The Library of Congress budget request for fiscal year 1993 totals $357.5 million (including $24.9 million in The Library of Congress maintains a collection of approximately 100 million items -- many of them unique and knowledge in the history of the world -- for service to Congress, the Library also serves the courts, state and Federal agencies, libraries, elementary and secondary schools, colleges, research institutions, and businesses to help spur 1 creativity and productivity throughout the nation. Major Library of Congress services include: ► Congressional Services - provides impartial analytical research and information to the Congress on public ► Cataloging Services - provides bibliographic records and related products to libraries and bibliographic ► Copyright Services - administers U.S. copyright laws and actively promotes international protection for ► Blind and Physically Handicapped Services - manages a free national reading program for 700,000 blind Reading Promotion Services - promotes books, reading, and literacy through the Library's Center for the American Folklife Services - manages the nation's most important archival collection of folk music and ▸ Federal Library Services - coordinates Federal library programs for nearly 1,300 participating institutions administering an economical book, serial, and data base procurement program amounting to more than $50 million in reimbursements annually. Major Accomplishments During Fiscal 1991 As a result of Congressional support, fiscal 1991 marked a turning point for the Library following several years of ▸ Arrearage Reduction - In accordance with the Library's comprehensive arrearage plan, a reduction of almost ▸ Main Reading Room Reopening - Showing leadership in research services, the Library's main reading room ▸ Improved Copyright Services - With implementation of the Copyright Fees and Technical Amendments Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-318), the Copyright Office has put in place a new fee schedule and, with authority to use additional fees, hired and trained 30 additional people. This new staff contributed to the Copyright Office's success in reducing the amount of time it takes to process routine copyright claims from 12 weeks to six weeks. 111 ► Important New Acquisitions - The Library receives millions of pieces for the collections each year, including items from copyright deposits, from purchases, and from gifts and exchanges. A small sampling of notable acquisitions during fiscal.1991 include: papers of Oliver Ellsworth (Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1795 to 1800), papers of Sandra Day O'Connor, the Welsh Collection of Globes (one of the outstanding collections of American maps), papers of Jerome Kern (including scores, orchestrations and notes. from Show Boat), and papers of Paul Nitze (including American diplomacy papers). ► Blind and Physically Handicapped Production Increases - Production increases over the previous fiscal year were accomplished for the following areas: braille books (11,050 volumes for a total of 55,550 volumes of 394 titles), braille magazine (12,525 copies for a total of 368,525 copies of 27 magazines), and audio cassette books (125,606 containers for a total of 1,625,606 containers for 1,710 titles). The National Library Service union catalog now contains 139,794 records representing more than 5.5 million copies of books in braille and on tape. ► Financial Management Improvements - The Library improved its financial management and operations this year by addressing recommendations contained in the General Accounting Office's report on the Library's first financial audit. This audit was requested by the Library, and actions taken include improving financial direction, improving control over the Library's collections, improving administration of the Federal Library and Information Network (FEDLINK) program, and proposing legislation to establish a revolving fund. ► Taking Automation to the Nation - The Library went on-line with 33 state libraries (LC DIRECT), which permits these libraries access to the Library's large bibliographic files for a small connect fee. The Library completed the programming phase of the bibliographic workstation project allowing the replacement of outdated, inefficient "dumb" terminals with intelligent computers that improve cataloger productivity. Finally, the Library completed a multi-year automation plan that provides the framework necessary to achieve the Library's long-term objectives of upgrading its aging systems and putting in place an infrastructure capable of sharing the Library's treasures. Moving Treasures to the People - The Library's spectacular collections were shared with a broad public audience through major interpretive programs featuring exhibitions of Judaic Treasures (among the greatest in iv the world), the Rosenwald Collection (one of the world's most important and valuable collections of illustrated books), and the Bicentennial of the District of Columbia (including the original and digitized versions of L'Enfant's plan). The Judaic Treasures exhibit will travel to five sites, beginning in early 1993. ► Contributions to Education - The Library conducted an educators' institute on the Bill of Rights for ► Preservation Improvements - The Library of Congress increased public awareness of the need to preserve ► Support for Emerging Parliamentary Institutions - The Library provided extensive support for The Library's fiscal 1993 request represents an increase of $29.4 million (including $1.6 million in new increase include: |