5.1: High-Value Datasets

Release high-value datasets to the public through Data.gov and Archives.gov

Other Information:

We have developed multiple approaches for strengthening transparency at the National Archives. One approach involves releasing high-value datasets to the public through Data.gov and Archives.gov. Access to "raw" data is not necessarily intended for use by all members of the public, but rather those developers who can download, mashup, and create new useful presentations of the data. Datasets Currently Available for Download The Open Government Directive charged agencies with publishing three high-value datasets online in raw form. We satisfied this first requirement, due within 45 days of the issuance of the directive, when we published high-value datasets in open formats on Data.gov. These are: * The 2007—2009 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), which contain all of the general and permanent regulations of the United States Government, and affect nearly every aspect of life in the United States. * The 2000—2010 Federal Register, the publication that documents regulatory action and policies of Federal agencies that affect the rights and obligations of citizens, announces grants, benefits, and educational opportunities, and provides a forum for participation in the democratic process. * Archival descriptions from the Archival Research Catalog (ARC), which provides information about the permanent holdings of the Federal Government in the custody of the National Archives. * Organizational descriptions from the Archival Research Catalog (ARC), which provides information about the evolution of names of Federal agencies and other organizations that created NARA’s holdings. We are interested in learning about the benefit to the public from releasing raw datasets. We would like to hear how you are using the released datasets, * Are they useful to you? * Have you created any applications or mashups with the datsets? * What improvements in our data would help you? Datasets Forthcoming The National Archives will continue to publish high-value datasets as they become available. We are currently working on the following datasets: 1. Public Papers of the Presidents in XML – The Public Papers of the Presidents is published by the Office of the Federal Register and is the official publication of the writings, addresses, and remarks of the Presidents of the United States, as released by the White House Office of the Press Secretary during a given period. The Public Papers of the Presidents series began in 1957 as a result of a recommendation of the National Historical Publications Commission to create a uniform compilation of papers and speeches of U.S. Presidents, comparable to the Congressional Record or the United States Supreme Court Reports. Volumes are published approximately twice a year, and each volume covers approximately a six-month period. Currently, Public Papers for Presidents George H.W. Bush, William J. Clinton, and George W. Bush are available electronically through the Government Printing Office's FDsys web platform in ASCII text and PDF formats. Beginning with President Barack Obama, the Public Papers will be available in downloadable XML format as well. The expected time frame for release of this information is September 2010. 2. Classification Management Data of the Executive branch – This information is submitted by Executive branch agencies on the Standard Form 311, "Agency Security Classification Management Program Data," to the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO). This information is used for ISOO's Annual Report to the President and shows the classification activity (Top Secret, Secret, and Confidential) of each agency, as well as declassification activity. While this information has been available in aggregate, it has never been available by agency and in a downloadable format. The expected time frame for the release of this information is July 2010. 3. Archival Research Catalog (ARC) performance measures – This data represents the percentage of holdings described in ARC, including traditional holdings, artifacts, and electronic holdings. The expected time frame for release of this information is July 2010. We'd like to gauge your interest in the three datasets above. Please consider the following questions when submitting your feedback: * Do you think these datasets will be useful to the public? * What would you like us to consider in preparing the datasets for public release? How do you see yourself using these datasets? Strategies for Fostering the Public's Use of Datasets The National Archives will seek to collaborate with the public and foster the public’s use of available raw datasets. Our strategies include: * We will continue to publicize the availability of data via our Open Government web page and through social media tools. * We will continue to be available as a resource for questions and troubleshooting for those who are using the data via e-mail and contacts through our webpage and social media. * We will explore collaborating with developers to develop mobile applications that will make our records easily available to the public. We are looking at an “Apps for Archives” contest along the lines of "Apps for Democracy" or “Apps for Army” (http://www.istrategylabs.com/2010/02/apps-for-the-army-a-first-of-its-kind-app-dev-contest-for-mil/ ). This type of contest would encourage technology development and innovation that would benefit the public's access to our records. * We will explore additional incentives for developers, institutions, and public interest groups to develop tools for the public. We would appreciate your ideas on how you think we can encourage and foster the public's use of our data. * Is there something we should be doing as an agency that you don't see on the list above? * Do you have creative ideas for how we can implement these strategies? Possible Datasets for Future Publication We are in the process of identifying future datasets in the following categories: * NARA holdings (permanent historical records of the Federal Government) * Freedom of Information Act information * NARA operational records Additionally, we are exploring ways to make the Archivist's congressional meetings and conference attendance publicly available online. Proactive Release of Records Schedules One body of NARA operational records that we recently made publicly available through an online repository are scanned images of approved records control schedules. By statute, the Archivist of the United States grants Federal agencies the legal authority to carry out disposition actions against their records. These authorities are proposed by Federal agencies, approved by the Archivist, and documented for action through a Standard Form 115, Request for Records Disposition Authority, also referred to as a “records schedule.” The National Archives Records Control Schedule web site (http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/rcs/) contains scanned versions of the paper Standard Form 115s submitted from 1985 to the present. Records schedules for the period between 1973 and 1985 will soon be added to the site. Newly approved schedules will be posted weekly. All Standard Form 115s have been converted to PDF file format and are listed by agency name and National Archives-assigned record group number. In concert with the General Records Schedules (http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/ardor/records-schedules.html) promulgated by NARA for use by all Federal agencies for common housekeeping and administrative records, the Records Control Schedule web site repository can be searched in a number of ways to meet researchers interested in the disposition of specific series of records in each Federal agency.

Stakeholder(s):

• Members of the Public

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

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