Government Documents Administration

Instructions to Depository Libraries for Submitting Disposal Requests for Discarding of
U.S. Government Depository Publications

Regionals “may permit” depository libraries to dispose of depository publications which the library has retained over five years, and the Regional is to add those publications which are not presently available in its collection. As addressed in Title 44 of the United States Code, the highest state appellate court library, the Montana State Law Library, is not obligated to discard depository materials through the Regional library. It should be remembered that no library is required to discard any depository library materials, unless the Superintendent of Documents directs such discarding.

Guidelines for Disposal

• Any government publication not received on deposit from the Superintendent of Documents may be included on a disposal list. Such items should be noted as non-depository items if at all possible. Offering unneeded gray literature or gift documents to the Regional is highly appreciated.

• Any publication which can be discarded without the Regional’s approval (i.e., superseded items) should not be included on disposal lists.

• Items on disposal lists should be identified by SuDoc number, title, and year of publication. However, special arrangements for abbreviated listing can be made for common series and microforms.

 

Disposal Procedures

1. Materials must be at least five years old or have an alternate format available (microform, electronic, etc.).

2. A list of publications for disposal must be typed into a Template for Offers Spreadsheet (see right column of this LibGUide page). Publications are arranged by current and correct SuDoc number.

3. For each item offered, the following information is necessary:

• Title
• Classification Type
  • Contact Regional Coordinator if this is not SuDoc.
• Document Number
  • The SuDoc classification number issued by GPO.
• Multiple Pieces
  • Accepted values: Yes, No
• Publication Start
  • Accepted values: YYYY, MM/YYYY, MM/DD/YYYY, None
• Shipping Date
  • Accepted values: YYYY, MM/YYYY, MM/DD/YYYY
  • If date unknown, use the following: 01/01/0000
• Format
  • Accepted values: Paper, CD-Rom, Microfiche, DVD, Floppy Disk, VHS Tape, Braille, Map, Poster, Other
• Condition
  • Fine, Good, Fair, Poor

         *For serial publications, the series title and holdings range (volume/issue and dates/years).

4. For each item offered, the following information is optional but recommended**:

• Postage reimbursement
  • Accepted values: Yes, No
  • For offers distributed nationally (outside of Montana).
• OCLC
• Notes
  • For serial publications, input holdings range (volume/issue and dates/years) here.
  • Clarification on unique postage reimbursement policy (i.e., "Reimbursement for postage over $10.00 is required.").

          ** See the FDLP eXchange Data Dictionary for more information on other optional fields/spreadsheet columns.

5. FDLP eXchange inputs should consist no more than 100 items within a span of 15 days. Contact the Regional Coordinator for exceptions.

6. Communication regarding materials needed by the Regional will be sent to the Selective library through FDLP eXchange. Or, if no items are needed from a given list, eXchange messaging indicating this fact will be sent to the Selective. Regional requests for items from a disposal list must be filled before other Selective requests.

7. The Regional will endeavor to process and respond to Selective disposal lists within 45 days. If at all possible, response will be given within 1 month. If the 45-day deadline cannot be met, the Regional will apprise the Selective of the delay.

8. After the Regional has reviewed disposals, Selectives will have 15 days to accept offers via eXchange.

9. After the Regional has approved the disposal, publications will be automatically be nationally made available to claim on eXchange. Individual depositories will set their own "Time to Offer Nationally" configuration (minimum of 2 weeks).

10. After all reasonable efforts have been made to transfer the publications to other libraries, the depository is authorized to dispose of the remaining publications by means of any of the following:

• Offer for free to the public.
• Recycle the paper.
• Sell, either as secondhand books or waste paper. All depository publications remain the property of the U.S. government. Therefore, the proceeds from the sale of any items must be sent to the Superintendent of Documents with a letter of explanation.
• Discard.