Interview with Federal Depository Library Program Coordinators
On March 18th I interviewed Kathryn Bayer, Mark Ames, and Kristina Bobe about the relationship between the Government Printing Office (GPO) Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and the Federal Depository Libraries (FDLs). During our conversation I learned some valuable information about the current state of the FDLP, and received some great tips on where to direct my research.
At its peak there were 1,350 Federal Depository Libraries. Currently there are about 1,220 regional and 'selective' depository libraries in the United States. The GPO has made progress in reaching out to the coordinators of these collections to try and provide assistance, guidance, and direction in the management of these vital public resources of information. Considering the number of libraries and the usual turnover of the positions, the GPO works to welcome each new curator with an email and encourage them to reach out to local contacts at selective and regional depositories in their area for questions and support. The GPO provides training opportunities through its Federal Depository Library Program Desktop. The GPO offers training sessions through a summer seminar, the Interagency Depository Seminar held in Washington, DC, considered a 'boot camp' for Government Documents Librarians.
The trend in many libraries is to split the responsibilities of managing these collections among staff that hold many roles. Reference services librarians may find they are thrust into the position of coordinating the collection, librarians may shift departments, and many staff may share the responsibility of selecting, receiving, and managing these collections. As the role of Government Documents Librarian changes, so does the amount of training each coordinator will have or has access to upon becoming responsible for these collections. The GPO FDLP coordinators are working to provide resources to these librarians, and to foster community among government documents librarians to ensure there is adequate access to the resources needed by these librarians to maintain these collections.
At its peak there were 1,350 Federal Depository Libraries. Currently there are about 1,220 regional and 'selective' depository libraries in the United States. The GPO has made progress in reaching out to the coordinators of these collections to try and provide assistance, guidance, and direction in the management of these vital public resources of information. Considering the number of libraries and the usual turnover of the positions, the GPO works to welcome each new curator with an email and encourage them to reach out to local contacts at selective and regional depositories in their area for questions and support. The GPO provides training opportunities through its Federal Depository Library Program Desktop. The GPO offers training sessions through a summer seminar, the Interagency Depository Seminar held in Washington, DC, considered a 'boot camp' for Government Documents Librarians.
The trend in many libraries is to split the responsibilities of managing these collections among staff that hold many roles. Reference services librarians may find they are thrust into the position of coordinating the collection, librarians may shift departments, and many staff may share the responsibility of selecting, receiving, and managing these collections. As the role of Government Documents Librarian changes, so does the amount of training each coordinator will have or has access to upon becoming responsible for these collections. The GPO FDLP coordinators are working to provide resources to these librarians, and to foster community among government documents librarians to ensure there is adequate access to the resources needed by these librarians to maintain these collections.