The breakdown of participation in the depository program is 50% general academic libraries (of which SLC Library is one), 20% public libraries, and 11% academic law libraries. Other depositories are in community colleges, state and special libraries, and Federal and State court and agency libraries.
The The United States Code outlines the role of public printing and documentation, and section 1903 specifically requires that all government publications of public interest and educational value, except those classified for national security, are made available to depository libraries.The United states Code outlines the role of public printing and documentation, and section 1903 specifically requires that all government publications of public interest and educational value, except those classified for national security, are made available to depository libraries.
The Esther Raushenbush Library of Sarah Lawrence College was designated a selective depository of U.S. government information in May, 1969. Currently 1841 items are chosen from those available, and this reflects a selection rate of 18%. Areas of emphasis include census statistics, health, education, labor, foreign affairs, women’s studies and Congressional hearings. The collection is housed on the lower level of the main library and is arranged by the Superintendent of Documents Classification System, but more than 20% of items received through the program have been integrated into the library's general collections; generally, most of the items do circulate. The staff regularly creates displays that promote the program, most recently “A Bridge (NOT) Too Far” about the reconstruction of the Tappan Zee Bridge between Westchester and Rockland Counties in New York. Featured are the Federal Government websites used to provide background for research in the ecology, culture, and history of the Hudson River.
Although the Library prefers to collect publications in electronic and print form, appropriate selection is made regardless of format, see our Collection Development Policy for more detail. Readers and printers for microfiche documents are available on the main floor, and computer workstations on site are capable of providing access to on-line files and databases, CD-ROMS, and to the Internet.
The FDLP Basic Collection was developed in 1977 to identify the fundamental documents for inclusion in depository collections, and all depositories are expected to have these titles available for their patrons; therefore, access to these basic documents is highlighted in our catalog. In addition, our catalog also includes all the relevant entries from the Essential Titles a list of items that the government considers important reference publications for libraries and the public.
FDsys, GPO’s Federal Digital system, is a content management system providing free online access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government. Through FDsys, you are able to search/browse for documents and publications and download them in multiple renditions or file formats—it acts as a repository, guaranteeing long-term preservation and access.
In addition to carrying out the duties of a selective Federal Depository, our Library is also involved in a program of retrospective cataloging in order to provide the College community and the public with a small, but comprehensive historical government documents collection.