5.12 Withdrawal of a Government Information Product from Your Depository Library

• GPO is entrusted by the Congress with the stewardship of all formats of depository materials, both as U.S. Government property and as intellectual property for free distribution and public use. Only the Public Printer, the Superintendent of Documents, or their agents can legitimately order your library to withdraw a document from its depository holdings. The Superintendent of Documents may order publications withdrawn for reasons of national security, incorrect or misleading information in a publication, or for any other cause deemed to be in the public's interest. GPO's policy on the "Withdrawal of Federal Information Products from GPO's Superintendent of Documents (SOD) Programs (SOD 110)" details the steps to be followed in the event of such a withdrawal. Depository coordinators will be informed by GPO in the event of a withdrawal or recall. Any instructions from GPO regarding the withdrawal, disposal, or removal of depository materials will be issued formally through written communication and posted to the Federal Depository Library Program Listserv (FDLP-L) with details as to the procedures to be followed.
• From time to time, the Superintendent of Documents will ask depositories to return a specific publication to GPO, or to destroy it, because it is defective, or for other reasons. If this happens, a letter from the Superintendent of Documents will be placed in shipment boxes and will also appear in Administrative Notes. Your depository library MUST comply with such requests before the GPO deadline.