Government Publications Library Policy on Electronic Information

The Government Publications Library provides access to materials available in electronic formats via the Libraries' Chinook catalog. Patrons can search Chinook for call numbers of CD-ROM and floppy disk products housed in the Government Publications Library.

To provide access to publications distributed in electronic format, the Government Publications Library maintains a local area network (LAN) which provides multiple-user access to the most frequently used CD-ROM titles. It also loads selected CD-ROM titles on stand-alone workstations. In addition, Government Publications provides public access to Internet-accessible government resources on many of its workstations.

Access to Internet-Accessible Titles

To accommodate the needs of its users, the Government Publications Library provides public access to the Internet on multiple workstations and maintains a homepage <http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/index.htm> which directs the user to significant Internet resources. The Chinook Web interface <http://libraries.colorado.edu> also includes links to the Internet version of a title if it has been included in the cataloging record.

Access to Titles in Floppy Disk Format

The Government Publications Library receives materials in floppy disk from a wide variety of federal agencies, state and foreign governments, international organizations, and commercial publishers. The Library does not have sufficient computing resources to load the software required to use all or a majority of the titles it receives. Government Publications does not circulate materials on floppy disk. The department will assist the patron in making a disk copy of any non-copyrighted disk. The user must supply any disks necessary to make copies. A patron may request software installation for copyrighted titles at the Government Publications reference desk, via telephone, or e-mail. Patrons will receive notification via telephone or e-mail when the software has been installed. The notification message will include the name of the machine on which the software has been made available. Patrons should direct requests to:

Margaret (Peggy) Jobe
Government Publications Library
University Libraries
Campus Box 184
Boulder, Colorado 80309-0184
(303) 492-4682
margaret.jobe@colorado.edu

Access to Titles in CD-ROM Format

The Government Publications Library receives CD-ROMs from a wide variety of federal agencies, state and foreign governments, international organizations, and commercial publishers. The Library does not have sufficient computing resources to load the software required to use all or a majority of the titles it receives. The Library tries to provide network or stand-alone access to publications which are only available in CD-ROM format or which include enhanced search, retrieval, and format options in CD-ROM format.

Local Area Network (LAN) Workstations

Government Publications will make CD-ROMs available for use on its Local Area Network (LAN) if they meet the following criteria:

• The CD-ROM or database for which the library has a network license or is free of any restrictions on network use.
• Multiple users need access to the CD-ROM on a simultaneous basis.
• The CD-ROM has search, retrieval, save or data format features which make it superior to print, microform, or Internet-accessible versions of the same information.

Stand-alone CD-ROM Workstations

Government Publications will make CD-ROMS available for use on workstations with locally-accessible CD-ROM drives via a menu-driven system, if they meet the following criteria:

• The CD-ROM or database is restricted to one user at a time.
• The CD-ROM has search, retrieval, save, or data format features which make it superior to print, microform, or Internet-accessible versions of the same information.
• The CD-ROM is used on a regular basis.

Titles Loaded by Request

Government Publications will load software to access department-owned CD-ROM titles upon patron request if:

• The CD-ROM comes with software which does not exceed the technical specifications of the computer equipment and/or printers available for public use.
• A patron requests CD-ROM software installation for specific titles at the Government Publications reference desk, via telephone, or e-mail. Patrons will receive notification via telephone or e-mail when the software has been installed. The notification message will include the name of the machine on which the software has been made available. Patrons should direct requests to:

  Margaret (Peggy) Jobe
  Government Publications Library
  University Libraries
  Campus Box 184
  Boulder, Colorado 80309-0184
  (303) 492-4682
  margaret.jobe@colorado.edu

Titles Not Loaded

Government Publications will not normally load CD-ROM software for titles which:

• Are available from University of Colorado at Boulder licensed databases such as FirstSearch and Dialog.
• Lack operating software.
• Exceed the technical specifications of computer equipment and/or printers available for public use.
• Are not used on a regular basis by one or more users.
• Require additional software for use (such as spreadsheet, statistical manipulation, or geographic information system software).

Titles for Which Government Publications Is Unable to Provide Access

Patrons may check out any circulating CD-ROM for six days. CD-ROMs loaded on the LAN, in high demand within the department, or with licensing restrictions do not circulate. Users must provide their own equipment, software installation, and troubleshooting for CD-ROMs which they borrow.