Gray literature (or grey literature) is a field in library and information science. The term is used variably by the intellectual community, librarians, and medical and research professionals to refer to a body of materials that cannot be found easily through conventional channels such as publishers, "but which is frequently original and usually recent" in the words of M.C. Debachere.[1] Examples of grey literature include technical reports from government agencies or scientific research groups, working papers from research groups or committees, white papers, or preprints. The term grey literature is often employed exclusively with scientific research in mind. Nevertheless, grey literature is not a specific genre of document, but a specific, non-commercial means of disseminating information.
The identification and acquisition of grey literature poses difficulties for librarians and other information professionals for several reasons. Generally, grey literature lacks strict bibliographic control, meaning that basic information such as author, publication date or publishing body may not be easily discerned. Similarly, non-professional layouts and formats and low print runs of grey literature make the organized collection of such publications challenging compared to more traditional published media such as journals and books.[2]
Information and research professionals generally draw a distinction between ephemera and grey literature. However, there are certain overlaps between the two media and they certainly share common frustrations such as bibliographic control issues.
Image Source Page: http://www.foresthistory.org/ASPNET/Publications/region/4/history/index.aspx
