World War I Documents Now Available on govinfo

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has digitized the 17-volume set, United States Army in the World War, 1917-1919, in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the end of the conflict, and it is now available on govinfo. Published in 1948, this publication compiles key documents, maps, and records for the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) from the start of the American involvement in World War I through the occupation of Germany.

• Volumes one and two focus on the formation and organization of the American Expeditionary Forces.
• Volume three looks at the training and use of American units in the British and French armies.
• Volumes four - eight provide documents on military operations.
• Volume nine focuses on operations in the Meuse-Argonne.
• Volumes 10 and 11 are documents related to the armistice and American occupation of Germany.
• Volumes 12-15 contain reports of the Commander-in-Chief, AEF.
• The final two volumes, 16 and 17, contain bulletins from the general headquarters of the AEF.

This publication offers a glimpse into the organization and operations of the AEF through primary source documents compiled by the Historical Division, U.S. Army.

FDsys Website Will be Retired on December 14

GPO plans to retire GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDsys) website and replace it with govinfo on December 14, 2018.
govinfo provides access to the same publications and search functionality as FDsys, but has a new look and new features.
Read more information about the retirement of the FDsys website and transition to govinfo, including FAQs.
When the FDsys website is retired on December 14, existing links will automatically redirect to govinfo.
Other GPO websites, including the following, will not be affected by the FDsys retirement:

• GPO.gov
• The U.S. Government Bookstore
• The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
• FDLP.gov
• Ben’s Guide to the U.S. Government
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations

GPO Issues Release Of Statute Compilations

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) releases an initial set of 40 Statute Compilations as a pilot on govinfo, GPO’s website that offers public access to Federal Government information. These publications are compilations of public laws that either do not appear in the U.S. Code or that have been classified to a title of the U.S. Code that has not been enacted into positive law. Each Statute Compilation incorporates the amendments made to the underlying statute since it was originally enacted.
GPO is partnering with various Congressional offices on this project, including the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the U.S. Senate, the Clerk of the House, and the Secretary of the Senate.
Additional Statute Compilations will be added to govinfo over the next several months. The next phase of this project will be to convert legacy Statute Compilations file formats into United States Legislative Markup (USLM) XML and provide access to those files as bulk data.
“The release of Statute Compilations on govinfo now gives the public easy access to these documents on smartphones, tablets, laptops and personal computers,” said GPO Acting Deputy Director Herbert H. Jackson, Jr. “This is another example of how GPO is working with Congress to provide digital access to the workings on the three branches of the Federal Government.”

FDsys Website to be Retired This December

This December, the transition from GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDsys) to govinfo will be complete with the retirement of the FDsys website.
In preparation for the retirement of FDsys in December, the two most important things to know about the transition are the following:

1. Although the FDsys website is being replaced with the new, modern govinfo website, GPO remains committed to ensuring authenticity, integrity, and long term preservation for more than a million documents in our system. govinfo is simply a new front door to accessing the same authenticated and preserved content that you are used to accessing through the FDsys website.
2. When the FDsys website is retired in December, any existing links to FDsys, including PURLs, will automatically be redirected by GPO to govinfo. We encourage you to update your website links and references to govinfo as is feasible.

More information about the transition is available on govinfo. Feedback on govinfo is welcome at GPO’s online survey.

FDLP LibGuide & Other Resources from GPO on Natural Disasters

September is National Preparedness Month. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently reported in 2017 natural disasters cost the United States $312.7 billion dollars. This total represents near 20% of the costs of all natural disasters since 1980. This month we are featuring the FDLP LibGuide - Natural Disasters.
The Natural Disasters LibGuide provides information on how to prepare for natural disasters, as well as sources of information on general recovery. The guide also lists resources for specific types of disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and more. The resources featured include links to a variety of Federal agencies including Ready.gov, FEMA, the CDC, in addition to links to websites, apps, information for kids, and GPO publications to assist in disaster preparation and where to access help when necessary.
In addition to this LibGuide, GPO also makes available guidance for libraries on what to do if a disaster strikes:

• What To Do If Your Library Has Unplanned Access Restrictions
• What To Do If Your Library Has a Flood or Water Disaster
• What To Do If Your Library Books Have Mold

Finally, GPO has posted a new Government Book Talk blog on National Preparedness Month. On behalf of everyone at GPO, please stay safe and be prepared.

Agency Digital Products Case Study Report Now Available

In the fall of 2016, the Government Publishing Office (GPO) and the Superintendent of Documents entered into an interagency agreement with the Federal Research Division (FRD) of the Library of Congress to develop and test a methodology for identifying agency digital publishing, dissemination, and preservation policies and practices. The final report, "Disseminating and Preserving Digital Public Information Products Created by the U.S. Federal Government: A Case Study Report,” is now available.

The results and recommendations found in the report provide Library Services and Content Management (LSCM) a more informed approach to:

• Foster productive, collaborative relationships with agencies
• Develop strategies to improve and transform its operations and services to facilitate a more effective and efficient proactive approach to increased discovery and access to Government information
• Ensure all in-scope content is acquired for the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), the Cataloging & Indexing Program (C&I), and GPO’s System of Online Access (FDsys/govinfo)

World War II Army Operations Reports

The Cleveland Public Library is now a Digital Access Partner for their digitized versions of the First United States Army’s Report of Operation. These reports describe the tactical operations of the First U.S. Army in Europe between Oct. 20, 1943 and May 8, 1945.
All three multiple volume reports are cataloged in the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications with PURLs to the digitized content at the Cleveland Public Library.

Title: Report of operations, October 20 1943- 1 August 1944
SuDoc: W 1.2:AR 5/8/943-44
CGP system number: 001066860
PURL: https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo107290

Title: Report of operations, 1 August 1944-22 February 1945
SuDoc: W 1.2:AR 5/8/944-45/V. 1-4
CGP system number: 001059995
PURL: https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo93043

Title: Report of operations, 23 February-8 May 1945.
SuDoc: W 1.2:AR 5/8/945/V. 1-3
CGP system number: 001060038
PURL: https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo93055

GPO thanks the Cleveland Public Library for sharing this digitized content with the Federal depository library community and the public.

Legislative Branch Innovation Hub

The Legislative Branch Innovation Hub seeks to highlight Legislative branch activities that use technology to cultivate collaboration, foster data standardization, and increase transparency. The Hub includes information to help law-making bodies innovate, communicate, and legislate effectively, and it is being developed iteratively by non-partisan support staff in United States Legislative branch organizations coordinated through the Bulk Data Task Force in collaboration with civil society. GPO staff participate and are active members of the Bulk Data Task Force.

Digitized Version of Kappler’s Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties Now Available

The U.S. Government Publishing Office and Oklahoma State University’s Edmon Low Library have partnered to make the digital versions of Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties, available on GPO’s govinfo.

This eight volume publication (commonly called Kappler’s after its original editor) was digitized by the Edmon Low Library and contributed to govinfo through a Digital Content Contributor partnership.

Kappler’s is a compilation containing U.S. treaties, laws, and executive orders pertaining to Native American Indian tribes. The volumes cover U.S. Government treaties with Native Americans from 1778-1883 (Volume II) and U.S. laws and executive orders concerning Native Americans from 1871-1970 (Volumes I, III-VII). A supplement compiling Code of Federal Regulations related to Native Americans was published in 1975.

New Courts’ Opinions Available on govinfo

In recent months, GPO and the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AOUSC) have made available five new courts’ opinions in the U.S. Courts collection on govinfo. This effort began as a pilot project in 2011 to provide public access to opinions from selected United States appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts.

The recently-added content includes opinions from the U.S. District Court for the District of Guam, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Washington, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and most recently this past June, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Michigan.

These five courts’ opinions join an expanding corpus of judicial opinions available to search, browse, and download on govinfo. Opinions from 118 courts are now available in govinfo, and GPO will continue to add opinions as they are provided to GPO by the courts. As a provider of free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government, the U.S. Courts collection is one of the largest collections in govinfo. Explore the opinions at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/USCOURTS.

House Appropriations Subcommittee Approves GPO’S FY 2019 Funding Request

The U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Appropriations approved the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s (GPO) full funding request for the fiscal year 2019 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. At $117 million, GPO’s request is $68,000 less compared with funding approved for FY 2018. Since 2010, GPO’s appropriations have declined by nearly 21%.
“We commend the GPO for their ability to do more with less,” said Chairman Kevin Yoder during the Subcommittee’s mark-up of the bill. “Their funding has slightly decreased which is a testament to their adoption of technology and extremely hard work.”
“GPO deeply appreciates the House Subcommittee’s support as we continue to modernize our operations for Congress, Federal agencies, and the public,“ said GPO Acting Deputy Director Andrew M. Sherman.
The FY 2019 request will enable GPO to:

• Meet projected requirements for congressional publishing.
• Fund the operation of the public information programs of the Superintendent of Documents.
• Develop information technology, including cybersecurity, in systems that support the agency’s congressional publishing and public information programs operations.

GPO’s FY 2019 Appropriations Request: https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/congressional-relations-pdf-files/testimonies/sherman_house_prepared_statement_4_2018.pdf
GPO’s Appropriations Hearing: https://appropriations.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=395215

GPO Completes Digitizing all Issues of the Federal Register

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) and the National Archives’ Office of the Federal Register (OFR) have digitized every issue of the Federal Register, dating back to the first one published in 1936.  A total of 14,587 individual issues, which is nearly two million pages, has been digitized.
The complete Federal Register from 1936 to the present is now available digitally on GPO’s govinfo.  https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/FR .
Some highlights from the early issues of the Federal Register:

• The first Executive Order published in the Federal Register on March 14, 1936, enlarged the Cape Romain Migratory Bird Refuge in South Carolina.
• The first war related Presidential proclamations following the Declaration of War on Japan was published in the December 10, 1941 Federal Register issue.
• The August 25, 1958 issue contains the Executive Order outlining changes to the flag following the admittance of Hawaii as a state.

“This is an important achievement for GPO and OFR in providing the public digital access to all Federal Register issues from the Administrations of Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt to Donald J. Trump,” said Acting GPO Deputy Director Andy Sherman.  “The public will now be able to access these regulations on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and personal computers.  I congratulate GPO and OFR employees who made this project a success.”
“We are proud to announce the completion of a long-awaited goal - digitization of the entire set of Federal Registers that were not "born digitally" before 1994.  With the release of the final set of books, GPO and the OFR have made a great leap in providing public access to an important collection of 20th Century Federal Government documents,” said OFR Director Oliver Potts.
The first issue of the Federal Register came off GPO presses on March 14, 1936. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first document, an Executive Order, to be published. The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as Executive Orders and other presidential documents. It is updated daily by 6 a.m. and is published Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, in both digital and print editions.

GPO Catalogs Declassified CIA CAESAR Series

GPO has cataloged 54 online titles from a declassified CIA numbered series known as the CAESAR series. The Director of the CIA established Project CAESAR in 1952; and this series of working papers was published from 1953-1972. The purpose of Project CAESAR was to study the members of, and events affecting the Soviet leadership hierarchy. The collection focuses on internal policies and politics.

See the CAESAR collection on the CIA website

GPO's govinfo is Out of Beta

In February 2016, GPO debuted the modern, mobile-friendly govinfo as a beta website to eventually replace GPO’s Federal Digital System.
GPO is pleased to announce that govinfo is now out of beta. FDsys will remain available in the coming months and in December 2018, GPO will retire FDsys, and govinfo will take its place as GPO’s source for official Government information.
Learn more about the transition from FDsys to govinfo, including a handy chart on finding certain FDsys resources where they've been migrated to govinfo.

GPO Issues Digital Release of Federal Register for the 1960s

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) and the National Archives’ Office of the Federal Register (OFR) digitally release historic issues of the Federal Register from 1960-1969. The complete collection of issues of the Federal Register from 1960 to the present is now available digitally on GPO’s govinfo.

This project is digitizing a total of 14,587 individual issues, dating back to the first Federal Register in 1936. Nearly two million pages are being digitized. The 1960s era of the Federal Register covers the Administrations of Presidents John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon, and includes such highlights as:

• The first executive order of the Kennedy administration expanded food aid to needy families: January 24, 1961

• Proclamation by President Johnson of a national day of mourning for President Kennedy: November 27, 1963

• Notice of an establishment of a quarantine period for extraterrestrial exposure for the astronauts on the Apollo 11 space mission: July 25, 1969 

“Access to the Federal Register on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and personal computers from 1960 to present is another example of how GPO is meeting the technological needs of the public,” said Acting GPO Director Jim Bradley. “I look forward to GPO and the Office of the Federal Register digitizing all issues dating back to the Administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.”

The first issue of the Federal Register came off GPO presses on March 16, 1936. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first document, an executive order, to be published. The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. It is updated daily by 6 a.m. and is published Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, in both digital and print editions.

FDsys To Be Replaced by govinfo

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has provided online access to Government information from all three branches since 1994 when we created the GPO Access website. GPO continued to innovate by launching the Federal Digital System (FDsys) in 2009, and in 2016, GPO debuted the modern, mobile-friendly govinfo.

In December 2018, GPO plans to retire FDsys, and govinfo will take its place as GPO’s source for official Government information.

While FDsys will remain available until its retirement, users are encouraged to transition to govinfo. Immediately before FDsys is retired, redirects from FDsys to govinfo will be enabled, but users should prepare for the FDsys retirement by proactively updating their systems and links to point to govinfo instead of FDsys.

govinfo offers many enhancements over FDsys including: 

Optimization for display on mobile devices

More relevant and precise search results

Integrated social media sharing

New Related Documents feature

Curated content and new ways to browse

Developer tools and data feeds

Expanded help and resources

   

Learn more about govinfo and the transition from FDsys, or contact GPO for more information. And don’t forget to register to attend the free, live training webinar, govinfo – GPO’s Official System for Providing Free Public Access to U.S. Government Information, taking place Tuesday, February 13, 2018.