LIS, one of the key Departments serving both Houses has submitted a 73 page annual report to the national Legislature. The report which captures and details services delivered since the LIS was inaugurated on 27 April of 2011 calls for additional budgetary support to the Department. Copies of the full report can be obtained from the Press and Public Affairs Department of the Liberian Senate and the Archives at LIS. See summary of the report below:

Consistent with the tenets of sound public sector management, the Legislative Information Service (LIS) has submitted (electronically) a seventy-two (72) page Annual Report to the Speaker of the House and President Pro tempore of the Senate. The Chair, Co-chair and Members of the Joint Legislative Modernization Committee (JLMC) received a copy each. All other Members of the 53rd Legislature were copied through their respective e-mail accounts. The report is intended to afford the Leadership of the Legislature the opportunity to assess, examine and/or critique the performances of the bicameral (serving both Houses) Department.

The LIS, as the information repository and knowledge resource for the Liberian Legislature is charged with the responsibility of providing timely, reliable, independent and authoritative information services to 103 member offices, 60 statutory and standing committees, 26 departments and/or sectional offices as well as institutions, groups and individuals from the public. During the period April 2011 - May 2012, the LIS attended to a total of 4,851 library user entries; served 329 and 31 archival and research requests, respectively. The Information Technology (IT) Unit provided services to 26 offices, while the Office of the Director delivered 23 services in total including drafting of Bills and speeches, talking points formulation, quality control services, etc.

Out of the Library's 4,851 beneficiary entries, 1,209 user entries were recorded during the period May - September of 2011, with September taking the highest recording. The period between January - April 2012 recorded 3,642 entries. Out of the 329 Archival requests during the period under review, 186 were received in 2011 (May - September) while 143 in 2012 (January-April). The Research and Analysis Division for its part received a submission of 31 requests. Twenty (20) in 2011 while eleven (11) were received in 2012. The Information Technology Unit (IT) provided services to 26 offices in total - 15 Lawmakers' offices and 11 staff offices - both departments and sections. Services included soft and hard ware, inclusive of Ubuntu installation. The Office of the Director delivered 23 services to Members of the 52nd and 53rd Legislature. There were eleven (11) in 2011 and twelve (12) in 2012. The services included speech draft, talking points formulation, Bill draft, quality control services, etc.

The Legislative Modernization Plan (LMP), in addition to calling for the creation of a functional combined-centralized legislative library, archives and research bureau (pillar 2; priority code 7,p-37); also calls for a joint specialized department of Legislative Resource Center (LRC)/pp21, 22-LMP. In the absent of the LRC, the LIS during the period under review performed the functions of the would-be resource center. With provision of the several dozens of ink and cartridges and 48 cartoons (240 reams) of sheets supplied by the National Democratic Institute, the LIS produced and reproduced thousands of legislative paper documents.

The LIS during the period embarked on a number of value-added activities; including: connecting the LIS with Cornell University in terms of retrieval of legislative documents and setting up of an effective manual archival system. The Department also organized and held a two-day program marking observance of International Day of Democracy 2011(September 15); a forum was organized for "Freshman" Lawmakers to abreast them with services available at the LIS; The Department conducted a month-long training program for its staff and other staff members of the Legislature. These and many other activities of the LIS contributed immensely to the work of the Legislature in the last fourteen (14) months.

Support was provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the National Democracy Institute (NDI). With similar adequate support, the LIS is determined to provide continual professional services to Members and staff of the Legislature; and by extension, to groups, individuals, organizations and institutions of the public.

The Department's annual report to the Legislature, in addition to the main document, contains annex and appendices which include the detail version of the Department's month-long training program, services available at the LIS, Term of Reference of staff, proposed budget 2012/2013 in-part, personnel structure, long term plan of action, the establishment, purpose and measurable objectives (in anticipation of budgetary support), code of ethics and standards of conduct for LIS staff as well as services delivered to Members by the three divisions (archives, library and research), the IT unit and Office of the Director.

A little over US$800,000.00 (Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) is required to run an effective Legislative Information Service. The amount covers personnel, fuel and lubricant (for staff and the LIS 38kva generator), equipment and supply, training and capacity building and others. With the end of USAID/NDI's support to the LIS, it is expected that the Legislature will capture the LIS as a program in the 2012/13 budget. In this direction, the Director of the LIS is calling on the 53rd Legislature to consider as a matter of priority, the mainstreaming of the Department in the 2012/13 legislative budget in the wake of the end of USAID/NDI one year sponsorship to the LIS. This means the LIS will be captured as a program under the budget of the Legislature with line items.

Mr. McCarthy Weh, Director of the LIS is thanking Donors, the Legislature and all who contributed to the success of the Department's first year of service delivery. The Legislative Information Service says it views the submission of its annual report as a major achievement under its 2011/2012 Plan of Action.