2024 Fall DLC: A Balancing Act: Mediating Public Access Services in Academic Depository Libraries

The central mission of the FDLP lies in providing free access to Government information for members of the American public, as outlined in 44 U.S. Code § 19. This Federal mandate requires that all depository libraries provide access to their physical Government documents collections by ensuring their building is open to all depository users, including the general public. Academic libraries, however, operate in a unique ecosystem in which the scope and extent of public access services (e.g. printing, computer use, checkout services) available to members of the general public are often much more limited than similar services for university students and employees. Budgetary considerations, vendor restrictions, cybersecurity concerns, and staffing limitations are just some of the issues that academic depository libraries must necessarily grapple with when delineating between policies and access services for members of the public and university affiliates.

This presentation explores such dynamics within the context of the University of Montana’s Mansfield Library, a four-year, medium-sized, public R1 institution located in the Rocky Mountain West. I will discuss exploratory research conducted around the use of Government information by local nonprofits and community action groups; the Library’s current public access services and policies; results from a recent survey of regional depository libraries around public printing and computer services; and results of a recent environmental scan of academic public access services conducted by Library employees. The presentation seeks to invigorate conversations within the depository community around the practical and rhetorical implications of access services and policies for members of the general public and will provide some practical steps forward for other academic depository libraries seeking to connect their stewardship of Government information resources to community needs.