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A Public Access Assessment (PAA) is a review by GPO staff of an individual library’s Federal depository operations and services. GPO has the responsibility, pursuant to 44 USC 19, to ensure that the resources it distributes to Federal depository libraries are made accessible to the general public and that participating libraries comply with Legal Requirements and Program Regulations of the Federal Depository Library Program.
The review is intended to be supportive of each individual depository library and involves sharing of best practices and recognition of notable achievements that will help each library continue to enhance its operations and services. If needed, GPO advises how to reach greater compliance.
Please keep in mind that your library’s depository operations and services must be designed to meet the U.S. Government information needs of your library users, including the general public; however, the processes selected by your library to meet those needs continues to be a local determination.
The PAA is organized according to the same categories found in Legal Requirements and Program Regulations of the Federal Depository Library Program. These are:
- Basics (overarching responsibilities)
- Collection Development
- Bibliographic Control
- Physical Facilities and Maintenance of the Collection
- Staffing
- Public Service
- Cooperative Efforts
A typical PAA starts with a conference call between a library’s Federal depository coordinator or staff and a GPO Outreach Librarian. Afterward, GPO sends an official report to the library.
PAAs are being scheduled, typically based on the chronology of the last review.
Consultation with each depository library benefits the FDLP. Depository library and GPO staff exchange ideas during PAAs, reinforcing our mutual commitment to provide library users with easy access to U.S. Government information.
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