The Government Printing Office (GPO) is the principal agent for federal printing. Specifically, all printing for the three branches of government with a few exceptions is required to be done by GPO. GPO also disseminates and sells government publications through programs managed by the Superintendent of Documents. The Superintendent disseminates government publications to the public through the depository library program and sells publications online, through 23 bookstores, and by mail order. Until recently, the dissemination and sales programs dealt mostly in paper, microfiche, or CD-ROM formats. However, advances in electronic publishing technologies and the availability of government publications on the World Wide Web are affecting paper-based dissemination and sales and are raising questions about the direction and future of the Federal Depository Library Program. The conference report 1 for the legislative branch appropriations for 2001 required that we submit to you, by March 30, 2001, a study on electronic dissemination of government information. Specifically, we were required to.