Agency policies can strongly affect the availability of information to ordinary users. If agencies take the step of making their information available online, then they should put in place policies to ensure the widest possible availability of that information. One simple way to do this is to use the Sitemap tools to ensure that users can find the information through their preferred search engine.
By allowing users their choice of search engines, rather than limiting them to using a single tool or Web site, agencies can ensure the broadest possible audience for their valuable information and resources.
Policy and legislation clearly outline the priorities for making government resources easy to find and use. They require agency Web sites create effective methods of sharing information with Internet users. The Sitemap protocol can help to make federal agency Web sites more accessible to search engine users with a minimal investment of resources.
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