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GCN Home > 05/01/06 issue

Mike Wash | Government IT is becoming content-centric

By Mike Wash, Special to GCN

For the past 145 years, the Government Printing Office has been a print-centric agency focused on printing and disseminating printed publications. But the demands of the information age have forced GPO—as well as many other government agencies—to rethink and re-engineer its approach to creating and disseminating government documents.

The advent of the Internet enabled the wide distribution of electronic documents produced by new publishing processes, breaking the link between printing and dissemination. Agencies could make their information available directly. Electronic dissemination of information became practical and more economical than dissemination on paper. All of this change meant GPO systems and processes needed to change to accommodate new and emerging demands, both from agency customers and the public.

At one time, GPO’s mission was accomplished through the production of conventional ink-on-paper printing followed by distribution of publications to Federal Depository Libraries and sales to individuals and dealers. Today, after more than a generation’s experience with electronic printing systems, GPO is providing government information in a wide range of formats, including print and digital through GPO Access.

GPO is not in a unique position. Updating information technology systems is something most government agencies have been addressing. However, since GPO is in the information dissemination business, it has meant devoting a great deal of attention to re-engineering information systems while we continue to fulfill our mission.

The new age for GPO began in 1994 when, at the request of Congress, GPO placed the Federal Register, the Congressional Record and other core publications on the Internet for the first time. Up until then, printed documents were shipped daily to subscribing customers, agencies and the depository libraries.

This process continues today, but the demand for printed publications continues to decline. GPO now places more than 92 percent of the content it receives on the Internet. The remaining 8 percent comprises publications in forms that do not easily lend themselves to electronic access, such as maps.

More news on related topics: Content / Record Management, Management, Web Strategies



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