The electronic environment has significantly shifted library capabilities and user expectations for the delivery of government information and services. At the same time, many laws of the federal government have pushed for the creation and distribution of government information through electronic channels. However, the Federal Depository Library…

The results of a survey to determine the training needs and normative experiences of temporary government documents librarians are presented. The results indicate that temporary librarians tend to work in academia, have been in librarianship for a shorter time period, and have fewer technical processing skills than permanent documents librarians.…

This paper reports on a study of librarian initiated publications discovery (LIPD) in U.S. state digital depository programs using the OCLC Digital Archive to preserve web-based government publications for permanent public access. This paper describes a model of LIPD processes based on empirical investigations of four OCLC DA-based digital…

The world of government information mirrors the headlines. The resources in this list of Notable Government Documents from the American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table reflect the diversity of the profession, with topics ranging from "underappreciated fish" in Alaska to the Colonial papers of Sir William Johnson;…

Discusses issues relating to the U.S. Government Printing Office Depository Library Program (DLP) to refute claims that the DLP is a costly and ineffective provider of government information. Access to information, costs, benefits, federal information policy, and the role of the private sector are addressed. Suggestions for improving the system…

This analysis of the U.S. Department of Labor's "Dictionary of Occupational Titles" as a literary and cultural document, looks at its (1) history; (2) job classification scheme; (3) egalitarianism; (4) cultural and literary value; and (5) humor. Five references are listed. (MES)

The purpose of the study reported here was to determine the effectiveness of the revised New York State Depository System, which had been operating for more than two years when the survey was conducted. Data were gathered from the depository libraries about their organization, bibliographic control and staffing, and to determine whether or not…

This technical processing manual for federal documents is the culmination of efforts begun in 1981 to revise and implement procedures by the staff of the Government Documents Department of the University Library at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. While most of the general procedures in the manual are probably basic to most document…

Describes the problems encountered by a depository library in the acquisition of government publications, provides a listing of sources of government publications, and suggests strategies for the acquisition of documents. (CLB)

The purpose of this manual is both to preserve the history of the Alabama Library Association Government Documents Round Table (AlaLA GODORT) and to provide current, relevant information to its membership. It contains the organization objectives and constitution and the individual duties of the following officers: steering committee members,…

Uses of the Freedom of Information Act are explained by describing previous court cases. The scope of information, including classified information, is detailed and procedural steps for filing requests are outlined. A recent Supreme Court case which may make access to classified information more difficult is discussed. (EM)

This guide is a preliminary tool to be used to introduce online ready reference searching of government documents. The first half includes basic guidelines for determining whether a question warrants a ready reference search, selecting appropriate databases, and searching techniques; administrative notes and procedures; and guidelines denoting the…

Designed to assist health sciences librarians in identifying and obtaining government publications in the areas of health and medicine, this annotated guide highlights significant publications and relevant processes. The following types of sources are detailed: guides; directories; statistics; indexes and abstracts/online service for general…

This exploration of reasons why historians do not take full advantage of government publications as sources of historical materials focuses on the difficulty of accessing information under current classification and indexing schemes. (CLB)

This guide is designed to provide aid and support to library staff in finding government scientific and technical reports. Following an introduction to bibliographic sources for the technical report literature, the guide outlines a general search strategy for the retrieval of technical reports and presents an overview of the following five major…