Administrative Notes 

Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program

Vol. 27, no. 07-08 GP 3.16/3-2:27/07-08 July 15/Aug. 15, 2006 

HIGHLIGHTS 

Call for 

Presentations 1 

Preliminary 

Agenda, Fall 

Council Meeting 

& Depository 

Conference 2 

Per Diem Rate 

Raised 4 

Master Integrator 

Selected 4 

FDsys Blog 5 

Contribute to 

Digitization 

Registry 5 

Recommended 

Readings 

Updated 6 

Spring Council 

Summaries 

Online 6 

Summary of 

Responses to 

Selection 

Mechanisms 

Questionnaire 

Released 6 

Readers 

Exchange: 

Intershelving CDROMs 7 

Call for Presentations at Fall 2006 

Federal Depository Library 

Conference 

The 2006 Depository Library Conference Committee invites the Federal 

Depository Library community to submit proposals for the 15th annual 

Federal Depository Library Conference this fall. You are invited to attend 

and participate in this annual forum, which offers numerous opportunities 

to share your ideas, explore new developments, and network with your 

colleagues in the field of Federal information dissemination. 

The Conference committee invites proposals from introductory to 

advanced level on topics related to Federal information librarianship and 

information dissemination, including but not limited to: 

• Digitization 

• Preservation 

• Web Discovery and Harvesting 

• Virtual Depository Library Collection 

• Best Practices for Stand-Alone or Integrated Depository Library 

Collections for Collection Development, Public Services, and Staff 

Development 

• Inventive Marketing and Other Promotional Strategies to Maximize 

Your Library's Participation in the FDLP 

• Nuts and Bolts of Daily Library Operations 

We received many excellent proposals for previous conferences and look 

forward to receiving many proposals again this year. To submit a previous 

proposal or a new one, please fill out the Web form at: 

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/events/cfp.html

Please send your proposal before August 31, 2006. Presenters of accepted 

proposals will be notified by September 15, 2006. 

If you have questions, please contact Marian MacGilvray at 

mmacgilvray@gpo.gov or call 202-512-1119. 
AN-v27-#07-08-08/15/06 

Preliminary Agenda 

Fall 2006 Federal Depository Library Conference 

& Depository Library Council Meeting 

Washington DC, October 22 – 25, 2006 

SUNDAY OCT. 22

8:00 Registration 

8:00 Regional Meeting 

9:30 New Attendees Orientation 

11:30 Lunch Break On Your Own 

1:00 Plenary Session: Public Printer 

2:30 Library of the Year Award Presentation 

3:15 Library of the Year Reception 

4:00 Council Session: Key Note Speaker 

5:30 Adjourn 

MONDAY OCT. 23 

8:00 Coffee with Council 

8:30 Plenary Session: Superintendent of Documents, Operational, and GPO Agency 

Updates 

• Judy Russell, Superintendent of Documents 

• Richard Davis, Director, Library Services & Content Management 

• Bob Tapella, Chief of Staff 

10:00 Break 

10:30 Plenary Session: Panel Discussion with PMO Directors, Master Integrator & 

Program Management Team - Mike Wash, Facilitator 

12:00 Lunch Break On Your Own 

1:30 Council Session: New LSCM Policies Related to FDsys 

1:30 Educational Program TBD 

1:30 Serial Set 

• John Graham, Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County, Cincinnati, 

OH 

1:30 Educational Program TBD 

3:00 Break 

3:30 Council Session: Web Harvesting 

• Matt Landgraf, Lead Program Planner, Program Management Office, GPO 

3:30 Educational Program TBD 

3:30 Educational Program TBD 

3:30 CD-ROM Migration 

• Lisa Russell, Office of Planning & Development, Content Management 

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AN-v27-#07-08-08/15/06 

5:00 Adjourn 

6:30-9:00 Optional GODORT Meeting 

TUESDAY OCT. 24

8:00 Coffee with Council 

8:30 Council Session: Vision Document 

8:30 Agency Update Educational Program TBD 

8:30 Access: Security & Reference Merge 

8:30 GPO Operational Open Forum 

10:00 Break 

10:30 Council Session: Digital Distribution 

10:30 Agency Update Educational Program TBD 

10:30 Issues Related to Mostly Electronic Collections 

10:30 GPO Online Services Open Forum 

12:00 Lunch Break On Your Own 

1:30 Council Session: SOD 301 

1:30 Agency Update Educational Program TBD 

1:30 Virtual Reference 

1:30 OPAC/CGP Open Forum 

3:00 Break 

3:30 Council Session: Future of Bibliographic Services 

3:30 Agency Update Educational Program TBD 

3:30 Managing Collection Resources 

3:30 GPO Operational Open Forum 

5:00 Adjourn 

WEDNESDAY OCT. 25

8:00 Coffee with Council 

8:30 Council Session: Regional Selective Issues 

8:30 Educational Program TBD 

8:30 Educational Program TBD 

10:00 Break 

10:30 Plenary Council Session: Acquisitions in a Digital Environment 

12:00 Lunch Break On Your Own 

1:30 Proposed Tour: Library of Congress 

1:30 Proposed Tour: National Archives 

1:30 Proposed Tour: Supreme Court Library 

1:30 Proposed Tour: Senate Library 

1:30 Proposed Tour: Smithsonian Institution Libraries 

5:00 Adjourn 

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Federal Per Diem Rate Raised 

for Washington DC 

The U.S. General Services Administration 

has announced new per diem rates for Fiscal 

Year 2007, beginning October 1, 2006. The 

new rate for lodging has increased to $195 in 

the District of Columbia, from $166. Because 

of this change, the room charges at the Hyatt 

Regency Washington will be increased to 

$195 single and $220 double during the fall 

Council meeting and Federal Depository 

Library Conference, October 22-25. This 

change affects all FDLP conference 

participants staying at the Hyatt, even if they 

pre-registered at the previous prevailing rate. 

(The non-government rate is currently $479 

single.) 

To make reservations online, go to: 

https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode

=welcome_ei_new&eventID=31036 

A limited number of rooms will be available 

on a first-come, first-served basis at the 

Government rate prevailing at the time of the 

meeting. 

Reservations should be made before Tuesday, 

September 19, 2006 to ensure receiving the 

prevailing Government rate. The District of 

Columbia's room tax is 14.5%. If you have 

any problem making your reservation, please 

contact the Office of Education and Outreach 

at (202) 512-1119 for assistance. 

The Government rate will be honored 

beginning Wednesday, October 18 through 

Saturday, October 28, 2006. 

Reservations may also be made by calling 1-

888-421-1442. Please mention the GPO's 

Federal Depository Library Conference and 

Council meeting to receive the correct rate. 

GPO Selects Master Integrator for FDsys 

GPO has selected Harris Corporation as its 

principal system integrator for FDsys, GPO's 

Future Digital System. This represents a 

significant milestone in achieving GPO's 

Strategic Vision by creating a world-class 

digital content system. When implemented, 

FDsys will enable the American public to 

easily and rapidly access a vast collection of 

significant Government publications and 

content—the content within scope of GPO's 

Federal Depository Library Program. 

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AN-v27-#07-08-08/15/06 

Keep Up With GPO’s Future Digital System 

(FDsys) Via Blog 

GPO is posting news about the development 

of its Future Digital System (FDsys) on a 

blog at http://fdsys.blogspot.com/. The blog is 

updated every other week. 

The Future Digital System will be a worldclass information life-cycle management 

system that will transform GPO into a content 

management agency. The Future Digital 

System will be system and policy neutral, 

modular, and adaptable. The FDsys will be 

designed to accept, organize, manage and 

output authenticated content for any use or 

purpose and to preserve the content 

independent of specific hardware or software. 

It is scheduled to be operational in 2007. 

Contribute to the Registry of U.S. Government 

Publication Digitization Projects 

The U.S. Government Printing Office 

encourages you to contribute information 

about your institution’s digitization projects 

containing U.S. Government publications to 

the Registry of U.S. Government Publication 

Digitization Projects at 

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/legacy/registry/. 

The Registry’s goal is to provide 

comprehensive coverage of all appropriate 

digitization projects that include U.S. 

Government publications. The Registry is 

designed to: 

• Serve as a locator tool for publicly 

accessible collections of digitized U.S. 

Government publications; 

• Increase awareness of U.S. Government 

publication digitization projects that are 

planned, in progress, or completed; 

• Foster collaboration for digitization 

projects; and 

• Provide models for future digitization 

projects. 

Projects represented in the Registry must be 

freely accessible and entirely composed of 

digitized U.S. Government publications or 

include a substantial number of them. You 

may update information about projects as 

they progress. 

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AN-v27-#07-08-08/15/06 

GPO Posts Latest 

Recommended Readings Update 

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) 

has posted the latest up-to-date 

Recommended Readings list on the FDLP 

Desktop. The new list includes links to 

resources that will help you understand some 

of the major initiatives that are going on in 

the Superintendent of Documents 

organization and throughout GPO. The list 

can be accessed at 

http://www.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/readin

g.html. 

Spring Depository Library Council Meeting 

Summaries Are Online 

Summaries are now available of the sessions 

presented in Seattle, Washington at the 2006 

Spring Depository Library Council Meeting. 

Along with the session summaries, the 

questions and answers following the sessions 

have also been summarized. 

Summaries are available with the 

proceedings, which are found at: 

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs

/proceedings/06spring/index.html

The webcast of the lead-off plenary session at 

the spring meeting of the Depository Library 

Council is also available online, at 

http://www.vodium.com/goto/gpo/seattle.asp. 

GPO Releases Summary of Responses to 

Questionnaire on Selection Mechanisms 

Comments 

As part of its ongoing efforts to increase 

flexibility for depository libraries, GPO is 

continuing to review the item number system 

used to select publications. During the 

Spring Depository Library Council Meeting, 

Superintendent of Documents Judy Russell 

asked conference participants and others in 

the depository community for feedback on 

the proposed models for the selection of 

online and tangible publications. The 

questionnaire was posted on the FDLP 

Desktop to allow individuals not in 

attendance to respond. 

GPO received over 170 responses to the 

questionnaire on selection mechanisms, and 

thanks all those who took the time to respond. 

This data will be used to support finalizing 

the new models for selecting online and 

tangible publications 

The responses have been summarized and are 

available for review at 

<http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/sel

ection/index.html>. 

6 
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Readers Exchange 

Intershelving CD-ROMs: 

A Small Depository's Success Story 

Barbara Jones 

Dalton State College Library 

Dalton, Georgia 

Abstract – Collection accessibility and 

patron convenience were the driving force 

behind the Dalton State College Library’s 

efforts to integrate shelving of electronic 

format documents within the open stacks of 

the depository collection. Other factors taken 

into consideration were security, 

preservation, usage, and various shelving 

issues. 

Introduction 

A planned move into a new library addition 

in 2002 provided an opportunity to integrate 

over 900 CD-ROMs, floppy diskettes, and 

DVDs into open shelving with the depository 

collection of over 58,000 paper government 

documents. The addition of 20 percent more 

shelving, ongoing weeding by depository 

staff, and the decline of document receipts in 

tangible formats created more shelf space for 

the project. 

Depository staff have always had to be 

creative when shelving the various shapes 

and sizes of documents that arrive in 

depository shipments while maintaining 

SuDoc order. Our collection has included 

vinyl stickers, photographs, business cards, 

spin wheel gauges, bookmarks, rulers, two 

documents that were nearly two feet tall by 

three feet wide, along with the more common 

microfiche, maps, atlases, loose-leaf 

materials, posters, standard-size paper 

documents, pamphlets, videos, etc. Interfiling 

CD jewel cases really isn’t a challenge. 

Background 

DSC’s depository serves Georgia’s recently 

redistricted 10th congressional district, and 

the College has approximately 5,000 

students. The depository selects 23 percent of 

government documents item numbers and 

received 50 electronic products in FY 2005-

06. There has been a steady downward trend 

in the selection and receipt of CD-ROMs 

since FY 1996-97 when the depository 

received 387 electronic products. 

The depository’s electronic collection 

consists of 3.5-inch diskettes, CD-ROMs, and 

DVDs, but mostly CD-ROMs. Single 

diskettes are stored in jewel cases from which 

the plastic section with the spindle has been 

removed. Two or more diskettes of a title are 

stored in a clear vinyl envelope. Videos have 

always been shelved in the depository and 

have always circulated. All electronic media 

are cataloged and barcoded and have 

circulated outside the library since 1995. 

Loan periods and overdues are the same as 

for paper documents. 

When the depository started receiving the 

first few diskettes around 1990, the disks 

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AN-v27-#07-08-08/15/06 

were stored in a file box in the depository 

office on the second floor. As the collection 

grew, disks were stored in a large binder in 

page-size, plastic sleeves. Soon after the 

receipt of the first CD-ROMs, a decision was 

made to mount the 5 most important discs on 

a Local Area Network (LAN) on the first 

floor and to file the others in media cabinets 

in the reserves room behind the circulation 

desk. 

The CD-ROM collection grew quickly, and a 

decision was made to dismantle the LAN and 

house all electronic documents in the reserves 

room and install as needed on dedicated 

depository workstations with a menu for the 

most popular titles. Boot disks were made for 

the more difficult discs, and DOS installation 

instructions were typed on labels and affixed 

to the remaining jewel cases. With the advent 

of Windows and html, this step is fortunately 

no longer necessary. CD-ROMs and disks 

that accompanied paper documents and kits 

were removed, placed in jewel cases, 

barcoded, labeled, and filed in the reserves 

room. These additional steps required more 

processing time, more processing materials, 

and additional storage space. 

At the time of the move in 2002, the library’s 

900 electronic products were still shelved in 

the reserves room media cabinets. Stacked 

about 12 drawers high and 2 feet deep by 6 

feet wide, the cabinets were compact but not 

well suited to jewel cases, since they 

originally housed audio cassettes. This 

arrangement provided security for the CDROMs but limited access by not allowing 

patrons to browse. It also placed CD-ROMs 

on a different floor from the depository, 

which inconvenienced both patrons and staff. 

In the mid-1990s, moving the CD-ROMs to a 

more accessible place was considered, but 

another depository librarian reported that her 

depository’s discs would disappear almost as 

soon as they were shelved. A phone call to 

the library’s security gate company revealed 

the library’s old 1970’s security system 

wouldn’t be able to detect CD-ROM security 

strips. Fortunately, the library purchased new 

security gates during the renovation, erasing 

that concern. 

Guidelines and the Literature 

GPO allows depository libraries to set their 

own policies for shelving arrangements, 

though in the GPO inspector’s report 

following the depository’s 1998 self-study, 

the inspector commented, “Staff may wish to 

consider making compact discs more readily 

accessible by moving them to a public area 

since they are permitted to circulate.” This 

seemed like an excellent suggestion except 

for the ancient security system in place at the 

time. 

 

GPO’s guidance regarding the federal 

electronic collection in GPO’s Managing the 

FDLP Electronic Collection: A Policy and 

Planning Document is, “This Collection 

requires standard library collection 

management policies and techniques, such as 

selection, acquisition, bibliographic control, 

access, organization, maintenances, 

deselection, and preservation for access.” 

Therefore, individual libraries have much 

leeway in the arrangement of their collection. 

 

In searching the literature, I found one 

reference that suggested mixing collections 

was a bad idea. In Organizing Nonprint 

Materials, Daily states, “While it is a novel 

idea to store recorded versions of a work next 

to the print version, whether textual or 

musical the end result has been damage to the 

fragile phonodisc or loss of the readily stolen 

cassette. The idea is less novel that it seems. 

It has surfaced regularly during most of the 

author’s career.” Of course, phonodiscs and 

cassettes are different formats than CD8 
AN-v27-#07-08-08/15/06 

ROMs and videos, and the average library 

patron might be a little different than a 

depository patron, but it is a reminder that 

damage and theft are valid issues for concern. 

Daily also states library staff should, 

“Establish a means for organizing collections 

of non-print material so that greatest 

efficiency can match most effective service.” 

On the supportive side, a very thorough book 

on the practical aspects of interfiling all types 

of media and its positive effect on public 

service is The Integrated Library: 

Encouraging Access to Multimedia Materials

by Jean Weihs. Several clever methods for 

shelving miscellaneous materials are 

illustrated in this informative book. 

Relevant to the DSC collection, a standard for 

British university law libraries recommends 

“housing of all relevant collections in regular 

use as a unified whole in one place”. (Salter, 

2000) This seems simple and logical, 

especially when a collection can be 

consolidated on one floor, and it can help 

staff provide better public service and access 

to their patrons. 

Accessibility and usage vs. security and 

preservation 

 

Patron convenience was the primary factor 

for the decision to integrate the shelving. 

Integration into open shelving would make 

the collection accessible, browsable, and 

decrease the number of government 

documents holdings locations. 

Initially with the new move, the media 

cabinets were moved to an open location near 

the depository office, but integrating the 

shelving seemed like an obvious step toward 

patron accessibility. Since an access policy 

was a required element in the FDLP SelfStudy required periodically of all 

depositories, we can assume access is 

important to GPO. While asking for a CDROM at the circulation desk might not seem 

like a barrier to those of us in the library 40 

hours a week (and probably good friends with 

the person at the desk), it might limit 

accessibility to some patrons. 

The move to open shelving also provided a 

more functional and attractive alternative to 

the vintage black and gold metal media 

cabinets, which needed to be replaced or at 

the least painted to match the new library 

décor to reside in a public part of the library. 

Security and preservation are arguments 

against open shelving and circulation of 

electronic products which have diminished 

over the years. CD-ROMs are protected 

against theft by the same gate system as other 

library materials. While electronic media at 

one time was difficult or expensive to 

replace, the cost of replacing a public domain 

disc is now minimal. Another depository can 

burn a replacement (or a disc can be 

interlibrary loaned and burned in-house) if 

one can no longer be purchased, or a URL 

can likely be found at the publishing agency’s 

web site that can be added to the OPAC 

record or inserted in a document where a lost 

disc belongs. Discs are protected from 

incidental damage on the shelves and while 

on loan by storage in jewel cases, and discs 

are marked with SuDocs, so they can be 

traced to the original document or jewel case 

if they become separated. A popup note 

appears on the screen in the circulation 

system when an item with more than one 

piece is returned which reminds circulation 

staff to check for all pieces of multi-disc sets, 

kits, etc. Still, discs are small and easy to 

misplace or steal, so this must be weighed 

with the options. 

With the increased computer sophistication of 

the average library patron, the novelty of 

discs has worn off, making theft less likely. 

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AN-v27-#07-08-08/15/06 

Also, it has to be considered that CD-ROM 

and DVD are probably only temporary 

storage media much like computer tape from 

the 1970s. It is preferable in my mind to 

allow unlimited access to information than to 

watch it go into obsolescence unused. 

The verdict is still out on whether usage has 

increased. Separate statistics for circulation 

and reshelves of electronic products weren’t 

collected until after the move. 

Considerations 

 Is there adequate shelf space for 

electronic products? Jewel cases shelved 

linearly or in pamphlet boxes take up a lot 

of space. When full, a three-foot shelf 

holds 85 jewel cases. 

 Is efficient storage important? The 

storage space in five cabinet drawers that 

are three feet deep and hold two rows of 

jewel cases is equal to ten three-foot 

linear shelves. As an alternative, discs 

stored in plastic sleeves in binders at the 

start of a SuDoc would require little 

space. 

 Is there shelf space for future receipts?

With the trend toward online documents, 

receipts are declining. The most recent 

LPS Annual Reports available report the 

total number of tangible electronic titles 

distributed as follows: FY 2002 – 483; 

FY 2001 – 491; FY 2000 – 617; FY 1999 

– 682; FY 1998 – 836; FY 1997 – 741; 

FY 1996 – 639; FY 1995 – 412. 

 Are the materials rare, expensive, or 

difficult to replace? Fortunately most 

documents are mass produced and public 

domain. 

 Is the collection heavily used? Will the 

shelves stay well organized, or do 

patrons keep the collection in disarray?

Jewel cases can be broken, and 

superseded discs may be difficult to find 

in a ransacked collection. 

 Can the move be easily undone?

Cabinets can be retained in storage until a 

verdict is reached on the permanency of 

the change. 

 Will the OPAC allow global changes 

for holdings locations which would save 

cataloging manpower? Can global 

changes be reversed?

 How should jewel cases be shelved? A 

few can lie flat or on edge at the ends of 

shelves, or they can be interfiled with 

paper documents, preferably in pamphlet 

boxes. 

 Will discs stay in place on the shelves?

Small items can easily slip behind shelves 

or get wedged into larger documents. 

Shelving with a ledge on the back and 

bookends that attach to the bottom of 

each shelf are ideal. Pamphlet boxes will 

help discs stay in place, but require more 

shelf space and add additional cost. 

 Should exact SuDoc order be 

maintained? In the interest of tidiness, 

shelves at the beginning of a SuDoc could 

be dedicated to discs. 

 Would a collection of discs in open 

shelving at the beginning or end of the 

paper depository collection be more 

manageable? Aside from adding another 

holdings location and separating users 

manuals from discs, this would be an 

attractive and functional shelving 

alternative. To maximize space, shelf 

height could be reduced to 9 inches 

allowing for the larger disc cases.

 Will much manpower be required to 

shift the collection to make room for 

the discs? A good estimate of where the 

discs will be shelved is needed before 

shifting begins. 

 Is it important to keep user manuals 

and discs together? 

 Is a theft prevention system in place?

Two-sided DVDs can’t be stripped. 

 Is theft a problem in other parts of the 

library? Loss rates are difficult to 

10 
AN-v27-#07-08-08/15/06 

predict, but overdues and theft from other 

parts of the library might offer a clue. 

 Which disc housing is better? Jewel 

cases are sturdy and stand up well on 

shelves, while disc-size vinyl sleeves or 

extra thin CD cases take up less space but 

must be purchased.

 Do the materials need to be available 

for patron use at all times? Items in 

open shelving need not circulate. 

 Are policies in place for circulation, 

replacement costs, and overdues? 

 Who should have some input on the 

decision? Ideally anyone that the change 

will impact – those responsible for the 

collection, the cataloger, and individuals 

involved in the shelving and retrieval 

process. Also, the decision may be 

influenced by other library policies. 

Steps involved in DSC’s shelving 

integration 

1. Paper documents were shifted to 

allow space where needed. 

2. Most discs were moved to the stacks. 

3. The remaining discs and diskettes that 

were received in paper documents 

were returned to the original 

documents. 

a. Holdings and item records 

were removed from the OPAC 

for the accompanying disc in 

each document’s holding 

record, and a note was added 

to the document’s item record 

regarding the number of pieces 

to the document. 

b. Paper documents containing 

discs were reshelved. 

4. Holdings locations were changed 

globally in the OPAC by the 

cataloger. 

As documents were shifted from the second 

floor to the first, several shelves were left 

vacant for the discs. Steps 1-3 (for 900 discs) 

were then completed in less than a day, and 

the global holdings location change (step 4) 

was practically as fast as the speed of light. 

The old holdings location was retained in the 

cataloging system in case there is a need for it 

in the future. Also, the media cabinets were 

retained briefly in case an early decision was 

made against the change. 

The actually shelving of the items went much 

faster and easier than hoped. The way item 

numbers are assigned to electronic products 

allowed large groups of discs to be shelved 

together. In some instances, discs fill an 

entire shelf and most other discs fall at the 

end of a shelf before a new SuDoc stem 

begins. Since each shelf has a file box at the 

bookend to keep paper documents from 

flopping over, the discs at the end of each 

shelf fit neatly between the file boxes and the 

bookends. Retaining the jewel cases that the 

discs arrived in made for easy upright 

shelving. The new shelving has a 11⁄2” high

ledge at the back of each shelf, which 

provides a stabilizing influence and prevents 

jewel cases and other documents from falling 

behind shelves. The new bookends are 

attached to the back ledge, which gives better 

support for short items than bookends that 

suspend from the shelf above. The very few 

discs that belonged in the middle of a shelf 

and appeared that they might get lost in a 

shuffle of documents were placed at the right 

end of the shelf with the pamphlets. 

Processing procedures that changed 

Processing electronic format documents has 

changed minimally. Jewel cases, which were 

previously labeled on the upper right corner, 

are now labeled on the left so the call number 

is more visible to patrons and shelvers; discs 

and diskettes are now left in paper documents 

and kits; and “Do not desensitize” stickers are 

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applied to the front cover of books with 

diskettes. 

Other depositories’ shelving methods for 

CD-ROMS 

In March 2003, eighty-two depositories 

responded to the following survey on 

GOVDOC-L. 

1. How many electronic format documents are 

in your depository? 

a. Less than 1,000 

b. Between 1,000 and 5,000 

c. More than 5,000 

2. Are the electronic products shelved in an 

open area for patron access or must staff 

retrieve them from closed stacks? 

a. Open area 

b. Closed stacks 

c. Some in open; some in closed 

3. How are the electronic products shelved? 

a. In media cabinets 

b. On shelving but separate from the 

paper documents 

c. Intershelved with the paper 

documents 

d. Other. Please elaborate. 

4. Any other comments, concerns, 

experiences, related to shelving CD-ROMs, 

etc. 

Of the eighty-two respondents, thirty-eight 

have collections of less than 1,000 tangible 

electronic products, thirty-nine have 

collections of 1,000 - 5,000, and five have 

collections of more than 5,000. 

On average, for all sizes of collections: 38% 

shelve discs in an open area, 35% shelve in a 

closed area, and 27% shelve in both open and 

closed areas, 46% shelve in cabinets, 29% 

shelve on shelves, 5% interfile with paper 

documents, and the remaining 20% use a 

combination of shelving methods, other 

shelving methods, or didn’t answer the 

question. 

Of the libraries that shelve all discs in an 

open area: 45% shelve in cabinets, 26% 

shelve on open shelves separate from the 

paper documents, 13% interfile with paper 

documents, and the remaining 16% use a 

combination of shelving methods. 

Size of collection Number of 

respondents 

Open area Open & closed 

areas 

Closed 

area 

TOTAL 82 31 (38%) 22 (27%) 29 (35%) 

 < 1,000 38 15 (39%) 9 (37%) 14 (24%) 

 1,000 – 5,000 39 16 (41%) 10 (26%) 13 (33%) 

 > 5,000 5 0 3 (60%) 2 (40%) 

Location of collection <1,000 

(38 libraries) 

1,000 – 5,000 

(39 libraries) 

>5,000 

(5 libraries) 

In cabinets 16 (42%) 19 (49%) 3 (60%) 

On separate shelving 11 (29%) 5 (13%) 0 

Interfiled with documents 2 (5%) 2 (5%) 0 

All of the above 0 1 (3%) 1 (20%) 

Cabinets & shelving 3 (8%) 9 (23%) 1 (20%) 

Cabinets & interfiled 3 (8%) 2 (5%) 0 

Separate shelving & interfiled 1 (3%) 0 0 

Other or No answer 2 (5%) 1 (3%) 0 

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Shelving location of collections totally in open areas % of 31 responses 

In cabinets 45% 

On shelving separate from other documents 26% 

Interfiled with other documents 13% 

All of the above 10% 

Some in cabinets & some on separate shelving 3% 

Some in cabinets & some interfiled 0% 

Some on separate shelving & some interfiled 3% 

Other or No answer 0% 

Summary 

The critical component to the change was adequate shelving. This project couldn’t have been 

attempted without the additional shelving the depository gained in the move. Also, with more 

documents available on the Internet, the need for growth space has decreased. 

Accessibility and usage were considerations that I felt outweighed the security risks and 

preservation issues. Usage hasn’t seemed to increase but neither have security problems. All 

superseded discs have been found when the new discs have arrived, and the jewel cases have 

remained intact and neatly shelved. 

Access to government information should be free and easy. Combining the depository 

collections into open stacks makes finding information simpler for patrons and processing and 

shelving more convenient for staff and more accessible for everyone. 

References 

Albitz, Rebecca S. “Establishing Access Policies for Emerging Media in Academic Libraries: The Video Lending 

Experience as a Model.” Collection Management 25. 3 (2001): 1-9. 

Bolin, Robert L. “A model CD-ROM Library: The University of Idaho Experience.” Library Hi Tech 13. 3 (1995): 

94-100. 

Daily, Jay E. Organizing Nonprint Materials. 2nd ed. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc.: 1986.

 “Defining the FDLP Electronic Collection.” Managing the FDLP Electronic Collection: A Policy and Planning 

Document (1998) Library Programs Service, U.S. GPO. 14 July 2006 <http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS2213> 

Golderman, Gail. “Weaving multimedia into the Collection: One Library’s Journey.” Information Technology and 

Libraries 20.4 (Dec. 2001): 198-200. 

LPS Annual Reports. (2002) Library Programs Service, U.S. GPO. 9 Jan. 2003, 

<http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/annrprt/index.html> 

Johnson, Denise J. “Processing, Storage, and Access to Government CD-ROM Publications in Depository 

Libraries.” Illinois Libraries 75 (April 1993): 175-78. 

Levergood, Barbara, “Government Electronic Information Products in a Federal Depository Library.” Meridian 11 

(1997): 27-49 

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Lorbeer, Elizabeth, et al. “One Work in Two Places: A ‘Mixed Media’ Policy for Accompanying Media Dilemmas.” 

Collection Management 26.1 (2001): 77-90. 

Salter, Elaine, “Together or Separate? That Is the Question.” The Law Librarian 31.4 (Winter 2000): 225-26. 

Weihs, Jean Riddle. The Integrated Library: Encouraging Access to Multimedia Materials, 2nd ed. Phoenix, AZ: 

Oryx Press, 1991. 

Weimer, Katherine H. et al. “Security and Access to CD-ROMs Accompanying Books: Data and 

Recommendations.” Library Resources & Technical Services 44.4 (Oct. 2000): 201-08. 

Wise, Suzanne, et al. “GPO Depository CD-ROMs: Problems and Issues.” North Carolina Libraries 49 (Winter 

1991): 214-8. 

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Questions? 

If you have questions or comments on any of the content in Administrative Notes, please send them to askGPO, the 

online help service at: 

http://gpo.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/gpo.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php

To ensure that your question is routed to the correct area, please choose the category "Federal Depository Libraries" 

and the appropriate subcategory, if any. 

You may also contact the GPO Customer Contact Center at 866-512-1800 (Toll-free), or at 202-512-1800 (DC 

Metropolitan Area), Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., EST. 

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Table of Contents 

Call for Presentations at Fall 2006 Federal Depository Library Conference................................ 1 

Depository Library Council Meeting, 2006, Fall, & Federal Depository Library Conference, 

 Preliminary Agenda .................................................................................................................... 2 

Federal Per Diem Rate Raised for Washington DC...................................................................... 4 

GPO Selects Master Integrator for FDsys .................................................................................... 4 

Keep Up With GPO’s Future Digital System (FDsys) Via Blog.................................................. 5 

Contribute to the Registry of U.S. Government Publication Digitization Projects ...................... 5 

GPO Posts Latest Recommended Readings Update..................................................................... 6 

Spring Depository Library Council Meeting Summaries Are Online .......................................... 6 

GPO Releases Summary of Responses to Questionnaire on Selection Mechanisms Comments. 6 

Readers Exchange: Intershelving CD-ROMs / Barbara Jones ..................................................... 7 

Administrative Notes Cumulative Table of Contents 

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/adnotes/adnotes_toc.pdf 

Updated with each issue 

Searchable by keyword 

Administrative Notes is published in Washington, DC by the Superintendent of Documents, 

Government Printing Office, for the staffs of U.S. Federal Depository Libraries. 

It is published on the 15th day of each month; some months have additional issues. 

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