COLLECTION AREA
Canadian Government Publications
GENERAL PURPOSE
Dartmouth has been a selective depository for Canadian federal government publications since the mid-1960s. Canada's National Library and Department of External Affairs jointly recommended selected foreign educational institutions as depository libraries. Publications received under this system "must be processed and made accessible to the depository's clientele without delay." (The Depository Services Program, Ottawa, 1984, p. 6)The collection supports the instructional and research needs of Dartmouth undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and other scholars within and beyond the College community.
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE PROGRAM
Historically, Dartmouth has had strong interests in northern studies and Canadian affairs, particularly Canadian-United States relations. The collection is used by students, faculty, and others in all departments and programs. Major subject strengths are history, particularly of the Arctic regions; economic, social, cultural, and statistical publications; earth sciences, again with special emphasis on the Arctic; environmental studies, especially works dealing with the problems of acid rain; and many others.
GENERAL SUBJECT BOUNDARIES
Materials in all arts and sciences subject areas are selected. Decisions on cataloging are made by the librarian in charge of Canadian government publications and by bibliographers in all campus libraries. In general, we do not select works of a practical nature in areas adequately covered by United States government publications, for example child care or home gardening.Most Canadian government publications, both monographic and serial, are cataloged. Selective depositories choose items from a checklist and are encouraged to select "only those titles that are best suited to the needs of their clientele" (Depository Services Program, p. 6); therefore Dartmouth does not acquire many publications of only ephemeral value or highly specialized or technical works in areas not emphasized in College courses. Canadian parliamentary debates, but not committee hearings, are acquired as depository publications. Publications of the National Research Council Canada and related agencies are not available through the depository system and are purchased through the usual acquisitions process.
GEOGRAPHIC AREAS
All areas of the country are represented in Canadian government publications; Dartmouth has a particular interest in northern areas. Many publications (e.g., those resulting from the five-year censuses) provide information on provinces and cities. Provincial publications are not issued as depository items.
TYPES OF MATERIAL COLLECTED
Monographs, serials, and maps are selected as depository publications.
FORMAT OF MATERIALS COLLECTED
Materials are acquired primarily in hard copy. Some Canadian government publications are available in microform from commercial publishers; a very few microform publications have been received as depository items. Canadian publications are issued in either separate English and French editions or in bilingual editions. Dartmouth acquires the English editions of separately-issued works. In recent years, more Canadian government publications have been issued on CDs, and access to Canadian government information via the Internet has become increasingly important.
OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE
The Depository Services ProgramWorks not selected, not available as depository publications, or non- governmental publications of related interest usually can be obtained from the issuing agencies, from the publisher, or through interlibrary loan. Canadian government agencies are most helpful in supplying publications and in replying to research inquiries.
Creation Date
197?
Revision Date
February 1992 (Lois A. Krieger)June 1999 (Lois A. Krieger)
Bibliographer
John CocklinList of URLS
The Depository Services Program
[http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/dsp-psd/index-e.html]
Top of PageCollection Development
Policy Table of ContentsCMDC Home Page
Last updated September 24, 1999 by: (z)