Comments Welcomed on IMLS Consolidation Plan

-- Library Journal, 8/8/2006

Interested parties have until August 31 to comment on a draft plan to consolidate into the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) the National Commission on Library and Information Science (NCLIS) and the public and state library statistics surveys of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The plan would go into effect in FY08. One of NCLIS's main functions is to work cooperatively with the NCES in implementing the Library Statistics Cooperative Program. The new proposal, IMLS said, "enhances the agency's role in public and state library data collection and establishes IMLS as the key federal agency with responsibility for library and information policy."

The draft plan raises at least some questions for watchers of NCLIS and the NCES programs. It states: "IMLS will work with constituents to inventory and evaluate the files currently housed on NCES and NCLIS websites to select those that should be maintained as web-accessible resources and those that should be archived. IMLS will work with NCES to determine the procedures to transfer the authority for historical data sets, files, and publications to IMLS."