Access Policy Government Documents

Any and all depository U.S. government publications in any format and all Ohio documents will be available for use in the library by any patron who requests them.

Personal identification such as a library card, driver's license, etc. will not be requested of any patron for use of any material from the Documents Department in the library.

Depository material that is temporarily housed in the Reserve Department at faculty request will be marked with straps clearly noting that, because they are depository items, no identification is required for use in the building.

Staff at the Annex will also make freely available for use any depository material that is housed in the Annex, without requiring patron identification.

The Documents Department staff will request for any patron without an identification card any depository item housed in the Annex, and then make it freely available for use by that patron in Alden.

When feasible, material may be photocopied or faxed for off-site users.

Off-site users may be referred to another depository library or a web site if appropriate.

Staff members will work to store all documents in a straight forward, user-friendly manner that not only allows but enables most users to retrieve items themselves.

Staff members will work to provide efficient access in locating information or specific titles through cataloging, indexing, marking, and linking of government sources in all formats.

Staff members will work to make potential users aware of resources through displays, the web page, and talks to classes and other groups. Staff members will be available at all times to assist patrons individually as needed.

Any user who enters the building will be made to feel welcome to use the public workstations in the Documents Department to access any sites of their choice - U.S. government sites or otherwise.

Staff members will work to introduce electronic U.S. government sources to users through our homepage, handouts, bookmarks, and one-on-one personal assistance.

Based on predicted use, selected depository CD-ROMs will be installed on the library's network, or on the standalone workstations in the Documents Department.

Every reasonable effort will be made to provide access to those CDs that are not already installed and ready to run. Within 24 hours during the business week, any other U.S. government CD-ROM in our collection that is requested will be available--installed-- on a workstation in the Documents Department, or ready to sign out to any requestor for use on their own machine.

Any user may photocopy, download, or print any information from any non-copyrighted U.S. government source at a reasonable cost that is consistent with other similar charges in the Library.