For over 20 years Carl Malamud has published government information on the Internet. His Public.Resource.Org is a digital repository of millions of pages of legal documents.

Now Malamud is looking to "reboot .gov" with his campaign Yes We Scan to become the next Public Printer of the United States.

In a prepared statement on the campaign's Website Malamud highlights items he thinks we all need to pay attention to. These include: GPO should lead the effort to make all primary legal materials produced by the U.S. readily available; GPO should work even more closely with our libraries and reform the Federal Depository Library Program to support them better; Retraining the GPO workforce on how to print and publish effectively across all mediums; Investigate risks associated with RFID-enbled passports; and the GPO should work with the rest of the U.S. Government to radically change how we present information on the Internet; Improve GPO transparency when it comes to financial affairs.

Malamud's platform for revitalizing the GPO are detailed in a series of policy papers he submitted to the Obama transition team. His policy's range from document digitization to government employee workforce development and training programs to FedFlix, a public domain stock footage library, to Rural Internetification.

Malamud's platform presents a few interesting ideas to update the way GPO handles production and distribution of government information. Some of his suggestions are already in the works. The GPO is undergoing a radical transformation in the services it provides. Theses started with Bruce James and have continued with current Public Printer Bob Tapella.

The GPO has invested in bringing new information systems online to make distribution of electronic media more effective. For example on February 2nd of this year the GPO officially launched the Federal Digital System (FDsys). FDsys is a Web portal that "provides public access to government information submitted by Congress and Federal agencies and preserved as technology changes."

It's also retooling printing infrastructure to produce printed documents using equipment configured for short-run and on-demand production. These changes lead to reduced costs and environmental impact of print communication.

Malamud is a talented digital librarian and his work on open access should be applauded. Though I wonder if his work prepared him to manage the day-to-day operations of a very large and bureaucratic printing office? Perhaps Librarian of Congress would be a better fit.

While he is starting his campaign now, his goal of nomination may have to wait. The Public Printer is political appointee, but is not a political position. Current Public Printer Bob Tapella, a Bush appointee, holds the position until he wishes to step down.