This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
Size | 9.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 3,200 items) |
Abstract | Ridley R. Kessler, Jr., government documents librarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1970-2003, was born in Hendersonville, N.C., in 1941. The collection is chiefly papers relating to the professional activities of Ridley R. Kessler, Jr. Kessler, who was very actively involved in the field of government documents librarianship, served as a member and officer of a number of professional associations, including the American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table (GODORT), the Government Printing Office's Depository Library Council to the Public Printer (DLC), and the Dupont Circle Group (DCG). Kessler also carried out "A Survey of United States Regional Government Depository Libraries," 1987-1989; appeared before a number of congressional subcommittees to testify about services provided by the Government Printing Office's Federal Depository Library Program; and served as liaison from the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) to the Task Force on Restrictions on Access to Government Information. Materials include correspondence, reports, position papers, reorganization proposals, member surveys, bylaws, membership lists, notes, subject files, and other papers. There are also transcripts of the official public meetings of the DLC. A small number of personal papers are also included. |
Creator | Kessler, Ridley R. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
Language | English. |
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
Ridley R. Kessler, Jr., was born in Hendersonville, N.C., in 1941. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a Bachelor's degree in 1964, a Master of Arts in Teaching in 1966, and a Master of Science in Library Science in 1970. In 1970, Kessler was hired by the Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as Assistant Documents Librarian. In 1973, he was promoted to Federal Documents Librarian/Regional Depository Librarian for North Carolina, a position he would hold until his retirement in 2003. Additionally, he served as Assistant Head of Reference, 1993-2003.
Kessler was very actively involved in government documents librarianship at the national level and served as a member and/or officer of a number of professional associations, including the American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table (GODORT), the Government Printing Office's Depository Library Council to the Public Printer (DLC), the Dupont Circle Group (DCG), and the Task Force on Restrictions on Access to Government Information.
Back to TopThe collection is chiefly papers relating to the professional activities of Ridley R. Kessler, Jr., government documents librarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1970-2003. Kessler, who was very actively involved in the field of government documents librarianship, served as a member and officer of a number of professional associations, including the American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table (GODORT), the Government Printing Office's Depository Library Council to the Public Printer (DLC), and the Dupont Circle Group (DCG) and related bodies and conferences. In addition to his activities with these groups, Kessler also carried out "A Survey of United States Regional Government Depository Libraries," 1987-1989; appeared before a number of congressional subcommittees to testify about services provided by the Government Printing Office's Federal Depository Library Program; and served as liaison from the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) to the Task Force on Restrictions on Access to Government Information. Materials include correspondence, reports, position papers, reorganization proposals, member surveys, bylaws, membership lists, notes, subject files, and other papers. There are also transcripts of the official public meetings of the DLC. A small number of personal papers are also included.
Back to TopArrangement: by type.
Personal correspondence, resumes and biographical sketches, draft of an article, an incomplete collection of abstracts of supervised Master's papers, and other papers of Ridley Kessler. Some of the correspondence reflects a mixture of personal and professional concerns.
Folder 1 |
Resumes and biographical information, 1987-2003 |
Folder 2-3
Folder 2Folder 3 |
Personal correspondence, 1988-2000 |
Folder 4 |
Employment, 1973-1994 |
Folder 5 |
Awards, 1992 |
Folder 6 |
Articles |
Folder 7 |
Master's papers supervised, 1983-1989 |
Arrangement: by type.
Subject files kept by Kessler consisting of a range of materials that may include correspondence, articles, position papers, reports, and handwritten notes.
Folder 8 |
"Documents Lost: Depository Documents Depositories Did Not Receive, 1982-1986" |
Folder 9-10
Folder 9Folder 10 |
Task Force on Government Information in Electronic Format, 1986-1988 |
Folder 11 |
Government Printing Office finances, 1986-2001 |
Folder 12 |
Census, 1990 |
Folder 13 |
Merritt Plan, 1992 |
Arrangement: by type.
Correspondence, position papers, reports, handwritten notes, agenda, merger proposals, member surveys, bylaws, subject files, and other papers kept by Kessler while he was a member and officer of GODORT, the American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table.
Arrangement: chronological.
Files containing correspondence, brochures, handouts, reports, position papers, travel materials, handwritten notes, and other materials relating to ALA/GODORT meetings attended by Kessler.
Folder 14 |
Miami, Fla., 1994 |
Folder 15 |
San Antonio, Tex., 1996 |
Folder 16 |
New York, N.Y., 1996 |
Folder 17-18
Folder 17Folder 18 |
San Francisco, Calif., 1997 |
Folder 19 |
Washington, D.C., 1997 |
Folder 20 |
Washington, D.C., 1998 |
Folder 21 |
New Orleans, La., 1998 |
Folder 22-23
Folder 22Folder 23 |
New Orleans, La., 1999 |
Folder 24 |
Philadelphia, Pa., 1999 |
Folder 25 |
San Antonio, Tex., 2000 |
Arrangement: by type.
Correspondence, position papers, studies, member surveys, merger proposals, bylaws, and other papers kept by Kessler that are related to the organizational affairs and activities of GODORT. There is an extensive file concerning GODORT's proposed merger with the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA).
Folder 26 |
Structural reorganization of GODORT, 1992-1994 |
Folder 27 |
ALA reorganization, 1994-1995 |
Folder 28-31
Folder 28Folder 29Folder 30Folder 31 |
GODORT merger with Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), 1996-1998 |
Folder 32 |
GODORT resolutions, 1988-1996 |
Folder 33 |
GODORT bylaws, 1998 |
Folder 34 |
GODORT Awards, 1993-2003 |
Arrangement: chronological.
Subject files related to GODORT activities, concerns, and projects kept by Kessler. These contain a range of materials including correspondence, articles, position papers, reports, and handwritten notes.
Folder 35-37
Folder 35Folder 36Folder 37 |
Microfiche, 1971-1985 |
Folder 38 |
Title 44, United States Code, 1979-1980 |
Folder 39 |
Depository Library costs, 1989-1991 |
Folder 40 |
Government Information Locator Service (GILS), 1993-1994 |
Folder 41 |
Reinventing Government and the Government Printing Office, 1993-1995 |
Folder 42 |
National Information Infrastructure Initiative, 1993-1994 |
Folder 43 |
"Security of Federal Automated Information Resources," OMB Circular A-130, 1993-1996 |
Folder 44 |
Congressional reorganization of the Government Printing Office, 1994 |
Folder 45-46
Folder 45Folder 46 |
National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 1994 |
Folder 47 |
"New Universe: A Model for Federal Information Access and Dissemination," 1995 |
Folder 48 |
Electronic Federal Depository Library Program, 1995-1996 |
Arrangement: by type.
Correspondence, position papers, reports, handwritten notes, transcripts, agenda, recommendations, membership lists, bylaws, subject files, and other papers kept by Kessler while he was a member of the Depository Library Council to the Public Printer, an appointed advisory body designed to provide policy recommendations concerning the Government Printing Office's Federal Depository Library Program.
Arrangement: chronological.
Files containing correspondence, brochures, handouts, reports, position papers, travel materials, handwritten notes, and other materials relating to Depository Library Council meetings attended by Kessler.
Folder 49 |
Washington, D.C., 1987 |
Folder 50 |
Charleston, S.C., 1988 |
Folder 51 |
Arlington, Va., 1988 |
Folder 52 |
Pittsburgh, Pa., 1989 |
Folder 53 |
Washington, D.C., 1989 |
Folder 54-55
Folder 54Folder 55 |
Scottsdale, Ariz., 1990 |
Folder 56 |
Arlington, Va., 1990 |
Folder 57 |
Boston, Mass., 1991 |
Folder 58 |
Washington, D.C., 1992 |
Folder 59 |
Arlington, Va., 1997 |
Folder 60 |
Clearwater Beach, Fla., 1997 |
Folder 61 |
San Diego, Calif., 1998 |
Folder 62 |
Bethesda, Md., 1999 |
Folder 63 |
Kansas City, Mo., 1999 |
Folder 64-65
Folder 64Folder 65 |
Miscellaneous meeting materials, 1983-1993 |
Folder 66 |
Meeting travel materials, 1988-1990 |
Arrangement: chronological.
Official transcripts of the public meetings of the Depository Library Council.
Folder 67-70
Folder 67Folder 68Folder 69Folder 70 |
April 1987 |
Folder 71-74
Folder 71Folder 72Folder 73Folder 74 |
Fall Meeting, October 1987 |
Folder 75-78
Folder 75Folder 76Folder 77Folder 78 |
Spring Meeting, March 1988 |
Folder 79-82
Folder 79Folder 80Folder 81Folder 82 |
October 1988 |
Folder 83-86
Folder 83Folder 84Folder 85Folder 86 |
March 1989 |
Folder 87-90
Folder 87Folder 88Folder 89Folder 90 |
Fall Meeting, October 1989 |
Folder 91-94
Folder 91Folder 92Folder 93Folder 94 |
April 1990 |
Arrangement: chronological.
Recommendations made to the Public Printer of the United States by the Depository Library Council.
Arrangement: by type.
Correspondence, membership lists, bylaws, and other papers related to the activities of the Depository Library Council kept by Kessler, who was an appointed member of the Council, 1987-1990, and served as its chair, 1989-1990. There is an extensive file containing correspondence and other materials concerning Robert Houk, Public Printer, 1990-1993.
Folder 100 |
Bylaws, 1989-1992 |
Folder 101 |
Membership lists, 1987-1990 |
Folder 102-105
Folder 102Folder 103Folder 104Folder 105 |
Correspondence, 1987-1991 |
Folder 106-107
Folder 106Folder 107 |
Robert Houk, Public Printer, 1989-1991 |
Folder 108 |
Business file, 1988-1990 |
Arrangement: by type.
Subject files related to Depository Library Council activities, concerns, and projects kept by Kessler. These files contain a range of materials including correspondence, articles, position papers, reports, and handwritten notes.
Folder 109 |
Microfiche conversion by the Government Printing Office, 1987-1989 |
Folder 110 |
Government CD-ROM projects, 1987-1989 |
Folder 111 |
Information Technology Program, 1988 |
Folder 112 |
Minimal level cataloging by the Government Printing Office, 1990 |
Folder 113 |
Government Printing Office reorganization of the Depository Library System, 1992-1993 |
Folder 114-115
Folder 114Folder 115 |
Ad hoc committee on the Regional Depository Library structure, 1992-1995 |
Folder 116-118
Folder 116Folder 117Folder 118 |
Draft: "Depository Library Public Service Guidelines for Government Information in Electronic Formats," 1992-1998 |
Folder 119-120
Folder 119Folder 120 |
Guidelines for the Federal Depository Library Program, 1994-1995 |
Folder 121 |
Federal Depository Library manual, 1996 |
Folder 122 |
Miscellaneous materials, 1983-2000 |
Arrangement: by type.
Correspondence, reports, policy statements, handwritten notes, and other materials kept by Kessler relating to his participation in the Dupont Circle Group (DCG) and related bodies and conferences. The DCG was an informal group of government depository librarians that met at the Washington, D.C., offices of the American Library Association in 1993 to discuss issues and problems associated with the Federal Depository Library Program. The issues addressed by the DCG grew out of the work of the Government Printing Office Focus Group and were further discussed by the DCG and GODORT's Ad Hoc Committee on Restructuring the Federal Documents Library Program at the Chicago Conference on the Future of Federal Government Information. In 1995, the Coalition of Many Associations (COMA) revised the Chicago conference's report in light of subsequent legislation and technical innovations.
Folder 123-125
Folder 123Folder 124Folder 125 |
Government Printing Office Focus Group, 1992-1993 |
Folder 126-129
Folder 126Folder 127Folder 128Folder 129 |
Dupont Circle Group, 1993-1996 |
Folder 130-132
Folder 130Folder 131Folder 132 |
Chicago Conference on the Future of Federal Government Information, 1993 |
Folder 133 |
Coalition of Many Associations, 1995 |
Arrangement: by type.
Correspondence, meeting agenda, and other materials, including survey forms, data spread sheets, and a final report related to a survey of Regional Depository Libraries that are related to Kessler's professional service activities with the Federal Depository Library Program.
Arrangement: by type.
Correspondence, agenda, and other materials related to meetings and other activities of Regional Depository Librarians.
Folder 134 |
Meeting, 1988 |
Folder 135 |
Meeting, 1997 |
Folder 136 |
Miscellaneous materials, 1981-2003 |
Arrangement: by type.
Correspondence, completed survey forms, data sheets, and a final report and presentation related to a general survey of 52 Regional Government Depository Libraries that Kessler carried out at the behest of a number of Regional Depository librarians.
Folder 137 |
Correspondence, 1987-1989 |
Folder 138 |
Original survey questions and proposed questions |
Folder 139 |
Survey results |
Folder 140 |
Questionnaire raw data |
Folder 141 |
Survey report, 1989 |
Folder 142 |
Survey presentation, 1989 |
Folder 143-148
Folder 143Folder 144Folder 145Folder 146Folder 147Folder 148 |
Returned survey forms |
Arrangement: by type.
Chiefly correspondence, reports, position papers, prepared remarks, and transcripts of congressional testimony that are related to Kessler's professional activities.
Arrangement: by type.
Chiefly correspondence with some reports, position papers, and presentations. Materials from the Task Force on Restrictions on Access to Government Information include reports and position papers issued by the library community in reaction to restrictions that the George W. Bush administration placed on government information. Kessler participated in the Task Force's work as the liaison from the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA).
Folder 149 |
North Carolina Library Association, 1986-1992 |
Folder 150 |
NCDOCs listserv, 1995 |
Folder 151 |
Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)/Management and Operation of User Services Section (MOUSS) presentation, 1999 |
Folder 152 |
Librarians' Association of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Folder 153-154
Folder 153Folder 154 |
Task Force on Restrictions on Access to Government Information, 2002 |
Arrangement: by type .
Correspondence, drafts of prepared texts, transcripts of congressional testimony, and other materials related to Kessler's three appearances before congressional subcommittees. He appeared on behalf of several national library associations, including the American Library Association, the American Association of Law Libraries, the Association of Research Libraries, the Medical Library Association, and the Special Library Association. His testimony focused on services provided by the Government Printing Office's Federal Depository Library Program. Correspondence is primarily between Kessler and the American Library Association about the specific content of his testimony and travel arrangements.
Folder 155-157
Folder 155Folder 156Folder 157 |
Joint Committee on Printing, 1991 |
Folder 158 |
House Subcommittee on the FY 2000 Appropriations for the Government Printing Office, 1999 |
Folder 159 |
House Subcommittee on the FY 2001 Appropriations for the Government Printing Office, 2000 |