For Collection Development Officers: An Introduction to Government Publications

There is very likely a place in your library that is far outside your control as a collection development librarian. From all appearances, the materials in this place are relatively unused, contain a great deal of obsolete or ephemeral material in need of weeding, and worst of all are probably growing in such an unchecked manner that they may outnumber the volumes in your monograph collection. The librarians that work there may even seem a little different—discussing agencies of the federal government with startling familiarity and incomprehensible glee. This place, of course, is your government publications department.