Indiana State Focused Action Plan – July 2012

Initiatives –Indicate Library types: All depository libraries

Initiative 1: Under the auspices of the Indiana Light Archive, create Centers for Collection Excellence throughout Indiana, so that a comprehensive federal depository collection exists within the boundaries of the state of Indiana.

Explanatory note: The Indiana Light Archive is an initiative that creates steward roles amongst libraries in the state. The Indiana State Library, Indiana University-Bloomington, Purdue University, and the University of Notre Dame each assume responsibility for publications from specific agencies. The Indiana State Library continues to assume all Regional responsibilities, but this understanding ensures that at least one copy of every federal document remains in the state of Indiana. It also assumes that, between these four libraries, all federal documents published after 1976 are accounted for.

Actions/Plans:

  1. Use state list-servs and other forms of communication to determine level of interest amongst depository libraries.
  2. Determine necessary levels of commitment and scope of responsibilities and activities of participating libraries.
  3. Develop measures to assess and define desired completeness of collection.
  4. Determine which federal agencies or sub-agencies to initially focus on that best serve the needs of Indiana residents.
  5. Make provisions for possible expansion of scope as levels of interest and commitment evolve, including potential cooperative participation at a national level.
  6. Determine what constitutes successful completion of any project.
  7. Identify, create, and establish preservation provisions of both tangible and digital items.

Initiatives –Indicate Library types: All depository libraries

Initiative 2: Increase discovery options and opportunities so that Indiana users are better connected to electronic government information at all levels of government.

Actions/Plans:

  1. Determine how libraries currently make electronic government information available to users.
  2. Use surveys or informal polls to discover this.
  3. Conduct a study to determine user access gaps.
  4. Are agency publications available on websites, but not through library catalogs?
  5. Are discovery services not searching federal information?
  6. Use data gathered from these studies to develop an accessibility plan.
  7. Prioritize gaps in coverage to determine which need to be fixed first.
  8. Ensure that government information is gathered consistently.
  9. Investigate subject headings for local, state, and federal government topics to discover if they are being used properly and consistently.
  10. Develop a plan to create subject headings for topics that do not have them.

Initiatives –Indicate Library types: All depository libraries

Initiative 3: Work cooperatively to increase awareness of government information to non-depository information professionals and other potential channels that provide information to Indiana residents.

Action/Plans:

  1. Create a liaison position within INDIGO to provide outreach.
  2. Assess outreach needs and opportunities in the state.
  3. Collaborate with different educational and/or cultural organizations throughout the state.
  4. Use existing publications to promote government information.
  5. Work with the Indiana Library Federation to dedicate an issue of Indiana Libraries to government information. Determine at a later date whether this will be a one-time or regular occurrence.
  6. Contribute to Indiana historical journals, such as the Indiana Magazine of History and Traces, in order to promote government information to a wider audience.
  7. Increase educational opportunities for non-documents librarians and information specialists.
  8. Explore possibility of creating webinars that promote government information.
  9. Create a travelling program/exhibit promoting government information around the state.
  10. Make an cooperative effort to present programs on government information at conferences, such as those sponsored by the Indiana Library Federation.
  11. Educate subject specialists about government information by integrating government sources into programs and research guides that discuss topics relevant to their fields of study.
  12. Develop a Government Information Day, starting in 2013 and held at regular intervals to be determined.

Initiatives –Indicate Library types: All depository libraries with special emphasis on the Regional, the Indiana State Library

Initiative 4: Increase education and training concerning government information for depository librarians and other information professionals serving Indiana residents.

Action/Plans:

  1. Develop training webinars.
  2. Develop webinars for new documents coordinators and staff explaining the FDLP and basic depository procedures.
  3. Develop webinars for existing staff that address changing technologies and new procedures as the need arises.
  4. Create and publicize a knowledge base wiki assisting librarians and other providers of government information in answering difficult or unusual reference questions.
  5. Continue providing training opportunities at INDIGO meetings.
  6. The Regional Coordinator will continue visiting libraries around the state and coordinating and/or providing training when needed.
  7. Explore the possibility of in-person visits to all new coordinators by the Regional Coordinator, as well as by other depository librarians.

Initiatives –Indicate Library types: All depository libraries

Initiative 5: Explore non-reference services related to government information that Indiana citizens need and/or desire.

Action/Plans:

  1. Determine current usage of government information by Indiana citizens.
  2. Develop tools to assess wants and needs of residents of Indiana with regards to government information.
  3. Use the gathered data to develop services.
  4. Investigate the usage of social media and other trends to reach Indiana residents.

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We certify that the above State Focused Action Plan represents a group effort and is based on the responses to the FDLP Library and State Forecasts from FDLP members in this state or Federal depository region. Individuals with primary responsibility for FDLP collections within our state(s) have met, discussed our state and individual FDLP Forecast questionnaire answers, and collaborated to document the goals and actions or plans for this State Focused Action Plan.

The following individuals participated in the completion of this questionnaire for the state of Indiana.

  1. Elisabeth Hedges, Indiana State Library
  2. Laura Bayard, University of Notre Dame
  3. Brandon Bowen, Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne
  4. Diane Calvin, Ball State University
  5. John Cash, Indiana University-Bloomington
  6. Bert Chapman, Purdue University
  7. Summer Durrant, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis
  8. Linda Fisher, Indiana University-South Bend
  9. Steve Hayes, University of Notre Dame
  10. Sarah (Sally) Holterhoff, Valparaiso University Law School
  11. Lou Malcomb, Indiana University-Bloomington
  12. Jennifer Morgan, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
  13. Katharine Springer, Indiana State Library
  14. Cindy Dabney, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
  15. Christine Brookins, Indianapolis Public Library
  16. Wendell Johnting, Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis
  17. Ria Lukes, Indiana University-Kokomo
  18. Kathryn Millis, DePauw University
  19. Andrea Morrison, Indiana University-Bloomington