The purpose of this document is to clarify the government documents collection development objectives; to assign responsibility for the development of the collection; to describe methods by which the collection is developed; to provide general guidelines by which GPO item numbers are selected or rejected; to provide guidelines for the purchase of materials; and to indicate the role of resource sharing.

INTRODUCTION

The Government Documents Department is a unit of the Collections and Technical Services Department of the BGSU University Libraries. The unit is housed on the first floor of Jerome Library. Selection, acquisitions, evaluation, and maintenance of the collection are the responsibilities of the Documents Librarian. The Librarian will consult with the subject librarians and the university faculty in an effort to develop a collection that meets the curricular and research needs of the university and the informational needs of the Congressional communities.

Bowling Green State University became a federal depository [Depository 476] in 1933. We currently select 60.5% of the offered items, receiving approximately 400 tangible documents each month. Our collection of 700,000 publications is rich in historical and current material. We hold the Census of Population reports from 1790 to present, the Foreign Relations of the United States, the U.S. Treaties, the U.S. Congressional Serial Set, and many other important historical primary research sets. We emphasize collection in agriculture, business, civil rights, economics, education, environment, geology, health and welfare, housing, justice, labor, law, NASA, presidential materials, regulations, small business, Smithsonian, State Department, and transportation. Additionally we select all congressional materials: hearings, reports, documents, floor debates, and studies.

The department became an Ohio depository in 1953 and receives all agency publications distributed through the state depository program. Our state collection numbers about 20,000.

Bowling Green State University serves the Fifth Congressional District in Ohio. In 1990 changes in the congressional district boundaries incorporated the depository into the Ninth Congressional District. In 2000 boundary changes moved us back into the Fifth District. Due to our historic ties to the Fifth District and recent obligations to the Ninth, we currently serve both districts.

In 1999 BGSU was designated one of the two Canadian Depositories located in Ohio. We review a checklist of publications weekly and select approximately 3-10 documents per week. We focus on the following topics: Aboriginals, business, Great Lakes, education, health, and environment. Currently we hold over 3,000 documents issued by Canadian agencies.

The collection development policy outlined below is based on an analysis of user needs and on guidelines that have been established by the University Libraries.

PHILOSOPHY

The Government Documents Department's primary function is to provide the informational material needed to support the University's basic responsibilities of teaching, research, continuing education, and public service. General collection development principles and guidelines will be based on regulations and suggestions as set forth in five relevant publications:

1. Guidelines for the Depository Library System
2. Instructions for Depository Libraries
3. Federal Depository Library Manual
4. Ohio State Plan for Federal Documents
5. Depository Services Program (Canada)

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

1. Goal: To identify and select materials relevant to the collection:
   1. Objective: To select an item profile that meets the needs of the user community and to review and revise the profile annually.
      
      
   2. Objective: To assure input from the faculty through departmental library representatives.
      
      
   3. Objective: To assure input from the public through publicizing the collection and adding items which are requested.
      
      
2. Goal: To identify and replace missing or damaged material.
   1. Objective: To search missing documents and replace those which cannot be located.
      
      
   2. Objective: To maintain a file of missing or damaged material and check them against the Needs and Offers Lists.
      
      
3. Goal: To evaluate the collection in an ongoing, timely manner.
   1. Objective: To discard outdated and superseded material.
      
      
   2. Objective: To identify weaknesses in the collection through collection guides and bibliographies.

SELECTION OF MATERIAL

1. Depository items will be selected according to the following criteria:
   1. The library has sufficient space, personnel resources, and supporting equipment to process, store, retrieve, and use materials.
      
      
   2. There is a demonstrated or anticipated need for the information contained in the material.
      
      
2. Collection development will be done in conjunction with the three other area depositories: University of Toledo, University of Toledo Law Library, and Toledo-Lucas County Public Library. Documents Data Miner II (DDMII) will be utilized to insure maximum area access to publications while avoiding needless duplication.
   
   
3. The Government Documents Department of Jerome Library will consider for selection the following subject areas:

    

   Applied statistics and operations research	Educational psychology	Mental retardation
   Art	Ethnic studies	Meteorology and climatology
   Archeology	Environmental science and studies	Military science
   Adolescent and young adult development	Family studies	Nutrition and food science
   Agriculture	Finance	Ohio
   American history	Geography	Penology
   Anthropology	Geology	Performing arts
   Banking	Gerontology	Physical education
   Biological sciences	Great Lakes	Physics
   Bowling Green (City)	Health education	Political science
   Broadcast law	Higher education	Population studies
   Business administration	History	Psychology
   Business education	Home economics	Public Administration
   Career information	Hotel and restaurant management	Public finance
   Cartography	Human growth and development	Public relations
   Chemistry	Indians of North America	Public welfare
   Child development	Instruction technology	Race relation
   City planning	International relations	Reading
   Cognition and learning styles	International business	Recreation
   Collective bargaining	International trade	Rehabilitation counseling
   Communication and speech disorders	Labor economics	Retailing
   Computer science	Latin American history	School law
   Congressional information	Learning disabilities	Small business
   Constitutional history and administration	Local government	Social psychology
   Consumer information	Management	Social work
   Counseling	Marketing	Sociology
   Criminal justice	Mass communications	Special education
   Demography	Mathematics	Technology
   Economics	Medicine and health	Textiles
   Education	Mental health	Women's studies

    

4. Level of collecting
   1. For those subjects or disciplines offering bachelor’s degrees, the "initial study level" will be used.
      
      
   2. For subjects which grant master's degrees, the "advanced study level" will be used.
      
      
   3. For subjects or disciplines which grant the Ph. D., the "research level" will be applied.
      
      
   4. For subjects or disciplines in which no degree is granted, the "basic level" will be applied.
      
      
5. General selection criteria
   1. Older editions: generally only the latest edition of a work will be kept. The List of Superseded Items will be consulted as well as agency recommendations.
      
      
   2. Duplicates: a title may be duplicated if demand is unusually heavy or is require in another department or unit.
      
      
   3. Physical format: when there is a choice, the paper edition is preferred; however, space constraints will be considered. With the advent of electronic formats, CD-ROM, floppy disk, and online services will be considered. User need and the ability of the Library to support these resources and provide access will be of primary concern in determining format.
      
      
6. Locations of government documents
   1. Government documents stacks: the main collection will be housed in the government documents stacks on the first floor of Jerome Library: catalog records will be maintained for all documents. Historical documents are gradually being added to the online catalog. Those housed in other locations will be so indicated in the records.
      
      
   2. Government documents reference stacks (first floor, next to the Documents Office): the Head of Documents and the Coordinator of Reference will determine the appropriate titles to be shelved in this area. Documents titles will remain classed in the SuDocs system and commercial publications will be classed in LC.
      
      
   3. Government Documents Reference (Area 17): The Monthly Catalog, GPO Subject Bibliographies, Government Documents CD-ROMs, and several commercial indexes, including the Federal Documents Index and the CIS Serial Set Index will be stored in this area. Documents titles will remain classed in the federal, Ohio, or Canadian classification system and commercial publications will be classed in LC.
      
      
   4. Government Documents Ready Reference (at the Reference Desk): the Head of Documents and the Reference Coordinator will determine which titles are in high demand and of a ready reference nature to be kept here. Materials will remain classed in the SuDocs system.
      
      
   5. Government Documents Index Shelves: several commercial indexes such as American Statistical Index and Congressional Services Index will be housed here.
      
      
   6. Government Documents Microforms Area: All government documents in microfiche format will be filed in cabinets outside and along the south wall of the government documents office. Materials will remain classed in the SuDocs system.
      
      
   7. Main Library Periodicals Area: the Documents Head and the Coordinator of Serials will determine which government documents are periodicals to be housed in this area. Volumes will be shelved by title only. The Documents Unit will maintain a record of those titles which are located here.
      
      
   8. Science Documents Stacks: All documents published by the U. S. Geological Survey that are selected by the Documents Librarian (SuDocs number: I 19); all Ohio Geological Survey (Ohio class number: ONR 84); and most of the National Library of Medicine documents (SuDocs number: HE20.3600) shall be housed in the documents stacks area in Ogg Science Library. Materials will remain classed in the SuDocs system. Exception: Microforms are now housed in Jerome Library.
      
      
   9. Science Library Periodicals Area: the Documents Head and the Science Bibliographers will determine which government documents are periodicals to be housed in this area. Volumes will be shelved by title only. The Documents Unit will maintain a record of those titles which are located here.
      
      
   10. Government maps will be stored in map cases in the Documents Area and topographic maps will be housed in the Science Library. The Documents Librarian will maintain a record of those titles which are located here.
       
       
   11. Other special Locations: the Documents Head will review documents titles which may serve patron needs better in a special collection. Such locations include Curriculum Library, Great Lakes Research Center, Popular Culture Library, and Music Library. Transfer of affected titles will occur after consultation with the Heads of the Special Collections. The Documents Unit will maintain a record of those titles which are located in special collections.
       
       
   12. Northwest Regional Book Depository: the Documents Head will determine which materials (low use, older volumes) will be housed in this new facility. All materials sent to NWRBD will be electronically cataloged and fully retrievable within 24 hours for patrons requesting them.

INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM

The Documents Department is committed to the goal of making diverse viewpoints fully and freely available without restriction. Material will not be excluded because of the social, political, or religious views they express.

CLIENTELE

The Documents Department will serve the students, faculty, and staff of Bowling Green State University and citizens the Ninth and Fifth Congressional Districts. Reference service, access to the collection, and permission to check out materials will be granted to both the academic and the Congressional communities.

LIMITATIONS

1. Degree programs, areas of study, and community needs will determine the depth of the collection as well as acquisition efforts.
   
   
2. Generally, only English-language publications will be selected. Exception shall be made for significant titles in French, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian, and Japanese in subject areas in which there exists an advanced degree program or research being conducted by faculty.
   
   

ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS OUTSIDE THE COLLECTION

1. The Documents Head will assist users to identify, locate, and request via OCLC Interlibrary Loan service or via OhioLink materials not available in the BGSU Libraries.
   
   
2. The Documents Department will provide documents titles indexed in CIS indexes through Documents on Demand if they are not available through interlibrary loan. The Documents Department will also provide documents titles through the GPO Depository Account or through agency request if they are not available by other means.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The Documents Department will keep circulation information and reference questions confidential.

GIFTS

1. Gifts of library materials are accepted by the Documents Department on the understanding that there are no conditions attached to their disposition. Only materials which prove to be in good physical condition and conform to the collection goals, guidelines, and policies will be added to the collection. All others are to be discarded.
   
   
2. Gifts are acknowledged by the Library; however, the appraisal of gifts for tax purposes is the responsibility of the donor.

EVALUATION

1. The general collection will be reviewed by the Documents Librarian on a periodic basis, following the schedule set up by the State Regional Librarian.
   
   
2. Materials are to be withdrawn from the collection in order to maintain a current, active, and useful collection that reflects the goals of the Documents Department. All withdrawals (unless listed in the List of Superseded Items) will be listed and permission to withdraw sought from the Regional Library according to instructions.
   
   
3. The following criteria will be applied in the consideration of whether to withdraw a title:
   1. All superseded editions become candidates for withdrawal. Decisions to withdraw or replace are made on a title-by-title basis by the Documents Librarian, with reference to the List of Superseded Items.
      
      
   2. All damaged, lost, or long-overdue (at least two years) materials which are five years old are candidates for withdrawal. Materials that are not five years old may be replaced after reviewing OhioLINK holdings. Decisions to replace titles are made on a title-by-title basis by the Documents Head.

MAINTENANCE

Depository publications will be bound according to the same standards and criteria as other library materials.

1. Most periodicals and heavily used materials will be bound on a regular basis.
   
   
2. All damaged materials will be repaired if possible or else replaced. Exceptions to this are materials that the Documents Librarian deems suitable for disposal.

COLLECTION SUPPORT

To the maximum extent permitted by available funds, the Library will purchase commercial indexes and reference works to increase access to the collection. All patrons will be given the greatest possible assistance in locating government information and specific government publications.

policy revised 6/06