9.2 Physical Facilities Required for Tangible Depository Materials

• Your depository library has the following REQUIREMENTS for the physical facilities that house tangible depository materials.
• Your depository operation MUST be entirely situated in an environment that provides access to and usage of depository resources.
• Under the Principle of Comparable Treatment, the depository collection and depository operations should be housed in a space comparable to or better than the quality of other areas of the library. The space for depository operations should be functional, flexible, and expandable.
• Your depository operations area should be well-lighted, comfortable, attractive, clean, and have sufficient workspace and seating for depository users. The space should contain well planned areas for services provided, such as research, reference, circulation, interlibrary loan, and other public service activities. Adequate space away from public service areas should be allocated for processing new depository materials and other operations. Your depository coordinator and depository staff should also have nonpublic work areas.
• You MUST allot adequate space to properly house and protect the collection, regardless of format. All parts of the collection should be readily accessible. Sufficient reader tables or carrels should be provided for in-library use of depository materials. If your depository materials are maintained in a separate division of the library, the space provided should be conveniently located for user access to encourage use of the materials. The depository library should establish a policy for reasonable retrieval times for publications not directly accessible to library users. Material stored in closed stacks within the library and at nearby facilities MUST be retrievable generally within 24 hours but should be as soon as feasible given the distance between the library and the offsite storage facility. Depository publications should be protected from unlawful removal.
• Your depository facilities that house Federal depository library materials should meet the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). You can find more information about library REQUIREMENTS under the ADA can be found at DisabilityInfo.gov, Department of Justice ADA page, and ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities.
• You should examine the signage and other physical facilities of the library and parent institution to ensure the language does not inhibit public access. Instead, signage should be employed to facilitate access to depository materials. For more information on public access, see Chapter 4 in this handbook.
• Your depository library MUST post the depository emblem in a prominent location, preferably visible from the exterior of the library, indicating the library is a Federal depository and that government information products can be used by the general public without charge. You may order free decals via the Free Depository Library Promotional Materials Order Page.