Depository Libraries in Maryland
State Plan Survey

Library Name:

Depository Library Number:

Person Completing Questionnaire:

Percentage of Item Numbers Selected:

100%

75-99%

50-74%

25-49%

10-24%

5-9%

1-4%

STAFFING AND HOURS

  1. Describe the administrative organization of the government documents collection:
  2. Separate government documents department/division reporting to [ ].

    Not a separate department/division but part of [ ]. 

  3. Indicate the number of library staff directly assigned to government documents:
  4. [ ] Librarians [ ] FTE
    [ ] Paraprofessionals [ ] FTE
    [ ] Clerks [ ] FTE
    [ ] Students [ ] FTE
      [ ] Total FTE
    If any person indicated above does not spend 100% of his or her time with government documents, indicate for each category the FTE of staff time spent on the collection. For example, 2 half-time clerks would equal one FTE.

  5. During usual weeks, how many hours per week is the library open?
  6. The following questions refer to the total hours per week the library is open:

    During how many of these hours is a reference librarian on duty?

    How many of these hours are weekend (Sat. and Sun.) hours?

    How many of these hours are weekday evening (after 5 p.m.) hours?

    Is the documents collection available to patrons during all hours the library is open?

    If no, how many hours per week is the collection available?

    The following questions refer to the total hours per week the documents collection is available.

    During how many of these hours is a librarian (rather than, e.g., a student assistant) on duty to service the collection?

    How many of these hours are weekend hours?

    How many of these hours are weekend evening hours?

     
     

BIBLIOGRAPHIC ACCESS 

  1. Do you use a bibliographic utility in your library?
  2. If yes, which one?

    OCLC

    RLIN

    Other 

  3. Do you use OCLC, RLIN or another bibliographic utility in connection with government documents?
  4. If yes, do you use it for:

    Reference

    Interlibrary Loan

    Cataloging

    Checking in documents 

  5. Which of the following commercial indexes does your library currently own? Which ones do you think ideally belong in every depository library? Please add the names of other commercially-produced indexes or tools you feel are necessary in every depository library.
  6. Index
    Own
    Belongs in Depository
    CIS Index    
    American Statistics Index (ASI)    
    Statistical Reference Index (SRI)    
    U.S. Serial Set Index (CIS)    
    Index to U.S. Government Periodicals    
    U.S. Congressional Committee Hearings Index (CIS)    
    Cumulative Subject Index to the Monthly Catalog 1900-71 (Carrollton Press)    
    Cumulative Title Index to U.S. Public Documents 1789-1976 (U.S. Historical Documents Inst.)    
    Others:    
     
  7. Is your library part of a document delivery system?
  8. If yes, which one?

    Milo

    Other 

  9. Does your library have telefacsimile capability?

  10. Does your library have access to online databases?
  11. [ ] yes, in our library

    [ ] yes, through cooperation with another department

    [ ] no

    If yes, which vendors?

    BRS

    SDC/Orbit

    Lockheed Dialog

    Other 

  12. Is the librarian who works most closely with government documents trained to do online searching?

  13. Does your library charge a fee for online searching?
  14. If yes, how much?

     
     

BUDGET
  1. Do government documents have a separate line allotted to them in the library's budget (not including salaries)?
  2. If yes, is the allotment:

    More than $50,000

    $25,000-$50,000

    $10,000-$25,000

    $5,000-$10,000

    $1,000-$5,000

    $500-$1,000

    Less than $500 

  3. Is money available for buying commercially produced documents, tools and indexes?

  4. Is money available for replacing lost or damaged documents, and for buying other additional documents as needed?

  5. Is money available for binding government documents?

  6. Is money available for staff participation in documents workshops and professional meetings?
  7.  
     

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
  1. What are the undergraduate major and, if applicable, minor of the librarian working most closely with government documents?

  2. Does the librarian working most closely with government documents have a second master's degree other than one in library science, or is the librarian now working towards such a degree?
  3. If yes, what is the subject of the degree? 

  4. Has the librarian working most closely with government documents had courses (not including workshops) devoted specifically to government documents?

  5. Have documents staff members ever attended the GPO workshop for depository librarians?

  6. Have documents staff members attended one or more seminars or workshops on government documents within the past two years?

  7. Have government documents staff ever attended meetings of the Depository Library Council?

  8. Is release time for attendance at such seminars, workshops, or meetings provided by the library's administration?

  9. To which professional organizations does the librarian working most closely with government documents belong?
  10. ALA

    GODORT

    MLA

    MLA Government Documents Division

    Other 

  11. Does the library have institutional membership in any of these organizations?
  12. ALA

    GODORT

    MLA

    Other

     
     

PROMOTION OF GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE INSTITUTION
  1. Do you feel that you have a good working relationship with the director of your library, one which would allow you to present your ideas to him or her about the documents collection at any time and expect them to get just consideration?
  2. Comments: 

  3. Do you feel the director of your library is supportive of the documents collection and aware of its value?
  4. Comments: 

  5. Do you think the reference staff is aware of and make use of the documents collection?

  6. Do the reference librarians point people toward the collection as a matter of practice?
  7. Comments: 

  8. Below are some ideas for promotion of government documents. Indicate if these are utilized in your library or if they should be undertaken. Add others that you currently utilize or would like to utilize.
  9. Promotion
    Actually Done
    Should Be Done
    Not Relevant
    GENERAL
    Regular displays of new documents      
    Bulletin board reserved for documents      
    "Browsing Corner" for documents      
    Pamphlets/handouts on how to use documents      
    Indicate availability of documents on library directory      
    Announcement of new publications in institution's newsletter or college newspaper      
    Postcards available for patron mailing to obtain U.S. Government Books or New Books      
    Keep Congressman/Senator posted on usage and reaction of public to depository      
    Slide/tape program on documents collection      
    Current awareness newsletter for users      
    Listed in Yellow Pages of phone book      
    Other general methods:         
    LIBRARY STAFF
    Notify entire library staff of new documents      
    Inservice workshop on documents for staff      
    Other methods for staff:         
    LOCAL COMMUNITY
    Make brochures and handouts available to other libraries      
    Arrange workshops for small businesses in areas      
    Involve local institutions, i.e. museums or hospitals, in selecting documents      
    Select item numbers of specific value to local businesses, organizations or institutions      
    For academic libraries: select item numbers not specifically for curriculum needs but of community interest      
    Other methods for local community:         
    ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: STUDENTS
    Orientation on documents as a separate activity      
    Orientation as part of freshman orientation      
    Library instruction on request of faculty      
    Student library handbook devoted to government documents      
    Section on documents in general student library handbook      
    Self-instructional package on how to use documents      
    Other methods for academic students:         
    ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION
    Orientation of new faculty to government documents collection      
    Faculty library handbook on government documents      
    Government documents section in general faculty library handbook      
    Route selected new government documents      
    Profile of faculty/administrator's interests matched to government documents subjects      
    Route new item cards for selection recommendation      
    Route U.S. Government Books and New Books with holdings indicated      
    Other methods for academic faculty/administrators:         
     
  10. Are the above practices which are actually used to promote government documents in your library less than, more than, or about the same as the promotional practices used in other departments of the library?
 

Return to Maryland State Plan