Canadian collections in the United States

The purpose of this article is to identify the libraries in the United States with collections of Canadian materials, the extent of the collections and some of the problems encountered in collecting Canadian publications. Questionnaires were sent to 49 selective and full depositories of Canadian federal documents and 306 depositories of United States federal documents, drawn from theList of Depository Libraries by random sample. It was found that those libraries not already designated as Canadian federal depositories in the United States for the most part either do not collect Canadian materials at all or have very limited collections. A directory of the Canadian depository libraries is included.

In selecting Canadian publications, one person usually handles the federal documents while other publications are primarily selected by subject area. Thus it is understandable that upon receiving Canadian publications libraries primarily class some documents by catalogue number and integrate others into the library's main collection.

Bibliographic control has improved greatly since 1927 with many changes in the public printing law and concerted attempts by concerned librarians and the Canadian Library Association.