Tools for Depository Administration: Home

This provides member libraries with a single, concise resource to consult for the current legal and Program obligations of libraries in the Federal Depository Library Program. The document is divided into three parts:

Part I: An Authority Statement prefaces the document and explains the basis for the content.
Part II: The Legal Requirements provides a concise summary of the legal requirements found in Title 44 U.S.C. 1901-1916 (2010).
Part III: The FDLP Program Regulations lists the Superintendent of Documents' most current FDLP regulations that govern the FDLP member libraries.

This section contains advice on how to comply with the FDLP regulations. Guidance is based on broad topics and articles may reference multiple regulations.

The practices outlined in the guidelines are utilized in the creation of bibliographic (MARC) records, which are made available through the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP), an online catalog of U.S. Government information products. In addition, these bibliographic records are available to Federal depository libraries, other libraries, partners, and commercial vendors through various distribution mechanisms. Bibliographic records produced using these guidelines and other recognized standards and practices are also made available through OCLC , a worldwide bibliographic network. Other metadata schemes, such as ONIX and Dublin Core, are also utilized by GPO for describing U.S. Government information.

Has both a public page and a login page.

Records changes in item or SuDoc numbers.

Check answers to previous questions before submitting a possibly repetitive question.

The attribute that distinguishes the scheme from other systems of library classification (the most common of which, Decimal Classification and Library of Congress Classification, were developed only a short time before SuDocs) is its reliance on the origin of the document (its provenance) as the major organizing feature, rather than an arbitrarily determined subject.

The New Titles page is an easy way to find all the latest documents added to the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP). It provides access to new documents in many different formats, such as print documents, electronic documents, or eBooks. It also provides information on documents that are still in-process. Users can look for documents in a particular range of time by clicking on specific time frames, such as Last Seven Days or Last Three Months.

Selective U.S. depository libraries served by a regional depository may withdraw depository publications no longer needed providing they have been retained for at least five years from the date of receipt and approval has been received from their regional library. Discard lists are reviewed by the regional to ensure completeness of the regional's holdings. If the material is not needed by the regional, it will be offered to selective depositories in the state and lastly to other libraries. Documents may then be disposed of if no recipient is found.

When GPO issues a recall, libraries are legally required to withdraw, return, or destroy FDLP materials as instructed by GPO.

U.S. Documents That May Be Discarded By Depository Libraries without having to be offered to other depositories first. This would include superseded items, dated material (has a specific date relevance i.e. an exhibit announcement), or material specifically requested destroyed or returned by GPO.

Requires login (Username 0421 and Password FDLP17689) to obtain this, one of several lists.

Current only to 1996.

Downloadable file with best practices for storing and retrieving depository materials in on-site and off-site storage. This document addresses issues related to depository collection moves to on-site and off-site storage, including what to do before, during, and after the move itself or when there is little time; bibliographic control issues; collaboration involving one or more depository or other libraries and/or other facilitites; and alternative sources of U.S. Government information that may be helpful for patron access during a collection move or as finding aids to help identify publications in storage.

Item Lister provides users with the ability to see which item numbers are and are not being selected by any given Federal depository library. Union is Depository 0421.

Online "Print" Version in PDF downloadable format

NOTE: The addition of tangible items for distribution must be done before October 1 each year. To ensure distribution of tangible materials, submit changes to your library's selection profile before that date. Online only (EL) selection additions take effect immediately.

Current and several recent years of shipping lists in choice of format (dbf, doc, pdf) followed by choice of material type (paper, fiche, electronic)

Shipping lists from 2001 to present in PDF format (although doc and dbf are also available).

Claims for depository materials from GPO-issued shipping lists must be made within 60 days of the date of the shipping list. Only claim documents in your selection profile that you did not receive.

Microfiche claims must be made through the appropriate microfiche contractor.
USGS map claims must be sent to USGS.

Check the Claims Copies Exhausted list for a list items that can no longer be claimed against surplus stock.
Claims can be submitted from one shipping list at a time. Only five items can be claimed in one submission. If all of the documents on a shipping list need to be claimed, check the "Claim Entire Shipping List" box.

Via HathiTrust

U. Mich. unofficial version beginning 1995. Not updated after 2005.