Periodicals, Government Publications, & Microforms


http://library.brooklyn.cuny.edu/about_library/govdocs.htm

"The compact shelving is a source of amusement and delight to both visitors on tours and readers. No one has been crushed, despite numerous questions about this possibility. Having the entire collection readily accessible is wonderful. The only glitch so far is the tendency of passers-by to flip the locks on random stacks, which makes opening them a bit more challenging than intended." Jane Cramer, Periodicals, Government Publications & Microforms Librarian

Life has changed dramatically for the unit that was once Government Publications and Microforms. With the addition of the old Periodicals section, staff now manage the entire lower level of the new building, providing assistance with every format that is serial in nature. Pre-1980 bound journals and government publications are housed on compact shelving.

"The staff deals with questions about periodicals (which are located in 5 distinct locations on this floor, plus Music periodicals on the second floor), microforms, and online resources. They also assist readers with microform reader/printers, copiers, and directional questions. They assign computers, collect web printing fees, and make change.

"In addition to our public service commitment, the unit processes the state and federal documents, and shelves and retrieves documents in paper, microfiche, and electronic formats. We receive six to ten boxes of paper and CD-ROM materials per week, as well as several shipments of microfiche. Behind-the-scenes tasks include weeding duplicates and superseded material. Now we also take care of current periodicals, check in new microforms, update holdings in CUNY+ for our serials collection, do the binding of materials for the entire library, and mend periodicals and books." Jane Cramer, Periodicals, Government Publications & Microforms Librarian

Because the collections that make up Periodicals, Government Publications, and Microforms were housed in multiple locations during our three years in temporary quarters, reuniting these thousands–millions, in the case of microforms–of items was no mean task.

"Despite our best efforts, the reintegration of the documents collection was far from seamless. Now with all the materials in one place, we are in the time-consuming process of shelfreading and shifting, as well as interfiling the materials that accumulated while the collections were in transit. There is much work to be done yet, but the improved lighting and access are a great help. Readers are enjoying their first open access to the whole collection and starting to browse the materials." Jane Cramer, Periodicals, Government Publications & Microforms Librarian

Periodicals are a new responsibility for the Government Publications and Microforms staff, and their observations about these popular collections are of interest.

"The Periodical collection, both current and retrospective, is heavily used. Readers arrive in varying stages of their research, some have citations for specific materials, and others are just beginning their research. We are finding that the volume of readers means we often need three or four staff at the desk, particularly since patrons need us to go with them to explain copiers and moving shelves, interpret call numbers, or simply explain the alphabet. (I'm not certain why ‘It's alphabetical, by title,' is more puzzling when applied to current periodicals than to microforms, where this has served as sufficient explanation for years.)" Jane Cramer, Periodicals, Government Publications & Microforms Librarian

Beset for years by problems with substandard microform readers and reader/printers, staff and readers alike are thrilled by the new equipment that came with the new Library.

"We are now the proud and happy owners of seven Canon 400s and one Canon 500 multi-format microform readers with laser printers. This is a serious upgrade from our former machines and everyone is pleased with the results. We are seeing greatly increased usage already." Jane Cramer, Periodicals, Government Publications & Microforms Librarian

  • Government Agencies Move Their Publishing to the Web
    http://library.brooklyn.cuny.edu/electronic_resources/govdocs.htm
    http://library.brooklyn.cuny.edu/electronic_resources/law

    Brooklyn College has the largest Federal depository in the borough of Brooklyn--much larger than the public library's. Keeping the Government Publications Web page updated is especially challenging as more and more agencies shift their publishing from print to online. Fortunately GovDoc-L, the depository library listserv, brings important new pages to our attention. There are now subject sections on the documents' page for Terrorism, Census, Consumers, Economics, Statistical sources, and Reports. Coming in 2003 are sections for Country Information, Crime and Justice, Education, and Health.

  • The Tax Man Commeth
    The tax season was largely online. Staff handed out approximated 3,500 IRS forms, down from more than 10,000 some ten years ago. The IRS and NYS tax sites worked well and easily supplied the obscure forms the Library no longer carries. In addition large numbers of users filed electronically and required no forms.

  • Discovering Buried Treasure

    "One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries." A. A. Milne

    An unanticipated benefit of the 2001 shelfreading project was the discovery of a group of heretofore unknown Z SuDoc volumes. Initially librarian Jane Cramer thought they were old bibliographies that had somehow strayed from the general collection, but then she opened one and read "published by order of the Secretary of State, 1815." According to the Catalog of U.S. Public Documents 1789-1909, our "find" is a quite rare reprint of primary source materials from the colonial and revolutionary governments. These volumes had been lost in the dark heart of the core stacks for years but are now safely shelved in the documents workroom. Records have been added to CUNY+ so that they are available to users once again.

  • New & Improved Government Publications Web Sites
    http://library.brooklyn.cuny.edu/electronic_resources/govdocs.htm http://library.brooklyn.cuny.edu/electronic_resources/law

    Revising the Government Publications Web pages is especially urgent as more and more materials migrate to the Web. Librarian Jane Cramer will soon offer subject sections as well as agency links.

    The transition to an electronic federal depository made more progress this year. More than thirty essential titles now have online equivalents.

    "The mix of product formats distributed to libraries or made directly accessible to the public stabilized at the FY2001 level, with about 60% of new FDLP titles being available online." Library Program Service Annual Report 2002 Summary http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/annrprt/02lpsar.html