Whereas the North Carolina General Assembly has enacted a bill entitled "Study Use of Internet for Agency Publications" (Session Law 1999-237, House Bill 168, at Part XXVI-A); and

Whereas the Act directs each state agency so named to review its printing and publication requirements and schedules and develop a plan to reduce the cost of printing, publishing, and distributing agency information and materials by using computer technology and the Internet; and

Whereas the Act further directs each agency to review the statutory and regulatory requirements of the agency with regard to publishing and distributing information to the public and make recommendations on any statutory revisions needed to publish and distribute agency information over the Internet or by other computer-related means; and

Whereas each agency shall submit a written report to the Fiscal Research Division of the General Assembly by April 1, 2000; and

Whereas the Act does not provide for permanent archiving and retention of documents in electronic format; and

Whereas, such essential publications as the General Statutes, session laws, House and Senate Journals, North Carolina Manual, Directory of State and County Officials of North Carolina, and historical and art-related publications of the North Carolina Division of Archives and History and the North Carolina Museum of Art, among others, should be published in paper format for ease of use and for historical research purposes; and

Whereas, state agencies probably would find it impracticable to mount non-current publications on their Web sites, thus making it difficult for citizens to gain access to historical information; and

Whereas the Act does not provide for indexing and distribution of state agency publications in compliance with N.C.G.S. 125-11.5 through 125-11.13; and

Whereas North Carolina trails far behind the rest of the nation in ownership of home computers and Internet access (See "N.C. trails far behind in use of computers," Morning Star; Wilmington, N.C.; Jul 17, 1999);

Now therefore be it resolved that the North Carolina Library Association recommends that the General Assembly require the agencies in question to submit their reports to the North Carolina State Depository System Advisory Board for comment before implementation; and

Be it resolved that the agencies be encouraged to include in their reports mechanisms to permanently archive state government information in electronic formats and

Be it resolved that the members of the North Carolina Library Association contact their legislators to inform them of the ramifications of the Act for the residents of the State.

Passed September 24, 1999 in session in Winston-Salem, NC.