6.4 Explanation of Depository Shipments

There are four major types of depository shipments.

• GPO ships paper and tangible electronic publications in boxes with the library’s depository number indicated on the mailing label and handwritten on the inside of the box. If you receive another library’s box in error, please notify the Government Printing Office (GPO) using  askGPO and provide your depository number as well as the depository number of the library whose shipment you received. GPO will send either a prepaid mailing label for the other library or a mailing label to return the shipment to GPO.
• Separate shipments are mailed in containers or envelopes and are usually large bound or unbound volumes, maps or posters in tubes, and oversized publications. The shipping list number is printed on the mailing label for identification. Typically, separate shipments are grouped together on separate shipping lists, although occasionally, a separate package shipment is listed on a regular shipping list. Shipping lists for separate shipments are included in the boxes with regular shipments.
• Microfiche shipments are generally shipped directly from the contractor.
• Maps from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are sent in shipments separate from the regular depository boxes. Shipping lists or packing slips just for the maps are enclosed.