bers of orders that are filled and mailed in less than 10 days after they are received. We continue to receive up to 60,000 orders, letters, and inquiries daily but have managed to reduce the 250,000 to 400.000 orders in process on any normal day by more than half since our last regular appearance before your committee.

With approval of the Joint Committee on Printing, we requested and received a supplemental appropriation of $265,000 to open two area distribution centers-one in Pueblo, Colo., and the other in Philadelphia, Pa. We are now in the process of forwarding initial stocks to the Naval Publications and Forms Center in Philadelphia, Pa., and we expect to be receiving and processing orders there within a matter of weeks. We have requested space for the Pueblo Distribution Center through the General Services Administration and have placed orders for some of the equipment which will be required for that facility. Our plans call for equipping and the partial stocking of that center early in fiscal year 1972. The activation of these two facilities will enable us to further reduce the turnaround time for processing orders and help relieve critical storage problems here in the Washington, D.C. area. It will also serve to substantially improve our services and at the same time permit us to accommodate the ever-increasing demand for Government publications.

The six bookstores outside of the Washington metropolitan area already in operation continue to be financially self sustaining far beyond our original expectations. Our appropriation request contains funds to establish three more stores in cities where space can be made available in Federal buildings during fiscal year 1972. Wherever possible, these stores will be located in cities where the General Services Administration already operates, or expects to establish, Federal Information Centers.

Plans for the three bookstores authorized by the Legislative Branch Appropriation Act of 1971 for establishment during the current fiscal year are proceeding on schedule. The store in Dallas, Tex., is expected to open in May. The other stores in Denver, Colo., and New York City will open later in the current year.

Last year, we discussed the imperative necessity of converting to modern, automated order-processing methods. I am happy to report positive strides have been made. Approximately two-thirds of our mailing lists, consisting of over 3 million names, have been computerized. We will complete the program hopefully by the end of the calendar year. This program includes mailing lists for the Congressional Record, the Federal Register, and the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents. We are in the final stages of completing a contract for converting our publications availability file to an automated system using microfiche as our primary reference tool.

DEFINITION OF MICROFICHE

Mr. ANDREWs. What is microfiche?

Mr. KLING. Microfiche, Mr. Chairman, is a piece of film about 4 by 6 inches which contains very small images, normally reductions of pages of information. Some microfiche, depending upon the magnitude of reduction can carry 200, 300, or even 400 pages on a single piece of film. Mr. ANDREWS. Proceed.

With this publications availability file, we should be able to answer telephone inquiries in less than half the time it now takes. We are in the process of invoicing publications material to certain consigned agents and our distribution center in Philadelphia by computerized method. We now have a record of the majority of our publications stocks in the computer. Shortly we will be in a position to computer generate transfers of publications stocks from the reserve, or wholesale categories, to the forward or retail categories. Current inventory balances are to be maintained in the computers making them rapidly available. To help accomplish these tasks, we have adopted a uniform 8-digit stock number to be utilized internally for computer operations. The Public Printer has requested the Joint Committee on Printing approval to publish, sell, and distribute U.S. Government publications in microform. The Public Documents Department is engaged actively in study and planning for this program, as well as the possible distribution of such material to Federal depository libraries.

DEFINITION OF MICROFORM

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, could I ask a question?

Mr. ANDREWS. Yes.

Mr. EVANS. What is microform?

Mr. KLING. Microform, Mr. Evans, can be any one of many carriers of data-all in smaller than normal form. Microfiche, which is as I described a single sheet of film containing many pages. Microform can be microfilm of either 8 or 16 millimeters. Kodak uses this type of thing. There are microcards, aperture cards which contain both information and a film insert. There are many different kinds, but all of them operate on the principle of substantial reductions from normal size images, chiefly so that they can be stored conveniently in less space and then restored by enlargement at some later time.

Mr. EVANS. Thank you.

Mr. KLING. Increased travel will be required in connection with the three book stores that have been authorized in fiscal year 1971, and in connection with the operation of the previously authorized bookstores, the two new area distribution centers, and to establish the three additional bookstores we are requesting in fiscal year 1972. For this reason, we have included in our estimates an increased appropriation of $46,718 to cover the additional travel cost of these extensions of our operations.

Increases for mailing to depository libraries, office and mailing supplies, catalogs and publications price lists, transportation, and computer services are those which normally occur where there is an increased volume of business. The Federal depository library system has grown to 1,044 libraries as of April 6, 1971. There have been 16 new depositories designated since July 1, 1970, with three more pending final designation. This year we will distribute to depository libraries approximately 11,538,000 publications, about 1,048,000 more than in fiscal year 1970. We estimate we will be required to distribute approximately 12,692,000 publications to the libraries in fiscal year 1972. To compensate for this workload over which we have no control, we are requesting an additional $200,000 to pay for the printing of the publications. The estimated increase in the number of depository libraries

for fiscal year 1972 is based on the yearly average increase since the enactment of the current depository law in 1962.

Again this year, we have included as part of the fiscal year 1972 request, the reserve for contingencies of $200,000 which this committee recommended several years ago to meet increases which cannot be foreseen at the time our estimates are prepared, and to hopefully avoid amended budget requests. The availability of this reserve for contingencies has proved to be most beneficial. It can be used only with the permission of the Public Printer and cannot be employed to hire permanent personnel. Several weeks ago, it became necessary to request the permission of the Public Printer to obligate $150,000 from the reserve for contingencies for fiscal year 1971 to pay for publications printed for distribution to Federal depository libraries owing to increased costs which had not been anticipated.

Our program for the sale of United States Government publications continues to function on a self-sustaining basis. The income realized from the sale of publications last year for return to the United States Treasury was $9,098,293. With the help of this Committee, we shall continue our efforts to keep this service financially self sustaining, while modernizing our operations so that we can provide the fastest and most efficient service possible to the public, the Congress, and departments and agencies of the Federal Government. A tabular breakdown of the increases requested is included in the statement supporting the 1972 estimate for Salaries and Expenses, Office of the Superintendent of Documents. I shall be glad to attempt to answer any questions about specific items.

(The statement referred to follows:)

STATEMENT SUPpporting 1972 ESTIMATE FOR SALARIES AND EXPENSES, OFFICE OF THE SUPERINtendent of DOCUMENTS

The Office of the Superintendent of Documents operates under a separate appropriation which provides funds for the performance of the four functions with which the Office is charged by law. They are: (1) the sale of Government publications produced by the Government Printing Office; (2) the compilation of catalogs and indexes of Government publications; (3) the distribution of Government publications to designated depository libraries; and (4) the mailing for Members of Congress and other Government agencies of certain Government publications, as authorized by law.

The functions of the Public Documents Department are of a service nature and we exercise no control over the volume of work which we are called upon to perform. Work programs show substantial increases for the first 6 months of the current year over a comparable period last year and serve to resubstantiate the steady growth pattern we have observed over recent years. Interest in publications issued by the U.S. Government stands at an alltime peak. In fiscal 1970 we sold 74,967,000 publications and projections indicate sales of 80,252,000 for the current year, and 88,277,000 in fiscal 1972.

We have made the best possible advance estimate of the amount that will be needed in fiscal year 1972 to provide the services required of the Office of the Superintendent of Documents. Our 1972 estimate has been amended in accordance with Office of Management and Budget Bulletin No. 71-5, 1972 Increased Pay Costs. The total appropriation requested is $14,445,900, an increase of $2,085,900 over the 1971 appropriations.

We appreciate the help given us last year by this Committee, faced as we were with a discouragingly large backlog of publications orders we were unable to handle as quickly as needed by our customers. We are pleased to report that progress has been made, and today we are processing more than 50 percent of our orders within 10 days after they are received. Mail to the Public Documents Department is still ranging from 10,000 to 60,000 letters, inquiries, and orders a day. We have managed to reduce the number of orders in process on any normal day to 200,000 or less, but it still is requiring as much as 6 to 8 weeks to complete some of the orders. With the activation of the new area distribution centers, we expect substantial improvement in put-through time and customer responsiveness. As we reported to this Committee last year, we were then, and still are, faced with serious storage problems. However, we are actively working with the General Services Administration in an effort to obtain more suitable warehousing space in the Washington metropolitan area which, hopefully, will alleviate many of these problems. No funds have been requested for this purpose.

With the approval of the Joint Committee on Printing, we requested and received a supplemental appropriation of $265,000 to open two area distribution centers-one in Pueblo, Colorado, and the other in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We are now in the process of forwarding initial stocks to the Philadelphia facility and expect to be receiving and processing orders there within a few weeks. We have requested space for the Pueblo center through the General Services Administration and have ordered some of the equipment that will be necessary for that center. Our plans call for equipping and the partial stocking of that center prior to June 30. To enable these facilities to become fully operational in fiscal 1972, we are requesting an additional 67 employees at a cost of $234,577. For necessary equipment which will be required at the Pueblo area distribution center, we are requesting an increase of $582,000.

We are continuing our programs to convert all operations of the Public Documents Department to modern, automated order processing methods. To accomplish this, we are requesting an increase in fiscal year 1972 for systems studies in the amount of $75,000 to contract for professional services in the area of systems studies, systems design, and associated programing that this conversion will require.

Plans are underway for the three additional bookstores that were authorized by the 1971 Legislative Branch Appropriation Act. The opening of the store in Dallas, Texas, is scheduled tentatively for May. Stores in Denver, Colorado, and New York City are expected to be open later in the current year.

The six bookstores outside the Washington metropolitan area established to date continue to be financially self sustaining far beyond our original expectations. They are providing an improved service to the citizens in the areas where they are located and are helping to control the influx of mail orders received daily here in Washington, D.C. We feel the program for establishing and opening bookstores in selected cities throughout the United States is providing a real public service and should continue. We are, therefore, including in the fiscal 1972 request, an increase of $121,330 to provide necessary employees and for preparation of the locations for the three additional bookstores during that year. If we are authorized this further expansion of the bookstore program, the locations of the future stores would be determined primarily by the availability of Government-owned space in Federal buildings.

The current appropriation of $22,000 for "Travel" will be barely sufficient to cover the cost of travel required in connection with establishing the three new bookstores authorized during fiscal year 1971, and that required in the operation of the six bookstores previously established, assistance to depository libraries, and providing sales displays and exhibits of Government publications. To establish three additional bookstores in fiscal year 1972, we will require an additional $20,691 in travel funds. To continue the operation of our two area distribution centers in Pueblo, Colorado, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we will require an additional $15,610. We have, therefore, included in the fiscal 1972 request an additional $46,718 under "Travel" to cover these anticipated increases in expenses. The "Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications" which we are required by law to publish and distribute is recognized as an unusually valuable library and publications research tool. Based on current estimates, it will cost $123,900 to produce the 12 issues of the "Monthly Catalog" during fiscal 1972, an increase of $7,100 over the amount appropriated this program last year.