EXTERNAL FORCES IMPACTING ON THE AGENCY'S MICROGRAPHICS PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP10T01930R000100050016-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2012
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: February 10, 1978
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/31 : CIA-RDP10T01930R000100050016-7
10 February 1978
MEMORANDUM FOR:
FROM
SUBJECT
Chairman, Micrographics Task Force
Chief, Micrographics Program Branch
External Forces Impacting on the Agency's
Micrographics Program
1. There are four government-wide groups that currently
impact on the Agency's Micrographics Program:
a. The National Archives and Records Service/GSA
as provided in 44 USC Chapters 29 and 33 issues
standards and regulations for using micrographics
technology in the creation, use, storage, retrieval,
preservation and disposition of Federal Government
Records. These standards and regulations are found
in CFR 41, subpart 101-11.5, Microfilming. This
subpart is presently bbing revised and the revision
will soon appear in the Federal Register. The
revision will provide for a more extensive role by
NABS in the Agency's micrographics program by
including inspection by NARS of Agency micrographics
programs, by requiring reporting by Agencies to
NARS of their micrographics activities, and by
requiring that Agencies assign the management of its
micrographics activities to a specific official.
b. The Joint Committee on Printing is increasing
its interest in the use of micrographics in the
Government. (See Paragraph 30 of Government Printing
and Binding, Regulation No. 24). The Honorable
Howard W. Cannon, Chairman of the Joint Committee,
recently asked for a report from all Federal
Departments and Agencies concerning plans to use
microfilm. (See Executive Registry document #5735).
This interest is in conjunction with the Joint
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Committee's authorization to the Public Printer to
convert certain non-G.P.O. and G.P.O. documents to
microfilm for distribution to the Depository Library
system. CIA is a participant in the Depository Library
Program. I believe that this Committee will continue
to focus on the use of micrographics in the Federal
Government.
c. Under provisions of Public Law 89-306 and
Executive Order 11717, the Secretary of Commerce
is authorized to establish uniform ADP Standards.
This is accomplished by the National Bureau of
Standards through the Federal Information Processing
Standards Coordination and Advisory Committee (FIPSCAC).
In December 1974, FIPSCAC established the Computer
Output Microfilm (COM) Standards Group (FIPS/TG-18)
to standardize COM to meet Federal Agency needs. In
December 1975, proposed standards were published in
the Federal Register. Due to many comments from
several Agencies, the standards were never accepted.
Therefore, FIPS/TG-18 continues to meet and work on
standards that hopefully will beapplicable to the
entire Micrographics Industry.( The final standards
developed by PIPS/TG-18 will be presented to the
National Micrographics Association (NMA) for
consideration and possible publication as a NMA
recommended practice. If NMA publishes the standards
as a recommended practice, then FIPS will, of course,
adopt it for use in the Federal Government. In the
event NMA will not publish it for industry-wide use,
FIPS will publish it for use throughout the Government.
A member of MPB participates in the FIPS/TG-18 meetings.
d. The Information Handling Committee established
a Micrographics Working Group (IHC/MWG) in June 1975.
(Ref. IHC-M-21/75 dated 3 June 1975). This group
was to provide a forum for the development of uniform
procedures for the exchange of microforms within the
Intelligence Community. The group has held 28
meetings and has published Standards for Microfiche
Copies of Intelligence Documents and Annex A - Quality
Control, May 1977. Uniform application of these
standards will be mutually beneficial to all members
of the Intelligence Community and will permit the
development of systems and the procurement of equip-.
ment with the assurance of future compatibility and
usability. The problem here is that the several
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micrographics production facilities in the Agency are.
not compatible, and while some can conform to the IHC
standards with existing equipment, others cannot.
However, we have the capability and capacity in the
central micrographics facility to produce all CIA
microforms so that they meet all IHC and other
standards.
2. The activities of the various groups described
above have not caused the problems and inefficiencies with
the Agency's micrographics production; they have simply
brought them into focus. Also, I am not suggesting that the
Agency make changes or consolidate activities solely to
conform to some arbitrary standards; we should consolidate
as much .as possible because of the obvious economies and
efficiencies inherent in such action. I believe with the
expected increased oversight by NARS and the joint Committee
on Printing over the micrographics activities of the Federal
Government, it is going to be'more difficult to justify dual
facilities and partial or no compliance with government-wide
and/or community-wide standards and procedures.
Orig. & 1 - Addressee
1 - C/ISAS/DDA, w/o attach.
1 - w/o attach.
1 - MPB subj., w/o attach./
1 - MPB chrono., w/o attach.
Attachment: CFR 41, Chapter 101,
subpart 101-11.5
STAT
STAT .
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