Provides historical background on public sentiment and government action related to U.S. and United Nations publications used in environmental policy research. Discussion covers Earth Days 1970 and 1990, the Council on Environmental Quality, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, and the United Nations Environment Program. Chronological…

Increasing influence of government information in electronic format poses acute problems for smaller depositories facing financial and personnel shortages. Increased dependence on regional depository libraries to provide access to such materials may cause smaller libraries to reassess their depository status. It may be necessary to revise current…

Describes the procedures followed in inventorying, cataloging, and barcoding government documents records from Government Printing Office (GPO) tapes as part of an integrated online system with Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore College libraries. The use of a vendor to help with retrospective cataloging is also described. (nine references) (LRW)

Conversion of government publication records from an existing machine-readable file using the CODOC format resulted in fewer data entry revisions and the overcoming of three obstacles: incompatible database record formats, reformatting of all CODOC files, and addition of diacritics to CODOC files. Methodology and techniques are discussed for other…

A questionnaire was distributed to 575 college library users to explore the extent of their use of federal, state, municipal, international, and foreign documents, as well as usage of various bibliographic tools to gain access to them. Responses demonstrated that bibliographic instruction in the classroom significantly affected access to documents…

Lists and annotates 130 publications from the federal government of Canada and from the various Canadian provinces. Major topics include environmental concerns, particularly ecologically responsible forestry, global warming, and waste disposal/recycling; education at all levels, including bilingual concerns; and the Belanger-Campeau report, which…

Discusses recent developments in Canadian government information. Highlights include the Depository Services Program; selection and retention guidelines; technological advances in data accessibility; nonprint formats; the need for legislation rather than guidelines to assure the continued feasibility of the depository program; Statistics Canada;…

Outlines the current legal structure of the European geographic information system (GIS) database industry, particularly in the area of copyright protection; critiques the impending Commission of the European Communities directive; and emphasizes the need for global consensus on the legal structure's ability to protect and regulate the flow of…

Two articles respond to the "Librarians' Manifesto," which discusses the U.S. Depository Library Program (DLP). The first urges that DLP be legislatively removed from the Government Printing Office. The second views the manifesto as the mindset of academic librarians, who think the DLP is a collection of entitlement programs for academic…

Provides an annotated bibliography of 113 Canadian government documents published in 1992-93, including federal government publications as well as publications by provinces. Major subject areas include excellence in education; preservation of the environment; and social problems, especially of women and children. (LRW)

Analyzes aspects of proposed federal legislation which is attempting to reform portions of Title 44, "United States Code". Senate bill S.2288 charges the Government Printing Office (GPO) with responsibility for government printing, procurement, and dissemination. Includes a definition of government publication, GPO's depository-library…

Discusses the 1996 Electronic Freedom of Information Act and examines 17 federal agency Web sites to see how well they comply. Topics include electronic reading rooms to disseminate documents and records, reference guides, annual reports, a lack of consistency, and a high level of wasteful duplication. (LRW)

Nebrask@Online is a computer-based electronic information and communication service created by the Nebraska Library Commission. This article discusses its development, describes the operation of an online service and options for network development, and describes the public/private partnership that emerged as a model for network management…

Asserts that the Internet plays a vital role in providing college library users equal access to government information, and that government depositories must promote their collections, especially what is available on the Internet. Provides a partial bibliography of Internet information for U.S. government publications. (CW)

Examines four tools that provide access to federal government information: FedWorld, Usgovsearch.com, Google/Unclesam, and GovBot. Compares search features, size of collection, ease of use, and cost or subscription requirements. (LRW)