ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES NEWSLETTER OF THE FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY PROGRAM Vol. 19, no. 10 GP 3.16/3-2:19/10 August 15, 1998 NAUTICAL ALMANAC OFFICE NOTICE TO DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES [The Nautical Almanac Office posted the following notice to the GOVDOC-L listserv.] The Astronomical Almanac for 1999 and the Air Almanac for 1999 have recently been distributed. A mail-back survey for readers was shrink-wrapped to the outside of each book. The Nautical Almanac Office, which produces these publications, has been receiving the surveys back from librarians. While we appreciate the effort to respond, this does not serve the purpose of the surveys. We really must have responses from the people who actually use the book, in order to ascertain whether to continue the publications and in what form. A return from someone who does not use the book gives us almost no information useful to our survey, and it also removes the notification that is intended to alert the reader that a survey is under way. It would serve our purpose best if libraries that receive either publication would make an effort to notify the readers of the books about the survey. Perhaps the survey form could be prominently posted on a bulletin board, or a supply of extra copies put out in a prominent place. If any library needs more copies, please send a message to the address below, and please state which publication(s) you have. We will close the survey on 1 September, so time is of the essence. In the case of the Astronomical Almanac for 1999, the mail-back form is a fallback if the reader does not have access to the Internet. We really want a reply to the more complete survey posted on a web site, whose URL is on the survey form: . For those libraries that receive The Air Almanac, we are trying to spread the word that a significant percentage of copies of the Air Almanac for 1999 have been found to have 3 sheets (6 pages) bound in reverse order. These are pages A131-136. There is no information lost, so it is not necessary to return such copies. However, we would appreciate it if you would examine any copies you have, and if this defect does exist, just tag it or write a note on the cover to alert readers. Please feel free to forward this notice to any appropriate departmental staff or listservers within your respective institutions. Thank you for your assistance. Dr. Alan D. Fiala Chief, Nautical Almanac Office Astronomical Applications Department U. S. Naval Observatory 3450 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20392-5420 Telephone: (202)-762-1496 Email: adf@usno.navy.mil