Maryland State Plan for Federal Depository Libraries

Task Force on a Maryland State Plan for Depository Libraries

Anne Shaw Burgan, Chairperson

1984

 

Table of Contents

I.

Introduction

II.

Formation of a State Plan

III.

Planning Process in Maryland

IV.

Implementation

V.

State Plan

VI.

Appendices

 
    1. Task Force Membership
    2. Map Showing Maryland Federal Document Depositories
    3. Survey
    4. Recommendations

 

I. Introduction

Whereas the United States Senate has recognized that citizens of America should have effective access to Government information throughout the country; and

Whereas the Congress of the United States has provided its citizens with free and open access to Government information through a Depository Library System that includes at least one depository library in each Congressional District; and

Whereas depository libraries in a variety of categories, including public, academic, land grant, State, law school and Federal libraries, have enthusiastically provided service and access to information to citizens across the country; and …

Resolved, That the Senate pay tribute to depository libraries throughout the land and commend the many dedicated people associated with the depository library program for their significant contribution in furthering the cause of free and open public access to Government information.

S. Res. 359

Sen. Charles Mathias

March 28, 1984

 

With the birth of our Nation came a declaration that "the people have a right to know." The history of early government printing was stormy, filled with fascinating stories recorded in the early documents of our country. The initial printing of our laws, journals, etc. were done by contract with private printers. It was not until 1861 that the Government Printing Office as we know it was established. The major legislation governing the GPO was the 1895 Printing Act, much of which is still relative today. The depository program was firmly established by the Act under the Office of Superintendent of Documents.

The depository program is one whereby Government publications are deposited in selected libraries so that the public would have free access to the information published by our Government. Presently, there are 1372 depository libraries in the United States, twenty-three in Maryland. The Johns Hopkins University Library was designated in 1882 as Maryland’s first depository.

The public may use any depository library, public or private, in order to have access to the executive, legislative and judicial information produced by our Government. In Maryland, the depositories serve all the citizens of our State.

As the depository system evolved, the need for a Regional Depository, that is a library that receives and maintains a total collection of materials distributed by the Depository Library Program, became evident. This concept came to fruition with the Depository Library Act of 1962. The McKeldin Library of the University of Maryland, College Park is the Regional Depository for the State of Maryland.

 

II. Formation of a State Plan

At its Spring 1981 meeting, the Depository Library Council to the Public printer considered the multiple problems encountered by Regional depository libraries in their endeavors to serve effectively in the Depository System. The diversity of these problems precluded the creation of a single solution applicable for Regional and selective depositories in all states. The following resolution was adopted by the Council as a step toward resolving the problems in ways that would work best under varying local conditions:

In order to bolster the regional depository libraries’ capabilities to serve their state missions and in order to assure that Federal documents are available throughout the United States on an equal and expeditious basis, the Depository Library Council recommends that the Public Printer investigate the feasibility of requiring each state to prepare a plan to coordinate the Federal documents depository libraries within the state. The plan should be developed through consultation with all designated Federal depository libraries within the state and should address all depository responsibilities outlined in the Instructions to Depository Libraries as well as the concerns expressed through the Regional Depository Library Survey presented to the Depository Library Council at the first afternoon session of the Spring 1981 meeting.

The Public Printer, in response to Council’s resolution, went on record "as encouraging depositories in states that have need of such plans to undertake them."

At its Fall 1981 meeting, the Council passed another resolution asking that the Public Printer proceed to encourage the development of state plans for the Federal Depository Program, stating that, "such plans would provide a cost-effective means of enabling states to share the responsibility for the development of collections and the provision of services." The resolution further recommended a list of elements to be addressed in such plans and suggested that the state plan concept be publicized by disseminating material about such plans to the depository community and to the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA).

In his letter asking COSLA for assistance and cooperation in encouraging development of state plans, the Superintendent of Documents stated that the Government Printing Office is encouraging such plans "as a modern and potentially cost-saving means of improving public access to Government documents, in accordance with the intent of Title 44." COSLA took an active part in encouraging state libraries to designate contact persons in each state for development of these plans.

As of April 1982, thirty-five states had designated contact persons and two plans, from New Jersey and Missouri, had been drafted.

The major purposes of state plans are clearly stated in the above material quoted from Council’s resolutions, the Public Printer’s response to those resolutions, and the Superintendent’s letter to COSLA.

 

III. Planning Process in Maryland

Following the COSLA meeting, Assistant State Superintendent for Library Development and Services, Nettie Taylor, appointed Anne Shaw Burgan to act as state contact person and to head a Task Force made up of Maryland’s Federal Depository Librarian’s. It was their charge to develop a state plan for Federal Documents Depositories.

The Task Force met eight times over a two and a half year period. At the first meeting on September 14, 1982, it was decided that the Depository Libraries needed to be surveyed to determine their needs and goals. A subcommittee accepted the charge to develop a survey instrument (Appendix C) and during the winter months of 1983, the survey was sent out, returns tabulated, and the Recommendations (Appendix D) were presented at the Spring 1983 meeting.

The draft plan has been through at least three revisions. On March 12, 1984 the Task Force met with Jo Harrar, Director of Libraries at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Regional Depository. Because of the vital, central role the Regional Depository plays in the State Plan, the Task Force members felt it was essential to have an open discussion of the Draft Plan with Dr. Harrar, if the plan was to progress.

A final draft is to be presented to the Division of Library Development and Services and the State Advisory Council on Libraries for their approval and subsequently distributed to the Depositories for their Directors’ endorsement. The final step will be the presentation of the completed plan to the Maryland State Board of Education.

 

IV. Implementation

Upon approval of the plan, the Federal Depository Library Council is to be established, with appointments made by DLDS. It is this Council which will oversee and coordinate the activities of Maryland’s Federal Depository Libraries and promote the effective dissemination and use of Federal publications.

 

V. Maryland State Plan for Federal Depository Libraries

 

Six Goals
    1. Access
    2. Services
    3. Awareness
    4. Resource Sharing
    5. Leadership
    6. Coordination

 

Goal #1 – Access

Maryland residents shall be able to obtain U.S. Government information through the Federal Depository Library System.

Objectives
    1. The full content of all depository collections should be accessible to the general public.
    2. A directory and map of Maryland Federal Depository Libraries should be made available for free distribution to all Maryland libraries.
    3. Depository collections should be accessible during all hours the libraries are open.

 

Goal #2 – Services

Maryland residents shall receive service of high quality from government documents personnel.

Objectives
    1. Adequate funding should be available to support the obligations of the Depository Libraries.
    2. Regular budgeted, adequate professional support staff should be provided at the ratio of not less than one professional to one to two support staff.
    3. Depository libraries should fund the acquisitions of appropriate commercial indexing tools and should be encouraged to provide access to online databases.
    4. Documents staff members should be expected to attend workshops and training programs, and to participate actively in professional organizations.
    5. Depository librarians should consistently educate other library staff about the utility of government documents.

 

Goal #3 – Awareness

Maryland residents shall be made aware of the Federal Depository Library System and encouraged to use Federal documents.

Objectives
    1. Each Depository Library should publicize its collection to the local user committees.
    2. Each Depository Library should educate its patrons in the use of the collection.
    3. Depository librarians, in conjunction with the Regional Depository and the Federal Depository Library Council, should keep Maryland’s elected officials informed on the use, projects and needs of the Federal Depository Library System.

 

Goal #4 – Resource Sharing

Maryland residents shall be able to obtain U.S. government publications or facsimiles from any Maryland Federal Depository throughout the Maryland Inter-Library Organization (MILO).

Objectives
    1. Depository Libraries should add all of their U.S. Government serials holdings to the present Union list of Periodicals in Maryland (ULPM).
    2. Depository libraries shall be encouraged to add Government documents to OCLC, RLIN, and other databases, and to provide SuDocs numbers.
    3. Depository libraries should actively provide referral service to information sources outside the Federal Depository Library System.

 

Goal #5 – Leadership

The McKeldin Library of the University of Maryland, as the Regional Depository, shall provide leadership and service of high quality to Maryland’s selective Federal Depository Libraries.

Objectives
    1. As the only recipient in the State of all documents issued through the Federal Depository System, the Regional Depository should provide timely, efficient, and effective interlibrary loan (ILL) services. Adequate access by the Documents Department to OCLC and other databases is essential to provide these services.
    2. The Regional Library should conduct annual onsite visits to Maryland’s Selective Depositories, for consultation, problem solving and direction. In conjunction with these visits, the Regional Library should provide annual training sessions for Selective Depository staff members, or upon request.
    3. The Regional Depository should act as consultant to Selective Depositories. Currently this can be accomplished by credit card calls to the Regional Library.
    4. A feasibility study should be conducted to investigate the possibilities of electronic mail as a means of linking the Regional and Selective Depositories. (See Goal 6, Objective 2)
    5. The Regional Depository should publish and distribute a statewide needs and offers list, as needed.
    6. The Regional Depository should serve as the official liaison between the GPO and Maryland’s Selective Depositories.
    7. The Regional Depository should be the primary disseminator of information pertinent to Federal Depository Libraries and their collections. The vehicles for this dissemination could be existing newsletters, library networks, or the use of new technology.
    8. The Regional Depository should be provided with adequate funding, staff and space in order to fulfill the duties of the Regional Depository.

 

Goal #6 – Coordination

A Federal Depository Library Council shall be established to oversee and coordinate the activities of Maryland’s Federal Depository Libraries and promote the effective dissemination and use of Federal publications.

Objectives
    1. The Division of Library Development and Services (DLDS) of the Maryland State Department of Education should appoint a seven members council, whose membership shall include a Regional Depository representative, four members representing geographically dispersed Selective Depository Libraries, and two members from the general public. The President of the Government Documents Division of the Maryland Library Association and an appointed DLDS staff members should be ex-officio members of the Council.
    2. The Council should seek funding to conduct a feasibility study of the use of electronic mail as a means of linking the Regional and Selective Depositories.
    3. The Council should monitor Federal legislation affecting the Federal Depository System.

 

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