WisBlawg reports that the Judiciary is considering a one year pilot project to assess the effect of offering free public access to PACER through the Federal Depository Library Program.  

The Government Printing Office conducted a survey of federal depository libraries last year and the results are here.  Of the 263 libraries that responded (123 were academic libraries), only 52 currently use PACER.  Of those 52, 30 had PACER expenditures less than $100.  One library had PACER fees excess of $14,000.  I think that PACER is a great resources for my legal practice, but also for all kinds of research.  So I am surprised that there is such limited usage in depository libraries.