Library of Congress
Acquisitions Directorate

Duplicate Materials Exchange Program

Armenia

April 2004

The Library of Congress maintains general continuing exchanges of library materials with approximately 2,500 partners around the world through its Duplicate Materials Exchange Program (DMEP). The program is currently in a transition phase. Soon, partners will be able to select exchange materials online via the worldwide web. At present, though, DMEP is being operated in a more traditional manner, with subject lists of available materials being mailed to partners on a quarterly basis. Partners then make selections and communicate their choices via e-mail, fax or regular mail. Each list has an expiration date, at which time all selections are entered into a database, and an allocation of available books is made. Books are then packed and shipped to the partners. Most partners are also eligible to select a continuing subscription to the Annual Report of the Librarian of Congress and/or The Library of Congress Information Bulletin, as well as other Library publications, in lieu of a portion of their allotted books.

The following describes the current transition phase:

• Only books and selected single editions of reference works published as serials are made available on the exchange lists
  
• The books included on the lists are those considered to be of enduring research value. Certain classes of books, such as textbooks and books on popular topics such as cooking, are excluded.
  
• There are twelve different subject list categories based on combinations of the LC subject classification schedule, as follows:
  
  
  01) general works (A), education (L) & library science (Z)
  02) philosophy, psychology & religion (B)
  03) history (C, D, E, F), military & naval science (U & V)
  04) science & computers (G-GE & Q)
  05) anthropology, folklore, recreation (GF-GV)
  06) economics (H-HJ)
  07) sociology (HM-HX)
  08) political science (J) & law (K)
  09) music (M) & art (N)
  10) literature, criticism, linguistics, journalism, cinema (P)
  11) medicine (R)
  12) agriculture (S) & technology (T)
  
  
• Partners select which lists are most appropriate to their own needs. We anticipate continuing quarterly production of lists in all twelve subject areas; however, the number of books in any one class may vary considerably from quarter to quarter.
  

A key component of DMEP is to inform partners in advance of the number of books they may receive (subject to their availability) each year. A partner’s annual quota is based on the Library of Congress receipts from the partner during the previous year and takes into account the exchange of serials as well as monographs. Monographs and serials are exchanged on a title for title basis, with serials being assessed at the rate of three books per serial title. A quota applies across all of the lists a partner receives. There is not a separate quota for each list.

By 2005, we plan to offer partners the opportunity to make their selections online as we move the lists from paper to a database on the Library’s web site. Partners may then select available books much as customers do now with online bookstores. Also, partners will be able to monitor their exchange accounts on a continual basis as we credit the publications that are sent to the Library of Congress and debit the items that they choose for exchange.

We do plan to continue to produce printed lists for those exchange partners who are unable to participate in the e-commerce technology.

We encourage responses and other communications to be made by fax or e-mail wherever possible as we experience delays in the delivery of our regular mail. Our fax number is: 1-202-707-9440. Our e-mail address is: exchange@loc.gov with copy to lpic@loc.gov Feel free to contact us with your questions or comments.

Mailing address for correspondence only (do not send materials to this address):

The Library of Congress
Anglo-American Acquisitions Division
Duplicate Materials Exchange Program
101 Independence Ave. S.E.
Washington, D.C., 20540-4150

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Mailing address for materials:

Library of Congress
c/o Mr Nerses Hayrapetyan
Embassy of the United States of America
18 Baghramyan Ave.
Yerevan 375019, Republic of Armenia
Telephone: (+3741) 520-791, 521-611, 542-117, 542-132
524-661, 527-001, 524-840
Fax:(+3741) 520-800
E-mail: 2.usinfo@arminco.com

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If the institution wishes to send materials directly to LC via international posts, please use the following address:

The Library of Congress
African/Asian Acquisitions and Overseas Operations Division
101 Independence Ave. S.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20540-4151

Attention: Ms. Lola Pickering