U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
         FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY PROGRAM
 
 
 
 
FEDERAL DEPOSITORY
LIBRARY MANUAL SUPPLEMENT
 
Collection Development Guidelines for
Selective Federal Depository Libraries
 
September 1994
 
 

U.S. Government Printing Office
Michael F. DiMario, Public Printer
 
Superintendent of Documents
Wayne P. Kelley
 
Library Programs Service
James D. Young, Director
 
Depository Services Staff
Sheila M. McGarr, Chief
 
 
 
 
 

 
                               SUPPLEMENT
                                    
                    Collection Development Guidelines
               For Selective Federal Depository Libraries
                                    
                Prepared for the Library Programs Service
                     U.S. Government Printing Office
                                    
                          by Lisa A. Rosenblatt
                                    
                                    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                              September 1994
 
 
                         Library Programs Service
                        Superintendent of Documents
                      U.S. Government Printing Office
                           Washington, DC 20401
 
 
 
        
        
                     Table of Contents
        
        Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iii
          1.        Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
          2.        Mission Statement. . . . . . . . . . .2
          3.        Selection Responsibility . . . . . . .3
          4.        Subject Areas & Collection Arrangement4
          5.        Formats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
          6.        Selection Tools, Non-Depository Items,
                    Retrospective Sources. . . . . . . . .7
          7.        Resource Sharing . . . . . . . . . . .8
          8.        Collection Evaluation. . . . . . . . 10
          9.        Weeding & Maintenance. . . . . . . . 11
         10.        Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
        
 
                                  Preface
 
 
This Supplement to the Federal Depository
Library Manual originated as a paper written for
a practicum in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for an MLS degree at the Catholic
University of America in Washington, DC.  Lisa
Rosenblatt, a graduate student in the School of
Library and Information Science, took the
practicum at the U.S. Government Printing
Office (GPO) in Washington from May 16 through
June 6, 1994.
 
Dr. Jean L. Preer and Ms. Joan Cheverie, both
from Catholic University, served as the
practicum advisor and instructor, respectively.
 
Michael A. Clark, Program Analyst, and Sheila M.
McGarr, Chief, Depository Services, served as
joint practicum supervisors at the GPO Library
Programs Service.
 
The purpose of the practicum was to draft a
model collection development policy for Federal
depository libraries.  All participants agreed
that the project would be of use to the GPO
Library Programs Service, the Federal Depository
Library Program generally and the depository
community specifically, because a model
collection development document had been in
demand by depository librarians for many years.
 

                   Collection Development Guidelines for
                  Selective Federal Depository Libraries
 
 
 
 
1.   Introduction
 
Collection development policies are important to
Federal depository libraries for defining their
user community, selecting materials pertinent
to the needs of their users, and codifying
procedures for maintaining the collection.  It is
crucial that a formalized policy exist to
illuminate why certain item numbers are
included or excluded from the depository
collection.  In addition to defining collection
parameters, a collection development policy
should incorporate the Guidelines for the
Depository Library System and demonstrate the
library's adherence to those requirements.
Because collection development policies may be
formulated in consultation with a group or
committee, there exists an important
opportunity for the government documents
division to educate other staff (professional and
technical) as to the merits and challenges of
collecting and maintaining a Federal depository
collection. Winning the support of other
professional staff allows the government
documents librarian to work more effectively
towards the depository's goal of providing free
access to government information for the
institution, wider community, and congressional
district it is designated to serve.
 
Although chapters in both the Federal
Depository Library Manual and Instructions to
Depository Libraries address points to be
covered in a collection development policy, they
do not provide a clear structure for formulating
such a policy.  This outline combines the basic
elements of collection development with the
requirements of the Federal Depository Library
Program.  Therefore, depository librarians can
consult a sample or template structure when
formulating their own policies.  Templates, lists,
and examples from actual policies are provided
to clarify and illustrate suggested guidelines.
The examples from actual policies were chosen
based on their pertinence to the areas they
illustrate and should be viewed in relation to
the library's unique mission.  The following nine
areas will be covered:
 
     Mission Statement;
     Selection Responsibility;
     Subject Areas & Collection Arrangement;
     Formats;
     Selection Tools;
     Non-Depository Items;
     Retrospective Sources;
     Resource Sharing;
     Collection Evaluation;
     Weeding & Maintenance; and
     Access.
2.   Mission Statement
 
A mission statement should codify the Federal
depository library's commitment to provide free
and unimpeded public access to Government
information for both the primary user groups of
the parent institution and the wider
constituency of the congressional district(s) or
geographical area it serves.  In order to
effectively fulfill this responsibility, a mission
statement should include an analysis of the
patron community, including both active and
potential users.  A thorough community analysis
should include the following four areas:
 
     1)   a brief history of the service area,
          including the number of the
          Congressional district and the date the
          library was designated a Federal
          depository;
 
     2)   demographic statistics including age,
          sex, income, health, employment, and
          marital status;
 
     3)   an economic profile including a
          description of area industries and
          business opportunities; and
 
     4)   a description of the geographic area
          including physical growth,
          transportation patterns, and population
          distribution.
 
Documents librarians can define and prioritize
the information needs of their communities
using this data.
 
In addition to these basic components of a
mission statement, libraries which are part of a
larger institution, such as academic and law
libraries, should also clearly define how the
Federal depository supports the mission and
primary user group of the parent institution.
Finally, this analysis should conclude with a
statement defining the subject areas of the
depository collection.  This general statement
will be more clearly defined in the Subject Areas
& Collection Arrangement section of the policy.
 
 

Sample Paragraph
 
   The (department) of (library) located in the         U.S.
Congressional District was designated a Federal depository on
(date).  The primary mission of the unit is to support the
general collecting activities of the main library which serves
[definition of users]. [description of institutional mission]  In
accordance with the requirements defined in the Instructions to
Depository Libraries, Guidelines for the Depository Library
System, and the Federal Depository Library Manual, this unit also
strives to serve the government information needs of the
constituents of the     U.S. Congressional District.  This
community... [community analysis] The unit will collect
government documents to support the following subject areas: ...
 
3.   Selection Responsibility
 
A statement defining who is responsible for item
selection and collection development is
necessary for consistent development of the
government documents collection.  Such a
statement can also guard against any confusion
regarding who is responsible for making final
decisions.  Therefore, this section should
indicate:
 
     1)   primary responsibility with regard to
          item selection and collection
          development;
 
     2)   committees, library staff, patrons or
          faculty who assist in the decision making
          process; and
 
     3)   a procedure for review of survey items
          and annual update of the  selection
          profile.
 
Library management should be made aware that
because of speccial considerations regarding
government information and the complex
regulations governing the Federal Depository
Libraryy Program, the professional librarian
responsible for maintaining the collection should
have substantial responsibility in item selection.
This librarian can provide valuable insight into
government information policy issues, format
considerations, space availability and user needs
when advising others who have input in the
selection process.  Because of this individual's
unique knowledge, it is strongly advised that
final selection decisions remain with the
professional librarian responsible for maintaining
the government documents collection.
 
 

Sample: Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library; Tampa, FL -
Selection Responsibility
        Statement
 
   "Selection of government documents and supporting materials is
   made by the Government Documents Librarian along with the
   Special Collections Site Coordinator, Special Collections
   professional staff, and the CRC Section manager.  This staff
   meets in regular round table discussions to evaluate and
   select new items offered through GPO surveys as well as to
   annually review and re-evaluate items currently selected.
   Staff also identifies for purchase commercially published
   sources to support the collection."
 
4.   Subject Areas & Collection Arrangement
 
Based on the mission statement and general
subject areas defined earlier, the library needs to
identify, in some detail, which government
agencies and types of documents support the
information needs of the community.  In order
to guide selectors and develop a balanced
collection, priorities should be set regarding the
collection intensity level of each subject. One
approach to establishing subject priorities is to:
 
     1)   list subject areas;
 
     2)   list agencies that support these areas
          including the SuDoc class stem;
 
     3)   define existing collection level in each
          subject;
 
     4)   define desired collection level in each
          subject; and
 
     5)   define types of publications collected.
 
The subject areas will be derived from the
information needs of the community and should
be easily identifiable based on the community
analysis.  Because several agencies might
produce documents pertinent to the library's
subject area, the librarian should consult the List
of Classes of United States Government
Publications Available for Selection by
Depository Libraries and the United States
Government Manual in order to be familiar
with the variety of information produced by
government agencies.  The Superintendent of
Documents (SuDocs) classification should also be listed behind the agency designation.  In
order to define current collection levels, the
collection should be compared with standard
lists and bibliographies, examples of which
include the List of Classes, "Suggested Core
Collection" in Appendix A of the Federal
Depository Library Manual, and GPO Subject
Bibliographies.  Based on the community
profile and changing needs, indicate at what
level material should be collected.  Finally, there
should be some indication of the types of
publications collected for the specific subject
area.  Examples of publication 'types' include
Directories, Maps, Posters etc. A complete
listing appears in the Federal Depository
Librrary Manual, Chapter 5, pp. 59-60.
 
For the sample below, Collection Intensity
Levels will be used as defined by the Research
Libraries Group (RLG) Conspectus which
utilizes six different levels defined by numeric
codes:
 
     0    (out of scope, not collected);
     1    (minimal);
     2    (basic information);
     3    (instructional support);
     4    (research); and
     5    (comprehensive).
 
Depository libraries might also consider using
the Library of Congress approach which is only
four levels:  minimal, reference, research, and
comprehensive.  It is assumed that libraries
collecting at the research and/or comprehensive
level will develop their collection
retrospectively.
 

Sample:
 
 
 
 
Subject
Agencies
Existing
Coll. Intensity
Desired Coll.
Intensity
Pub. Type
 
 
Gerontology
Social Security
Administration  (HE 3.)
National Institute on
Aging (HE 20.3850)
     1
     2
Handbooks, Manuals,
Guides, Reports, &
Stat. Pubs.
 
 
 
Based on this analysis, selectors will be able to
choose appropriate item numbers more
efficiently to enhance the collection profile.
Because the SuDocs number will be identified in
the collection profile, selectors can easily consult
the List of Classes to choose item numbers.
Each depository library is encouraged to include
most, if not all, item numbers listed in the
"Basic Collection" in Appendix C in the Federal
Depository Library Manual.  Generally,
academic, public, and law libraries should
examine the "Suggested Core Collection" in the
Federal Depository Library Manual to
determine appropriate item numbers for
selection.  While this is only a starting point, the
library should then expand the core collection
based on its institutional mission.  Once the
selection profile is defined and appropriate item
numbers are selected, the librarian should
compare this data with the Selection Data for
Selective Depository Libraries found in
Administrative Notes.  If the percentage of item
numbers selected is less than half of the national
average, or unusually high or low in comparison
with their peer group, explanations for these
special situations should be clearly stated.
 
Collection arrangement should be addressed in
terms of whether Superintendent of Documents,
Library of Congress, Dewey Decimal or a
combination of classification systems is used.
Also, the policy should address whether
government documents are integrated or separate
from the main collection and if specific
documents are located in special or reference
collections.  Some explanation should be given
as to how these special arrangements will be
communicated to users (for example, if special
location information is indicated in the Online
Public Access Catalog or through dummy
books).  If there are selective housing
agreements,  list the name of the institution, the
duration of the agreement and a brief statement
on the library's general collecting scope. More
detailed policies and procedures related to
selective housing are described in the
"Agreement for Selective Housing of U.S.
Depository Documents" found in Chapter 2 of
the Federal Depository Library Manual, p.17.
 
 
5.   Formats
 
Government documents in the Federal
Depository Library Program are available in a
variety of formats other than paper, including
microform, and electronic products.  Because of
the variety of considerations regarding the
inclusion or non-inclusion of these formats, a
policy outlining the library's decision making
processes is necessary.  While the primary
consideration regarding the selection of an item
should always be whether the information falls
within the library's subject scope, the selector
will also need to consider the following when
deciding on format:
 
     1)   frequency of use;
 
     2)   space/storage capacity and frequency of
          publication;
 
     3)   cost of providing access;
 
     4)   resource sharing capabilities; and
 
     5)   library's prior holdings.
 
While paper is often the format of choice for
frequently consulted materials, closer
examination of user needs and availability of
library resources may reveal that an electronic or
microform product would be preferred.
Certainly, the inclusion of electronic products in
the Federal Depository Library Program raises many issues, especially since more information
is available only electronically.  Government
documents librarians will need to carefully
monitor the types of electronic products
available in order to formulate policies and
procedures to implement their use.
 
 
Guidelines for Format Consideration
 
     Microforms:
 
     Availability of microform readers and
     reader/printers; patron resistance to using
     this format;  processing time; necessary
     storage facilities and collection maintenance
     (see Federal Depository Library Manual,
     p. 100); possibility that the document is
     produced only in microfiche.
 
     Electronic Products:
 
     Hardware and software support; level of
     staff and patron expertise; cost; and
     frequency of data updating.  If the
     electronic product falls within the collecting
     scope of the library, but the library cannot
     technically support the product, are there
     other methods for providing access?  Will
     the items be circulated?  Can off-site access
     be provided?
 
 

 
 
Sample: Wayne Public Library; Wayne, NJ - Statement on Format
 
   "Paper copy should be preferred since it is most easily
   handled by the general public.  Because of space requirements
   and also because the government seems to be preferring
   microfiche and electronic products more and more due to
   economic constraints, the Library will be able to choose fewer
   items  in paper in the future.  It is the Documents Librarian's
   responsibility to determine what format is most appropriate
   when a choice is available.  The Library currently has two CD-
   ROM units available, one at the Reference Desk and one in the
   Documents Office.  The Library shhould attempt to accommodate
   new formats which may be developed in the future."
6.   Selection Tools, Non-Depository Items,
     Retrospective Sources
 
In order to guide new selectors and insure
consistency in the selection process, major tools
used when selecting should be indicated.
Selection tools should reflect the major subject
areas of the collection and include major
commercial indexes, sources for retrospective
collection development, and methodologies for
procuring non-depository items.  If a depository
library collects heavily in the area of
gerontology, it would be appropriate to identify
subject bibliographies pertinent to that area
which would supplement the basic selection
tools for depository libraries.  The following lists
are suggestions of tools that could be consulted
in the selection process.  Several of these
publications can be used to find reviews of
government publications.
 
Depository Items:
 
     Item Cards
 
     List of Classes of U.S. Government
     Publications Available for Selection by
     Depository Libraries
 
     Union List of Item Selections
 
     Federal Depository Library Manual,
     Appendix A, "Suggested Core Collection
     Annotated for Small to Medium Public and
     Academic Libraries and for all Law
     Libraries."
 
     Federal Depository Library Manual,
     Appendix B, "Maps Available for
     Selection."
 
     Federal Depository Library Manual,
     Appendix C, "Basic Collection."
 
     Monthly Catalog of United States
     Government Publications
 
     Publications Reference File
 
     GPO Subject Bibliographies
 
Non-Depository Items:
 
     Documents to the People (DttP):  reviews
     and features new publications
 
     Journal of Government Information
 
     Government Reports Announcements and
     Index (NTIS)
     
     Library of Congress's Documents
     Expediting Project:  Also useful for
     retrospective collecting
 
     Identifying and directly contacting
     government agencies for documents not in
     the Federal Depository Library Program.
 
     Microform Review
 
 
Retrospective Sources:
 
Even though the closest regional depository may
hold complete sets of selected series, reports,
journals etc., there may be a local need for
retrospective collecting.  If this is appropriate,
identify areas of the collection that need to be
developed, methodologies, and selection sources
consulted.  In addition to the Documents
Expediting Project, the following sources could
be used to identify and acquire out-of-print
documents:  offers lists from other depository
libraries; gift and exchange programs; and older
versions of the Monthly Catalog such as
Benjamin Perley Poore's Descriptive Catalogue
of the Government Publications of the United
States, September 5, 1774-March 4, 1881.  (For
a complete listing of indexes preceding the
Monthly Catalog, see Joe Morehead's
Introduction to United States Government
Information Sources, 4th ed., Chapter 4.)
 
7.   Resource Sharing
 
After establishing collection priorities based on a
user profile, it may become apparent that
information needs exist that the library is not
able to directly satisfy.  While collection
development policies should establish collecting
priorities, this policy also needs to address
methods for obtaining government information
not available in the local library.  Resource
sharing, which is usually interpreted as sharing
of library collections, can also be defined as
sharing staff, bibliographic records, facilities,
and equipment.  In other words, any methods
employed by the depository to increase access to
government information not readily available in
that library should be described.  With this in
mind, selective depository libraries should
address resource sharing efforts based on the
following three areas:
 
     1)   participation of the depository library in
          established resource sharing policies of
          the parent library;
 
     2)   relationship with a regional depository;
          and
 
     3)   resource sharing with local area
          selective depositories.
 
If the depository benefits from participating in
resource sharing efforts already in place for the
entire library, list what these efforts are and how
they incorporate the government documents
collection.  This could include interlibrary loan
practices, document delivery, membership in a
consortium of libraries, cooperative cataloging,
or cooperative collection development.  Because of the regional library's responsibility to provide
support and coordinate activities for the area
selectives, it is important to delineate what these
arrangements are and how they affect your
library.  In addition to depending on the regional
library for wider access to government
documents, the regional library may provide
technical support, assist in solving routine
questions and serve as a liaison to the
Superintendent of Documents.  If the regional is
geographically inaccessible and unable to
provide extensive support, this should be
mentioned in the policy.
 
Selective depositories should coordinate resource
sharing activities in addition to establishing a
relationship with the regional depository.
Shared activities could include cooperative
collection development or developing basic
knowledge of each other's collection strengths
and weaknesses by sharing item selection
profiles.  This could be accomplished through
formal arrangements such as meetings, planned
library visits, or joint policy statements.
However, informal methods of communication
via telephone, e-mail, or listservs like
GOVDOC-L, LAW-LIB, and MAPS-L are
equally important and should be described.  If
cooperative collection development exists
between depositories, the libraries should
indicate in the resource sharing policy statement
for what areas of information they depend on
outside resources.  An excellent example of a
resource sharing plan that illustrates provisions
for the sharing of resources, services and
responsibilities of depository libraries is the
"Illinois State Plan for ILLINET Federal
Document Depositories 1991" in Illinois
Libraries, v. 75, no. 4, May 1993.
 

Sample: Chutick Law Library, Cardozo School of Law; New York, NY
- Resource Sharing
        Statement
 
   "Selections and deselections are made with some knowledge of
   the scope of the other depository collection at Yeshiva
   University and of the holdings of the other depository
   libraries in the 8th Congressional District.  Cardozo
   exchanges item selection lists with the Pollack Library, the
   other depository collection at Yeshiva University (see copy of
   Pollack's item list that follows).  By participation in METRO-
   GODIG, the public services librarian for government documents
   learns about other local depository collections and is able to
   make more informed decisions regarding resource sharing
   commitments.  Information is shared also through other types
   of informal professional contact.  Cardozo public services
   librarians make referrals for on-site use of these other
   libraries by using the Union List of Item Selections, OCLC and
   telephone contacts.  Cardozo both loans and borrows depository
   materials through interlibrary loan.
  
   Cardozo participates in the Law Library Association of Greater
   New York and OCLC union list projects.  All depository
   materials cataloged into the Library of Congress collection
   appear in these union lists.  As the Bibliographic utility
   used by Cardozo, OCLC contains holding symbols for all
   depository materials cataloged into the Library of Congress
   collection.
 
   The law library participates in resource sharing agreements
   coordinated by METRO and by the Conference of Law School
   Library Directors of Greater New York.  Under these
   agreements, the library can obtain day access for on-site use
   of non-depository collections in many types of area
   libraries."
 
8.   Collection Evaluation
 
An integral part of collection development is
evaluating the collection to determine if goals
and priorities set by collection managers are, in
fact, meeting user needs.  There are several
methods or combinations of methods documents
librarians can employ to evaluate the collection
and it is necessary that this methodology be
explicated in a policy statement.  The statement
will demonstrate that collection development
decisions are based on pre-determined methods
of evaluation, as opposed to sporadic or
reactionary decision making.  Below are several
methods to consider when devising a plan for
collection evaluation.  Library literature stresses
that no one method is reliable, rather
implementing several methods and comparing
the data will result in a truer picture of
collection strengths and weaknesses.
 
Methods of Evaluation
 
     Statistical Analysis:
  
     Certainly, when bibliographic records and
     local library holdings for government
     documents are available online through an
     OPAC or other database, there exists a
     wider range of possibilities for gathering
     needed statistics.   Statistics should be
     analyzed in relation to the collection and
     community profile.  They include
     evaluating interlibrary loan requests
     submitted by patrons and those filled by the
     documents unit, determining how often
     documents circulate or are used in the
     library by noting the frequency that
     particular items are reshelved, and noting
     the number of reference questions answered
     successfully using the documents collection.
     Patron Satisfaction:
 
     Designing questionnaires, surveys or
     interviews directed to the user community
     in order to directly assess the impact of the
     documents collection.
 
 
     Zero-Based Collection Review:
 
     A zero-based collection review should be
     implemented at the time of the annual item
     selection update cycle.  A zero-based
     review, which means evaluating item
     numbers on a one-by-one basis, should
     result in adding or deselecting items from
     the selection profile.  This review is most
     effective when compared with already
     determined collection goals.
 
 
     Evaluation of Standard Bibliographies
     and Lists:
 
     Comparing the government documents
     collection to standard lists, such as subject
     bibliographies, the core collections as
     defined in the Federal Depository Library
     Manual, or lists used as selection tools, is
     useful in determining if standard items are
     included in the collection.
 
9.   Weeding and Maintenance
 
Establishing a procedure for weeding items that
are not used or are in poor condition assures that
the collection is maintained to fulfill the
information needs of the service community.
The Instructions to Depository Libraries states
on page 16 that "Depository libraries may
discard these materials only in the manner
described by these Instructions or at the
direction of a GPO official."  In addition to the
procedures described in the Instructions to
Depository Libraries, the policy should state
the library's methods for discarding material that
no longer fits the collection scope.  The criteria
used might include:
 
     1)   physical condition;
     2)   currency of information;
     3)   age;
     4)   use;
     5)   duplication;
     6)   replacement by another format; or
     7)   superseded editions listed in the
          Superseded List.
 
The library should describe whether weeding the
collection is an ongoing process or done at
specified times according to guidelines issued by
the Regional depository.  The policy should
indicate procedures for distributing offers lists to
the Regional depository and if lists are circulated
to other selective depositories or the national
"Needs and Offers List."
 
In addition to procedures for weeding, the policy
should describe other methods of collection
maintenance.  This includes procedures for
replacing lost or stolen items and procedures for
binding and repairing documents.
 

Sample: Ward Edwards Library, Central Missouri State University;
Warrensburg, MO - Statement
        on Collection Maintenance
 
   "The collection will be maintained in accordance with the
   guidelines set out in the Instructions to Depository
   Libraries.  An accurate shelflist of all depository
   publications will be maintained to the piece level.  All
   documents will be clearly marked with the depository property
   stamp, shipping list date, and the SUDOC number.
 
   Superseded documents will be withdrawn.  Other documents may
   be reviewed for retention after five years.  Those titles no
   longer needed will be offered to other libraries and/or
   discarded with the permission of the regional depository.
   Hearings, for example, are regularly reviewed; those of
   lasting value are retained indefinitely.
 
   Worn documents will be evaluated for replacement or
   withdrawal.  A deposit account will be maintained with the
   Government Printing Office to supplement the depository
   collection and to replace lost or damaged materials.
   Preservation activities include placing materials identified
   as acidic in phase boxes to prevent further deterioration and
   damage to surrounding materials.
   
   Item selection will be reviewed annually, independently and in
   cooperation with the Kansas City Metropolitan Library Network.
 
   New survey selections will be made with the input of all
   library faculty.10.  Access
 
While it should be clearly defined in the mission
statement that the main function of Federal
depository libraries is to provide free and
unimpeded access to government information to
the general public, the policy should also
describe methods for establishing and promoting
access in the library.  The policy should address
the following issues:
 
     1)   whether holdings information for the
          documents collection is separate or
          integrated into the main catalog;
 
     2)   hours that a professional librarian
          knowledgeable in government
          documents is available to provide
          competent reference service;
 
     3)   major commercial indexes held by the
          library that include government
          documents;
 
     4)   inclusion of government documents in
          library pathfinders; and
 
     5)   promotional techniques to attract users,
          including flyers describing the
          collection and services, community
          outreach, or bibliographic instruction.
          For other promotional ideas, see
          Chapter 7, entitled "Depository
          Promotion," in the Federal Depository
          Library Manual.
 
 

 
 
Sample:  Trexler Library, Muhlenberg College; Allentown, PA -
Access to Collection
 
   "All Government Publications are accessible for public use in
   the library.  Paper publications are on Level A and generally
   may circulate to patrons with a Library Card.  Microfiche
   publications are filed in the MicroMedia Room on Level A.
   Most publications (except periodicals, indexes & abstracts,
   electronic format, and select reference material) are arranged
   by Superintendent of Documents Classification System (SuDoc)
   and are not listed in the library's online system.  There is a
   shelflist of publications owned in the alcove next to the
   Information Services Desk on Level A.  These indexes identify
   government publications and provide access to information:
   Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications
   (paper and electronic format), Congressional Information
   Services (CIS), American Statistics Index (ASI), Public
   Affairs Information Service (PAIS) and Publications Reference
   File (PRF).  Assistance in using these indexes and locating
   publications is available at the Information Services Desk."