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Toward a comprehensive collection development policy for partial U.S. depository libraries
Government Publications Review, Vol. IA, pp. 41-46, 1980 Printed in the USA. All rights reserved.
0196-335X/80/010041-06$02.00/0 Copyright 0 1980 Pergamon Press Ltd
TOWARD A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY FOR PARTIAL U.S. DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES BRUCEMORTON Information
Librarian, Carleton College, The Library, Northfield, MN 55057 U.S.A. 15 March 1979; accepted 14 May 1979)
Services/Documents
(Received
Abstract-Library literature has long ignored the problem of collection development for U.S. Government Publications, Regional depositories, of course, are not adversely affected by this oversight. However, the partial depository library suffers the consequences. Often in the past, the sole criterion for the building of a partial depository collection has been accretion without regard for other salient factors. At present and in the foreseeable future, fiscal exigency will cause increasing demands to be made on the library’s budget and space. These hard facts, juxtaposed with the continuing prolificacy of the U.S. Government Printing Office, mandates the making of difficult decisions by librarians, especially documents librarians. In order to make judicious decisions which will permit the depository collection to grow in a maMer responsive to its own needs, as well as to various curricular and community needs, a framework of policy must exist. It is in this context that the following policy statement is presented. Although this policy statement was developed in response to the idiosyncratic needs of one institution’s curriculum, general collection, and table of staffing organization (plus the presence of another partial depository Library in the same city), the generic concerns addressed ought to be of interest to all documents librarians and to ah librarians concerned with collection development. In spite of the local limitations of this policy statement, it may serve as a template for those libraries desiring to integrate U.S. Government Publications into a comprehensive collection policy. The reader will note that the author has relied liberally on the documents, Guidelines for the Depository Library System and Instructions to Depository Libruriuns. Reliance on these documents is intended to insure responsiveness to the intent of the Depository Act, and to maintain a continuing degree of accountability in decisions relating to the U.S. Government Publications Collection. The acquisition policy of Iowa State University (as published in Library Acquisition Policies and Procedures, ed. Elizabeth Futas, Oryx Press, 1911, pp. 174-97) was also useful in the formulation of the policy statement. The statement of policy has been structured in such a way that it may serve as a modular component of an overall policy statement-not as an acquisition policy, but rather as a guide to the process of collection development.
INTRODUCTION The, planned development of the U.S.Government Publications Collection requires a stated policy. However, it is recognized that no policy statement can be, or should be, definitive for all time, since the library and the College are dynamic organizations undergoing constant change. 41
BRUCE MORTON
42
Therefore, this policy statement is intended to serve as a guideline for the methodical and judicious development of -the U.S. Government Publications Collection. The College Library has been a partial depository of publications distributed by the Superintendent of Documents since 1930. Publications are selected on the basis of instructional and research needs of the College curriculum, while at the same time attempting to be responsive to various information needs of the greater county area in accordance with sections 4-3 and 4-4 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System, 18 October 1977. Any depository publications not held by the library may be obtained at either St. Olaf College or at the University -of Minnesota Library, which has been designated a Regional Depository and consequently receives all depository publications. The U.S. Government Publications Collection is regarded as a valuable and necessary part of the library’s collection. In addition to providing a primary current and historical record of the political workings of the federal government, the documents collection is relied upon as a primary record of national statute, code, regulation, and as an amalgamation of statistical data. The U.S. Government Publications Collection also provides, in itself, a valuable secondary resource which addresses many topics of interest about the federal government, both in an out of the political sphere, thereby supplementing the library’s general collection in these subject areas.
CLASSIFICATION
AND ORGANIZATION
OF COLLECTION
The Superintendent of Documents Classification System will predominate. In certain instances a publication may be classified in the Library of Congress Classification in order to facilitate use (e.g. Art and Music items), or a publication may be classified with a unique classification (e.g. NTIS publications or Committee Prints), at the discretion of the Documents Librarian after consultation with appropriate librarians and faculty. When opted for such a classification alternative to SuDocs Classification, the entry will nevertheless remain in the Government Publications shelflist under the appropriate SuDocs number if available, with a “see” reference to the nonSuDoc number.
SUBSETS OF THE GOVERNMENT
PUBLICATIONS
COLLECTION
Microforms Microform shall be the preferred format for items of marginal utility. Because of the relatively short lifespan of paper copy, those materials which have permanent interest to the library will also be preferred in microformat. When doubt exists as to whether an item is to be obtained in microform or not, the documents librarian should seek the counsel of appropriate librarians and faculty. All microform government publications will be housed in the microform reading area and not necessarily adjacent to the government publications collection. The call number of such microform items will be suffixed by “microfiche” in the shelflist. Microfiche will be the preferred microformat. Census section
A special element of the U.S. Government Publications Collection will be maintained for census materials. This Census Section should be located adjacent to the main U.S. Government Publications Collection. It is decided by the documents librarian which items will be located in the Census Section. A publication, merely because it emanates from the Bureau of the Census, is not necessarily automatically shelved in the Census Section. Items in the Census Section will be shelved in
43
Toward a Comprehensive Collection Development Policy groups according to decennial census. Within each decennial census group, items according to SuDoc classification following the aggregate data volumes which will irrespective of SuDoc number. A separate duplicate shelf list will be maintained Section and all publications shelved in the Census Section will be clearly marked Section” suffix as part of their call numbers.
will be shelved be shelved first for the Census with a “Census
Current interest fire (OF) Pamphlets and other material deemed to be either superficial and/or ephemeral in nature and substance may be reposited in the Current Interest File. However, such items will be clearly marked as depository items and shelflist cards will be filed under appropriate SuDoc numbers with a “see” reference to CIF. The disposition of such materials will be at the discretion of the documents librarian.
SELECTION
OF U.S. GOVERNMENT
PUBLICATIONS
The documents librarian has prime responsibility for the selection, receipt, and claiming of depository items, as in accordance with section 7-2a of Guidelines for the Depository Library System, 18 October 1977. Suggestions as to items which might be added to the library’s item list are welcome from the College community and the general public. However, all decisions relating to addition to, and deletion from, the item list or collection will reside with the documents librarian subject to final approval by the College Librarian. Special orders for Government Printing Office publications will be purchased from GPO in response to requests for specific titles if the item is listed in the Public&ions Reference File as being in print. Survey samples which are not selected for addition to our item list will be shipped to the documents librarian at the University of Minnesota for disposition in accordance with section 7 of instructions for Depository Libraries. Unsolicited gifts and mailings from various congressional offices or friends of the College will be added, or not added, to the collection at the discretion of the documents librarian, subject to review by the College Librarian. In accordance with section 4-1 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System, 18 October 1977, Appendix A, p. 10, the library will maintain a basic collection available for immediate use consisting of the core titles specified. U.S. Government publications which are not available through the depository system will be acquired selectively if needed for instruction or research purposes. Such items will be purchased from GPO by special order. No attempt will be made to search and procure such items on an exhaustive basis because all non-depository publications are available from the Center for Research Libraries in microprint. Technical reports to support instructional and research needs will be purchased by special order on a selective basis from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) in microfiche at the request of a student or faculty member. Any such request which constitutes a basic reference text, or is intended to be used broadly and frequently, may be purchased in a hard copy instead of microfiche.
A GUIDE TO SUBJECT AREAS FOR COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT OF U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS In all instances
“collectible
format”
will supercede a “non-collectible”
subject.
BRUCEMORTON
44
COLLECTIBLE
NON-COLLECTIBLE
Subject:
Subject: Consumer Oriented Topics Engineering Procedural Manuals for U.S. Government Elementary Education
Aging and the Aged Demography Environment Biology Botany Health Geology Hydrology Petrology Foreign Affairs Law Trade and Commerce Black Studies U.S. History Art and Architecture Education Secondary Higher
Formats:
Formats: Bibliographies (and lists of publications) Congressional Reports & Documents Congressional Hearings Annual Reports Statistics Directories Rules and Regulations Commemorative Monographs
Pamphlets Posters Maps
(and other ephemera)
MULTIPLE COPIES In general only one copy will be retained of each title with the following exceptions: 1. titles for which there are intensive demands and continuous heavy use 2. titles needed for reserve
REFERENCE
MATERIALS
In accordance with section 4-2 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System, 18 October 1977, the library will acquire and maintain the basic catalogs, guides, and indexes, both retrospective and current, which are considered to be essential for the effective use of the collection. This should include selected non-governmental reference tools. The responsibility for the selection of these reference tools will be that of the documents librarian with concurrence of the information services librarians. U.S. Government Publications reference tools will be located, as a consolidated unit, in the Reference area of the library. Every effort should be made to make this section of the reference collection as easy to find as possible so that use is encouraged.
Toward a Comprehensive Collection Development Policy
45
LOST ITEMS In accordance with section 6-2 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System, 18 October 1977, lost depository materials will be replaced by ordering replacement copies from GPO at the price listed in the Publications Reference File. If an item is not in print it may be considered for replacement by purchase on the “Out of Print” market at the discretion of the documents librarian after consultation with appropriate librarians and faculty.
CANCELLATION
OF ITEMS
Items will be recommended for cancellation from the library’s item list at the discretion of the documents librarian. After consultation with librarians and appropriate faculty, items will be cancelled in accordance with section 8 of Instructions to Depository Libraries, November 1977. In order to insure that the U.S. Government Publications Collection remains actively responsive to the needs of the College and the local general public, all selections in the current active item list will be reviewed once a year (during the summer). This evaluative process is to be done in accordance with section 8 of Instructions to Depository Libraries, November 1977. Items which have been deleted from the item list will automatically become candidates for withdrawal from the collection. Such items will be reviewed under the rationale that an item which is no longer worth obtaining is likewise probably not worth retaining. However, such items cannot be withdrawn until after 5 years after their receipt, in accordance with section 6-5 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System and section 11 of Instructions to Depository Libraries .
WITHDRAWAL
OF ITEMS FROM THE COLLECTION
Withdrawal of items from the library’s U.S. Government Publications Collection should be done in accordance with sections 2 and 11 of instructions of Depository Librarians, November 1977. Items must be retained for 5 years from their date of receipt before they may be withdrawn. Items which are withdrawn shall immediately become candidates for consideration for cancellation from the active item list if they are still active. The decision to withdraw items from the collection will be made by the head librarian with consultation of the documents librarian and other librarians and faculty as deemed appropriate by him or her. Superseded material should be withdrawn immediately at the discretion of the documents librarian in accordance with the latest edition of Instructions to Depository Libraries and section 6-7 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System. Below are listed some of the types of materials which may be disposed of at the discretion of the documents librarian: 1. Daily Congressional Record, after bound volumes are received. 2. Slip laws, after bound Statutes at Large are received. 3. House and Senate bills and resolutions, one year after the adjournment of the Congress. 4. Any materials which are cumulated in later issues, such as Supplement to the United States Code, the Code of Laws of the District of Columbia, Digest of Public General Bills, Internal Revenue Bulletin after receipt of the cumulative issue. 5. Any publication upon receipt of a revised edition. 6. Pages from looseleaf publications that are replaced by new pages. 7. Separates, upon receipt of final bound volumes. 8. Senate and House reports and documents, upon receipt of the serial set volumes. 9. Lists and indexes of publications of various agencies, upon receipt of complete new
BRUCEMORTON
46
editions (e.g. list of publications of the Bureau of Mines, indexes of Congressional Committee Hearings issued by the Senate Library, etc.). Small spot lists, such as publication announcements, may be discarded after six months or when they have lost their timeliness. 10. Annual or biennial publications of a statistical nature which merely revise figures or information and bring them up-to-date, such as Index of Specifications Standards, Light Lists, etc., upon receipt of a new issue. This permission does not apply to annual reports of departments and agencies, each of which covers the activities of the organization for a specific period of time. 11. Material which has an expiring-effect date, such as Civil Service examination announcements. On such material only the latest issue need be kept. 12. Any publication which is superseded by another which is stated to contain similar information. Congressional hearings in paper format will be retained for a period of 20 years after which they will be withdrawn from the collection. If it is determined that there is sufficient demand for items from years to be withdrawn, the library will consider replacement in microformat. This weeding process will continue on an on-going basis during each summer break period. SECURITY Items deemed by the documents librarian to be of lasting value to the collection will be tattle taped in order to insure their security. Items deemed to be of continuing research or reference value, may be shelved on a noncirculating basis either in the Government Publications reference section or in the Government Publications stacks. The decision as to non-circulating status and location will be made by the documents librarian after consultation with other librarians and appropriate faculty.
MAINTENANCE
OF COLLECTION
Binding and repairs of U.S. Government Publications will be undertaken on an ad hoc basis for those items in need of such treatment. Such items should be deemed to have long-term value to the collection and be undesirable in microformat. The quality of maintenance for such items will be consistent with the policy for maintaining the library’s main book collection. These maintenance procedures should be carried out in accordance with section 6-1 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System.
REVISION OF COLLECTION 1. 2.
DEVELOPMENT
POLICY
This policy statement will be reviewed once a year and amended as deemed necessary by the documents librarian and the College Librarian. This collection development policy statement will be reviewed and appropriately amended to be in accordance with updates of Guidelines for the Depository Library System and Instructions for Depository Librarians.
0196-335X/80/010041-06$02.00/0 Copyright 0 1980 Pergamon Press Ltd
TOWARD A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY FOR PARTIAL U.S. DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES BRUCEMORTON Information
Librarian, Carleton College, The Library, Northfield, MN 55057 U.S.A. 15 March 1979; accepted 14 May 1979)
Services/Documents
(Received
Abstract-Library literature has long ignored the problem of collection development for U.S. Government Publications, Regional depositories, of course, are not adversely affected by this oversight. However, the partial depository library suffers the consequences. Often in the past, the sole criterion for the building of a partial depository collection has been accretion without regard for other salient factors. At present and in the foreseeable future, fiscal exigency will cause increasing demands to be made on the library’s budget and space. These hard facts, juxtaposed with the continuing prolificacy of the U.S. Government Printing Office, mandates the making of difficult decisions by librarians, especially documents librarians. In order to make judicious decisions which will permit the depository collection to grow in a maMer responsive to its own needs, as well as to various curricular and community needs, a framework of policy must exist. It is in this context that the following policy statement is presented. Although this policy statement was developed in response to the idiosyncratic needs of one institution’s curriculum, general collection, and table of staffing organization (plus the presence of another partial depository Library in the same city), the generic concerns addressed ought to be of interest to all documents librarians and to ah librarians concerned with collection development. In spite of the local limitations of this policy statement, it may serve as a template for those libraries desiring to integrate U.S. Government Publications into a comprehensive collection policy. The reader will note that the author has relied liberally on the documents, Guidelines for the Depository Library System and Instructions to Depository Libruriuns. Reliance on these documents is intended to insure responsiveness to the intent of the Depository Act, and to maintain a continuing degree of accountability in decisions relating to the U.S. Government Publications Collection. The acquisition policy of Iowa State University (as published in Library Acquisition Policies and Procedures, ed. Elizabeth Futas, Oryx Press, 1911, pp. 174-97) was also useful in the formulation of the policy statement. The statement of policy has been structured in such a way that it may serve as a modular component of an overall policy statement-not as an acquisition policy, but rather as a guide to the process of collection development.
INTRODUCTION The, planned development of the U.S.Government Publications Collection requires a stated policy. However, it is recognized that no policy statement can be, or should be, definitive for all time, since the library and the College are dynamic organizations undergoing constant change. 41
BRUCE MORTON
42
Therefore, this policy statement is intended to serve as a guideline for the methodical and judicious development of -the U.S. Government Publications Collection. The College Library has been a partial depository of publications distributed by the Superintendent of Documents since 1930. Publications are selected on the basis of instructional and research needs of the College curriculum, while at the same time attempting to be responsive to various information needs of the greater county area in accordance with sections 4-3 and 4-4 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System, 18 October 1977. Any depository publications not held by the library may be obtained at either St. Olaf College or at the University -of Minnesota Library, which has been designated a Regional Depository and consequently receives all depository publications. The U.S. Government Publications Collection is regarded as a valuable and necessary part of the library’s collection. In addition to providing a primary current and historical record of the political workings of the federal government, the documents collection is relied upon as a primary record of national statute, code, regulation, and as an amalgamation of statistical data. The U.S. Government Publications Collection also provides, in itself, a valuable secondary resource which addresses many topics of interest about the federal government, both in an out of the political sphere, thereby supplementing the library’s general collection in these subject areas.
CLASSIFICATION
AND ORGANIZATION
OF COLLECTION
The Superintendent of Documents Classification System will predominate. In certain instances a publication may be classified in the Library of Congress Classification in order to facilitate use (e.g. Art and Music items), or a publication may be classified with a unique classification (e.g. NTIS publications or Committee Prints), at the discretion of the Documents Librarian after consultation with appropriate librarians and faculty. When opted for such a classification alternative to SuDocs Classification, the entry will nevertheless remain in the Government Publications shelflist under the appropriate SuDocs number if available, with a “see” reference to the nonSuDoc number.
SUBSETS OF THE GOVERNMENT
PUBLICATIONS
COLLECTION
Microforms Microform shall be the preferred format for items of marginal utility. Because of the relatively short lifespan of paper copy, those materials which have permanent interest to the library will also be preferred in microformat. When doubt exists as to whether an item is to be obtained in microform or not, the documents librarian should seek the counsel of appropriate librarians and faculty. All microform government publications will be housed in the microform reading area and not necessarily adjacent to the government publications collection. The call number of such microform items will be suffixed by “microfiche” in the shelflist. Microfiche will be the preferred microformat. Census section
A special element of the U.S. Government Publications Collection will be maintained for census materials. This Census Section should be located adjacent to the main U.S. Government Publications Collection. It is decided by the documents librarian which items will be located in the Census Section. A publication, merely because it emanates from the Bureau of the Census, is not necessarily automatically shelved in the Census Section. Items in the Census Section will be shelved in
43
Toward a Comprehensive Collection Development Policy groups according to decennial census. Within each decennial census group, items according to SuDoc classification following the aggregate data volumes which will irrespective of SuDoc number. A separate duplicate shelf list will be maintained Section and all publications shelved in the Census Section will be clearly marked Section” suffix as part of their call numbers.
will be shelved be shelved first for the Census with a “Census
Current interest fire (OF) Pamphlets and other material deemed to be either superficial and/or ephemeral in nature and substance may be reposited in the Current Interest File. However, such items will be clearly marked as depository items and shelflist cards will be filed under appropriate SuDoc numbers with a “see” reference to CIF. The disposition of such materials will be at the discretion of the documents librarian.
SELECTION
OF U.S. GOVERNMENT
PUBLICATIONS
The documents librarian has prime responsibility for the selection, receipt, and claiming of depository items, as in accordance with section 7-2a of Guidelines for the Depository Library System, 18 October 1977. Suggestions as to items which might be added to the library’s item list are welcome from the College community and the general public. However, all decisions relating to addition to, and deletion from, the item list or collection will reside with the documents librarian subject to final approval by the College Librarian. Special orders for Government Printing Office publications will be purchased from GPO in response to requests for specific titles if the item is listed in the Public&ions Reference File as being in print. Survey samples which are not selected for addition to our item list will be shipped to the documents librarian at the University of Minnesota for disposition in accordance with section 7 of instructions for Depository Libraries. Unsolicited gifts and mailings from various congressional offices or friends of the College will be added, or not added, to the collection at the discretion of the documents librarian, subject to review by the College Librarian. In accordance with section 4-1 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System, 18 October 1977, Appendix A, p. 10, the library will maintain a basic collection available for immediate use consisting of the core titles specified. U.S. Government publications which are not available through the depository system will be acquired selectively if needed for instruction or research purposes. Such items will be purchased from GPO by special order. No attempt will be made to search and procure such items on an exhaustive basis because all non-depository publications are available from the Center for Research Libraries in microprint. Technical reports to support instructional and research needs will be purchased by special order on a selective basis from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) in microfiche at the request of a student or faculty member. Any such request which constitutes a basic reference text, or is intended to be used broadly and frequently, may be purchased in a hard copy instead of microfiche.
A GUIDE TO SUBJECT AREAS FOR COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT OF U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS In all instances
“collectible
format”
will supercede a “non-collectible”
subject.
BRUCEMORTON
44
COLLECTIBLE
NON-COLLECTIBLE
Subject:
Subject: Consumer Oriented Topics Engineering Procedural Manuals for U.S. Government Elementary Education
Aging and the Aged Demography Environment Biology Botany Health Geology Hydrology Petrology Foreign Affairs Law Trade and Commerce Black Studies U.S. History Art and Architecture Education Secondary Higher
Formats:
Formats: Bibliographies (and lists of publications) Congressional Reports & Documents Congressional Hearings Annual Reports Statistics Directories Rules and Regulations Commemorative Monographs
Pamphlets Posters Maps
(and other ephemera)
MULTIPLE COPIES In general only one copy will be retained of each title with the following exceptions: 1. titles for which there are intensive demands and continuous heavy use 2. titles needed for reserve
REFERENCE
MATERIALS
In accordance with section 4-2 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System, 18 October 1977, the library will acquire and maintain the basic catalogs, guides, and indexes, both retrospective and current, which are considered to be essential for the effective use of the collection. This should include selected non-governmental reference tools. The responsibility for the selection of these reference tools will be that of the documents librarian with concurrence of the information services librarians. U.S. Government Publications reference tools will be located, as a consolidated unit, in the Reference area of the library. Every effort should be made to make this section of the reference collection as easy to find as possible so that use is encouraged.
Toward a Comprehensive Collection Development Policy
45
LOST ITEMS In accordance with section 6-2 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System, 18 October 1977, lost depository materials will be replaced by ordering replacement copies from GPO at the price listed in the Publications Reference File. If an item is not in print it may be considered for replacement by purchase on the “Out of Print” market at the discretion of the documents librarian after consultation with appropriate librarians and faculty.
CANCELLATION
OF ITEMS
Items will be recommended for cancellation from the library’s item list at the discretion of the documents librarian. After consultation with librarians and appropriate faculty, items will be cancelled in accordance with section 8 of Instructions to Depository Libraries, November 1977. In order to insure that the U.S. Government Publications Collection remains actively responsive to the needs of the College and the local general public, all selections in the current active item list will be reviewed once a year (during the summer). This evaluative process is to be done in accordance with section 8 of Instructions to Depository Libraries, November 1977. Items which have been deleted from the item list will automatically become candidates for withdrawal from the collection. Such items will be reviewed under the rationale that an item which is no longer worth obtaining is likewise probably not worth retaining. However, such items cannot be withdrawn until after 5 years after their receipt, in accordance with section 6-5 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System and section 11 of Instructions to Depository Libraries .
WITHDRAWAL
OF ITEMS FROM THE COLLECTION
Withdrawal of items from the library’s U.S. Government Publications Collection should be done in accordance with sections 2 and 11 of instructions of Depository Librarians, November 1977. Items must be retained for 5 years from their date of receipt before they may be withdrawn. Items which are withdrawn shall immediately become candidates for consideration for cancellation from the active item list if they are still active. The decision to withdraw items from the collection will be made by the head librarian with consultation of the documents librarian and other librarians and faculty as deemed appropriate by him or her. Superseded material should be withdrawn immediately at the discretion of the documents librarian in accordance with the latest edition of Instructions to Depository Libraries and section 6-7 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System. Below are listed some of the types of materials which may be disposed of at the discretion of the documents librarian: 1. Daily Congressional Record, after bound volumes are received. 2. Slip laws, after bound Statutes at Large are received. 3. House and Senate bills and resolutions, one year after the adjournment of the Congress. 4. Any materials which are cumulated in later issues, such as Supplement to the United States Code, the Code of Laws of the District of Columbia, Digest of Public General Bills, Internal Revenue Bulletin after receipt of the cumulative issue. 5. Any publication upon receipt of a revised edition. 6. Pages from looseleaf publications that are replaced by new pages. 7. Separates, upon receipt of final bound volumes. 8. Senate and House reports and documents, upon receipt of the serial set volumes. 9. Lists and indexes of publications of various agencies, upon receipt of complete new
BRUCEMORTON
46
editions (e.g. list of publications of the Bureau of Mines, indexes of Congressional Committee Hearings issued by the Senate Library, etc.). Small spot lists, such as publication announcements, may be discarded after six months or when they have lost their timeliness. 10. Annual or biennial publications of a statistical nature which merely revise figures or information and bring them up-to-date, such as Index of Specifications Standards, Light Lists, etc., upon receipt of a new issue. This permission does not apply to annual reports of departments and agencies, each of which covers the activities of the organization for a specific period of time. 11. Material which has an expiring-effect date, such as Civil Service examination announcements. On such material only the latest issue need be kept. 12. Any publication which is superseded by another which is stated to contain similar information. Congressional hearings in paper format will be retained for a period of 20 years after which they will be withdrawn from the collection. If it is determined that there is sufficient demand for items from years to be withdrawn, the library will consider replacement in microformat. This weeding process will continue on an on-going basis during each summer break period. SECURITY Items deemed by the documents librarian to be of lasting value to the collection will be tattle taped in order to insure their security. Items deemed to be of continuing research or reference value, may be shelved on a noncirculating basis either in the Government Publications reference section or in the Government Publications stacks. The decision as to non-circulating status and location will be made by the documents librarian after consultation with other librarians and appropriate faculty.
MAINTENANCE
OF COLLECTION
Binding and repairs of U.S. Government Publications will be undertaken on an ad hoc basis for those items in need of such treatment. Such items should be deemed to have long-term value to the collection and be undesirable in microformat. The quality of maintenance for such items will be consistent with the policy for maintaining the library’s main book collection. These maintenance procedures should be carried out in accordance with section 6-1 of Guidelines for the Depository Library System.
REVISION OF COLLECTION 1. 2.
DEVELOPMENT
POLICY
This policy statement will be reviewed once a year and amended as deemed necessary by the documents librarian and the College Librarian. This collection development policy statement will be reviewed and appropriately amended to be in accordance with updates of Guidelines for the Depository Library System and Instructions for Depository Librarians.