The importance of government documents continues to increase each year; the Government Printing Office projects a 10% annual increase in sales over the next five years. Extensive and in-depth research on accessibility to federal documents in small. This mail survey—conducted in 1979–1980—sought to provide reliable data on staff size and type, collection size and arrangement, and methods employed to provide descriptive and subject access to federal documents in the depository system. A two-page questionnaire was sent to all depository libraries (1,218) and information was received from 737 respondents. Results indicated that on the average about 40% of depository items were being selected yearly and arranged in some form of separate collection. One professional librarian, a clerk, and some student help were assigned to documents. On the average, the librarian and clerk were assigned for no more than one-third of their weekly work time; student help was available for approximately 20 hours per week. Generally, increasing the size of staff does not mean greater descriptive or subject access to federal documents. One in four libraries does not provide any descriptive access; less than 6% of the libraries provide some subject access. Computer technology (particularly in the form of on-line bibliographic services) is modestly used; only one-third of the respondents indicated such services were available. There is no clear relationship between increased selection of federal documents and increased use of on-line services, except in those libraries claiming totally separate collections.