Library and Information Science Commons^™

Learning To Live Without A Statistical Abstract: Thinking About Future Access To Government Information, James T. Shaw

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Twenty-four years ago, in 1987, I made a presentation called “Basic Ready Reference: Documents that a Reference Librarian Cannot Live Without” at a meeting of the Iowa Library Association Government Documents Round Table. My top recommendation was the Statistical Abstract of the United States, that annual compendium of data so familiar and indispensible to American librarians everywhere. Twelve years ago, in 1999, I made a similar presentation at the NLA/NEMA Annual Conference, and again the Statistical Abstract took its place as the preeminent resource.

The title of my presentation today, “Learning to Live Without a Statistical Abstract,” signals …

The Status And Future Of Government Documents, James T. Shaw

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Depository libraries have traditionally enjoyed a pretty sweet deal—we receive free copies of documents in return for space, processing, and staff to help people use them. Depository libraries have served as key players in two areas of public policy: 1) public access to government information for the needs of today; and 2) widespread distribution of documents helps them survive to form a historical record.

The Next Generation Depository Library: Addressing Public Access To Goverment Publications In The Electronic Era, James T. Shaw, Both Goble

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

A presentation on depository libraries discussing public access to government publications, US documents (titles) received by Criss Library at UNO, determining is being a US Depository was still worth the effort, cataloging electronic documents to maintain local access, and electronic documents (titles) cataloged by Criss Library at UNO.

How To Be A Depository Library Without Being A Depository Library: Adding Records For Electronic Government Documents To The Library Catalog, James T. Shaw

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Judith Russell, the Superintendent of Documents of the U.S. Government Printing Office, remarked at the ACRL National Conference in March 2005:

"With 95% of the new titles added to the Federal Depository Library Program available online, every library now has the ability to access a wide array of government information for its patrons at no charge. Understanding what is already available--and what is coming soon--can help each library plan for the integration of electronic government information into its reference and public services" (Assuring Access).

Electronic distribution of government documents has opened more avenues for access to government information, but libraries …

Promoting Government Information: Outreach To Non-Depository Libraries, James T. Shaw

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Some of you may recall that at last year's Fall FDLP Conference, Professor Charles Seavey (University of Missouri, School of Information Science and Learning Technologies) participated in a panel presentation about the future of depository libraries, and he remarked that "any library can be a depository." In the August 2005 issue of American Libraries, Professor Seavey elaborated on his idea in an article entitled, "Documents to the People: Musings on the Past and Future of Government Information." At some risk of oversimplification, his primary point is that the era of electronic access presents a new opportunity for any library …