Millersville University Helen A. Ganser Library

COLLECTION POLICY

GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS COLLECTION
Development Policy

1. Selective Federal Depository Library

Ganser Library was designated a selective Federal Depository Library in 1966 when it became a member of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The tradition of providing government information to libraries and the American public was first established by statute in 1813. In 1858 members of Congress were authorized to provide for the distribution of government information to designated libraries thus creating the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The Government Printing Office has administered the FDLP since 1895. The dual mission of the depository library at Millersville University is to serve the academic and informational needs of the Millersville University community and to support the government information needs of the general public in Pennsylvania's 16^th Congressional District. The library was also named a Pennsylvania State Depository in 1972.

The Sixteenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania covers the western suburbs of Philadelphia to the Amish Country. The information needs of the district are varied and sophisticated. Local interests range from tobacco farming to the study of history and events with increased Asian and Spanish speaking cultural diversity added to the original population. Lancaster County is one of the fastest growing business and populated areas of Pennsylvania. The majority of Millersville University students are from Lancaster and surrounding counties. In serving their information needs as University students, we also serve the information needs of residents of the 16th Congressional District. Ganser Library collaborates with local and regional libraries for research and service activities including interlibrary loan and reference services of government publications. The library maintains an open door access and reference service policy to all patrons.

2. Collection

The emphasis for collection development is based on a selection of current academic and general materials to support a liberal arts undergraduate institution and interests of constituents in the 16th Congressional District. The Library's selection rate of publications available from the Government Printing Office (GPO) fluctuates between 20-22%. Binding and replacement copy policies for documents are stated in the Government Documents section of the Ganser Library Collection Development Policy. Documents in need of binding are regularly included in the library's binding shipments. Replacement copies are purchased with funds from the Government Documents materials allocation, in-house printing of electronic documents, or secured and copied using interlibrary loan.

The Library provides free public use to GPO Access online services and electronic access to sources available and recommended for depository libraries. This includes Internet access at 29 Public Area Reference Computers that serve DVD/CD-ROMs and Diskettes. The Documents Department maintains two microfiche readers and one microfilm reader to service the Collection. The library also subscribes to the Marcive, Inc. "Documents Without Walls" service. This service provides full bibliographic records for electronic only government documents. The electronic only bibliographic records and the records matching document holdings are imported monthly and added to the Library Catalog. Retrospective cataloging is an established selective, continual and ongoing process for pre 1992 documents. All documents identified for retention in the collection are cataloged. Electronic access, interlibrary depository cooperation, interlibrary loan, and reference services and referrals are routine procedures used to service the informational needs of patrons.

Areas of emphasis for the Documents Collection to support institutional and community needs are:

1. Agriculture
2. Business
3. Census
4. Chesapeake Bay
5. Congress
6. Defense
7. Education
8. Environment
9. Foreign Affairs and Governments
10. Government
11. Health
12. International Affairs
13. Land Use and Recreation
14. The President
15. Science
16. Taxation

The Library also develops Collection Development activities in conjunction with state and regional consortia.

3. FDP Internet Use Policy Guidelines

Ganser Library provides free and unrestricted access to online Federal Government Information. The Library follows all guidelines as stated in the following Federal Depository Library (FDLP) Internet Use Guidelines. The library currently maintains 29 public access Reference Computers and 17 Library Classroom computers. The Reference Computers are located adjacent to the main Reference Desk where professional librarian services are provided. The Library Classroom computers are used for library instruction, which integrates government publications and online access according to academic discipline. The Government Resources section of the Library web presentation is fully integrated into the main Library Website.

All depository libraries must offer the general public free access to online Federal Government information provided through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). This follows the same principle of free access that governs the use of traditional depository materials, as provided in Section 1911 of Title 44, United States Code.

Depository libraries should have a written access policy that addresses these issues regarding obtaining FDLP information on the Internet:

1. All depository libraries are expected to provide access to the products in the FDLP Electronic Collection.
2. Information products in the FDLP Electronic Collection must be available to any library user free of fees or other restrictions such as age or residency status. Free and unrestricted searching may be provided at one or more workstations. The number of available workstations is dependent upon the size of the depository operation and must be sufficient to serve the depository's patrons efficiently and effectively. Time limits and the use of sign-up sheets are acceptable.
3. Since the use of filtering software may restrict access to official FDLP information, for example in the health or biological sciences fields, depository libraries must allow users the option to use workstations without filtering software or to turn off the filter while searching FDLP information.
4. Security measures must be consistent with FDLP guidelines and requirements. Patrons cannot be required to present identification.
1. Log-in or sign-up sheets may be used (as with circulation records, confidentiality of these records must be assured and consistent with applicable privacy statutes).
2. Special passwords may be used.
3. E-mail capability of the Web browser(s) may be blocked.
5. Patrons' use of depository workstations is subject to the library's overall acceptable use policy.
6. Users may be charged the "usual and customary" fees for printing and diskettes.
7. Use or access may be mediated or unmediated.