Public Service Guidelines for Electronic Government Information

In accordance with statutory provisions, electronic information resources received through the Federal Depository Library Program at The University of Iowa Libraries’ are made available for the free use of the general public. 

In order to ensure access to electronic government information products:

• The Libraries’ provides no-fee access to computer workstations with CD-ROM, diskette, and Internet capabilities.  Use of workstations is subject to terms of The University of Iowa’s Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources Policy
  
  
• The Libraries' circulation policies apply equally to government and non-government issued CD-ROMs, DVDs, and diskettes.
  
  
• The Libraries’ maintains hardware that meets the Recommended Specifications for Public Access Workstations in the Federal Depository Libraries.
  
  
• The Libraries’ makes electronic information available for use in a timely manner. 
  
  
• The Libraries’ provides Internet access to government information at no cost.  Public workstations are ftp and telnet capable for downloading data.  The full list of software available on public access workstations in Main Library is available at Instructional Technology Center's software site (choose Main Library).
  
  
• The Libraries’ provides access to distance users through Interlibrary Loan policies which apply equally to government and non-government information resources.
  
  
• The Libraries’ documents specialists maintain a Government Information Home Page of links to useful Internet resources in support of both The University of Iowa community academic programs and interests of the general public.
  
  
• The Libraries’ incorporates cataloging records that include PURL links to digitally distributed government information products.  Library users may download or print at their discretion and in accordance with the UI Libraries’ policy for Public Computer and Print Management.
  
  
• The Libraries’ Reference and Library Instruction staff and document’s specialists, in particular, provide reference assistance and create research guides for government information resources to support research activities.
  
  
• The Libraries’ supports annual workshops for topic-specific training that are open to the statewide audience, targeting specific audiences according to the training topic.  When appropriate, online sources are incorporated in general and course-specific instruction.

Sources

The University of Iowa. Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources Policy.
http://www.uiowa.edu/~our/opmanual/ii/19.htm

American Library Association. Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks: An
Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. January, 1996.
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/electacc.html

Depository Library Public Service Guidelines For Government Information in Electronic Formats.
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/pseguide.html

FDLP Internet Use Policy Guidelines [from Administrative Notes, January 15, 1999 (v.20, no. 2)].
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/iupolicy.html

Recommended Specifications for Public Access Work Stations in Federal Depository Libraries.
http://www.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/computers/mtr.html

Revised, M. Mason
July 2007