Introduction to Texas State Publications


     Purpose and Scope

     _Texas state publications_ is a monthly checklist intended as a
     reference source, current-awareness tool, and acquisition aid to
     the publications produced and distributed by Texas state agencies
     and institutions of higher education.  It includes the
     monographs, monographic series, annual serials, and new
     periodical titles that are deposited with and processed by the
     Texas State Library during a month.  Publications excluded from
     this list are:  job announcements, news releases, bills, slip
     laws, opinions, daily journals, issues of periodicals, and other
     ephemeral materials.  The electronic version of _Texas state
     publications_ also omits materials that do not require full
     bibliographic description, such as pamphlets; these types of
     documents can be found in the print version of _Texas state
     publications_ under the publishing agency with the subheading
     "LEAFLETS."

     _Texas state publications_ is cumulated into an annual index of
     all documents listed in the monthly issues for the period of one
     calendar year.  The annual index uses the same guidelines for
     arrangement as the monthly checklist, as described below.


     Arrangement

     The monthly checklist is arranged in two parts.  Part 1 lists
     publications by issuing agency, alphabetically by the key word in
     the agency's name.  Agencies which contribute to the checklist
     include state agencies, departments, state-federal cooperating
     agencies, regional governmental bodies, and state colleges and
     universities.  Publications issued by state colleges and
     universities are grouped together following the agency listing.
     Each entry in Part 1 contains the following information when
     available or applicable:  1) classification number; 2) title; 3)
     author; 4) edition; 5) publication date; 6) pagination; 7)
     frequency; 8) series title and number; 9) title and content
     notes;
     10) microfiche availability symbol; 11) OCLC record number; and
     12) entry number.

     Part 2 is a subject index.  Each publication is entered under the
     subject terms which reflect its content.  The subject terms are
     Library of Congress subject headings as they are given in each
     publication's OCLC record.  Subject terms are arranged
     alphabetically, with numeric characters preceding alphabetic
     ones.  The subject headings are ordered according to the first
     complete term of the subject heading, then according to
     subsequent terms within the heading; the exception to this rule
     is that any headings beginning with the word "Texas" are filed in
     direct order.  An example of this arrangement is as follows:

          Air
          Air.  Pollution
          Air.  Pollution.  Standards
          Air quality.  Standards
          Air quality.  Texas
          Air quality management
          ...
          Texas.  Adjutant General's Dept.
          Texas Board of Architectural Examiners
          Texas.  Coastal Management Program
          Texas Commission for the Blind

     Additional terms have been added to the Subject List that will
     simplify access to certain forms of publications; these
     additional terms are:  annual reports; biennial reports; budgets;
     college catalogs; consultant contract reports; financial reports;
     legislative appropriations requests; periodicals; and strategic
     plans.  Each entry in Part 2 includes the title, classification
     number, and entry number; each of these access points can be used
     to retrieve the full bibliographic citation as found in Part 1.


     Distribution

     The Texas State Library sends copies of the publications it
     receives to its depository libraries, whenever possible, thereby
     enabling citizens to have ready access to Texas state
     publications in their local areas.  To determine how a
     publication has been distributed, note the distribution symbol
     given with each entry.  Key to the distribution symbols:  (D)
     Depository: the publication is available for loan from the Texas
     State Library and all state depository libraries; (N) Non-
     depository: the publication is available for loan from the Texas
     State Library.


     Availability

     The Texas State Library has available for loan single copies of
     the publications listed.  Publications showing depository
     distribution are available from state depository libraries.  All
     publications can be obtained by local libraries through the
     state's interlibrary loan system.  Requests for permanent copies
     must be directed to the issuing agency.  Inclusion of a title on
     the checklist does not guarantee that an agency has copies
     available for general distribution.