ABOUT THIS SITE

Contents:

Origins of this Project
File Formats
Responsibility for Content
"Retention" of Digitized Information
Timeliness and Accuracy of the Information
Accessibility
Copyright

Origins of this Project

This region was developed in part with a 1997 grant from the New York State Department of Education's Electronic Doorway Library Program received by the Western New York Library Resources Council on behalf of the University at Buffalo's (UB) University Libraries. It is intended as a public service by providing additional access to select government information obtained by the UB University Libraries through participation in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).

The site is presently maintained by the Acquisitions Department of the UB University Libraries. Questions, comments and concerns may be addressed to Brenda Battleson blb@buffalo.edu or David Nuzzo dnuzzo@buffalo.edu.

File Formats

The documents accessible via this site are available in a number of file formats, the most common of which are jpg image files and portable document files (pdf.) The jpg image files are viewable through any browser although those digitized by the UB University Libraries are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 4.0 and up.) Those publications in pdf format require the Adobe® Reader®. (Click here if you do not have this free software.)

Many of the documents distributed by federal agencies in pdf, html or text formats only. Html and text files are viewable through most browsers. Some require special software to view individual files—for example, USGS maps. The agency websites will provide the needed information for accessing those documents.

Responsibility for Content

While this region provides a gateway to digitized pamphlets, brochures and additional electronic titles, the content of any given title is the responsibility of the federal agency that published it and not the UB University Libraries.

"Retention" of Digitized Information

Under Chapter 19 of Title 44 of the United States Code of Federal regulations, documents distributed through the FDLP are, and remain, Government property. Depository libraries are entrusted with the maintenance of these materials while they are in the custody of the library. Brochures and pamphlets, like other depository titles, are required to be retained by the UB University Libraries for a period of not less than five years, unless otherwise directed. These materials may be withdrawn from the collection and discarded only in the manner prescribed by the Instructions to Depository Libraries or at the specific direction of a Government Printing Office (GPO) official.

Digitized documents are treated in the same manner as those in print format. Those documents scanned in-house, whose electronic access is controlled by the UB University Libraries, will be maintained according the the regulations and directions mentioned above. Electronic brochures and pamphlets digitized by individual agencies may be accessed remotely via this site. However, access to these particular documents is beyond the direct control of the University Libraries and thus falls upon the individual agency or web site on which the electronic document is maintained.

Timeliness and Accuracy of the Information

With the above information in mind, users must consider the possibility that information contained in the documents accessed via this site may be inaccurate or outdated. The University Libraries will make every attempt to provide the most accurate and timely information possible. However, the UB University Libraries are bound by the retention requirements of FDLP. Since recent experience has shown that electronic information changes much more quickly than allowed for in the FDLP's traditional five-year retention schedule, users must therefore be cautious.

If any information is in question, the most reliable sources for clarification are the agencies that produced the document. An index to federal government departments and agencies may be found on the FirstGov web portal. Questions related to content may also be addressed to those maintaining this site (see above) as well as the Government Documents Librarians at the University at Buffalo.

Accessibility

In accordance with New York State Technology Policy 99-3, Universal Accessibility for NYS Web Sites, efforts to render these pages accessible utilizing W3C's guidelines for accessible web materials has become a priority. All brochures scanned in-house as of January 1, 2001 should have text-based versions available in addition to the image-based digital documents. There are, however, numerous titles digitized prior to this date, which have yet to have text-based alternatives created. This effort is ongoing. If users require an alternate version to an electronic brochure or pamphlet and none appears to be available, please contact Brenda Battleson. If you provide the name of the document(s) and the format required (text, html, photocopy of the original), an accessible version will be provided. In most instances, original print versions of the documents on this site are also available. Again, contact Brenda Battleson for more information.

Copyright

Documents and publications distributed through the depository library program are in the public domain unless otherwise noted. Since there are no copyright restrictions, there are no restrictions on the use, reproduction or distribution of this information, so long as the source is properly acknowledged.

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