The Library of Congress released a beta Web site on Wednesday that it says will replace its existing online catalogs in about a year.
With beta.congress.gov, the Library will merge THOMAS, its main federal government page, with a resource repository called the Legislative Information System, once available only to members of Congress and their staffs. The revamped Web site incorporates user-friendly features like permanent Web addresses, Boolean search and a mobile platform to make finding and using legislative information “more intuitive, comprehensive and accessible than the existing system,†an e-mail announcement from the library said.
James H. Billington, the Librarian of Congre ss, said the changes “reflect the Library's commitment to Congress's goal to open the legislative process to the American people and promote an informed democracy.â€
THOMAS, which is named for President Thomas Jefferson, was started in 1995 and offers digital versions of most of the library's holdings on the government, like the Congressional Record, official schedules and calendars, committee reports, nominations and treaties. The online offerings go back to the 93rd Congress. The site receives an average of 10 million visits a year.
Though THOMAS has been updated since its creation, “the foundation can no longer support the capabilities that today's Internet users have come to expect, including access on mobile devices,†the library said in a statement announcing the changes.
The revamped Congress.gov allows users to narrow and refine search results and to search all content across all available years, provides an easi er way to determine a current bill's status, and includes profiles and legislative records for members of Congress.
In a joint statement, Republican and Democratic lawmakers overseeing the overhaul called it a step into the 21st century.
The new site “heralds a new era in presenting Congressional information online, with tools and infrastructure unimaginable 17 years ago,†said Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee and the Joint Committee on the Library. The site will allow users to “follow legislative developments, access and compare policy proposals, and connect with their senators and representatives.â€
Representative Dan Lungren of California, the Republican chairman of the Committee on House Administration, said that the overhaul “will enhance transparency, increase savings for the library, and provide Congress and the nation the vital legislative information we need to deliberate about our collective public policies.â€
The new site will remain in beta mode for about a year to give the Library time to add content, collect feedback from users and fine-tune the site. THOMAS and the Legislative Information System will function normally while the Library tests the online overhaul.
