Illinois Libraries/OCLC Tackle Government Information Online

摘要

The Illinois State Library, University of Illinois at Chicago (UI), and OCLC have banded together to sponsor what is being described as a virtual reference desk for government information. Administered by the Government Printing Office (GPO), Government Information Online (GIO) (http://govtinfo.org) sets up more than 30 librarians from federal depository libraries as liaisons between patrons with questions and government libraries than can supply the answers. John Shuler, documents librarian and associate professor at UI, has pushed the project and now serves as its primary overseer. Shuler told LJ that the pilot program is proceeding well. "We doubled the number [of questions] during March over the previous two months," said Shuler. "Getting about 30 different depository libraries to work together on a national basis along public service lines has been a rich and rewarding experience."