The Research library is an integral part of the Survey's
research and regulatory programs. In support of the
information needs of staff, students, and researchers from
the public sector, the library staff provides access to
basic research materials including books, maps, state and
federal documents, photographs and periodicals. Holdings
total approximately 30,000 volumes. Materials are collected
on various aspects of geology, including mining and mineral
resources, environmental geology, hydrogeology and other
related topics. The library has one of the largest and
oldest geologic map collections in the state of Florida with
over 16,000 maps, including a number of items dating from
the 19th century.
Library Services
The library is used by the general public, students, other
government agencies, and private consulting companies. While
circulation is restricted to Survey staff, the library is
open to the general public for research. In addition,
library materials are available to libraries throughout the
world via the Interlibrary Loan system.
The library participates in a nationwide Interlibrary Loan
network through which the staff has access to other special
and academic collections. The library cooperates with other
libraries through various networking groups on the local,
state, and national level. The librarian participates in the
activities of the Panhandle Library Access Network (PLAN),
the Florida Library Network (FLIN), and various other
library and geoscience cooperatives.
The library has an automation system and is currently
beginning the long project of barcoding all of the holdings
to enable more accurate records for circulation and
inventory.
Library Computer
Services
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The Research Library currently has access to the GEOREF
database, as well as more than 25 other major databases,
through the State Library. Many of these databases are
full-text, expanding our access to periodical literature.
The library is responsible for providing detailed information
on the Survey's 800+ published documents and reports, and
oversees the distribution of all documents currently in
print. During 2004 this included approximately 650 requests
for a total of over 4,000 documents. In addition to
individual requests, publications are distributed to about
130 libraries, throughout Florida, the U.S. and around the
world, which maintain depository collections of Florida
Geological Survey publications. FGS Publications are
requested by students, environmental consultants, government
agencies, libraries, schools, geologists studying for
professional licensure, and the general public.
The List of Publications is also now available online, with
many of the Survey’s publications in full text. The
Publication of Archival Library & Museum Materials (PALMM)
of the State University System’s Division of Colleges and
Universities, have scanned in many of our publications. This
allows the public fast and free access to many titles. The
online version of the List of Publications is:
http://dep.state.fl.us/geology/publications/listofpubs.html
National Geologic Map Database
The Florida Geological Survey participated in putting FGS
published geologic maps into the National Geologic Map
Database. The National Geologic Map Database is a project
sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Geologic
Mapping Program in cooperation with the Association of
American State Geologists. The goal of the project is to
establish a database of all national and state produced
geologic maps, both paper and digital, and to provide
keyword and geographic searching capabilities for the
database. All published maps of the Florida Geological
Survey are or will be included in the database. The National
Geologic Map Database may be accessed at:
http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/
The FGS Library houses the archives of the Florida Sinkhole
Research Institute. This archive contains original records
of field research of sinkhole occurrences, county maps of
sinkhole locations, and copies of publications of the
Florida Sinkhole Research Institute. A listing of the field
records computer database has been published as Florida
Geological Survey, Open-File Report 58, and is available
through the Publications Office.
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2012 State of Florida