Chapter 9 - Regional Services
A. Designation
B. Responsibilities
C. Publication Disposal Process
D. Regional Administration
E. Regional Consultation
A. Designation
Libraries designated to be regional depositories must already be Federal depositories and signify their interest in being designated a regional. Designation as a regional depository requires prior approval by the library authority of the State or Commonwealth. A U.S. Senator or Resident Commissioner must make the designation. No more than two regionals may be designated for each State or Commonwealth.
Program and performance goals for regional libraries appear in Section 10 of the Guidelines for the Federal Depository Library Program at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/fdlm/guidelin.html.
B. Responsibilities
In addition to fulfilling the requirements of selective depositories, regional depositories must receive and retain at least one copy of all Government publications made available under the FDLP in printed form, microfacsimile, or tangible electronic format. Regionals may discard depository materials that have been authorized for regional discard by the Superintendent of Documents, such as superseded items, those later issued in bound form, and under certain conditions substituting electronic for tangible versions at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/coll-dev/subguide.html.
The principal responsibility of a regional depository library is to ensure the comprehensiveness and integrity of the State's or region's Federal depository resources. The regional can accomplish this in two ways:
- Purposeful collection development aimed at developing a comprehensive Government documents collection under the control of the regional library; and,
- Supervising the discard listing process in the State or relevant region to ensure that useful documents are retained or offered to other selectives.
Development of a comprehensive Government documents collection can be greatly aided by developing a State Plan for Federal documents. Helpful hints on developing a State Plan can be located at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/proceedings/98pro2.html.
By law, designated regional depositories must provide interlibrary loan and reference service to both depository and non-depository libraries within the region they serve. Regional libraries should be able to duplicate microfiche, CD-ROMs, and floppy diskettes for selectives.
C. Publication Disposal Process
Title 44, United States Code, Section 1912, authorizes regional depositories to permit selective depository libraries for which they have responsibility to dispose of Government publications which have been retained for at least five years. Discarding is a privilege granted by the regional and not a right of the selective. The regional library may refuse to grant permission for disposal of any publication that it feels should be kept by one of its depositories for a longer period of time.
The regional library should issue detailed written instructions to its selectives on the prescribed discard procedures. Upon request for permission to dispose of publications, the regional library may ask the selective depository to prepare a list of the publications. This list can contain the current item number, series title, SuDocs classification number, extent of the holdings to be disposed of, and any other relevant information needed by the regional librarian.
Other discard approval options that regionals may consider are:
- An in-person review by the regional of publications to be discarded; and/or
- Require selectives to check discards against the regional’s or a union "needs" list. A regional may also exempt specific categories or formats from the listing requirement.
The instructions should deal only with procedures deemed necessary for the efficient operation of depositories within their jurisdiction, to enable the libraries to better serve the needs of the community. Ideally, such instructions are part of a State Plan and have been negotiated between the regional library and the selective libraries.
If a list is required, the regional librarian will check the disposal lists for any publications that may be missing from the regional Government publications collection. The regional should ensure that at least one copy of all Government publications made available through the FDLP, in paper, microfiche, or tangible electronic format, (except those authorized to be discarded by the Superintendent of Documents) are retained by a depository within the State or region. Regionals should retain the selective's discard lists or other requests for disposal for one year after the discards have been made.
In reviewing the materials to be discarded, the regional librarian should keep in mind that the intent of the law is not just that the regional itself should have a comprehensive collection, but that discarding does not significantly erode the effectiveness of the State's Federal depository library resources. It is acceptable for a regional to refuse a selective's request to discard materials if the publications offered for discard should be available in that part of the State, or that the State as a whole should have more than one (regional) copy of that particular publication, or for any other justifiable reason.
A State Plan for Federal Government publications collection development should provide the framework for determining what is acquired by whom. The State Plan should also address statewide implications of substituting electronic-only versions of depository publications for heretofore tangible versions. As noted above, the regional must ensure a tangible version is maintained within the State or region.
Selective depository libraries must be instructed that disposition of unwanted Federal Government publications should be made in the following prescribed manner. Publications should first be offered to other depository libraries in the State or States served by the regional. Selectives are then encouraged to post the materials on the Needs and Offers list website, and offer the publications to a non-depository library or educational institution in the area which would be able to make them available to the public. If a list of available publications was not produced by a selective depository, they must submit a written description to the regional of the methods used to offer materials to other institutions.
After making a reasonable effort to find a recipient, documents may be disposed of in any appropriate manner. However, if such disposition takes the form of a sale, either as second-hand books or waste paper, the proceeds, along with a letter of explanation, must be sent to the Superintendent of Documents, since all depository publications remain the property of the United States Government.
If a depository library relinquishes its status, the regional will instruct the library regarding the disposition of its depository collection. This disposition should be made as noted above. However, at the regional's discretion the library may be permitted to retain all or part of its depository collection.
D. Regional Administration
Regional libraries should maintain a file for each of the selective depositories they serve. Each file should include copies of a self-study, Self-Study Evaluation, Inspection Reports, selective housing agreements, correspondence, disposal requests, and other relevant information.
Regional depository libraries have no jurisdiction over depository libraries in the various agencies of the Federal Government or the highest appellate court in the state. Federal agency depository libraries are designated by Title 44, United States Code, Section 1907 and are responsible only to the Superintendent of Documents and their parent agency. In the spirit of cooperation, the regional library is encouraged to invite representatives from Federal agency depository libraries to participate in local depository-related meetings.
Regionals as well as selectives have the right to selectively house depository materials at locations other than the designated library. Information concerning selective housing is available in Chapter 2, Section F of these Instructions and Chapter 2, Section 2 of the Federal Depository Library Manual at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/fdlm/93fdlm.html#2.
E. Regional Consultation
Regional librarians are fully involved in the designation and termination of selective depository libraries. Before a library formally applies for status as a depository, the librarian applying for status is urged by the Government Printing Office to contact and consult with the regional librarian. The regional depository is responsible for giving new depositories any necessary information regarding interlibrary loan, reference, and other services the regional provides.
The continuing education of all documents librarians in the State or region is in the self-interest of the regional library. Regional libraries should take a leadership role in organizing documents-related workshops and meetings.
The regional librarian should be familiar with each depository's operation and be able to assess the needs of the selectives they serve. This can be achieved through periodic visits, regular communication, and by reading self-studies, Self-Study Evaluations, and Inspection Reports.
Regional librarians should also take an active part in the inspection process. They should make every effort to accompany the GPO library inspectors on their periodic inspection visits. Regional librarians also benefit from this unique opportunity to observe the entire depository operation in their area. At a minimum, they should contact the libraries before and after an inspection to offer assistance.
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