Investigating the Persistence of Federal Government Publications in Academic Former Full Depository Libraries in Canada

Campbell, Graeme; Lake, Michelle; McGoveran, Catherine

doi:https://doi.org/10.18438/eblip30203

Browse the articles in this issue

Exploring Library Activities, Learning Spaces, and Challenges Encountered Towards the Establishment of a Learning Commons

Data Literacy in the Social Sciences: Findings from a Local Study on Teaching with Quantitative Data in Undergraduate Courses

Article outline

Back to top
Abstract
Bibliography

Toolbox

Save Delete
PDFDownload
Cite this article
Share

Abstracts

Abstract

Objective – The Depository Services Program (DSP) provided printed Government of Canada publications to libraries until the termination of its distribution program in 2013. Full Depository Libraries (FDLs) received all eligible publications distributed by the DSP automatically. This study endeavours to determine whether academic library members of the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) that were formerly FDLs have maintained their print, federal government holdings since 2013; and what the results of the data collected in this study reveal about access to government information in Canada more broadly.

Methods – The study identified a sample of 100 monographs distributed to FDLs via the DSP between 1979 and 2009. Each monograph was then searched for in the public catalogues of former FDL CARL member libraries to determine current holdings.

Results – Most libraries included in the sample did not have records of all 100 publications, but every publication was located in at least 5 libraries and 12 publications were found in all libraries included in the study. Of the libraries in our sample, 1/3 had retained more than 90 of 100 publications, and 3/4 had retained at least 80.

Conclusion – The redundancy that was a cornerstone of the DSP network still exists to a certain extent and should be leveraged to ensure retention and access to these essential materials for years to come. Existing collaborations and partnerships are well positioned to support a pan-Canadian discussion about preservation of and access to historical federal government information in Canadian libraries and library networks.

Appendices

Bibliography

Bigelow, I., Bird, G., Blackburn, J., Nelke, B., Brigham, D., & McDavid, K. (2017). SPAN 5 year report and recommendations. COPPUL: The Council of Prairie and Pacific University Libraries. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aY8k3pJHxY___P8WBwRrDgTyUOqQLTmk/view
Google Scholar
Brigham, D., & Hafner, H. (2021, December 14-15). Announcement: Newly-formed national shared print program, North [Conference presentation]. Government Information Day(s) 2021 Conference (Online), Canada. https://nextcloud.scholarsportal.info/s/ASYstag48ocb7B6
Google Scholar
Bureau de Coopération Interuniversitaire. (2022). Partenariat des bibliothèques universitaires Québec: Plateforme partagée de services (PPS). https://web.archive.org/web/20220222165807/https://biblios-uni-qc.org/nos-projets/plateforme-partagee-de-services-pps-2/
Google Scholar
Canada. Communication Canada. (2001). Depository Services Program: Retention/disposition guidelines for Canadian government depository publications. Government of Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/20011217203626/http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Info/retention-e.html
Google Scholar
Canada. Depository Services Program. (1999). Full Depository Libraries. Government of Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/19990503083525/http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/dsp-psd/AboutDSP/DepoNew/full-e.html
Google Scholar
Canada. Depository Services Program. (2005). Full Depository Libraries. Government of Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/20050422075128/http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Depo/full-e.html
Google Scholar
Canada. Depository Services Program. (2010). Quick reference guide for depository libraries. Depository Services Program. Public Works and Government Services Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/20130421140839/https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2010/tpsgc-pwgsc/P109-6-2010-eng.pdf
Google Scholar
Canada. Government of Canada Publications. (2011). Full Depository Libraries. Government of Canada. http://web.archive.org/web/20111210164444/http://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/locatingOurPublications/depositoryLibraries/fullDepositories.html
Google Scholar
Canada. Government of Canada Publications. (2014). About the Depository Services Program. Government of Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/20140805201507/http://www.publications.gc.ca/site/eng/programs/aboutDsp.html
Google Scholar
Canada. Public Works and Government Services Canada. (2013). Canadian Government Publications Catalogue: Commemorative Weekly Checklist 13-49. http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2014/tpsgc-pwgsc/P107-1-2013-49.pdf
Google Scholar
Canada. Task Group on Depository Program Review. (1991). Partners in Access. Minister of Supply and Services Canada.
Google Scholar
Canadian Association of Research Libraries. (2021). Strategic directions May 2019-May 2022. CARL-ABRC. https://web.archive.org/web/20220125153703/https://www.carl-abrc.ca/about-carl/strategic-directions/
Google Scholar
Canadian Collective Print Strategy Working Group. (2020). Final Report of the Canadian Collective Print Strategy Working Group. CARL-ABRC/Library and Archives Canada-Bibliotheque et Archives Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/20220125200207/https://sharedprint.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/CCPSWG_final_report_ENG_complete.pdf
Google Scholar
Cross, E., & Lafortune, S. (2019). Government information in Canadian academic libraries, 2017-2018: Survey of academic librarians. DTTP: Documents to the People, 47(3), 6-14. https://doi.org/10.5860/dttp.v47i3.7121
Google Scholar
Depository Services Program Library Advisory Committee. (2012, August 28). Minutes of the Depository Services Program Library Advisory Committee (DSP-LAC) Teleconference, August 28, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20140305162446/https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/depositoryLibraries/dsp-lac/meetingMinutes20120828.html
Google Scholar
Dolan, E. (1989). The depository dilemma: A study of the free distribution of Canadian federal government publications to depository libraries in Canada. Canadian Library Association.
Google Scholar
Goldhor, H. (1973). Analysis of an inductive method of evaluating the book collection of a public library. Libri, 23(1), 6-17. https://doi.org/10.1515/libr.1973.23.1.6
Google Scholar
Kairis, R. (2003). Consortium level collection development: A duplication study of the OhioLINK Central Catalogue. Library Collections, Acquisitions and Technical Services, 27(3), 317-326. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649055.2003.10765934
Google Scholar
Kaufman, A., & Moon, J. (2013, November 4). Farewell to Depository Services, a building block of democracy [Op-Ed]. Ottawa Citizen. https://web.archive.org/web/20131205194722/http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/op-ed/Farewell+Depository+Services+building+block+democracy/9121876/story.html
Google Scholar
Keep@Downsview. (2020). Welcome/About Keep@Downsview. https://downsviewkeep.org/#about
Google Scholar
Monty, V. (2005). News from the north: Canada is a cold place for government publications. DTTP: Documents to the People, 33(2), 12-14. http://wikis.ala.org/godort/images/c/c4/Dttp_v33n2.pdf
Google Scholar
Morton, B., & Zink, S. D. (1992). The dissemination and accessibility of Canadian government information. Government Publications Review, 19(4), 385-396. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9390(92)90030-F
Google Scholar
Ontario Council of University Libraries. (2020). OCUL Collaborative Futures. https://web.archive.org/web/20200619031025/https://ocul.on.ca/projects/collaborative-futures
Google Scholar
Paterson, S. (2021). The Government Information Landscape in Canada. In K. Cassell, J. Church, K. Tallman & C, Church (Eds.), The Government Information Landscape and Libraries. IFLA Professional Report No. 137 (pp.27-47). IFLA. https://repository.ifla.org/bitstream/123456789/842/1/ifla-professional-reports-nr-137-en.pdf
Google Scholar
Potter, W. G. (1982). Studies of collection overlap: A literature review. Library Research 4, 3-21.
Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. (1989). General review of the 1986 Census: Reference. Minister of Supply and Services Canada. https://archive.org/details/198699137E1989eng/page/n1/mode/2up
Google Scholar
TriUniversity Group of Libraries. (2000). The first five years: Reports from the TriUniversity Group of Libraries. https://web.archive.org/web/20141215034215/https://www.tug-libraries.on.ca/sites/default/files/the_first_five_years-reports_from_the_triuniversity_group_of_libraries.pdf
Google Scholar
TriUniversity Group of Libraries. (2018). TUG Last Copy Policy. https://web.archive.org/web/20201027173152/https://www.tug-libraries.on.ca/policies/tug-last-copy-policy
Google Scholar
Wakaruk, A. (2014). What the heck is happening up north? Canadian federal government information, circa 2014. DTTP: Documents to the People, 42(1), 15-20. https://journals.ala.org/index.php/dttp/issue/viewIssue/598/354
Google Scholar
Wakaruk, A., & Li, S. (2019). Introduction: The evolution of government information services and stewardship in Canada. In A. Wakaruk & S. Li (Eds.), Government information in Canada: Access and stewardship. (pp. xiii-xxxi). University of Alberta Press. https://www.uap.ualberta.ca/book-images/Open%20Access/9781772124446_WEB.pdf
Google Scholar
Wakaruk, A., & Marks, S. (2019). The Canadian Government Information Digital Preservation Network: A Collective Response to a National Crisis. In A. Wakaruk & S. Li (Eds.), Government information in Canada: Access and stewardship. (pp. 275-294). University of Alberta Press. https://www.uap.ualberta.ca/book-images/Open%20Access/9781772124446_WEB.pdf
Google Scholar

Abstracts

Abstract

Appendices

Bibliography

Citation Tools

Cite this article

Export the record for this article