About the Exchange Program
The exchange program has been an integral facet of the
acquisitions operations since the opening of the office
in 1966. The program is vital to the inflow of new
materials and ensures receipt of
materials that may not otherwise be acquired. Currently
there are formal and informal exchange agreements with
more than 600 Brazilian, Uruguayan, Surinamese,
Guyanese, and French Guianese partners ranging from
non-governmental organizations, scientific, and research
institutions, to government agencies, universities, and public libraries.
For formal exchanges bilateral agreements are drafted
between the respective government agencies for the
exchange of official government documents. A formal
exchange agreement has been in place with the Brazilian
National Library since 1943.
Bimonthly Exchange List
For informal exchanges the Rio Office compiles bi-monthly exchange lists of materials
offered including duplicate or out-of-scope materials, reference books,
Braziliana, magazines, and selected Spanish-language titles, and circulates
the lists to exchange partners. In general, each list has approximately
200 items. The Rio Office also circulates reference books in English to
central university libraries and research institutions. On the cover letter
each institution marks the item numbers it wishes to receive. To ensure
that everyone receives something requested, replies are collected for
four to six weeks. Materials are then mailed to the requesting institutions.
When there are not enough copies to meet the demand, a selection is made
so that each institution receives at least one requested item. The exchange
is maintained on a piece-per-piece basis, and a balance of trade is kept
with each institution.
Go to:
Library of Congress
Comments: Rio de Janeiro Office
(02/27/03)
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