1st Edition

Government Information Collections in the Networked Environment New Issues and Models

By Joan F Cheverie Copyright 1998

    This insightful book explores the challenging issues related to effective access to government information.

    Amidst all the chaos of today’s dynamic information transition period, the only constants related to government information are change and inconsistency, yet with Government Information Collections in the Networked Environment: New Issues and Models, you will defeat the challenging issues and take advantage of the opportunities that networked government information collections have to offer. This valuable book gives you a fresh opportunity to rethink collecting activities and to tailor collections more precisely to fulfill the information needs of your local community. It will help you provide your patrons access to the full array and value of networked government information. Government Information Collections in the Networked Environment explores the changes and inconsistency of the new networked government information environment’s transitional phase, with studies and solutions that will assist you in creating an information environment that may prove to be the greatest leveling force in library collecting. With this book, even the smallest community library can have the same government resources as those found in the largest of institutions. Throughout its pages, you’ll explore new challenges and learn how to conquer them as the book discusses:

    • equipment and software
    • building strong access through user instruction
    • resolving preservation and long-term archiving issues
    • resolving the current problem of local access to government information
    • creating Community Information Organization Projects
    • investigating problems with digital collections
    • discovering The Internet Scout Project
    • redistributing data via the World Wide Web

      Those who seek out information from the government know first-hand how impressive the array of networked government information has become. Government Information Collections in the Networked Environment will teach you how to manage and manipulate electronic information to provide the best possible collections to your users.

    Contents Preface
    • Assuring User Success in a Networked Environment for Government Information
    • The Community Information Organization: An Initiative for Communities and Academic Libraries
    • Government Information Today: The Dilemma of Digital Collections
    • New Tools for Collection Development: The Internet Scout Project
    • Building Digital Collections of Government Information: The Mann Library/USDA Partnership
    • Enhancing Access to Government Information: Redistribution of Data via the World Wide Web
    • Distributed Collection Development on the Colorado Statewide Network
    • Inter-Institutional Cooperation: The University of California/Stanford Electronic Government Information Initiative Group
    • Barriers to Broad Public Access of Court Opinions and Creative Consortial Projects of Law Librarians to Democratize Access Through the Internet
    • Index

    Biography

    Joan F. Cheverie, MSLS, has been Head of Government Documents at Georgetown University Library, in Washington, DC, since 1988. Ms. Cheverie was a Visiting Program Officer for the Coalition for Networked Information in Washington, DC, from 1995 to 1997. She received her BAfrom Mount Holyoke College and her MSLS from Catholic University, where she was elected to Beta Phi Mu Honor Society. Ms. Cheverie is also a prolific writer and speaker on government information topics., Joan F. Cheverie, BA, MSLS, is Head, Government Documents and Microforms Department, Lauinger Library, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057 (e-mail: [email protected]).