Kathleen M. Heim

Patterns of access and circulation in a depository document collection under full bibliographic control

Abstract A study of federal depository documents circulation was undertaken at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a library with a recently centralized SuDocs collection, most of which is fully cataloged. The study consisted of two parts: In the first phase, a survey was administered to users who circulated documents during a 2 1 2 -month period in the spring of 1983. The second phase involved the analysis of actual machine-generated circulation records for documents during the survey period. Data are presented on documents users, their reasons for using documents and the means they employed to identify relevant materials. Findings indicate that the publications of the various agencies are circulated in rough proportion to their numbers in the collection, and that a sizable percentage of users relies on bibliographic records in the card catalog or in the online circulation system to identify documents of interest. Cataloging depository items appears likely to facilitate their use by undergraduates, the largest segment of the university user population. It is also shown that the level of use of recent federal government publications is not dramatically different from the level of use for other research materials. Suggestions are made for future research on the impact on documents use of an online public catalog with highly flexible access capabilities.

National information policy and a mandate for oversight by the information professions

Abstract The responsibility of the information professions to understand the changing infrastructure of information generation, dissemination, and access is delineated. Geopolitical considerations, including perceived cultural imperialism and the economics of information, are outlined with special focus on telecommunications, transborder data flow, and technology transfer. Domestic U.S. information policy is summarized from three viewpoints: information generation, information sector growth, and information access. Finally, a mandate is given for the information professions to establish a formal oversight agency on matters of information policy.

Dimensions of Faculty Public Service: A Policy Science Approach to Questions of Information Provision.

Research is accepted as a primary activity of library and information science faculties but the link between research and public policy is underdeveloped. In this light association activity largely fails to fulfill public service responsibility. The need for a qualitatively different approach to faculty public service along the lines of the policy sciences is proposed and barriers that may affect realization of this approach are identified. Escalating concerns that cluster around information policy are seen as catalysts for the identification of policy-relevant public service as a replacement for aimless professional association participation.

Articulating a compelling reason to take action

Abstract In Rethinking the Library in the Information Age, Louis Vagianos and Barry Lesser discuss information policy issues. They note two conclusions: 1) There is an immediate and compelling need to find an appropriate definition of the information sector and appropriate methods for measuring the size and performance of this sector, and 2) There is a need for an in-depth review of information law, legislation, regulations, functions, and agencies of government.1 These observations appearing in the second volume of the U.S. Department of Educations OERI Library Programs project, Issues in Library Research: Proposals for the Nineties, underscore the importance of the OTA report, Informing the Nation.

Attitudinal and operational considerations for education in the provision of government information

Abstract Five goals and suggested objectives are presented for the education of government information professionals. These goals are the development of political awareness, skill in identifying sources, ability to elicit information, capacity to convey information, and commitment to disseminate information with an advocacy stance. It is the responsibility of library and information science educators to foster the development of technical skills as well as attitudes of concern for the social good.