Federal information dissemination policies and practices: One perspective on managing the transition

Abstract

The environment in which federal agencies, libraries, other information providers, and users are operating is one of rapid change. These institutions, agencies, libraries, and providers face similar pressures. It is a time to maintain current services with increasing budget pressures and shifting priorities. It is a time of transition to net-worked-based services with the concurrent delivery of, or expectation of, ongoing information services. Finally, it is a time that all stakeholders understand, indeed they are clamoring for a rethinking of government information dissemination programs, albeit from different perspectives, yet in reaction to similar or common pressures. A review of some of the pressures on the federal information dissemination system is presented in addition to descriptions of some innovative collaborative partnerships that are forming in response to the call for change in information dissemination policies and practices.