Show u U. S. S Documents ts Eagerly Sought ought Public P Purchases Government Publications in Ina a Year ear Washington The The document flon alon Ion of the government printing office office office of of- fice which under the superintendent superintend superintend- ent of documents has charge of the distribution and sale of nearly nemly all government publications e except those I allotted to members of congress last year sear made sales amounting to nn an increase of over the preceding year and l more than for the fiscal year 1921 according according ac nc- ac- ac cording to George H H. H Carter United States public printer In the fiscal year ear 1925 the document document docu docu- r ment division sold copies of government publications an ant t Increase of over the sales for 16 1 1924 1 4 Most of these publications were ordered by letters of which were received durin during the year ear A large number also were sold so over the counter of the government bookstore tin on n the ground floor of the Document I building I IThe The increasing sale of government publications Is especially noteworthy says ys Mr Ir Carter In view of the fact that the office h has hags s no funds for advertising advertising adver adver- its products an and has hus to compete with free distribution by members of ron congress ess and other officers of the gov gov- The sale of government publications could be greatly Increased declares Mr Carter b by ending the present wasteful method of free distribution which cannot supply all the demands and Is therefore of benefit only to comparatively few persons The rhe charge harge for government publications It is pointed out Is nominal based Upon Tipon reprint cost plus 10 per cent With this low cost cost no real reason Is IsI I seen mn by the public printer wh why the distribution of practically all nIl government government government govern govern- ment publications should not be put on m a sales basis and every everyone one thus given glyen equal consideration In the supply sups sup- sup s ply of public documents Would Help Pay for Printing Increased sales would of course belp compensate the government forthe for forthe forthe the cost of printing the report continues continues con con- but a material growth In sales Eales unless accompanied by a reduction re re- re- re of the free copies would necessitate necessitate ne ne- an nn additional force and a 11 larger building for the document division divi- divi siou sion vii which ch is already alread seriously over over- crowded Therefore au any nuy plan for the Increased sale and distribution of government government gov gov- government publications should of necessity necessity Sit sity take into consideration additional facilities and larger quarters for the I document division i E During the fiscal year veal 1925 the 1 document division distributed 11 1 43 copies of publications About of these copies coples were purchased purchased pur pur- chased chase by the public The fhe distribution Was as made In packages fillIng fill fill- tog lag man mall sacks Periodical distribution for the various department depart- depart ment and subscription lists requires the toe handling of 1 1235 5 mailing lists containing approximately names From these mailing po lists 1 22 L GI- GI stencil machine Impressions were made during the year ear earIn In order to meet the demand for government publications the docu- docu division has to carry a n regular stock of full fully copies IncludIng Including Including ing almost every publication issued by the government In the last half century During the year the thc superIntendent super super- of documents received and stored copies coPles of the products of the government printing Not all of the copies printed annually annually annually an an- ever reach the public Durin During the year 26 obsolete and useless copies which had been ordered by the departments In former years had had to be disposed of as waste paper Millions more of ot government publications will have to be consigned to the scrap heap year ear after year nr If it the present excess printing ting for free distribution continues and no additional space Is provided pro for their storage The superintendent of documents also conducts an extensive Information Information information tion service concerning government publications Last year ear his office received received re re- re- re and answered letters of inquiry and aided several thousand thousand thousand thou thou- sand other Inquiring persons who vIsIted visited visited vis vIs- the office The Thc fact that the document division possesses a remarkable remarkable re re- re- re library of government publications publications publications pub pub- consisting of books pamphlets and maps for which there Is a complete reference catalogue makes It possible to furnish Information Information mation which could not be obtained as readily and accurately from any other source Better Library Service Better service is being rendered the depository libraries than ever before before before be be- fore as indicated by the increasing number of libraries that have found It advantageous to secure congressional congressional congressional designation as depositories of government publications By y the new law allowing depositories to select select select se se- lect the class of publications to be furnished by the government the tile depository depository de de- de- de libraries have been relieved d dof of the unbearable burden heretofore imposed In having to receive and store copies of ot every publication printed by the tube government go Under the selection plan only 59 50 of the tube designated depository libraries elected to take copies of all nIl government government government govern govern- ment publications libraries receive receive receive re re- re- re more than 50 GO per cent of the list d and of the smaller libraries less than thun 50 per cent or only the publications of special Interest to their patrons Tills This plan has hits effected effected ef cf- ef- ef a saving In the printing of thousands of publications which heretofore heretofore heretofore here here- I the libraries had to discard after a 11 time owing to lack Inck of space or usefulness Another agreeable service to the depository libraries Is the Immediate delivery of all nIl congressional documents documents docu docu- ments and reports that are of sum sum- sufficIent sufficient dent size to be bound separately necessary to hold Formerly it was until after atter the all these publications close of a session of congress so that they could be bound In sets Man Many publications of ot congress cong were obsolete lete or useless before they were sent to the libraries The more prompt delivery de de- livery was made possible through h the operation co of the Joint committee on printing in adopting the new method method method meth meth- od of distribution as proposed by this office Many obstacles are encountered by the document division which are unknown unknown unknown un un- known to most order mail houses It Is pointed out by the superintendent of documents The question of stock stockIs Is alwa always s 's an uncertain quantity he states since a as a general rule very little Information is had on which to base requirements Publicity from unanticipated sources often exhausts the supply and aside from creating delays delas while reprints are made If the publication was run from type and not plated refunds have to be he made Would Facilitate Payments The I.-he I. adoption by the government of ofa ofa ofa a legal tender of small amounts along the thc line Une of ot the Canadian postal note would be a great grent convenience not only for the public In ordering government government government gov gov- publications but for any anyone one patronizing a order mall house where small remittances are Involved declares declares de de- clares the superintendent In his report report report re re- re- re port to the public printer Although we advertise ad that postage postage post post- age fise stamps will not be accepted last year more than Sl worth were received as remittances If we could not find an outlet for these stamps It would be necessary to return them themas as for the reason that they cannot be converted Into cash Fortunately our foreign business has grown to such an extent that we were able to use all of them I am convinced convinced convinced con con- vinced that advertising of stamps as ns keeps a great many people from ordering publications The generous policy of the thc United I States government In Its free distribution distribution I I 1 tion of publications has no doubt served to depreciate their value Those opposed to a restricted free tree distribution might be interested in In knowing that Great Britain since the war has discontinued even Its prewar prewar pre pre- war limited free distribution and now all libraries have to purchase their copies The Tile British government recognizing ing the value of Its publications In 1887 passed a resolution permitting the reprinting of Information contained contained contained con con- In a majority of them The policy Is similar to ours In that we wedo wedo wedo do not allow copyrighting The two countries also entertain similar views In In their practice of charging the prime cost to the government so that the public may purchase at a nominal cost for paper presswork and binding bind bind- In ing |