- Acquisitions
- Cataloging Tools, Documentation
- Catalogs, Authority Records
- Classification
- Cooperative Programs
- General, Descriptive Cataloging
- Products for Purchase
- Professional Activities
- Publications, Reports
- Subject Headings
Subscribe
Receive an e-mail when a new issue of the Library of Congress Cataloging Newsline is available.
Periodicals of General Content 1
Collection Policy Statement Index
Scope
This statement applies only to periodicals of a general nature, published either in the United States or abroad, such as might be classified in Subclass AP of the Library of Congress Classification. The statement does not apply to periodicals limited to a specific subject. Such specialized periodicals are selected for the Library's collections based on their content, in the same manner as monographs, in conformity with the appropriate subject acquisitions policies.
Serial comic books are addressed in Collections Policy Statement Comics Books.
I. U.S. Periodicals
- The Library of Congress acquires for its permanent
collections all periodicals published in the United States which:
- reflect current events and opinions;
- provide information about trends, fashions, and contemporary culture;
- record the present and past life achievements of the people of the United States;
- provide current information about the United States as a whole, or focus on a particular region, state, or city;
- serve the general recreational, aesthetic, and cultural needs of the people.
- Periodicals whose contents are of a repetitive, formula- based, "pulp" type are not collected, but sample copies may be retained for information and reference needs.
- When currency is not a critical requirement the microfilm edition of a periodical may be acquired in lieu of individual paper issues.
II. Foreign periodicals
- The Library acquires foreign periodicals which reflect current events and opinions, and provide insight into the life and culture of the country of origin as a whole, or of a region or important city. Popular, repetitive publications which provide little or no new information are not generally acquired, but sample copies may be retained.
- For periodicals from developing countries, a more liberal policy may be followed in recognition of the short life span of many publications and the difficulty in acquiring serials on a regular basis. The general principles set forth in Developing Countries are taken into consideration.
- Sample copies of titles which are not selected may be retained for information and reference purposes.
III. Juvenile periodicals, U.S. and foreign
- The Library selects for its permanent collections all juvenile magazines published in the United States of a general, non-specialized content, excepting periodicals of a repetitive, formula-based nature of "pulp" type. A file of samples of non- selected periodicals is retained.
- Foreign periodicals intended for juveniles are limited to a representative collection selected on the basis of their interest to researchers in the field.
IV. Selection considerations
- The selection of periodicals for the permanent collections is a commitment of the future resources of the Library. All periodicals acquired, whether by purchase, copyright, exchange, or gift, bring with them the continuing costs of accessioning, processing, maintenance and preservation. For periodicals of undoubted research value, complete holdings should be acquired whenever possible.
- Special features, including advertising, should be taken into consideration in making the decision.
- If a periodical is indexed in one of the regularly published periodical indexes, it should be seriously considered for acquisition.
- Periodicals in loose-leaf format, intended to be inserted in a binder as received, are acquired only if a custodial unit agrees to keep the title as part of its reference collection and to file the inserts as received.
- Domestic periodicals may be published in differing editions for local or regional distribution; frequently only the advertisements are different. International editions of periodicals may differ markedly for each country. When there is a choice of edition, the edition which will best serve the Library's users is selected. If more than one edition is to be acquired, the edition or editions to be retained for the permanent collections should be specified.
Notes:
(1) Formerly Acquisitions Policy Statement No. 12.
October 1990