Microfiche Transition

The Clearinghouse has recently started using a digital repository, the North Carolina State Publications Collection (http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/stdocs/cdm/index.html), to provide reliable access to born digital state publications. We are now able to create a PURL for each publication added to the repository, which will be added to our cataloging records. We will continue to catalog new items, including items that exist exclusively in digital format, and our records will continue to be available in OCLC’s WorldCat. The State Library also has a subscription to OCLC’s Digital Archive for preservation of digital publications.

Because this digital repository is now available for us to use, we want to transition from distributing publications in fiche format to digital format. There are several advantages to doing this. It enables us to provide access to state publications to more people and libraries in more areas of the state than we can with the traditional depository system. It also allows us to provide access to a more popular format. In addition, this switch may be useful for some of our smaller depositories that have limited staff time to process fiche.

During the Depository Library meeting in 2006 it became apparent that many depository libraries were interested moving from fiche to digital copies. Currently 62% or greater of state publications are distributed in both paper and digital format and as many as 96% of agency publications are being distributed on websites. (Results from the 2008 Survey of State Agency Publishing Practices)

We will be transitioning from producing fiche versions of publications for distribution, to electronic access during the 2008-09 fiscal year. At the end of the 2008-09 year, we will look at how many items are still being fiched and how much it would cost to digitize those items rather than fiche them. We will make a decision at that time how to proceed next. If all is going well, we may switch to digitizing documents or make the decision that we need to continue fiching for the next year.

As print publications are checked into the Clearinghouse, we will be working with our agency contact to get digital versions when possible. Also, if the agency doesn’t give us a digital copy, we will search the web to see if we can find a copy. If we don’t find a digital equivalent, the item will be fiched and you will receive it in the normal way. If we do find the publication in digital format, we will add it to the NC State Publications Collection and you won’t receive a fiched copy. This transition is just for items we would fiche, it shouldn’t effect our print distribution.

We will include an addendum to the shipping list of items that have been added to the digital collection, instead of being fiched with your shipping lists. We will also post the list of items to our blog, http://ncstatepublications.blogspot.com/.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you,

Jennifer Davison
Clearinghouse Coordinator