PEOPLE AND THEIR GOVERNMENTS IN THE INFORMATION AGE

INFORMATION:

Government agencies at all levels collect, maintain and disseminate an incredible array of information. It ranges from routine data relating to consumer products to vital weather information. It includes layers of regulations that apply to small businesses, major corporations or even government agencies themselves. We know the information is out there, but how do we find it? Until recently, our only option was to write or call the agency that had the information. Of course, first we had to figure out which agency that was. And then we waited.

All of that is changing. In December 1994, the Federal Government Information Locator Service (GILS) was launched. As it evolves, more and more Federal data will be at our fingertips. This locator service is similar to the card catalog at the local library, only it is electronic and on-line. GILS allows one to search on-line using a specific set of key-words of interest to locate appropriate subject matter. For example, suppose one had an interest in a major construction project and its effect on wildlife habitat. Using GILS, one could locate the various environmental impact statements. In addition, one might also locate pertinent satellite photographs.

Even declassified secrets are available electronically on the Department of Energy's OpenNet service. More agencies will follow. The National Archives and Records Administration is developing a government-wide declassification database.

One information source which is quite useful when planning to plant or harvest crops, or when planning a day at the beach, is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) national weather forecasts. These forecasts are available for any city in the United States which has a NOAA weather station. At last count, there were over 150 city forecasts available from NOAA's on-line computers.

For businesses, the Department of Commerce provides a bulletin board which contains timely economic information. For companies involved in export activities with Mexico and Canada, such items as export and import levels for particular product categories, such as paper products, from these two countries are easily available.

For the academic community, the Department of Commerce's Bureau of the Census provides a bulletin board containing detailed demographic information about our country's citizens. For the medical community, the National Institutes of Health provide a bibliography of medical and scientific articles which allow physicians and scientists to remain up-to-date with the latest advances in medicine.

Questions regarding information dissemination.

• What level of effort should governments devote to electronic dissemination of government information?
• Are there benefits to the public at large or only to relatively sophisticate d professional researchers, environmentalists, historians, or scientists?
• Should the taxpayers foot the bill for information access or should the direct users pay some of the cost?
• Where should access be available--at libraries, schools, community centers, on home computers? Which enabling technologies should be pursued?