John M. Olin Library Federal Depository Library #388
Procedure Manual
Introduction
Procedures for operating a selective depository library are based on Instructions to Federal Depository Libraries (GPO, July 2000) and Federal Depository Library Manual (GPO, November 1993) and its supplements. The Instructions is the official rules and regulations of the Federal Depository Library Program, and the Manual is the practical guide to the day-to-day operation of a depository library.
This procedure manual will annotate these two documents with information about Olin's (and CUL's) specific policies and procedures.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Instructions to Depository Libraries
Chapter 1. Federal Depository Status - Chapter 2. Collection Development
Chapter 3. Bibliographic Control
Chapter 4. Maintenance
Chapter 5. Human Resources
Chapter 6. Physical Facilities
Chapter 7. Public Service
Chapter 8. Cooperative Efforts - Federal Depository Library Manual
Chapter 1. Library Programs Service - Chapter 2. Collection Development
Chapter 3. Maps
Chapter 4. Electronic Publications
Chapter 5. Bibliographic Control
Chapter 6. Maintenance
INSTRUCTIONS TO DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES
Chapter 1. Federal Depository Status
Designation. Cornell University Library was designated a federal depository library under the Morrill Act of 1907 which designated all land-grant college libraries as official depositories for U.S. Government publications. The Olin Library depository retains the land-grant depository status.
As a Federal depository library Olin has three primary responsibilities: 1) To provide for free public access to Government information regardless of format, 2) to provide for the proper maintenance of the depository materials entrusted to its care, and 3) to provide service to meet the Government information needs of the local community and surrounding area. Olin Library and its staff are committed to these responsibilities and to conforming to the procedures set forth in the Instructions.
Chapter 2. Collection Development
A written collection development policy for Depository 388 exists and is available.
Selection. Olin Library is a selective depository. The percentage of item number selections is 46% (as of October 2002). Olin's item selection is done not only with the needs of Olin's patrons and the community in mind, but also considers the item selections of the other two Cornell depositories, Albert R. Mann Library and the Cornell Law Library. The single online catalog shared by all of Cornell's libraries is the means for presenting Cornell University Library's three depositories to the public as one. While some item number selections are, in fact, duplicated by more than one depository, item selection at Cornell by the three depositories is done for the individual collections, therefore many item selections are unique on campus. Combining all depository selections we serve the broad needs of the Cornell community and the Congressional district. Olin Library provides electronic access to titles from the GPO ?Basic Collection?
The annual zero-based review, conducted ideally in anticipation of the annual item selection update cycle in the spring, is the basic tool for keeping item number selections current.
Additions. Since additions of item selections can only be made during the annual update cycle, or when new series are surveyed, item numbers to be selected are identified throughout the year and notes kept for selection in June.
Deletions. Deletions of item selections are made throughout the year. When GPO announces via a shipping list or the Technical Supplement that a new item number has been created, deletions are submitted electronically via the online Amendment of Selections form if review of the first item sent shows that it is not wanted at Cornell.
Selective Housing. Olin has no selective housing sites. Before establishing our system of one Cornell depository selecting items for use in another Cornell library, we queried GPO about this practice and were told that as long as all libraries were under one administrative structure, our sending some depository selections to another system library was not selective housing.
Chapter 3. Bibliographic Control
Bibliographic Control. Olin's practice is to unpack and process depository shipments as they are received. Separate packages are held until the shipping list arrives and opened as a group. A separate Documents Unit Receiving Procedure is available from the CTS website. It contains the specific steps for receiving Olin's depository shipments, and covers shipping lists, direct mail and separates, processing and claims. USGS and NIMA depository maps are mailed directly to the Olin Library Maps Department, where staff process them according to depository procedures.
Piece level records for most depository selections which are retained permanently are maintained in the library's online catalog. The following description applies to depository items in all formats. Monographs and monographic series cataloged individually receive preliminary and then final full bibliographic records. When a full AACR2 bibliographic record with an LC call number is available at time of receipt, then monographs receive a final record immediately. Serials and monographic series cataloged as serials receive preliminary and then final full bibliographic records. They also receive individual issue records as they are recorded in serials check-in record and the MARC holdings statement. Maps in map series are recorded by Olin Library Maps Department staff in their card shelflist. Some map series also have bibliographic records in the online catalog. Monographic maps receive full bibliographic records in the online catalog.
Technical report microfiche which are sent to the Engineering Library for filing into the integrated technical report microfiche file do not have piece level records. The Engineering Library files all fiche together in one alpha-numeric file by technical report number regardless of source of the fiche. This fiche is retained permanently and replaced expeditiously if a document is reported missing. Bibliographic control for technical reports is through indexing and abstracting tools, both print and electronic.
Documents Unit and Olin Library Maps Department staff mark all depository materials, regardless of format, with an inked stamp which says "Depository" and the date of receipt.
Proprietary Interest. Olin Library staff in the Maps and Preservation and Collection Maintenance Departments, and Documents Unit staff are cognizant of the special character of depository materials and treat them accordingly, even though they are part of an integrated collection. Materials are housed to facilitate preservation and access. Depository materials receive treatment similar to all other library materials, and regularly receive binding and other preservation treatment, physical processing including security stripping, shelving with the general collections including filing of looseleaf materials, and are considered by selectors for replacement if lost or mutilated.
Microfiche and maps are stored in appropriate metal cabinets. All shipping materials are removed.
Insuring Depository Collections. Cornell University is self insuring for damage and loss to its library collections.
Discards. When GPO communicates an order from the Superintendent of Documents to depository libraries for a publication to be removed from the collection, these instructions are followed without question. Often the publication is a geological or other scientific publication which has been added to the Engineering Library collection. The Olin Library Documents Librarian requests return of the item, removes the bibliographic or serials check-in record from the online catalog and destroys or returns the document.
Depository 388 is served by the regional depository at the New York State Library in Albany. The New York State Library Regional Depository issues guidelines for disposal of U.S. government depository publications, the most recent revision of which is dated May 1998 and is appended to this document. Depository documents which were received but not selected for addition to Olin's permanent collection, or documents from the permanent collection which are not covered by the superseded list are retained for five years, or at least until they are replaced by a purchased microcopy. Discard lists of paper and electronic documents are submitted to the State Library and approval received for their disposal. Under the revised guidelines, depository copies of microfiche which have not been added to the permanent collection and which have been retained for five years or replaced by a purchased microcopy are discarded without submitting lists to the regional library.
No documents are sold or given away. Documents for disposal are recycled or put in the trash.
Superseded Publications. The FDLP Superseded List and its Updates are consulted and its instructions followed concerning discard of superseded publications. Many superseded depository materials are retained by Olin Library for historical purposes.
Substitution of Depository Materials. Cornell purchases an almost complete collection of Readex microfiche of U.S. Depository Documents. (Certain classes of microfiche which are duplicated by the technical report microfiche collection as well as certain map classes which are duplicated in hard copy are excluded from our Readex collection.) This collection is our permanent archival collection of depository documents, however, Olin does not weed documents from its collection based on owning this set. Rather, we use this set to provide access to depository item numbers which we do not select in any campus depository.
Olin has proper reading and printing equipment for using both the Readex microfiche and microprint collections.
Microfiche. Olin is an air-conditioned building and stores microfiche under optimal conditions in steel microfiche cabinets, separated from our silver halide microfiche. Envelopes are not eliminated to save space. Engineering Library, where the technical report microfiche are stored, has air-conditioned stacks and stores microfiche in steel microfiche cabinets.
Maps. Depository maps are part of the Olin Library Map Collection. Sheet maps are housed flat in steel map cabinets. Some folded map series are stored in their envelopes in vertical file cabinets. Maps are received and processed by the Olin Library Map Collection staff, who handle them according to depository rules and regulations.
Posters. Posters are not selected.
Electronic Products. Tangible electronic products which are selected for the permanent collection receive full bibliographic records in the online catalog. Serials and multi-volume monographs have online MARC holdings records in addition. Electronic products are housed in metal filing cabinets, on metal shelves in a secure area, or are loaded permanently on CD-ROM workstations. Compact disk jewel cases are retained for their protection. Discs which arrive in paper containers are transferred to jewel cases.
Responsible Officials. Depository activities are coordinated by a professional librarian with the title Olin Library Documents Librarian.
Staffing. Staffing levels, both professional and paraprofessional are sufficient to meet depository responsibilities. The present composition of the Documents Unit, which does initial processing of documents, is 1 FTE professional and 1.5 FTE support staff. Public service coverage for use of depository resources is the same for the library's primary patrons and the general public. Public service is provided primarily by members of the Olin/Kroch/Uris Reference department.
Training. The Library sponsored initial training and sponsors an annual trip for the Olin Library Documents Librarian to the Depository Library Conference. Training and cross training of staff is directed by the Olin Library Documents Librarian.
Chapter 6. Physical Facilities
Physical Access. The physical facilities of Olin Library enhance free public access to the resources of the depository. The Reference Department, library stacks, Map Collection, CD-ROM use areas, and Microform collection area are clean, comfortable, well-lighted, attractive and have sufficient seating and equipment for depository patrons. Olin Library is ADA compliant and encourages use by physically disabled patrons. Olin offers free and unrestricted physical access to all depository resources to the general public. Any documents which are stored in the library's offsite storage facility or in the library's cataloging backlog are retrieved for patrons within twenty-four hours.
Housing. Depository materials in all formats are housed properly in order to control, protect and preserve them. Olin's documents are integrated with the general collections. Our offsite storage facility was completed in 1998 and is a state-of-the-art facility.
Equipment. Sufficient reading and printing equipment is provided for microfiche in both Olin Library and the Engineering Library. Electronic products may be used at public machines available in the Olin Library Reference Department. Public machines allow patrons to download, copy and print. The Olin Library Maps Department provides assistance to users of their machines which have the capability to manipulate and display numeric and spatial data from many depository products. The Engineering Library provides state-of-the-art equipment for viewing and printing patent and trademark information from the various electronic depository products. The Library consults the Recommended Specifications for Public Access Workstations in Federal Depository Libraries when new computer equipment purchases are planned.
Documents Unit staff have a fax machine in the Department and all have personal computers. Adequate space is allocated for processing new depository materials. The Documents Unit is located in Central Technical Services, a non-public work area.
Signage. Library signage is used effectively to facilitate access to depository materials. Since depository materials are shelved with the main collection in all cases and depository services are combined with all other services, they have the benefit of all library signage.
Access. The general public has free access to our document resources in all formats. Library hours for use of documents are the same as for the use of all of Olin's collections. Residents of the Congressional district have physical access to library facilities, including computer terminals, and the services of reference staff. The depository library emblem is posted at the entrance of Olin Library and in the Olin Reference desk area. Library staff, in particular public services staff, are aware of the free access requirements of Federal depository libraries. Documents circulate as do other materials in our library, however, they do not circulate to persons who do not have a library borrowers card. Documents may be borrowed on interlibrary loan. Olin Library has a written Internet use policy, which is appended to this document.
Reference Service. Reference service for documents is provided by the Olin/Kroch/Uris Library Reference and Information desks. These desks are staffed by professional librarians and by highly trained information assistants, who are full-time library employees. Since Olin's documents collection is integrated, reference staff gain the knowledge to provide documents reference just as they learn to provide reference in all subjects. Many of the indexes and other tools for locating documents are shelved together in a special area of the Olin Reference collection to enhance access and to encourage use. Many documents are cataloged with full MARC records in our online catalog or in our card catalog, so they are accessible to patrons by many access points.
Reference staff, both professional librarians and information assistants, field questions from patrons with requests for documents in all formats, including electronic formats. Complex or very specialized questions are routinely referred from Information Assistants to Reference Librarians. Reference Librarians may also refer questions to other colleagues or selectors with specialized knowledge. Reference staff are expected to have a basic knowledge of the range of electronic information available in the Olin Reference CD-ROM collection and on our Library Gateway and to be able to help patrons with their use. Reference service for maps is provided primarily by the staff of the Olin Library Maps Department. Reference service for technical reports and patent and trademark information is provided primarily by the staff of the Engineering Library. Olin Library has a written policy regarding public services for Government information in electronic formats, which is appended to this document.Referrals. Reference librarians will make every attempt to exhaust Cornell's resources before making a referral. However, referrals to neighboring depositories will be offered when appropriate. An example of a possible referral would be for a patron who needed an ERIC document of an age older than Cornell's collection. Patrons in this case would be referred to the SUNY Cortland depository library.
Public Awareness. A large portion of Olin's depository collection is cataloged. Documents web pages have been developed by Olin/Kroch/Uris Reference Department staff and are available through the Library Gateway.
Chapter 8. Cooperative Efforts
Program Administration. The Olin Library Documents Librarian has a thorough knowledge of the depository rules and regulations. All Biennial Surveys and other questionnaires are answered and a file is kept of all responses in the Documents Unit. Reports of previous inspections of D388 are also kept in a file in the Documents Unit.
Regional/Selective Cooperation. Olin's depository follows the direction of the Regional depository concerning discarding of depository materials. Communication of discard lists is presently via e-mail, as is permission to discard. Files of previous discard requests are kept in the Documents Unit.
Local Cooperation. Frequent communication among the depository libraries at Cornell is the norm, and is beneficial for us all. Librarians from neighboring depositories, for example Elmira College and SUNY Binghamton, occasionally visit Olin to observe our operation or telephone with questions.
Communications with GPO. Communications with GPO are generally via GPO's Website, or by e-mail.
FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY MANUAL
Chapter 1. Library Programs Service
Describes organizational structure and areas of responsibility
Chapter 2. Collection Development
A written collection development policy for the Olin Library depository exists. It is appended to this document, and it is also a Word document called "Collection Development Policy" in the Olin Library Documents Librarian's files. This policy was written based on the contents of Chapter 2, and is as up-to-date as possible. Since many decisions about documents collection development are made by subject selectors other than the Olin Library Documents Librarian, examples of individual collection policies of key selectors are included as well.
USGS Maps. The Map Collection in Olin Library is the largest on the Cornell campus. It contains over 235,000 maps, atlases, reference books and digital cartographic products. USGS topographic maps have been received through the library's participation in the depository program of the U.S. Geological Survey from its inception (1897). In October 1984, USGS and GPO entered into an interagency agreement for USGS maps to be distributed to Federal depository libraries, and we began to receive our USGS maps under this program. Item selections for USGS maps are made in consultation with the Olin Library Map Librarian. All revisions of USGS maps are retained.
National Imagery and Mapping Agency Maps (formerly Defense Mapping Agency). After World War II, Cornell became a depository for the Army Map Service, which became the Defense Mapping Agency and has now been renamed the National Imagery and Mapping Agency. NIMA distributes foreign topographic and hydrographic maps. In October 1984, DMA maps became part of the interagency agreement between USGS and GPO and were distributed to Federal depository libraries by USGS. In spring 1999, GPO reclaimed the distribution of NIMA maps. Item selections for NIMA maps are made in consultation with the Olin Library Map Librarian. All revisions of NIMA maps are retained.
NOS Maps. Historically, the Olin Library depository did not select National Ocean Service aeronautical and nautical charts. Nautical charts (Items 191-B-13 through 191-B-17) were added to the depository selections in October 1999. Only the latest revision of NOS charts will be retained.
Collection Development. The Olin Library Map Collection is administered by a full-time professional Map Librarian and has one FTE support staff. The Map Librarian makes selection and retention decisions for the collection. Given the large depository component of the map collection, consultation between the Map Librarian and the Olin Library Documents Librarian is frequent. The Olin Library Documents Librarian takes responsibility for ensuring that depository regulations and procedures are communicated to Map Collection staff.
Maps, books and CD-ROMS located in the Map Collection do not circulate. For instructional purposes, short-term loans of certain types of material may be permitted. The room in which maps are located is locked for security whenever the Map Collection is not open. The Map Collection maintains hours which are shorter than the building hours. It is open and staffed from Monday-Friday from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. and on Saturday from 1-5 P.M. The Olin Library Copy Center can provide color and full-size photocopies of non-circulating material.
Technical Processing. Separate statistics for maps received on deposit are gathered by the Map Collection staff. A shelflist or automated record is created for each map series. Individual maps are then recorded on receipt in the card shelflist or the automated record. Map indexes are acquired and used for processing and retrieval of maps. Topographic maps are recorded in the card shelflist.
Catalogs of NIMA products are selected and used for selection and retrieval of maps.
Sheet maps are housed flat in steel map cabinets. Some folded map series are stored in their envelopes in vertical file cabinets. Maps are received and processed by the Map Collection staff, who handle them according to depository rules and regulations. All sheets are stamped with the word "depository" and the date of receipt. In addition, NOS charts will be stamped "Not to be used for navigational purposes." Maps are classified according to the Library of Congress "G" schedule.
Many maps are cataloged expeditiously using GPO copy. Map Collection staff search OCLC and find the appropriate bibliographic record. They also assign an LC "G" call number. Documents Unit staff import the bibliographic record into our online catalog and finish the cataloging of maps according to our FASTMAP procedure.
Map Collection staff take responsibility for claiming depository maps following depository procedures. Replacement copies are also requested when required.
Chapter 4. Electronic Publications
Collection Development. The Olin Library Depository and the other Cornell libraries which it supports have the financial, staff and equipment resources necessary to accommodate electronic products. Electronic publications are selected for the library's collection with the same criteria used for selecting all other materials.
A core collection of reference and high-use CD-ROM products is kept in a facility adjacent to the Olin Library Reference/Information desks. Many of the CD-ROMs in this facility are loaded in CD-ROM changers. Numerous other CD-ROMS, particularly monographs, are available for circulating from the Olin Library stack collection.
Online electronic government information is selected for inclusion in the Cornell University Library Gateway, which is a cataloged and searchable collection of networked resources. GPO Access, DOE Information Bridge, CenStats and Stat/USA are examples of resources with Gateway records. Olin and unit libraries also highlight electronic resources such as agency Web sites on their library web pages.
Technical processing. Electronic products which are part of the Olin Library circulating collection are not housed alongside other materials. They are shelved on metal shelving in a secure staff-only area and paged for patrons by Olin Access Services staff. The need to ask for these materials at the circulation desk is prominently stated in the online catalog record. Olin Library Reference CD-ROMs which are not permanently loaded in changers are filed in metal filing cabinets.
CD-ROMs which are received on deposit in paper containers are shifted to jewel cases for storage. All CD-ROMs which are added to the Olin Library collection are protected with a 3M Tattle-Tape DCD-2 CD-ROM security overlay.
Diskettes which are requested for circulation are copied for patrons rather than actually circulated. Back up copies have not been made for all diskettes. Our diskette collection is a low-use collection at this time.
When documentation for electronic products is in a separate paper format, the paper documentation is stored near the workstation, in Olin Reference, or with the product, in the Olin circulating collection. The availability and location of documentation is clearly noted in the online catalog records.
Electronic products which are selected for the permanent collection receive full MARC cataloging and LC call numbers. Significant use is made of GPO cataloging records for these materials in order to provide as complete technical information as possible. Online government information is added to the library online catalog and the Library Gateway at the suggestion of selectors. A number of government sites have been added and are searchable both in the online catalog and in the separate Library Gateway catalog.
Statistics for electronic and other depository publications are not kept separately from other library statistics, primarily because of the integrated nature of our library collection. A count of electronic serials is kept by CUL for local and national reporting purposes.
Rules regarding disposal of electronic products are observed. We make use of the Superseded List and routinely disposed of earlier editions which are superseded.
Hardware and Software
The workstations in the Olin Library Reference Department which patrons use for Internet access have the following configuration:
Base unit: Dell GX150 Gray Small Desktop with Intel Pentium III Processor 1.0GHz/133MHz 256K Int SoundNIC & Video or 4XAGP-2PCI,1 AGP (220-7790). Memory: 256MB, NonECC, PC133 SDRAM, 2DIMM, GX50/150 (311-4704). Monitor: Dell 1701FP Flat Planel, 17.0Inch Viewable Image Size. Hard Drive: 40GB, EIDE, 7200RPM,ATA/100Hard Drive, OptiPlex, FactoryInstall(420-8810), Floppy Disk Drive: FDD,1.44MB, Gray, OptiPlex (340-5910), Operating System: windows 98 2nd Edition, FAT32,CD,English, OptiPlex, FactorInstall(420-8810), Operating System: DellPlus Routing SKU, FactoryINstall (365-0257), CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Drive: 8x CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Drive (8X/4X/32X CD-RW & 8X DVD-ROM) GX150SD and SMT (313-0636).
The workstations in the Olin Library Maps Department where the cartographic CD-ROMS are used have the following configuration:
Dell OptiPlex GX260 Small Minitower: Pentium 4 Processor 2.26GHz, 533FSB, 512K Cache, IntelGigabit NIC. Memory: 512 MB DDR Non-ECC SDRAM (1DIMM). Monitor: Dell 21 inch P1130 FD Trinitron color monitor (19.8 viewable). Video Board: 32 MB, ATI, Radeon 7500. Boot Hard Drive: 40GB EIDE 7200RPM. Floppy Drive: 1.44 MB 3.5 Inch Floppy Drive. Operating system: Windows XP Professional Version with CD using NTFS. 48X CD-ROM. 32X DVD-CDRW Combo Drive with Software Decode. Zip Drive: Zip 250MB. Mapping software for data manipulation is ArcView 3.1 or higher. The workstation is Y2K compliant.
The workstation in the Engineering Library where the Patent and Trademark CD-ROMs are used has the following configuration: IBM PC 330-P75 with internal CD-ROM drive. HP Laserjet 5M printer.
Electronic Bulletin Boards and Other Remote On-line SystemsReference Service and Policies for Electronic Publications
Chapter 5. Bibliographic Control
Procedures Manual & Organization of the Collection. The present procedures manual documents local decisions and practices in the Olin Library Depository, based on the Instructions to Depository Libraries and the Federal Depository Library Manual. The government documents received in the Olin Library Depository are classified according to the Library of Congress classification system and integrated into the library's general collection. Specific written policies and procedures document collection development and processing in the Olin Library Documents Unit. Bibliographic control is provided by the Central Technical Services Department, to which the Documents Unit is attached. Reference, circulation and other services are not provided separately for documents, but rather are integrated into the Library's services for all of its collections. Preservation, security, bibliographic control, reference service, circulation and statistics functions for documents do not have stand-alone policies and procedures. Document materials are treated equally with other library materials and governed by library and departmental procedures, written and unwritten, and services for all of these functions.
Item Number Selection. Item number selection is the responsibility of the Olin Library Documents Librarian. The Collection Development Policy for the Olin Library Depository outlines the criteria for selection of item numbers.
Item Number Files. The Olin Library Documents Librarian maintains a set of item cards for selections only. The file is in order by item number. Item numbers which are selected are annotated "Yes" or with a library location in the upper right hand corner of the card. Item numbers added are annotated with the date of the change.
A separate file of unselected, inactive or discontinued items is not maintained.
The online Item Lister is used day-to-day for checking shipping lists and submitting claims for depository items. Item Lister is the official file of the depository's current selections. The card file serves as a backup to this file for reference and historical purposes.
Item surveys are currently infrequent and online. The Olin Library Documents Librarian reviews new item surveys, consults with appropriate selectors and responds to the surveys.
New Item cards are typed on 3 x 5 card stock if no cards are provided with item surveys. New Item cards are also typed when new items are created and announced on the daily depository shipping lists or in the Technical Supplement. The selection status is verified on Item Lister and "Yes" or "No" and the date added to the new card.
Information is updated on the item cards with each new Technical Supplement. No other files are maintained.
Shipping Lists. All shipping lists are checked against the Item Lister and claims made for items selected but not received. Shipping lists are reviewed by the Olin Library Documents Librarian after receipts have been recorded for items of interest. Shipping lists are filed in numerical order separated by format. They are retained in the Documents Unit for at least 6 months. Missing shipping lists are requested first from Cornell's other depositories. U.S. Fax Watch is used if a missing list is not available locally. Shipping list files are reviewed regularly to assure that all shipments have been received.
Map Shipping lists for USGS and NIMA maps are received, checked for claims and maintained in the Olin Library Maps Department. Duplicate NIMA map shipping lists which are received in daily depository shipping boxes are sent to the Olin Library Maps Department.
Technical Processing. The appended Documents Unit Receiving Procedure provides detailed information about receiving depository shipments, placing claims, and serial check-in.
General Maintenance. Cornell University Library places a high priority on protecting its collections from environmental abuse, physical mishandling by staff and patrons, and theft. Documents in our integrated collections receive the same treatment and consideration as all library materials. CUL has a full-blown and active Preservation and Conservation Department. Book conservation, paper conservation and book repair are practiced with a variety of staff and techniques. There is a Brittle Books program, and a Preservation Reformatting program. Cornell is a leader in Digital Imaging. Materials are most often identified for conservation treatment through patron use or circulation. Library staff are trained in handling of materials. Libraries are protected by electronic security systems to secure against theft.
Preservation Priorities. Olin Library provides an air-conditioned environment where the majority of the documents received by the Olin Library depository are housed. Its stacks are clean and carefully maintained. Maps and microfiche are stored in metal files. CUL has a disaster plan and a team of individuals trained to respond in case of flooding, fire or other disasters. Documents receive binding and all other preservation and conservation treatment on the same basis as all other library materials. The Preservation and Conservation Department has a Commercial Binding Office which oversees binding of periodicals and serials. For many years previous to the hiring of a Director of Preservation and the formation of this department, most library materials, including documents, received full buckram commercial binding. In recent years, a variety of techniques have been developed and applied. Periodicals are often bound in quarter buckram with paper sides using the fan-glued binding technique. Many serial issues and unbound monographs have their covers stiffened according to a conservation procedure. Acid-free pamphlet binders are used when appropriate. Congressional hearings and committee prints which arrive with brown or green paper covers are generally not bound or stiffened under current practice. Hearings and prints which do not have covers and are too large for pamphlet binding are given stiff paper covers similar to the brown and green GPO covers in a special procedure carried out by the staff who also stiffen books.
Microfiche Conservation. The Olin Library microforms collection is found on the lower-level of this air-conditioned building, adjacent to the Olin Library Maps Department. All microfiche are stored in metal microfiche cabinets. Diazo, vesicular and silver halide microfiche are filed in separate cabinets. Microfiche remain in the fiche envelopes furnished by GPO and all packing materials are removed.