Integrating and Advertising Government Publications Internally and Externally: A Guide for Documents Librarians

Abstract

ABSTRACT Government publications contain a wealth of information. In an effort to increase the usage of these important publications, the staff at Bierce Library, University of Akron, use the following strategies to integrate and advertise government publications into the library activities and the community: (1) cataloging the publications so they appear on the local online catalog as well as the statewide catalog, (2) integrating them into the bibliographic instruction program, (3) listing them in pathfinders as sources on various topics, (4) making them a focus of “hot topics” such as health care reform, (5) presenting and promoting special workshops on specialized government databases such as the National Trade Data Bank and GPO Access (using the flyer approach), (6) visiting your Congressional Representative's Office to increase awareness of the information available in Depository Libraries to his/her constituents, (7) discussing these avenues at state groups, (8) including these methods in conferences, and (9) joining forces with other Documents Librarians in the area to create a depository brochure announcing hours, services, and highlights of each depository collection, and making this information available on a web page. The above strategies are generic enough that libraries can easily implement them into their programs. The effect of these strategies is measured by an increased use of government publications. This can be monitored with circulation statistics and use of electronic products. The results are inconclusive if only circulation statistics are used.