Science Information in Peril

For half a century a small federal agency called the National Technical Information Service has been the repository for federally funded scientific, technical and engineering information. Now the Commerce Department wants to shut it down, saving about $4 million a year.

It is true that the service’s paper-based delivery systems are outmoded and that many documents are available free on the Internet. But some functions are still vital. That’s why Congress, rather than supporting the Clinton administration’s hasty plan, should fully fund the agency for at least another year. In that time, the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science can study how to modernize or replace the agency.

The Commerce Department says the Technical Information Service is obsolete because federal agencies now post their documents on the Web. However, two-thirds of the reports requested from the service are 3 to 10 years old and agencies seldom post such older data. Moreover, Michael F. DiMario, an official of the Government Printing Office, recently told Congress that on the Web “documents are put up and taken down by federal agencies virtually at random. Without a policy of permanent public access, there is no assurance that a document seen on the Web by the public today will be available next week.”

Congress should also see that someone in Washington carries on important tasks of the Technical Information Service like tracking down publicly funded research results that have not been publicly posted, a function required by federal law. The agency itself may not be needed, but it does important work that should be continued.