Depository Library Public Service Guidelines for Government Information in Electronic Formats

Background

The Law Library is a designated selected federal Regional Depository Library and is obligated by law to provide public access to depository items, including electronic government information products.

At the federal level, the United States Public Printer has approved public use guidelines with respect to electronic formats, which fit within the statutory framework of Title 44 U.S. Code. Depository libraries have a statutory obligation under section 1911 to make paper and microform publications "available for the free use of the general public." The General Counsel to the Public Printer states that "any library selecting items in electronic formats must maintain a capability to allow for unimpeded use of those documents by its public patrons."

At the local level, the University of California, Berkeley has a series of acceptable use policies for all users of campus technology resources.

The Depository Library Public Service Guidelines are outlined below.

Guidelines

• The Law Library provides access for students, faculty and staff of the University of California, Berkeley and the general public to workstations supporting depository CD-ROMs, diskettes, and Internet resources, equal to or exceeding services provided for other library materials. This information is provided free of fees or other restrictions however, use of the workstations is subject to the campus's overall acceptable use policy.
• In the provision of access, the Law Library takes into consideration Recommended Specifications for Public Access Workstations in Federal Depository Libraries when making decisions about computer equipment.
• The Law Library makes tangible electronic products and services (CD-ROMs, diskettes) available for use in a timely manner. Where a product is not currently loaded and/or supported on a workstation, access is provided by making prior arrangements with the library in order to disable various security features on the public workstations.
• Circulation of selected CD-ROMs and diskettes is permitted under the same circulation policies as other materials -
• The Law Library facilitates access to government information through LawCat - the online catalog - and from the government documents and federal resources sections of the library's web page. This includes but is not limited to GPO Access and the FDLP (Federal Depository Library Program) Electronic Collection.
• The Law Library allows users to download or print electronic government information, and provides telnet, ftp, fax and e-mail capabilities for the delivery of government information to distance users, in accordance with GPO requirements and guidelines.
• The Law Library encourages patrons to download electronic government information to portable disk formats. Due to security considerations provision of disk space on public workstations is not possible. Limits to or costs associated with printing, downloading, or faxing are consistent with other public service provisions within the library.
• The Law Library provides extensive reference service and assistance in person and via the telephone. This includes locating information at other libraries if unavailable at the law library.