Access and Service Policies
Government Documents Department
Items in Electronic Formats | Internet Access
Access to the Depository Collections
The Linus A. Sims Memorial Library is a depository for both federal and Louisiana state government publications. As such, the Library is required to provide free public access to materials in the depository collections.
Most of the depository items received by the Library are housed in the Government Documents Department, which is located in the Morrison Room on the Library's third floor. Any member of the public may access the materials in the Morrison Room during the hours that the department is open. In accordance with Library policy, persons under the age of thirteen must be accompanied by an adult in order to utilize depository materials.
Access to Paper and Microform Collections
Title 44, section 1911 of the United States Code requires Federal Depository Libraries to make documents "available for the free use of the general public." Title 25, section 124.1 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes requires State Depository Libraries to "make public documents accessible to the public, and to render free service in their use."
Therefore, all paper and microform items in the depository collections of the Sims Memorial Library are freely available for the use of any member of the public. Machines are available for viewing and copying microfiche and microfilm. Print materials may be taken out of the department for photocopying, provided they are returned to the department after copying is completed. There is no fee for using paper or microform documents, but there is a fee for copying from either format.
Some print materials are designated as circulating and may be checked out by any person with a valid Southeastern ID, by anyone who has purchased a Friends of the Library card, or by validated LALINC borrowers.
Only current Southeastern faculty and staff may check out maps.
Access to Items in Electronic Formats
Only current Southeastern faculty and staff may check out audio tapes, videotapes, and video DVDs for use outside the building. Other patrons may check out these items for two hours and take them to the Library's Media Department for viewing or listening. They must be returned to the Morrison Room afterwards.
Most depository CD-ROMs and data DVDs are searchable in the department. All may be checked out for use at home by any person with a valid Southeastern ID, by anyone who has purchased a Friends of the Library card, or by validated LALINC borrowers.
The contents of most Depository floppy discs are now available online. Therefore, we have weeded the floppy discs from our collection.
Internet Access
Computers in the Documents Department offer free public access to the Internet. Due to a printing control system, Southeastern students are required to log in with their W# and password and guests are required to log in as "Guest".
Any member of the public may search the Internet on these computers during the hours that the department is open. In accordance with Library policy, persons under the age of thirteen must be accompanied by an adult in order to search the Internet in the Documents Department.
Persons using the Internet computers in the Documents Department to access sites which are unrelated to government information may be asked to relocate to the Reference Department. Use of Documents Department computers for personal entertainment is strongly discouraged.
Students are not required to pay an extra fee for printing from departmental computers, but guests must pay a fee of ten cents per page. Guests can purchase a print card from the Circulation Desk on the Library's first floor.
