Government Documents Round Table

Texas State Plan for Federal Depository Library Services

Table of Contents

• Chapter I. Introduction
• Chapter II. Goals/Objectives
• Appendix A. Letter of Agreement
• Appendix B. List of Federal Depository Libraries in Texas
• Appendix C. Federal Depository Libraries in Regions I and II
• Appendix D. Disposal Instructions

Chapter I. Introduction

Federal depository libraries in Texas are part of the national Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and are responsible for providing access to federal government information for the citizens of Texas. Congress established the FDLP to help fulfill its responsibilities to inform the public of the policies and activities of the federal government. This program is based upon three principles:

• All government information shall be made available to depository libraries, with certain specified exceptions;
• Depository libraries shall be located in each Congressional district in order to make government information widely available;
• This government information, in all formats, shall be available for the use of the general public for no fee.

Chapter 19 of Title 44, U.S. Code is the authority for the establishment and operation of the Depository Program.

Regional depositories in Texas are located at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in Austin and at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. There are over fifty selective depositories throughout the state. For directory information about these depositories consult Appendix B of this document or search the directory on GPO Access at <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/locators/findlibs/index.html>.

Texas Federal depository libraries are committed to promoting no-fee access to U.S. government information. This document is a revision of the Plan originally formulated in the 1980s, reaffirming this commitment as government information becomes predominantly electronic.

The Texas State Plan is a mission statement, a planning document, and a statement of responsibility for Texas depository libraries.  Its goal is to enhance coordination within the depository library system in Texas, and to assist those libraries in providing efficient and effective access to the federal government information needed by citizens of the state.

Chapter II. Goals & Objectives

Collection Development

Goal:

To ensure that a complete body of Federal government information is accessible to the citizens of Texas.

Objectives:

Each depository library will accept the responsibility to:

• Maintain the Suggested Core Collection specified in the Federal Depository Manual for its particular type of library.
• Acquire government information that is appropriate for the goals and objectives of the library and that meets the needs of its Congressional District, the local population, and non-depository libraries in its area.
• Create a written collection development policy as a component of the overall library collection development policy.
• Participate in cooperative agreements or selective housing arrangements when appropriate.
• Review item selections and weeding/disposal policies on a continuing basis, recognizing the enduring value of historic print collections.
• Recommend for acquisition commercially produced tools that will strengthen and improve access to the Federal depository collection.

In addition, regional depositories will accept the responsibility to:

• Work with depository libraries in Texas to assure that strong collections are maintained throughout the state.
• Coordinate disposal of documents by selective depositories in the state, as specified in Appendix D of this document.
• Maintain a complete collection of documents distributed through the FDLP, in accordance with GPO requirements.

Bibliographic Control

Goal:

To ensure that each depository maintain a clear, current, and accurate record of depository holdings in order to make access and retrieval as efficient as possible.

Objectives:

Each depository library will accept the responsibility to:

• Maintain a current, accurate record of its depository holdings.
• Provide bibliographic access to government information that is  comparable to that for other library materials.
• Develop workable and efficient procedures to ensure that newly received materials are processed and available for use in a timely manner.
• Make use of available electronic tools as needed to improve efficiency of processing procedures. (Among these are a variety of tools available through the FDLP desktop, as well as discussion lists such as GovDoc-L, DocTech-L, Maps-L, and TX-FED).
• Evaluate options to purchase GPO catalog records as a means of improving access to government documents via the library's OPAC.
• Incorporate links into library catalogs when possible; highlighting, at minimum, the Basic Collection <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/coll-dev/basic-01.html>.

Financial Responsibilities

Goal:

To ensure that depository libraries allocate sufficient financial and other resources to fully support its operations.

Objectives:

Each depository library will accept the responsibility to:

• Ensure compliance with Instructions to Depository Libraries (Chapter 5) by recruiting and hiring sufficient and well-qualified staff to manage the various depository functions.
• Provide support and opportunities for staff to receive relevant, on-going training and professional development.
• Allocate sufficient resources to ensure that government information can be processed and maintained in a manner comparable to other library materials.
• Supply sufficient and well-maintained equipment to provide public access to government information in non-print formats.
• Provide for adequate shelving and other storage equipment to protect, preserve, and enhance retrieval of government information in all formats.
• Provide a clean and safe environment for staff and patrons, with consideration given to removing potential barriers to access.
• Comply with the minimum technical guidelines set by the U.S. Government Printing Office <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/computers/mtr.html>.

In addition, regional depositories will accept the responsibility to:

• Advocate for attendance by depository personnel at training and continuing education opportunities throughout the state

Service Guidelines

Goal:

To ensure that depository libraries provide public service of the highest caliber to the citizens of Texas.

Objectives:

Each depository library will accept the responsibility to:

• Answer questions from the general public.
• Make depository collections available through interlibrary loan, using the same standards as other library materials.
• Provide sufficient personnel to deliver effective reference assistance.
• Encourage participation in government information-related continuing education programs by the depository and non-depository library staff.
• Provide service to the depository collection that is comparable to service given to other library materials.
• Include access to government information in the library's pertinent service documents, such as Service Policies, Internet Use Policy, and Strategic Plan.
• Make documents collections and reference services available to all users during the same hours that other collections and services are available.

In addition, regional depositories will accept the responsibility to:

• Provide statewide reference and interlibrary loan services, and retain a complete retrospective documents collection in accordance with GPO requirements in all formats, suitable for use by libraries.
• Provide assistance and training for librarians newly assigned to administer depository collections.
• Facilitate training and continuing education in the access to and use of federal government resources.
• Coordinate the compilation, update, and distribution of a directory of Texas federal depository libraries that will include information on each library's staff, as well as special holdings of commercial indexes to federal government documents, microform sets, and major government-related holdings such as maps, patents, census, etc.

Each depository is encouraged to:

• Develop and promote staff training and workshops to ensure that staff are able to provide the highest quality and most comprehensive service to the public using any and all appropriate service methods and techniques.

Public Relations Guidelines

Goal:

To increase public awareness of the availability and usefulness of federal government information.

Objectives:

Each depository library will accept the responsibility to:

• Utilize public relations materials and techniques to inform existing and potential users of the availability and usefulness of federal government information.
• Investigate all appropriate methods of publicizing government information and develop good public relations. This can include, but is not limited to, displays, brochures, customer training, Web sites, regular contacts with library administration, local government authorities, etc.
• Initiate and maintain contact with non-depository libraries and other groups in its service area to increase awareness of federal government information.
• Develop a Web presence using, at minimum, a page based upon the ALA GODORT Government Information Web Page Template <http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/GODORT/gitco/govinfotemplate.html>.

Depository Library Relationships

Goal:

To ensure the efficient and effective use of federal depository resources in Texas through cooperative agreements and networking.

Objectives:

Regional depositories will accept the responsibility to:

• Encourage compliance with the Instructions for Depository Libraries through such methods as: training and continuing education programs for librarians and staff, orientation meetings, mentoring, personal contacts, visits, etc.
• Encourage cooperative collection management activities among all depository libraries in order to ensure that a wide range of information is available within each region of the state.
• Encourage high quality reference assistance throughout the state through such methods as: training, continuing education, development of cooperative reference programs, lists of experts, etc.
• Encourage the establishment of local depository interest groups, when feasible.
• Encourage communication among all depository libraries through such methods as mailing lists, newsletters, statewide meetings, etc.
• Advocate for the inclusion of government information in other statewide consortial agreements.
• Maintain a Web site that provides links to information about national and statewide policies and resources that support the depository program.

Selective depository libraries are encouraged to:

• Participate in local, state, and national cooperative collection management activities.
• Participate in cooperative reference assistance programs.
• Participate in local and/or regional networking groups, in person or electronically, when feasible.

Preservation

Goal:

To preserve the depository collections in the state of Texas and ensure permanent public access to Federal government information.

Objectives:

Each depository library will accept the responsibility to:

• Include depository collections in their library's preservation policy.

Each depository library is encouraged to:

• Participate in national and statewide projects for the archiving of digital government information.
• Participate in national and statewide projects for digitizing government resources.

In addition, regional depositories are encouraged to:

• Coordinate statewide projects for digitizing government resources.
• Coordinate statewide projects for archiving electronic government information.
• Advocate for the inclusion of government information in other statewide digitization or electronic archival projects.
• Coordinate access to and storage of outdated electronic government information resources that are no longer usable on current computer operating systems.

Contingency Planning

Goal:

To ensure that libraries have a disaster/contingency plan that protects the Federal depository collections.

Objectives:

Depository libraries are encouraged to:

• Have a disaster/contingency plan equivalent to that for other library collections that addresses the needs of the Federal depository collections during times of service interruptions, natural disasters, network failures, etc.

Procedures for Review

To ensure that the Texas State Plan remains viable and continues to address issues facing Federal depository libraries in the state, the Texas State Plan should be reviewed every three to five years.

• In consultation with the regional depositories, TLA GODORT will coordinate review of the Plan at least every five years
• Recommendations for revisions to the State Plan may be proposed to the regional depositories at any time by any Federal depository library in the state.
• Any proposed amendment or revision to the Plan should be advertised for comment to the Federal Depository Library Community.
• All revisions or amendments to the Plan should have the support of a 2/3 majority of the chief administrators of the Federal depository libraries in Texas.
• The State Plan will be posted on the Regionals' web sites.

Appendix A: Letter of Agreement

[Library], a designated Federal Depository Library, agrees to support and participate in the Texas State Plan for Federal Depository Library Services in order to achieve the goals of the Federal Depository Library Program.

Please retain one copy of this agreement and return the other copy to your designated Regional Depository library:

Appendix B. List of Federal Depository Libraries in Texas

Appendix C. Federal Depository Libraries in Regions I and II

Appendix D. Disposal Instructions

I. Documents Received through the Depository Distribution Program

1. Depository libraries wishing to dispose of any publications received as part of the depository program and retained for at least five years must ask permission from their Regional Depository Library by preparing a disposal list. The list will be reviewed and posted to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission Web site for review by Texas federal depository libraries. All publications that remain unclaimed after a specified date may be thrown away.
2. Your Regional Depository Library will notify you if certain publications should be retained for a longer period.
3. Depository documents in hard copy for which microfiche has been substituted must also be listed.
4. Microfiche discards
   1. Selective depositories may discard microfiche copies of depository documents after they have been retained for 5 years without offering them on a disposal list. This provision reflects the "Cornwell Method" as approved by GPO for the handling of microfiche discards.
   2. Libraries discarding large runs or sets of microfiche documents must receive permission from their Regional Depository Library before discarding. The Regional may reserve the right to require the selective to prepare a disposal lists for large runs or sets of microfiche.
5. Items to be discarded may not be sold unless the proceeds are forwarded to GPO.
6. See GPO Instructions for additional guidelines.

II. Documents Not Received through the Depository Distribution Program

1. Government publications received through sources other than the depository program may be disposed of in any manner at any time. These include publications received as gifts or donations and publications received on subscription.
2. Depository librarians are not required to secure permission before disposing of non-depository items or to notify their Regional Depository Library of disposal.
3. It is strongly recommended that non-depository items of permanent research value be offered to other depository libraries by means of a disposal list.

III. Special Cases: Superseded Documents and Bound Volumes

1. Documents which have been superseded, whether depository or non-depository, may be discarded in any manner. For further assistance, see the latest edition of the Superseded List. <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/suplist/index.html>
2. Documents, which are received later in bound form, may be discarded in any manner. Discard separates only after bound volumes have been received.

Instructions for Preparing a Disposal List

1. Prepare your disposal list in any word-processing program that can save the document as "text", or more specifically, as an ASCII text file. Please list the documents in SuDocs classification order.

   General specifications:

   • Text should be should be saved in an ASCII text format.
   • Suggested column placement, arrangement, and information for lists:

              Name of Institution
              List #
              Format of items listed
              Address
              Telephone number
              Fax number
              Contact person
              E-mail address for above
              Special notes; e.g., TEXPRESS, postage requested, mailing labels, etc.
   
              Class #
              Title
              Year
   		

2. Saving your file: After you have completed your disposal list, save it as a text or ASCII file, and quit the word-processing application.
3. Be sure to include a unique list number and indicate whether the list contains paper (p), microfiche (m), or electronic (e) documents. Preferred list number format is: [Yr.] - [list #] - [Format]. Example: 02-12m.
4. Disposal dates are assigned to lists as they are submitted to the Regional Depository. The date is officially conveyed to your library in an e-mail notification. Lists received by the 15th of the month are assigned a disposal date of the last day of the following month; e.g., lists received by December 15 would have a disposal date of January 31.

Submission and Distribution of Disposal Lists

E-mail submission

Specific guidelines for formatting and assignment of disposal dates are located on the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) Web site at http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/fdlp. Please bookmark the URL. We do not provide a link since the site is for federal depository librarians and their staffs only.

E-mail list to your designated Regional contact. The lists will be reviewed, disposal dates assigned, and then posted to the TSLAC for review by depositories.

Electronic distribution

Lists will be posted to TSLAC Web site after review by your Regional library. Selectives will request items directly from the selective disposing of the publications.

Diskette submission

Mail diskette to your designated Regional contact. Disposal lists will be posted to the TSLAC Web site after review by your Regional library.

Diskette distribution

For those libraries who cannot access the Web site, the Regional libraries will provide disposal lists on diskette to those selectives who have indicated they wish to continue to receive lists from other selectives. The Regionals will collect blank diskettes and mailing labels from their selectives requiring this method of distribution.

Paper submission

Paper distribution

Photocopies of disposal lists will be distributed to only those selectives which provide mailing labels to each Regional. PLEASE NOTE: paper distribution will occur only for those items that are not submitted electronically.

Instructions for Disposal List Submission

E-mail Submission

The following is the PREFERRED method of submitting disposal lists. Depository librarians should use this procedure if at all possible.

1. Prepare the disposal list according to the instructions found in "Disposal List Preparation."
2. Save the disposal list as an ASCII text file.
3. Log on to your e-mail system and compose a new message. Your message should be sent to your Regional Depository Library contact. The subject and text of your message should indicate that you are submitting a disposal list from your library. Instruct your e-mail system to attach your disposal list to the message before it is sent.

Diskette Submission

1. Prepare the disposal list according to the instructions found in "Instructions for Preparing a Disposal List."
2. Save the disposal list (as an ASCII text file) to a 3-1/2 inch diskette. The diskette should be formatted for DOS only.
3. Mail the diskette with a cover letter to your Regional Depository Library:

Paper submission

1. Paper submissions will only be accepted after consultation with your Regional Librarian. Please contact Tom Rohrig (Region I) or Sue Troyan (Region II) at the addresses above for further instructions

State Plan HomeTLA GODORT

Texas Library Association, Government Documents Round Table
All contents copyright © 2003-2005. All rights reserved.
Send comments to: Bennett Ponsford, bponsford@mail.wtamu.edu
Updated: Wednesday, January 26, 2005