This fiscal year, Mr. Chairman, we are requesting 19 positions. Our objectives in making this and previous personnel requests are to assure first, that we maintain the breadth of subject area coverage necessary to track and be able to respond analytically to any topic of congressional interest; second, that we have sufficient depth to enable us to respond both quickly and discerningly--as the congressional environment demands; and third, that we have the appropriate blend of professionals and support personnel to handle requests in the most effective and efficient manner. The 19 positions we are requesting reflect this attempt to achieve a proper blend: 7 are analysts; 6 are information specialists and technicians--librarians, paralegals, research assistants, inquiry recorders; 4 are clerical support positions; and 2 are newly proposed positions--information systems assistants. The analyst positions are in the areas of present and continuing intense congressional interest--health, income maintenance, legislative-executive relations, and energy. In each of these fields we have need for additional The analytical expertise to meet requests on a timely and informed basis. information technicians of various kinds provide direct reference service to requesters and support to the analysts. The two newly proposed positions included in this request are for information systems assistants. At the present time, well over half of the CRS products and services are dependent to some degree upon computers. These machines are essential tools not only for analysts and reference personnel, but also for congressional clients. The requested positions would provide paraprofessional support for equipment and systems; this support is presently either lacking or is provided on an ad hoc basis by systems analysts or data base specialists who are drawn away from their analytical work. The information systems assistant will provide help for researchers on microcomputer software programs like Supercalc, maintain equipment inventories and usage data, trouble-shoot problems on systems that are not supported by ASO, and assist analysts with computer graphics. It might be in order, Mr. Chairman, since I've just mentioned the need for two information systems assistants and because of the importance of automation in research and reference, to spend a few moments outlining how CRS meshes with the Library's automated information function. Automation in the Library of Congress is a two-tiered affair. There is one large centralized computer facility called the Automated Systems Office, or ASO. Seven separate departments of the Library share access to this central facility but each requires tailored automated services that sometimes differ dramatically from one department to another. The Copyright Office, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, and the Congressional Research Service, for example, have sharply contrasting missions, operating styles, and automation requirements. ASO operates and maintains the central computer facility, including the specialized technical hardware and software personnel needed to support the entire Library. ASO is guided by a high-level management group called the Committee on Automation Planning--a group in which each Library department is represented. As all Library departments have increasingly used automation in recent years, the demands for large system support levied upon ASO have become increasingly heavy. Competition for ASO's resources has become spirited. As a result, the Committee on Automation Planning has instituted a Library-wide priority system for the allocation of these resources. Each Library department maintains an automation liaison group to organize its priorities and to work in close cooperation with ASO staff. In this environment of heavy contention for scarce resources, it is understandable that systems and services that serve the entire Library have a higher priority in the ASO backlog than those systems and services serving perhaps only one department. At the present time, for example, CRS has submitted a list of some 56 major automation tasks to ASO for scheduling. Only 23 of these tasks have a Library-wide priority high enough to get them on the list of projects actively being worked on by ASO. This is no criticism of ASO, which has accomplished remarkable results with its limited staff. It is an explanation of why tasks that apply primarily to only one departmental mission in the Library may require resources other than ASO's to accomplish. Congress. CRS is a rapid-response information and research service to the Therefore, it cannot limit its automation requirements to those that can be accomplished by ASO over long periods of time. Indeed, many of the small tasks we need to do would never qualify under the present priority Consequently, CRS has worked out a collaborative agreement with ASO by which we pool some resources with ASO to accomplish some tasks, and undertake others entirely on our own. system. Examples of collaborative efforts: The CRS management support system known as ISIS (Inquiry Status and Information System) was programmed by ASO and operates on an ASO computer. Nevertheless, all functional requirements were developed by a full-time CRS systems analyst who oversees all aspects of how the system operates, and specifies the many changes that must be made to meet the changing requirements of a dynamic organization such as CRS. The system, whereby all new Issue Briefs are entered into the Library's SCORPIO computer using word processing equipment, was visualized and defined by CRS systems analysts and then implemented and tested by ASO. This system has enabled CRS to maintain some 400 Issue Briefs with the same staff that originally built a system of less than 200. Another area of Library-wide automation activity we are involved in is the Optical Disk Pilot Project. Use of the newly developed optical laser disk offers the promise of virtually permanent storage of page images in addition to motion picture and still photography. This project could one day enable CRS to store and retrieve the entire holdings of the SDI bibliographic files; and it would provide guarantee superior quality of printed output and increased speed in response to congressional requests. Examples of independent efforts: CRS is an extensive user of external and commercially available data bases. CRS data base specialists keep continual track of new developments in on-line information retrieval, train our staff in the use of these systems, and monitor the limited funds available for data base subscriptions. Another example is the provision of systems support to a research division supporting a House committee project on water resources. A specialized data base had to be built and maintained, and is used as a major source of specialized graphic reports to the committee. In addition, CRS systems analysts, working in collaboration with House Information Systems, have supported pilot projects in the House to utilize the GAO legislative history files (on microfiche) by certain committees. In short, the Automated Systems Office is primarily concerned with the operation of large-scale mainframe systems of across-the-board usefulness to all Library departments. Very few ASO resources can be spared for the support of more limited intra-departmental projects. CRS data base specialists and systems analysts work in close cooperation with ASO to supplement their efforts on large systems such as SCORPIO. In addition, they are heavily involved in smaller scale, but, to CRS, equally urgent systems problems involved in direct support to congressional offices, and in support of the CRS research mission. 32-133 0-84--25 What is downstream? We find ourselves asking ASO with increasing frequency to make computation capability directly available to CRS research staff for statistical analysis and modeling. As we work together to create these tools, I don't think one need be clairvoyant to anticipate a time when nearly every analyst might well need his or her own desk top computer at the work station. These tools offer important possibilities in the research process and a significant step in the development of the Service's capabilities. fore, I have appointed a special committee within CRS, headed by a division chief, to examine this whole area of microcomputers. We have not requested funding for microcomputers in this fiscal year request, but there seems little question that one can anticipate future needs in this area, because microcomputers hold such high promise for increased productivity and enhanced analytical capability, and thus more effective service to Congress. There To summarize our request, Mr. Chairman, it is for $41,066,000--an increase of $3,004,000. Of that amount, slightly over $2.5 million is to cover current level. The remainder, $442,539, is for 19 new positions--which represents a staff increase of 2.2%. One matter to which we have devoted considerable effort this year, as in the past, is in the maintenance of our professional credibility. It is absolutely essential that our reports, briefings and other communications be objective and nonpartisan. This is a basic operating principle and something we cherish and work hard to nurture. Our record is quite good in this area but there are occasions when something goes awry. Fortunately, our troubleshooting system tracks these incidents and we thoroughly check out the matter --no exceptions. If needed, corrective action is taken. In this connection, you will be interested to know I am nearing the completion of an effort to personally brief every CRS staff member, regardless of position or length of |