Federal Depository
Collection Development Policy

 

(Last revised on 2007-09-24)

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Monessen Public Library was designated a depository in 1969, and is currently in the 20th Congressional District.

We will provide to all patrons an ease of awareness of and access to Federal Government publications, in all media/formats in which they appear (paper, fiche, CD-ROM, DVD, Internet Web pages, etc.).  (“Free and unimpeded access”)

Community Analysis:

Monessen is an ex-steelmaking town, with a declining and aging blue-collar population (8,669 in 2000 Census).  The neighboring municipalities are similar in history (steel and coal), and condition.  Typical patrons using the library are students doing school reports, and elderly people reading best-selling novels.

Monessen also provides “District Center Services” to all of the public libraries in the Westmoreland and Fayette Counties: Interlibrary Loan; Computer/Software Technical Assistance; and, assistance in conforming to PA standards for library operation.  Fayette County is mostly farm land, and declining in population.  Westmoreland is mostly bedroom communities for the city of Pittsburgh, but still has some farm land.

SELECTION RESPONSIBILITY:

The Documents Librarian (currently Allen Feryok), (taking into consideration the recommendations and suggestions of the Director and Reference Desk Staff), is solely responsible.  He will attempt to annually review our subscription to items, prior to the Update Cycle.

SUBJECT AREAS AND COLLECTION ARRANGEMENT:

The following subject areas are to be supported at the basic level:

  1. Basic Legal Documents: Laws, Regulations, Court Decisions
  2. Census Data
  3. Statistics
  4. Community Economic Development
  5. Aging
  6. Health and Diseases
  7. Gardening and Agriculture

Arrange the bulk of the collection in SuDoc order. But, catalog in the main (Dewey) collection those items likely to be of interest to the public.

FORMATS:

Subscribe to all formats, but prefer Internet web pages and paper.  Paper: because our patrons prefer this format.  Internet: because they are convenient, need less clerical processing,
and are more easily added to our catalog.

SELECTION TOOLS:

  1. “Basic Collection” as defined in Fed Depository Library Manual, and Instructions to Depositories.
  2. “Suggested Core Collection” (Appendix A of the Federal Depository Library Manual).
  3. “Maps Available for Selection” (Appendix B of the Federal Depository Library Manual).
  4. Core Documents of US Democracy (web page accessible via GPO web page).
  5. Patron Requests for specific Titles.
  6. Patron Requests for specific Subjects.

NON-DEPOSITORY ITEMS:

Continue our subscription to DTTP (Documents to the People).

RESOURCE SHARING:

Refer patrons to California University, the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and Westmoreland County Community College (Youngwood).  Borrow and lend publications to and from any and all libraries via Interlibrary Loan (OCLC, Access-PA,
NetPAC).

COLLECTION EVALUATION:

Reference Desk Staff (and Interlibrary Loan Staff) will continue to inform the Documents Librarian of all uses and requests of Federal publications.  Perform “zero-based” reviews at the time of the “selection update cycle”.

WEEDING MAINTENANCE:

Continue to follow the procedures described in the “Instructions to Depository Libraries”, and the “Superceded List”.  Primary criteria for weeding (in addition to above):
 1: Use; 2: Currency.

If an item is part of the main collection, and is 5 or more years old, weed it if it has not been used in the past 5 years, otherwise keep it in the collection.

ACCESS:

Holdings information:

Keep holdings information for all materials in the MS Access databases. Keep these databases accessible from the Reference Desk, via a local network.
Keep basic legal sources, and less-used items, in a separate SuDoc-ordered collection.  Catalog/integrate popular items in the main collection (reference and circulating).

Availability of Expertise:

Documents Librarian is in the library forty hours a week.

Commercial indexes to documents:

None (no requests or apparent need).

Promotion:

  1. Signs in the doors, windows, and stacks stating that we are a Federal Depository.

  2. Articles in the local newspaper informing the public about our status, and/or about new publications.

  3. Instruction about the Documents Collection during tours for: the Friends (of the Library); the Elderly and Disabled living in high-rises, etc
    4.

SUBSTITUTING ELECTRONIC FOR TANGIBLE VERSIONS OF DEPOSITORY PUBS:

Since the population of the immediately served communities still prefers paper, we will substitute electronic versions only for publications that get little or no use.

Substituted:

  1. Congressional Record & Index: Infrequently used.

  2. Subject Bibliographies: Only the Internet version is currently available.

  3. Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents: Only the Internet version is currently available.

  4. Public Laws (Slip Laws): In 16 years, these have received very little use, and the Internet version is easily accessible, and very readable.

  5. Item Number 853 (Budget): Historical Tables, Budget System & Concepts, Appendix.
    6.

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