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United States Government Printing Office
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Government Printing Office | |
 Logo |
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 Official seal |
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | June 23, 1860 |
| Jurisdiction | Federal government of the United States |
| Headquarters | 732 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, D.C. |
| Agency Executive | Robert C. Tapella, Public Printer |
| Website | |
| www.gpo.gov | |
The Government Printing Office (GPO) is an agency of the legislative branch of the United States federal government. The office prints and provides access to documents produced by and for all three branches of the federal government, including the Supreme Court, the Congress, and all executive branch agencies. The primary mission of the GPO is to inform citizens by making government publications widely available, by gathering, cataloging, providing, and preserving published information in all forms. GPO provides information to the public through GPO Access, which contains searchable databases of government information, and through the Federal Depository Library Program, which is a partnership with hundreds of libraries throughout the country.
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GPO began operations in accordance with Congressional Joint Resolution 25 of June 23, 1860. The activities of GPO are defined in the public printing and documents chapters of Title 44 of the United States Code. The Public Printer, who serves as the head of GPO, is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.
GPO now contracts out much of the federal government's printing but prints the Official Journals of Government in-house. The Official Journals of Government include
- Public and Private Laws
- Code of Federal Regulations
- United States Statutes at Large
- United States Code
- The Federal Register, which is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations.
- The Congressional Record
GPO has been producing the nation's passports since the 1920s. With the successful integration of those technological advancements and increased production capabilities, GPO has converted all Passport production in May 2007 to the new electronic Passport e-Passport)[1]. The United States Department of State began issuing e-Passports to the public in 2006. The e-Passport includes an electronic chip embedded in the cover that contains the same information that is printed in the passport: name, date of birth, gender, place of birth, dates of passport issuance and expiration, passport number and photo image of the traveler. The e-passport contains security features to prevent the chips from being read, cloned or changed. GPO not only produces the e-Passport, GPO’s Creative Services team created the page designs. Recent regulation changes require U.S. citizens traveling by air to and from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean to have a passport, which has increased the demand for the document. GPO produces the blank e-Passport, while the Department of State subsequently adjudicates applications and personalizes individual documents.
GPO's Office of Innovation and New Technology is working to develop GPO’s Digital Information System (FDsys). As outlined in the Strategic Vision, FDsys will allow federal agencies to easily create and submit content that can then be preserved, authenticated, managed and delivered upon request. FDsys will form the core of GPO’s future operations.
FDsys will include all known Federal Government documents within the scope of GPO’s Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), whether printed or electronic. Information entered into the system will be authenticated and catalogued according to GPO metadata and document creation standards. Content will include text, graphics, audio, and video files. It will be available for online searching and viewing, downloading and printing, and as document masters for conventional and on-demand printing.
FDsys is being developed in phases and currently included three scheduled releases. The first public release is scheduled for early 2008.[2]
The mission of the FDLP is to disseminate information products from all three branches of the Government to over 1,250 libraries nationwide. Libraries that have been designated as Federal depositories maintain these information products as part of their existing collections and are responsible for assuring that the public has free access to the material provided by the FDLP.
The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) was established by the United States Congress to ensure that the American public has access to its Government's information. Since 1813, depository libraries have safeguarded the public's right to know by collecting, organizing, maintaining, preserving, and assisting users with information from the Federal Government. The FDLP provides Government information at no cost to designated depository libraries throughout the country and territories. These depository libraries, in turn, provide local, no-fee access to Government information in an impartial environment with professional assistance.
As institutions committed to equity of access and dedicated to free and unrestricted public use, the nation's nearly 1,250 depository libraries serve as one of the vital links between "We the people" and our Government. Anyone can visit Federal depository libraries and use the Federal depository collections which are filled with information on careers, business opportunities, consumer information, health and nutrition, legal and regulatory information, demographics, and numerous other subjects.[3]
The GPO also publishes annual United States Government Manual, and an official style manual to be used for all Government publications. The GPO Bookstore sells these and other publications. The bookstore is located at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20401.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is responsible for the printing of United States currency.
- GPO website
- GPO Access - Portal to Government Information
- GPO Online Bookstore
- GPO Style Manual
- "Confronting Digital Age Head-On", Washington Post, March 13, 2006