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Readers Exchange
Hints On Writing the GPO Self-Study
Stephen Henson
Government Documents and Maps Librarian/Associate Professor
Prescott Memorial Library
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA 71272
sdhenson@latech.edu
In October 1997, depository libraries in Louisiana completed the self-study process. Having just written the self-study for Louisiana Tech University’s Prescott Memorial Library and having read self-study reports from depositories in my state, I decided to look for ways to improve the self-study process for librarians. After considering the matter for several days, I compiled a list of suggestions that I believe can accomplish two things:
- Help ease the challenging and intricate process.
- Help improve the readability of the self-study report.
This list of suggestions is divided into two sections: a time line for preparing the self-study report, and hints on writing and formatting the report itself.
TIME LINE
The self-study process takes time and effort by the documents librarian. Do not procrastinate. Fortunately there are several preliminary actions that a depository manager can take in advance of actually writing the self-study report. Depository libraries are inspected on a cycle of five to seven years. Documents librarians can roughly determine the date of the next self-study and possible inspection by looking at the date of the previous inspection. The time line includes actions that a documents librarian can take immediately as well as later as the due date approaches.
Right Now
No matter where in the cycle your library falls, there are several things that you can do right now to begin preparing for a potential inspection.
- Start early. Right now is not too soon to take these actions.
- Start a folder, either real or virtual, of material related to the self-study. The folder can include notes of things to do, suggested language for answers, publicity efforts, and any other material related to the self-study process.
- Review the following publications from GPO:
- Instructions to Depository Libraries
- Federal Depository Library Manual and all Supplements
- Review the library’s collection development policy for U.S. depository documents. Revise if needed using Federal Depository Library Manual Supplement (Sept. 1994). Formulate if needed.
- Review the library’s policy statements and procedure manuals pertaining to depository operations. Revise if needed. Develop if needed.
- Review previous inspection reports to ensure that GPO requirements and recommendations have been adopted and explain in self-study if not adopted.
- If appropriate, review the library’s selective housing agreement/s for depository documents. Revise if needed. Develop if needed
- Check the depository sticker at the library entrance. Replace if needed. Affix if needed.
Informal Notice (six months in advance)
Generally the Depository Services staff will informally notify depository libraries about six months in advance of the self-study. This informal notice is the signal that the depository librarian should begin a conscientious effort on the self-study.
Communicate with your library’s administration:
- Explain the procedure for the self-study. Enlist the support of the library’s administration in the process.
- Explain that writing the self-study report will take time away from other activities.
- Seek input from staff.
- Remember that, in general, the larger and more complex the depository operation in a library, the longer and more complex the self-study report.
- Download the latest version of the self-study template from the FDLP Administration Web site. Discard older versions to avoid confusion.
- Communicate with other depository librarians in the state or region. Arrange a meeting, telephone conference, or e-mail exchange to share ideas. Take advantage of state and regional organizations and meetings.
- If there is an e-mail discussion group for documents librarians in the state, use it to develop a running dialogue on the self-study. Use the subject tag SELF-STUDY: to designate messages on the self-study.
- Veteran librarians, even those who have never completed a self-study, can serve as mentors for more inexperienced depository librarians.
- Begin drafting answers to the questions on the self-study.
Formal Notice (eight weeks in advance)
If you began a conscientious effort at the informal notice, the formal notice of the due date for the self-study will not be as intimidating.
- Consult with other depository librarians in the state, as necessary, for suggested wording of answers on cooperative efforts.
- Gather together copies of documents such as policies, procedure manuals, clippings and other promotion activities, statistics gathering instruments, etc.
- Proofread, spell check, and edit final version of answers.
PREPARING THE SELF-STUDY REPORT
In this section, I have included suggestions on answering the self-study questions as well as formatting the final report.
Answering the questions
- It takes time to draft and revise the answers.
- Think about the person who will read your answers, that is, a member of the inspection team. That person is
- A librarian with depository experience.
- Familiar with best practices of depository management.
- Not familiar with the specifics of your operation.
- Reading dozens of self-study reports per year.
- Help the reader by answering the questions in a thorough but concise manner. Answer questions specifically, do not use words as "appears to," "I think," "I feel," etc. Answer the question that is posed. If there are several parts to the question, answer each part completely.
- Summarize procedures into a process analysis.
- Do not use just "yes" or "no." Describe briefly why answer is "yes" or "no."
- Where appropriate, use lists.
- Use bulleted lists where the order of the steps is not important.
- Use numbered lists where order of the steps is critical.
- Communicate with other libraries on cooperative efforts. If ABC Library reports that it coordinates collection development with XYZ Library, XYZ should report that it cooperates with ABC.
Presentation of the report
After all the hard work that you have put into the self-study process, you want to present the results in a professional-looking format.
- Include the questions and answers. Do not hand-write answers.
- Create a visual difference between the questions and answers. You can create this difference by using one or more of the following techniques:
- Use a regular typeface (like this one) for the questions and bold typeface for answers.
- Set off the answer by skipping a line both before and after the answer.
- Use a block indent for answers.
- Consider the following format:
What is a good way to format the questions and answers?
Consider this format for the questions and answers. Type the answer in a bold typeface and use a block indent to visually separate questions and answers. This visual difference makes it easier for the person reading your report.
- Presentation of the self-study report need not be elaborate. A well-written report that is stapled together [a binder is not required] is better than a poorly written report in an elaborate binder. Do not fax or e-mail the self-study.
- Include a control sheet listing all material in the report package:
- Cover letter.
- Self study report.
- Policy and procedure manuals.
- Collection development policy.
- Other attachments or inclusions, if appropriate.
- Keep a copy of the entire self-study report, including attachments, in your permanent files. The file copy could be useful if the GPO staff has a question. The file copy could also serve as a model for the library’s next self-study cycle.
- Provide a copy to the library administration.
- Mail a copy of the report to your regional or other designated library.
Although time consuming, the pain involved in the self-study process can be eased by following some or all of these suggestions. The prudent documents librarian will start the process as early as possible. At any time during the process, should questions arise, please contact the Chief, Depository Services at GPO by telephone on (202) 512-1119; by fax on (202) 512-1432; or by e-mail at smcgarr@gpo.gov
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Replacement of Microfiche Titles by Online Versions Postponed
In the October 15, 1997 issue of the Administrative Notes, the Library Programs Service (LPS) announced a list of titles currently distributed in microfiche format for which an online electronic source has been identified. LPS prepared this list to solicit comments prior to discontinuing distribution of these titles in microfiche format.
After discussion at the fall 1997 meeting of the Depository Library Council in Clearwater Beach, Florida, LPS has decided to postpone acting on this proposal until the criteria for identifying appropriate tangible product titles has been more fully developed and publicized.
When considering online resources for distribution to the depository libraries solely in electronic online format, LPS staff look for resources that meet the following specific criteria:
- The title must be available on a Government Web site that has a significant amount of content, including both current and back issues.
- The title cannot be a reference aid.
- In evaluating titles for online electronic delivery only, we consider the number of libraries selecting a title. Generally, only titles selected by 500 or fewer libraries are considered.
- If an online resource has a value associated with timely delivery, such as newsletters and announcements of hearings, online is very likely more timely than distribution of the material in microfiche format.
LPS will be working in consultation with Council on this issue, but if individual librarians have specific suggestions, please direct them to:
Robin Haun-Mohamed
Chief, Depository Administration Branch
Library Programs Service (SLLA)
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, DC 20401
(202) 512-1071
Fax: (202) 512-1636
e-mail: rhaun-mohamed@gpo.gov
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Administrative Notes is published in Washington, DC by the Superintendent of Documents, Library
Programs Service, Government Printing Office, for the staffs of U.S. Federal Depository Libraries. It is published monthly, on
the 15th day of each month; some months may have additional issues. Postmaster send address changes to:
The Editor
Administrative Notes
U.S. Government Printing Office
Library Programs Service, SLLD
Washington, DC 20401
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Internet access at URL: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/pubs/adnotes/index.html
Editor: Marian W. MacGilvray (202) 512-1119 mmacgilvray@gpo.gov
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