Government Documents

The goal of the collection development policy is to assist Pepperdine Libraries staff in developing and maintaining the government publications collection. The policy is used each year to conduct a zero-based assessment of the collection in order to determine what item numbers should be added and deleted. It is also used throughout the year to keep Libraries staff focused on the goals for government publication collection development.

The government publications collection at Payson Library and the Law Library serves the undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff located on Pepperdine University's Malibu campus, as well as students, faculty, and staff affiliated with off-campus Pepperdine graduate programs in business, psychology, and education. The collection serves around 7,719 students and over 400 faculty members. The Libraries also welcome members of the public who wish to use depository items. The Libraries are located in the 24th Congressional District and have been a Federal Depository Library since 1963.

Mission and Goals

The government publications collection tries to meld its mission and goals with that of the Pepperdine Libraries. The Libraries strive to meet the instructional and research needs of the Pepperdine academic community by helping users locate, retrieve, evaluate, and use information.

Government publications acquisition is concentrated in areas of greatest interest to students, faculty, and staff without regard to format. Graduate programs in business, education, psychology, public policy, and law necessitate collections that support these programs. In the undergraduate college, natural science is a large division with student concentrations in nutrition, sports medicine, and biology. Libraries staff concentrate on acquiring government materials that support these programs and disciplines. The Libraries also select a broad range of government materials in an attempt to support all academic programs.

Administration and Selection Responsibility

The Government Information Librarian, with input from other Pepperdine librarians, selects and deselects materials for the collection. In view of the areas of concentration listed above, Pepperdine selects a large portion of its publications from the following departments and agencies:

The Commerce Department
The Education Department
The Health and Human Services Department
The Justice Department
The Judiciary
The Labor Department
The State Department
Congress

The Government Information Librarian conducts an annual, zero-based assessment of the collection during the annual selection update cycle. Using FDLP Administration websites, the Data Miner, the Federal Depository Library Manual, U.S. Government Subscriptions, the List of Classes, and the suggested core collections listed in the Federal Depository Library Manual, the Librarian reviews the collection. Other tools that may help with selection and collection development include lists of best government materials; Documents to the People; reference questions; information on GOVDOC-L; book reviews; and subject bibliographies. Additions and deletions are made based on ongoing collection assessment and evaluation that continue throughout the year. Deletions are made as needed throughout the year.

The Libraries focus selection on materials that support Pepperdine's areas of curriculum concentration in business, education, psychology, law, public policy, and natural science. However, selection is not limited to these areas. Materials are selected across a broad spectrum of subjects.

Formats

Patron needs and subject content drive selection of materials. Format is a secondary consideration. The Libraries provide computers capable of providing Internet and CDROM access to government information. The Government Information Librarian keeps track of minimum specifications for the hardware and software necessary to run government computer applications. The Libraries has a commitment to providing electronic access to government information. Many patrons prefer Internet access, but print format is also highly valued. When possible, print format is ordered for popular and high-use materials. Some microfiche is ordered for archival purposes and to save space.

Collection Arrangement

All government documents are checked in online and given either complete or brief cataloging records. Approximately 50% of the collection is cataloged and arranged by the Library of Congress numbering system. Located within either the reference or circulating collections, cataloged books are shelved according to their Library of Congress number. All government CD-ROMs are cataloged and arranged by Library of Congress number in a cabinet dedicated to housing only government CD-ROMs.

Government periodicals are cataloged and arranged by title on the main floor of the library within the depository area. Government pamphlets and microfiche are checked in online and brief cataloging records are created for each item. The pamphlets and microfiche are then arranged, according to their Superintendent of Documents number, in pamphlet and microfiche filing cabinets.

Access

A majority of government documents are now freely available online. Please refer to the U.S. Government Information web portal or the Databases and Resources section of Government Documents Guide for more information.

Please note that requests for physical materials are by appointment only. To schedule, please contact Marc Vinyard, AUL for Graduate Campus Libraries. Most of our government documents are stored off-site at our Calabasas facility. The Government Information Center Hours conform to those of Payson Library.

Collection Maintenance

All materials are checked in online via the Worldshare Management System. All materials are stamped with the depository stamp, and labeled with the SuDoc number and item number when they are checked in. Most publications are tattle taped for security. Superseded items are removed as soon as the new copy arrives or as volumes are cumulated. The Libraries do not keep duplicate publications unless they are produced in more than one format (Health, United States, for instance) or there is demand for the publication.

Decisions concerning deselection of specific government documents are made on an ongoing basis by the Government Information Librarian. Government documents staff make suggestions regarding deselection of materials as do other librarians, but it is the responsibility of the Government Information Librarian to make final decisions about whether materials should be retained or deselected. Considerations for deselection include: the archival importance of the material; the condition of the material; the date of the material in relation to patron demands; and the overall relevance of the material. Materials are only deselected in accordance with the policies of the Federal Depository Library Program. Proposed discards are sent to the regional library and then to a list of libraries provided by the regional library.

Government publications that are identified as missing or lost are replaced according to demand and relevancy. Items to be replaced may be requested from the Needs and Offers List or ordered using a GPO deposit account. Some materials are routinely bound to extend the lifespan of the material or to keep the materials together and accessible. This is especially the case for government periodicals. The Government Documents Assistant creates and adheres to a schedule for binding government periodicals.

Resource Sharing

Located in the greater Los Angeles area, Pepperdine is relatively close to other government depository collections, some of which have extensive holdings. The Libraries are a member of a consortium that includes USC and Claremont (both are depository libraries) and maintain Interlibrary Loan agreements with those libraries. UCLA is a moderate drive from Pepperdine, as is the Los Angeles Public Library. Pepperdine staff can, and do, use these resources to satisfy patron needs.

Policies for Government Document Retention

Decisions regarding the deaccessioning of government documents are made on an ongoing basis by the Government Information Librarian. Government documents staff make suggestions regarding the deaccessioning of materials as do other librarians, but it is the responsibility of the Government Information Librarian to make final decisions about whether materials should be retained or not. Considerations for retention include the archival importance of the material; the condition of the material; the date of the material in relation to patron demands; and the overall relevance of the material. Materials not retained are deaccessioned in accordance with the policies of the Federal Depository Library Program. Materials may not be deaccessioned until at least five years after they have been acquired. Proposed deaccessioned items are sent to the regional library and then to a list of libraries provided by the regional library.