Electronic Government Information Public Service Policies
As a Federal Depository Library, Government Information Services, Access, and Collections is committed to free public access to government information, as mandated by 44 U.S.C. §1911. Our collections and services are available to the public as well as to persons affiliated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Service for government information in electronic formats at the University Library is governed by the federal government’s Depository Library Public Service Guidelines for Government Information in Electronic Formats (1998) and by the Library’s Electronic Information Policy for Library Users (1997), as well as by all applicable laws and university policies. Where university policies conflict with the Depository Library Public Service Guidelines, the Public Service Guidelines shall be considered in accordance with our obligations as a Federal Depository Library.
Computer Access
In association with the Reference, Research, and Scholarly Services Information Desk, Government Information Services, Access, and Collections provides 24 public computer workstations for accessing government information in electronic formats. No password, sign-up, or University of Illinois identification is required to use these workstations, and no Internet filters are installed. DVD/CD-ROM drives are available in all the workstations. All of workstations have USB ports, and downloading of electronic data to disk is encouraged, subject to applicable laws.
Printing from these public workstations is available for a fee set by Library Administration for all public printers in the library, currently 10 cents per page for black and white printing.
Government Information Services’ CD-ROM collection is located in cabinets at the North end of the Reading Room on the second floor of the Main Library. Most CD-ROMs can also be checked out by users for use on their own workstations. A manual of instructions for loading the library’s CD-ROMs is available on top of the CD-ROM cabinets.
Reference Services
Government Information Services, Access, and Collections maintains a web site designed to facilitate access to government information on the Internet as well as to guides for finding and using government information on the Internet (https://www.library.illinois.edu/govinfo/). Some Internet sites containing government information require a password which will be provided for use at the Information Desk. Reference service, including assistance with government information in electronic formats, is available by e-mail through the Reference, Research, and Scholarly Services e-mail reference form or by sending an e-mail to gdoclib@library.illinois.edu. If necessary, documents shorter than ten pages in length can be sent to library users via fax; longer documents can be mailed.
Personal or telephone assistance with using government information in all formats is available at the Reference, Research, and Scholarly Services Information Desk , accessible at 200 Main Library from 8:30am-11pm Mondays through Thursdays, 8:30am-6pm Fridays, 11am-5pm Saturdays, and 1-11pm Sundays. Operating hours may vary during finals week or scheduled University vacation periods, and may be verified by checking the current Library Hours . Our telephone number is (217) 333-2290.
Government Information Services provides training in the use of government information in electronic formats. Training can take place at the library for small groups and individuals, or in a classroom with Internet access for larger groups. Contact Mary Mallory at (217) 244-4621 or via e-mail at mmallory@illinois.edu for more information or fill out the following form to schedule a training session.
References
- U.S. Government Printing Office. Depository Library Public Service Guidelines for Government Information in Electronic Formats. Administrative Notes19(11), September 15, 1998 . Online at http://www.fdlp.gov/home/repository/cat_view/240-historical-publications/218-administrative-notes/232-1998
- U.S. Government Printing Office. FDLP Internet Use Policy Guidelines. Administrative Notes 20(2), January 15, 1999 (revised March 2003). Online athttp://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/mgt/iupolicy.html.
- University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Electronic Information Policy for Library Users.”
- Office of the Chief Information Officer. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Information Technology Policies.