Chapter 5 - Human Resources
A. Responsible Officials
B. Staffing
C. Training
A. Responsible Officials
The Director of the library designated as a Federal depository is responsible for ensuring that the depository operation conforms to the legal requirements of the Federal Depository Library Program. The Director or the Director's designee (the documents coordinator) is responsible for the coordination of all depository activities within the library.
These activities include bibliographic control, reference services, training, collection development, maintenance, and other administrative responsibilities.
Program and performance goals for human resources are stated in the Guidelines for the Federal Depository Library Program at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/fdlm/guidelin.html.
The responsible official should be a professional librarian and responsible to the library administration. Any depository collection and/or operation outside the jurisdiction of the Director of the designated library must be covered by a selective housing Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). MOAs are discussed in Chapter 2, Section F of the Instructions and Chapter 2, Section 2 of the Federal Depository Library Manual at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/fdlm/93fdlm.html#2.
B. Staffing
Both professional and paraprofessional staffing levels must be sufficient, in terms of hours allocated to the depository and in staff expertise, to meet depository responsibilities detailed in these Instructions. Professional and technical support staff should be added depending on the size and scope of the library and methods of organization of the collection.
Public service coverage for members of the general public using depository resources must be comparable, in terms of hours of service, degree of assistance and professional expertise of staff, to that service given to the library's primary patrons.
C. Training
The library is responsible for providing training for all staff involved in depository operations. Opportunities and resources should be provided for the initial and continuing education of staff on depository responsibilities and operations. Cross training staff will enhance depository services to the general public.
In order to ensure an efficient and effective depository operation, depository staff members should attend local and national meetings devoted to depository related issues. If local depository interest groups have not been established, then the library should consider initiating such a group.
GPO sponsors three continuing education events annually:
- The Interagency Depository Seminar is held each spring in Washington, DC. The seminar is designed for documents staff with 3 or fewer years experience handling government information.
- Each fall, in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, the 3-day Federal Depository Library Conference is held in conjunction with the fall Depository Library Council meeting.
- Each spring, at a site outside Washington, DC, a smaller number of programs are held in conjunction with the spring Depository Library Council meeting.
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