The US General Services Administration (GSA) is working with the US Government Printing Office (GPO) and GPO's relationship with the Google Book Partner Program to make popular government publications available for free electronic download through Google. The programme is making available 100 consumer-related federal government publications distributed through GSA's Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) on Google Books.
The public can view and download PDF copies of these publications on desktops, laptops and various e-readers. The FCIC plans to add more consumer publications to the programme. The public can also order hard copies of the publications on Google Books and through the GPO's Online Bookstore. The FCIC will coordinate delivery through GPO's Public Documents Distribution Center in Pueblo, Colorado.
Since 1970, GSA's Federal Citizen Information Center has been distributing government consumer publications from the Public Documents Distribution Center on topics like staying healthy, understanding government benefits, managing finances and saving money, avoiding scams and identity theft. President Barack Obama signed a bill into law in December 2010 renaming the distribution centre after former Congressman Frank Evans, who had gained Congressional approval for the facility in 1970. The centre is responsible for processing and distributing orders for consumer publications. Over the past 40 years, more than 800 million publications have been distributed worldwide.
With 2,200 employees, GPO is stated to be the US government's primary resource for producing, procuring, cataloging, indexing, authenticating, disseminating and preserving its official information products in digital and tangible forms. In addition to publication sales, GPO provides for permanent public access to federal government information at no charge through GPO's Federal Digital System and through partnerships with approximately 1,220 libraries nationwide participating in the Federal Depository Library Program.
The Google Book project and the company's settlement agreement over the initiative have been challenged by various publishers and associations. Last month, a US judge rejected the Google Book Settlement Agreement. He cited antitrust concerns and the need for involvement from Congress, while acknowledging the potential benefit of putting literature in front of the masses.
Search for more Google related information
To access our daily STM news feed through your iPhone, iPad, or other smartphones, please visit www.myscoope.com for a mobile friendly reading experience.
