About the Directed Fieldwork
This website chronicles the work I completed during my Spring 2011 quarter as a directed fieldwork student for the Government Printing Office (GPO). This project was a virtual practicum undertaken with the direction of the Director of Collections Management and Preservation, and a Library Services and Content Management Planning Specialist at the GPO in Washington, DC.
During the course of this work I conducted informational interviews with government documents librarians, directors of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) at GPO, and librarians from various departments within UW libraries.
The purpose of this directed fieldwork is to obtain information about the FDLP and publications distributed to Federal Depository Libraries. The project included research into the dates of distribution, processes associated with receipt of material in Federal Depository Libraries (FDLs) prior to 1976, and analysis and review of fugitive documents in the University of Washington libraries that may not have been disseminated to other libraries in the FDLP. The goal is to provide information and assistance in identifying gaps in the collection to assist in the development of a process for expanding the national inventory of bibliographic records for depository publications in the Catalog of US Government Publications.
The final submission for this directed fieldwork was two reports provided to my advisers at GPO. The first document is an overview description of the distribution, cataloging procedures, and handling of government documents within the University of Washington libraries system. The second was an instruction manual describing suggestions for where a future directed fieldwork student would start with a research project to identify fugitive documents in other library collections. The purpose of my project was to take a wide sample of the UW collections and provide overview information to the GPO to help them formulate a program for evaluating collections in search of fugitive documents.
During the course of this work I conducted informational interviews with government documents librarians, directors of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) at GPO, and librarians from various departments within UW libraries.
The purpose of this directed fieldwork is to obtain information about the FDLP and publications distributed to Federal Depository Libraries. The project included research into the dates of distribution, processes associated with receipt of material in Federal Depository Libraries (FDLs) prior to 1976, and analysis and review of fugitive documents in the University of Washington libraries that may not have been disseminated to other libraries in the FDLP. The goal is to provide information and assistance in identifying gaps in the collection to assist in the development of a process for expanding the national inventory of bibliographic records for depository publications in the Catalog of US Government Publications.
The final submission for this directed fieldwork was two reports provided to my advisers at GPO. The first document is an overview description of the distribution, cataloging procedures, and handling of government documents within the University of Washington libraries system. The second was an instruction manual describing suggestions for where a future directed fieldwork student would start with a research project to identify fugitive documents in other library collections. The purpose of my project was to take a wide sample of the UW collections and provide overview information to the GPO to help them formulate a program for evaluating collections in search of fugitive documents.
About the Federal Depository Library Program
"The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) was established by
Congress to ensure the American public has access to a certain level of government information. Since 1813, depository libraries have
safeguarded the public's right to access by collecting, organizing,
maintaining, preserving, and assisting users with information from the federal government. The FDLP provides government information at no cost
to designated depository libraries throughout the country and
territories. These depository libraries, in turn, provide local, no-fee
access to government information in an impartial environment with
professional assistance.
As institutions committed to equity of access and dedicated to free and unrestricted public use, the nation's nearly 1,250 depository libraries serve as one of the vital links between "We the people" and our Government. Anyone can visit federal depository libraries and use the federal depository collections which are filled with information on careers, business opportunities, consumer information, health and nutrition, legal and regulatory information, demographics, and numerous other subjects.
The Depository Library Council (DLC) to the Public Printer was established in 1972 to provide advice on policy matters relating to the FDLP. The primary focus of the DLC's work is to advise the Public Printer, the Superintendent of Documents, and appropriate members of GPO staff on practical options for the efficient management and operation of the FDLP.
The authority for the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and the legal obligations of designated Federal depository libraries are found in 44 United States Code §§1901‐1616."
- Taken from the FDLP Desktop Website
As institutions committed to equity of access and dedicated to free and unrestricted public use, the nation's nearly 1,250 depository libraries serve as one of the vital links between "We the people" and our Government. Anyone can visit federal depository libraries and use the federal depository collections which are filled with information on careers, business opportunities, consumer information, health and nutrition, legal and regulatory information, demographics, and numerous other subjects.
The Depository Library Council (DLC) to the Public Printer was established in 1972 to provide advice on policy matters relating to the FDLP. The primary focus of the DLC's work is to advise the Public Printer, the Superintendent of Documents, and appropriate members of GPO staff on practical options for the efficient management and operation of the FDLP.
The authority for the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and the legal obligations of designated Federal depository libraries are found in 44 United States Code §§1901‐1616."
- Taken from the FDLP Desktop Website