Presentation on finding government information delivered at the Maine Library Association Conference, Spring 2012

1. Government Information for All
Tri-State Region
Maine
New Hampshire
Vermont
May 21, 2012

2. Objectives of presentation
o Types of government information that is available for all
citizens
o How to access government produced information both
electronic and in tangible formats
o Where to turn for further assistance

3. James Madison
A popular Government without popular information, or the
means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a
Tragedy, or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern
ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own
Governors, must arm themselves with the power which
knowledge gives.
August 4, 1822

4. Tenants of Government Information
Access
• The public has the right of access to government
information;
• Government has the obligation to disseminate and provide
broad public access to its information;
• Government has an obligation to guarantee the authenticity
and integrity of its information;
• Government has an obligation to preserve its information;
and
• Government information created and compiled by
government employees or at government expense should
remain in the public domain.

5. Government Printing Office History
• GPO officially established in 1813 with contract printers
• Began in house printing during the 1860’s
• Government one of largest publishers
• 1,250 depository libraries
• Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) was
established, 1895, by Congress to ensure that the American
public has access to its Government's information
• Free access to any citizen at any depository library

6. FDLP Logo
Displayed at all library entrances participating in program
http://catalog.gpo.gov/fdlpdir/FDLPdir.jsp

7. Resources
Every library has: • Crime in the United States
• Budget of the United • Economic Report of the
States President
• Catalog of Federal • Federal Register
Domestic Assistance • Franchise Opportunities
• Census Bureau Catalog Handbook
• Census of Housing • Historical Statistics of the
• Census of Population U.S.
• Code of Federal • Monthly Catalog of Gov
Regulations (CFR) Publications
• Congressional Directory • Occupational Outlook
• County-City Data Book Handbook

8. Resources continued
• Publications Reference File
• Slip Laws
• Statistical Abstract
• Statutes at Large
• Subject Bibliographies
• Supreme Court Reports
• United States Code
• United States Government
Manual
• United States Industrial Outlook
• Weekly Compilation of
Presidential Documents

9. History of Univ of Maine and Tri-State
• Regional/Selective libraries
• Twenty-six libraries in ME, NH, VT that participate in FDLP
• UMaine is not oldest in the state: Colby, Bates, Bowdoin,
Portland Public Library, Bangor Public Library 1884
• UMaine beginnings 1890
• 1907 Land Grant
• 1962 regional
• 1966 Tri-State regional (one of 46 regional libraries in
country)
• Locations Map for libraries participating in program

10. In Maine Libraries
• URSUS records for all new items http://ursus.maine.edu/
• URSUS/MaineCat links to online resources through 856 field
• 2.2 million items in UMaine collection
• UMaine retain everything call for pre-1976 items spotty in URSUS
• Others 5 years and limited selection
• Listings for UMaine,UMLaw, Bangor Public Library, Maine Law Legislative
Reference Library, UMaine Presque Isle in URSUS
• MaineInfoNet: Portland Public Library, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Maine Maritime
Academy
• Limit in URSUS to gov docs, gov docs serial, gov docs maps, gov doc computer
• Can request items through URSUS/Minerva/MaineInfoNet
• Can request items through traditional ILL, OCLC, Docline

11. SuDoc Numbers Overview
Doesn’t work the same as LC or Dewey
NA 1250
.A85
989.134 .R23
GP 1.2: IN 3/2 Keeping America Informed
Arranged by Dept/sub dept/bureau and type information

12. SuDoc Class Stems aka Departments
GP 1.2: IN 3/2 Keeping
America Informed
A Currently 59 Class Stems
Agriculture
AE Numbers after the initial
National Archives &
Records
Department designation refer
Administration
B Broacasting sub of
to the Board departments,
Governors
cabinets, offices, etc. These
C are arranged 1-x
Commerce Dept
alphabetically by the name of
CC Federal
the office at the time of
Communications
creation
Commission
D Defense Dept
E Energy Dept

13. SuDoc Subordinate Structure
.5 Laws
Numbers after decimal .6 Regulations, rules, and
indicate the following: instructions
.7 Press releases
.8 Handbooks, manuals,
.1 Annual Reports and guides
.2 General Publications .9 Bibliographies and lists
.3 Bulletins of publications
.4 Circulars .10 Directories
.11 Maps and charts
.12 Posters
.13 Forms
.14 Addresses

14. Government Web Sites
USA.Gov
http://www.usa.gov/
FDSys
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
Census - American Fact Finder
http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
Browse Topics: Your Pathway to Government
http://www.browsetopics.gov/
Digitization Projects Registry
http://registry.fdlp.gov/
Ben's Guide
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/

15. Our web pages
Web page
http://library.umaine.edu/govdoc/default.htm
Other documents links
http://library.umaine.edu/govdoc/onlinegov.htm
Canadian
http://library.umaine.edu/govdoc/canadiandocs.htm
United Nations
http://library.umaine.edu/govdoc/unitednations.htm
Agricultural Experiment Station
http://library.umaine.edu/govdoc/AgExpStation.htm
Other depts
Patents (Science & Engineering)
Maine docs (Special Collections)

16. Service Hours at Orono
Hours during academic semester
Mon - Thur 8am - 9pm
Fri 8am - 5pm
Sat 10am - 5pm
Sun 12:30pm - 9pm

17. Future
• Continue with born-digital of government information FDSys
• Increase amount of historical material digitized through
partnerships such as the Registry
• Discussion of reorganizing the regional/selective program in
the age of digital--survey and planning ongoing at national
level (State Forecasts and State Action Plans)
• Funding for the GPO
• Nationally some libraries are leaving--two regionals, but in
region all current libraries plan to stay in program. Many are
moving to electronic selection.
• Maine State Plan for Government Information
Does anyone want to join?

18. More Info
• Fogler Government Info pages
http://library.umaine.edu/govdoc/default.htm
• Tri-State Web Site
https://sites.google.com/a/maine.edu/tri-
state-libraries/home
• FDLP Desktop
http://www.fdlp.gov
• Slideshare of this presentation
http://www.slideshare.net/gmalbc

19. Questions?
gregory.t.curtis@maine.edu
Office: (207) 581-1681
Dept: (207) 581-1680
Twitter: @gmalbc
Tumblr: gmalbc.tumblr.com