Re: Gray Literature Collecting in Libraries - Summary of Survey Responses
In mid-March 1998 Tony Ferguson posted a query to the collection
development listserv about policies on collecting and managing gray
literature. The attached table summarizes the 12 responses received from
libraries to date. With such a small sample we cannot draw any conclusions
about standard practices in university libraries. Two of the 12 responded
that they do not collect gray literature; the others all collect some
categories of this literature. In general, the level of collecting has
been reduced somewhat due to shortages in staff time for tracking down the
interesting literature in a field. Most reported a significant level of
cataloging of the gray literature, at least at a series level.
One social science librarian noted that slow publication of research in
journals makes this literature more important than ever for keeping up to
date about the work in a field. An international relations librarian noted
that gray literature is key to keeping up in the field as many findings are
never reported in articles or books.
Respondent Institution Field(s) Collect Gray Literature?
If so, what rules govern this collecting? Cataloging practice
Change in policy? Change in field practice
C. Manson University of Washington Geology/ Earth Resources
Yes. Comprehensively on geology & mineral resources of Wash.
State. Full cataloging for all monographs All items about Wash. Geo
receive full bibliographic citation & indexing & are added to elec.
database No More abstracts, reports, conf., & fewer formally
published materials
C. Johnson Univ. Of Texas, Permian Basin No
M. Kay Humboldt State University Natural Resources & Ocean-ography
Yes. Tech report series, Sea Grant titles, individual reports &
proceeding as we learn of them Series level cataloging. Had
vertical files but now weeding & cataloging retained items
Less acquisition w/$ & selector time constraints, less knowledge of what's
available NGO use of Web publishing
Document delivery
B. Bordelon Princeton Economics Yes. All WP indexed in
EconLit & 'crucial' international ones. "Think tank" output. Materials
from international agencies non-depository or available through standing
order. Materials on international monetary & fiscal policy & capital
markets. Catalog WP. Series are cataloged as serials if they are
well indexed. Items in other important series are cataloged individually.
Other gray literature items are not catalogued & are kept in vertical files
Collect WP more.
Collect materials on international monetary & fiscal policy & capital
markets more. Pursue others less due to staff cuts Slow publishing of
journals makes them inadequate for keeping up w/work in fields
T. Watson University of Southern Queensland All Yes, but
only at request of faculty members or faculty liaison librarians
Yes, & bind if necessary If anything, more collecting as
budget is larger
L. Davidson Northwestern University Life Sciences No, nothing
significant.
J. Brink University of Michigan Business Yes, about 20-30
institutions with which we trade WP; pay for series by the NBER. Not sure
what criteria are, but most subject areas centered around finance.
Yes, WP are cataloged. Keep all WP for 5 years only. Except for
those WP written by U. Mich. Business School faculty, which are kept
"forever". Also mount latest 2 years of papers on website. If "cut
back" only because haven't taken the time to notice what hasn't been coming
in on a regular basis.
C. Kidd University of Oklahoma Geology Yes, conference proceedings,
abstract, field trip guidebooks...No rules. Yes, treated as all other
materials with full cataloging. Some considered series. No.
Collect more now due to greater accessibility.
L. Musser Pennsylvania State University Yes, collect
conference papers - generally, those emanating from scholarly societies.
Yes, catalog and keep it. About the same.
S. Van Jacob University of Notre Dame Iberian & Latin American
Studies Yes. Active exchange program through Helen Kellogg Institute for
International Studies' WP series. Focus on Latin American democratization,
economic development, human rights, etc., but exchange with institutes from
around the world. Yes. Hold them at Kellogg Information Center for
two years, then send them to Hesburgh Library for full cataloging.
Collected for about 10 years at same level.
J. Harris Cornell Univ. Social Sciences Yes, according to users'
needs, comprehensiveness of existing collection, available resources, &
relevant universe of scholarship. Priority documents receive full
cataloging. Less important documents accessed only by date or number in a
catalogued series or serial. Vertical files abandoned.
H. Colson UC San Diego International Relations & Pacific Studies
Yes, actively seek & collect working papers & policy reports, also
relevant dissertations, but not conference papers. Some key paper series
subscriptions, some individual papers. Fields of contemporary
international economics & IR, especially re Latin America or East Asia.
Catalog all gray literature at least at series level but usually
with more individual analytics (which results in substantial use of this
material & considerable ILL activity in it) No change
Received on Wed Jun 03 1998 - 10:16:15 EDT