A cost analysis study of the Association of Research Libraries' member institutions who have depository status was conducted in order to evaluate the benefits received from the federal depository system. Information received from a small sample of the member libraries provides the basis for discussion of costs and benefits. Cost factors considered…

The findings of a survey of depository librarians' involvement in and training in the use of online database searching, access to online terminals, and acquisition of microformatted government publications online are presented and discussed. Recommendations are made for increasing such involvement, and a 26-item bibliography is included. (CHC)

Based on the responses of 77 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries to a December 1986 survey of 106 ARL libraries (a 73% response rate), this report profiles the current state of bibliographic access to federal publications. Following a brief discussion of survey background and methodology, a summary of survey results indicates…

Intended to be a comprehensive analysis of the use of government documents at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), this project was designed in particular to ascertain to what degree provision of full bibliographic control at UIUC facilitates documents use. A point-of-exit questionnaire was used to determine user status,…

Reports results of unobtrusive testing of reference service (asking reference questions of library staff who are unaware of being evaluated) in government documents and central reference areas of 26 U.S. libraries. Accuracy of answers, interview and search process duration, referral, and use of catalog and technology are highlighted. (12…

Highlights data from unobtrusive exploratory study related to referral process of reference questions posed at academic depository libraries. Related literature is reviewed, followed by discussions of assumptions related to referral process, implications of study findings, recommendations to improve quality of referral services, and research…

Fifty small academic libraries not housing federal depositories were surveyed to determine how well they can meet user needs for federal documents. Results indicate that most cannot provide access to documents equal to that offered by even small depositories. The questionnaire, a summary of responses, and five references are provided. (Author/RBF)

Bivariate correlation analysis of data collected in a survey of document departments in 88 academic depository libraries on departmental staffing, budget, equipment, and types of publications shows no significant correlation between resources available to documents departments and those of the entire library. Fourteen references and the…

Reviews the literature of government document use from mid-1977 through December 1989. The literature is identified and analyzed in terms of 6 library surveys, 3 citation studies, and 13 user surveys. Research findings indicate that social scientists are the heaviest users of documents. (Author/MAB)

In May 1982 a questionnaire eliciting information about federal document needs and the experiences of librarians in libraries that are not depositories was mailed to more than 150 libraries in the Western New York region. Replies were received from 57 libraries: approximately 20% from college libraries; 50% from public libraries; and 30% from…

Explores both the allocation of resources to documents departments in academic libraries and the wide variation in local levels of support. Ways in which documents librarians may change levels of support through sources within and beyond their libraries are suggested. (CLB)

Information is provided on 217 public libraries, 65 academic libraries, and 164 special libraries in Oregon, as well as the Oregon State Library. Information is compiled from questionnaires completed by each library and other directory information sources. Data elements are based on those used in the Federal State Cooperative System for Public…

Describes a survey which examined local government documentation in academic and public libraries of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The results, which provide current data on document management and maintenance practices, are compared with the results of four previous studies. (Author/CLB)