The question of the value of documents collections comes up on this list
every few months, and each time we start re-inventing, or searching for
information others have posted.  The Depository Library Council has decided
to step in and see if we can help assemble the available data and put it on
the web, so it can easily be found.  To do that, we need the help of
everyone who has worked on this issue in their own libraries - and those
who have recently searched the GOVDOC-L archives.  Council would like a few
volunteers who would like to work with the Depository Operations Committee
to make a useful collection of information.   After we see what we have,
we'll see if there is any information we would like GPO to help with.
 
People ask for cost/value information for several reasons.  Some are using
it to convince administrator of the value of the program to the institution
("Over the last 5 years we have received publications worth $$$xxx through
this program.")  Others need it for accounting or insurance requirements of
auditors, or of course for claims in case of actual disasters.  So there
are many variables - size and age of collection, percent selected, percent
of maps, fiche, CDs.  But some basic numbers will help.
 
Librarians who have worked on this in the last few years and have any
information at all to share, please contact the chair of this Council work
group, Mary Redmond, at [log in to unmask]  If you are going to be at
Council in Kansas City and would like to participate in discussion of this
project, mention that to Mary, but help is needed even if you never go to
meetings!
 
Some information gathering might be appropriate for a library school
student, or for GPO, if no one has done it yet.  For example, what would it
cost to buy everything on the GPO "core lists"?  What is the annual cost of
everything in the top 10, or top 50, item numbers (those selected by the
most libraries)?  And of course a separate figure just for the value of all
the CDs currently in the program will be interesting.
 
Please send on any information you have gathered, and volunteer to help
with the project if you can - but send information in any case.  We hope
the end product can be a continuing resource for depositories.
 
Julie
 
 
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Julia F. Wallace                                      Phone: (612) 626-7520
Government Publications Library              FAX: (612) 624-4836
10 Wilson Library
309 - 19th Avenue South
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0414               Mailto:[log in to unmask]