Federal Depository Documents

Public Access Policy

The Burnap Memorial Library at Clarkson University was designated a selective Federal depository in 1938. It serves the government information needs of the 23 rd U.S. Congressional District along with other selective depositories located at St. Lawrence University in Canton, the State University College in Potsdam, the State University College in Oswego, and Plattsburgh State University. Under the provisions of Title 44, United States Code, section 1911 we are obligated by law to make depository information available for the free use of the public in the library.

Our policy is to provide free and unrestricted access to all depository resources for our primary clientele and the general public at all hours the library is open. During the academic year library hours are 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Saturday, and Noon-11:00 p.m. Sunday. In summer session library hours are 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hours for holidays and during academic recess are posted in the library. Hours

Reference assistance by librarians with an M.L.S. degree is available during the academic year 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and Noon-5:00 p.m. Sunday. In summer session this assistance is available 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The library’s main Circulation and Reference Desks are located within view of the entrance to the library on the first floor of the Schuler Educational Resources Center. The depository emblem is posted on all public entrances to the building and at the Reference Desk. This area of the library is handicapped accessible and handicapped parking spaces are available near the building. Reference Desk Help

The library provides reference service to all users with regard to depository information. Services include: help in identifying and locating resources in the collection, including specific titles; assistance in locating wanted information in the library; answers to reference questions or a referral to a source or place where the answers can be found; guidance on the use of the collection, including the principal available reference sources, catalogs, abstracts, indexes, and other aids including electronic products; pointing out the availability of other resources in the region; and assistance in borrowing documents from regional or other libraries through interlibrary loan.

Interlibrary loan service is provided to the University community and to residents of Potsdam and the surrounding communities. For the general public outside this area reference librarians will assist them in finding the necessary information to enable them to obtain depository materials on interlibrary loan through their local library.

Documents are bibliographically accessible through our online catalog. The WEBPAC version of the catalog is available 24 hours per day on the library’s Web site, http://www.clarkson.edu/library/. The WEBPAC includes hot links to documents available only on the Internet and to the electronic version of documents also in a tangible form in our collection. Our cataloging records are also contributed to a regional union catalog, ICEPAC http://www.icepac.net/.

Using workstations located at and near the Reference Desk the library provides in-house Internet access to government information to our primary clientele and the general public, including but not limited to GPO Access http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/index.html and the FDLP (Federal Depository Library Program) Electronic Collection http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/ec/index.html. Access to printing facilities for the general public is provided through special passwords. Remote access to these and other sources is available on the library’s Web site. Some non-depository sources are subject to license agreements limiting access to the University community. The general public must use workstations in the library to access these sources.

The depository microfiche collection is located near the Reference Desk along with the necessary reader-printers. The electronic collection of CD-ROMs, DVDs, and diskettes is also housed in this area and workstations are provided for the use of this material. Map cases containing the library’s collection of New York USGS topographic quadrangle maps are also located near the Reference Desk. With the exception of documents incorporated into the Reference, journal, or book collections paper documents are housed in Closed Stacks on the second floor. In response to patron requests, materials are retrieved from Closed Stacks. If desired, patrons may make arrangements with a librarian to browse the depository collection in Closed Stacks. A photocopier is available for patron use near the Circulation Desk.

With the exception of documents in the Reference collection and some CD-ROMs that are networked or loaded on a workstation all depository materials may circulate. The library extends borrowing privileges to residents of Potsdam and the surrounding communities. Anyone from outside this area may use the materials in the library or request them on interlibrary loan through their local library.