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Appendix 6: Letter to Governors

Final Report to Congress on the Joint Resolution to Establish a National Policy on Permanent Papers


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March 1995

Dear Governor:

With this letter, we draw your attention to the enclosed Second Report to Congress on the Joint Resolution to Establish a National Policy on Permanent Records. As you may know, in January 1990 the Congress passed a Joint Resolution to establish a national policy for permanent papers. The resolution became Public Law 101-423 when signed by President Bush in October 1990

Public Law 101-423 recommends that Federal agencies require the use of acid-free permanent papers for publications of enduring value produced by the Government Printing Office (GPO) or its contractors (Section 1), and for permanently valuable Federal records (Section 2). To assist Government compliance with the law, the Joint Committee on Printing revised several GPO paper specifications to facilitate agency efforts to procure alkaline paper. In addition, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) will shortly release a NARA Bulletin on "Procurement of Writing, Copying, and Printing Papers for Federal Records."

We strongly support the implementation of the permanent paper law. Not only will it ensure the long-term retention of important publications and documents, it will also save the Government the future expense of costly deacidification or preservation reformatting. We are also confident that use of permanent paper can be achieved without sacrificing environmental benefits that will be brought about by compliance with current recycling regulations.

We invite you also to make a commitment to this effort; and, like the Congress, we strongly recommend that your state and local governments use acid-free permanent papers for publications of enduring value, in voluntary compliance with the American National standard (Z39.48-1992), "Permanence of Paper for Publications and Documents in Libraries and Archives" (Section 3).

If you would like further information about this important matter, please contact Merrily Smith (Assistant National Preservation Program Officer, Preservation Directorate, Library of Congress LM-G21, First and Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. 20540; FAX 202-707-3434; Internet [email protected]), or Lewis J. Bellardo (Division Director, Preservation Policy and Services (NNP), National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001; FAX 301-713-6919; Internet [email protected]).

Sincerely,

JAMES H. BILLINGTON
The Librarian of Congress

TRUDY HUSKAMP PETERSON
Acting Archivist of the United States

MICHAEL F. DIMARIO
Public Printer


Continue to Appendix 7: Use of Permanent Paper for Historical Documents

Go back to Appendix 5: Accomplishments and Presentations Pertaining to Pub. L. 101- 423

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