"A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or, perhaps, both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

James Madison, Letter to W.T. Barry, Aug. 4, 1822

James Madison's words have as much force today as they did when he wrote them 180 years ago. Madison reminds us that knowledge is power. Those with information have an advantage over those without. With knowledge the governed can hold government accountable, respond to government actions, and ensure that government does not abridge individual rights.

In 1813 during Madison's presidency, Congress established the depository system, in which published materials related to the working of the government were to be distributed to state and legal agencies as well as colleges and universities. The intent of the joint resolution was to ensure public access to published government information. In 2002 over 1300 U.S. depository libraries, including Duke's Perkins Library, continue to receive, preserve, and maintain the published records of the government in order to guarantee that they will always be freely available to the public. The U.S. depository program is almost unique; few other nations provide for free access to the publications of their governments.

Beyond the depository program, some government information can also be purchased from federal agencies, and it may also be repackaged and sold by private vendors. Now, it can frequently be found on the Internet as well. Government information is indeed as readily accessible to the citizenry as the nation's founders believed it should be. Recently, however, there have been instances in which that access has been curtailed.

Occasionally, materials have been removed from depository libraries by their issuing agencies, most frequently after a factual error is discovered. However, in October 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey requested the removal of one of their CD publications, Source-Area Characteristics of Large Public Surface-Water Supplies in the Conterminous United States: An Information Resource for Source-Water Assessment, 1999, because they believed it to be a threat to national security. The agency proceeded in the appropriate and legal manner with their request, contacting the Government Printing Office and following long-established procedures.

Yet, there were inconsistencies inherent in the withdrawal of the CD. Only depository libraries were required to remove the CD from their collections and destroy it. Libraries and individuals who purchased the CD product when it was released two years ago were not. In addition, similar state level source water data has remained in depository collections. Unfortunately, there have also been inconsistencies in the limitations imposed on government information available on the Web.

On Sept. 11, 2001, most federal agency sites shut down. In the following weeks and months the Web pages produced by a variety of agencies were "reviewed" for "sensitive information." Agencies as diverse as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have withdrawn access to files. The CDC removed a report on chemical terrorism, the FAA a review of security violations. There has been removal of information on chemical and nuclear hazards, pipeline information and aerosol sprays. In each of these cases, the information was withdrawn based on the agency's assessment alone. And the irony is that these same Web pages are mirrored elsewhere.

The removal of materials from depository libraries and the withdrawal of content from governmental Web sites compromise the principle of free and continuing access to government information. We should be aware of the consequences.

First, there is the impact on the public's right to know. Limited access to information is an impediment to local government officials, public policy groups, neighborhood organizations and individuals. Citizens have the need for and the right to information that affects their lives personally and in community.

Then there is the erosion of accountability. The depository program provides free, ready access to the record of the government's actions. The citizenry's ability to review the actions of their government is integral to our democracy, as is the opportunity to interact with the government. As James Madison notes, "...a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

Finally, the historical record is compromised. Government information shows how we make decisions, what we consider to be important, and how we address the issues of the time. The social, economic, military and cultural history of our nation is contained in texts such as the Congressional Serial Set and the documents of federal government's agencies. Our history may include episodes we regret, such as the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, or milestones we celebrate, like giving women the right to vote, but all are integral to our national identity. We lose the social, political, and economic thought that has gone into the making of our nation when we lose government information.

The present challenge to librarians, and to all citizens, is to continue the commitment to access to government information, even when doing so requires balancing the need for openness against the need for security. And librarians will also lobby, publicize their concerns, and cooperate with other organizations to inform the public about issues related to open government and information access.

My goal as a librarian has always been to provide individuals with the information they need. As a government information librarian, I have the additional responsibility of ensuring that information produced by the government is always freely accessible to the governed.