemented. Of the remaining 11 recommendations, 10 (91%) have seen progress towards implementation, and 1 (9%) has seen no progress towards implementation. WHC II recommendations were organized in these broad groupings: Availability and Access to Information (ACC), National Information Policies (NIP), Information Networks Through Technology (NET), Structure and Governance (GOV), Services for Diverse Needs (SER), Training to Reach End Users (TRA), Personnel and Staff Development (PER), Preservation (PRE), and Marketing to Communities (MAR). Recommendations forwarded through the petition process have the designation (PET).

Recommendations	Codes	I	P	N
1. Keep Pace with Rapid Growth of Information	ACC 1-1		x
2. Increase Appropriations Under Existing Law	ACC 1-2		x
3. Dedicate Funding to Strengthen School Library Centers	ACC 1-3		x
4. Provide Funds to Meet Increasing Needs of the Public	ACC 1-4		x
5. Ensure Access Policies to Accommodate Diverse User Needs	ACC 1-5		x
6. Establish National Library Service for Disabled Americans	ACC 2-1			x
7. Encourage New Libraries and Abolition of Access Barriers	ACC 2-3		x
8. Adopt Laws Guaranteeing User Privacy/Confidentiality	ACC 3-1		x
9. Develop First Amendment Awareness Program	ACC 3-3		x
10. Ensure Nonconditional Funds for Legal Material	ACC 3-4		x
11. Mandate Open Access to Government Information	ACC 3-5		x
12. Ensure Access to Information Resources	ACC 4-1		x
13. Improve Depository Library Access to Electronic Material and Indexing	ACC 4-2		x
14. Create Scientific Research Information Clearinghouse	ACC 4-3
15. Define "National Security" More Clearly	ACC 4-5		x
16. Legislate Preferential Library Telecommunications Rates	ACC 4-6		x
17. Direct Agencies to Use Library Network for Information Dissemination	ACC 4-7		x
18. Provide No-Fee Public Access	ACC 5-1		x
19. Establish Study Group for Underserved Minority Groups	ACC 5-3		x
20. Improve Support for Blind and Physically Handicapped	ACC 6-1		x
21. Support Multicultural, Multilingual Populations	ACC 7-1		x
22. Native American Library and Information Services	PET 7		x
23. Encourage Innovative Approaches for the 1990s	ACC 9-1		x
24. Ensure Equal and Timely Access and Delivery	NIP 1-1		x
25. Amend Copyright Statutes for New Technologies	NIP 2-1		x
26. Guarantee Full, Timely Access to Public Information	NIP 3-1		x
27. Eliminate Impediments to Accessing Information	NIP 3-4		x
28. Provide Incentives for Literacy Program Development	NIP 4-1		x
29. Establish Presidential Advisor on Information Policy	NIP 5-1		x
30. Re-title and Restructure the Department of Education	NIP 5-2		x
31. Require Library Participation in Government Actions	NIP 5-3		x
32. Enact National Information Policies for Democracy	NIP 7-1		x
33. Create Nationwide Information Infrastructure	NIP 8-1		x
34. Implement and Extend Transmission Network	NIP 8-2		x
35. Increase Funding of Depository Programs	NIP 8-3			x
36. Focus on Native American History Information	NIP 8-4		x
37. Plan Decennial White House Conference on Library and Information Services	NIP 10-1			x
38. Enact Library and Information Services Act Legislation	NIP 10-2	x
39. Creating a New Generation of Libraries	PET 08		x
40. Encourage Multicultural/Lingual and Staffs	NIP 11-1	x
41. Designate Libraries as Educational Agencies	NIP 12-1			x
42. Establish Special Business-Focused Information Centers	NIP 14-1		x
43. Designate Information Centers As Governmental Function	NIP 15-1			x
44. Provide Leadership for Information-Sharing Networks	NET 1-1		x
45. Support Collaboration at All Levels in the Community	NET 2-1		x
46. Encourage Cooperative Library Volunteer Groups	NET 4-1		x
47. Fund Libraries Sufficiently to Aid U.S. Productivity	NET 5-1		x
48. Support End User Access Through Networks	NET 8-1		x
49. Encourage Partnerships at All Levels	NET 10-1		x
50. Recognize Network Value and Assure Involvement	NET 11-1		x
51. Share Resources and Overcome Existing Barriers	NET 11-2		x
52. Develop Networking Equity for Low-Density Areas	NET 12-1		x
53. Automating, Networking & Training to Link Territorial Libraries, Clearinghouses and Information Centers	PET 9		x
54. Ensure Statutory Support for Library Role in America 2000	NET 13-1		x
55. Ensure Networking System Compatibility	NET 15-1		x
56. Libraries Serve As Active Communications Ports for Legal and Government Information	NET 16-1		x
57. Designate National Law Library	NET 16-2			x
58. Develop Policies, Procedures for Information in All Formats	TEC 2-1		x
59. Share Via a National 'Superhighway'	TEC 6-1	x
60. Convene Forum for National Research and Development Agenda	TEC 7-1		x
61. Establish House & Senate Committees or SubCommittees on Library & Information Services	GOV 1-2			x
62. Establish National Research Institute on Library and Information Services	GOV 1-3		x
63. Repeal Book Inventory Tax	GOV 2-1			x
64. Continue Special Postal Rates	GOV 2-2			x
65. U.S. Postal Service to Modify Air Mail Rates for Territories and Commonwealths in Pacific and Caribbean	PET 3			x
66. Increase Library Allocation As Centerpiece in Education Initiative	GOV 2-3		x
67. Extend Defense Department Impact Funds Formula to Support Libraries In Areas Serving Military & Federal Defense Installations	GOV 2-4			x
68. Support Adequate Funding for Agencies in Information Dissemination	GOV 5-2		x
69. Recognize Libraries As Partners in Lifelong Education	GOV 5-3		x
70. Reestablish Categorical Funding for School Libraries	GOV 5-5		x
71. Forward Fund LSCA Authorization	GOV 5-6	x
72. Redirect LSCA Titles VI (Library Literacy Programs) and VIII (Family Learning Centers) to State Library Agencies	GOV 5-7		x
73. Establish Statistical Model for Determining Impact/Needs	SER 1-1		x
74. Adopt 4-Pronged Omnibus Children and Youth Literacy Initiative	SER 2-1		x
75. Emphasize Literacy Initiatives to Aid the Disadvantaged	SER 3-1		x
76. Establish National Coalition for Information Literacy	SER 5-1		x
77. Build on the Present with People-Oriented Services	SER 6-1		x
78. Peoples' Information Bill of Rights	PET 5		x
79. Target Special-Need Populations	SER 7-1		x
80. Expand Services for Equitable Access by Print Handicapped	SER 7-2		x
81. Need for Appropriate Reading Materials and Programming for Children with Disabilities	PET 1		x
82. Adopt Proactive Policy for the Underaware, Underserved	SER 8-1		x
83. Expand Support for Leadership in Lifelong Education	TRA 1-1		x
84. Establish Presidential Total Quality Management Award	TRA 2-1		x
85. Extend User-Friendly Technology to All Citizens	TRA 3-2		x
86. Train Students in Use of Library and Information Services	TRA 4-1		x
87. Provide Grants for Innovative Model Training Projects	TRA 6-1		x
88. Study Alternative Approaches with Accredited Schools	PER 1-1		x
89. Target Graduate Education Funding to Aid Shortage Areas	PER 1-2		x
90. Provide Scholarships, Grants, and Loans at All Levels	PER 2-1		x
91. Increase Support to Attract Multicultural Professionals	PER 4-1		x
92. Adopt National Policies for Information Preservation	PRE 1-1		x
93. Provide Necessary Resources for Preservation	PRE 2-1		x
94. Publish White House Conference Summary Report in Durable, Permanent Paper Form	PRE 3-1	x
95. Create Model Library Marketing Programs	MAR 1-1			x
96. Evaluate and Develop Model Assessment	MAR 1-3		x