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Locate and review your library’s collection development policy or policies.
Identify the depository selections, or item selection profile, currently made by your library through the Item Lister.
Libraries in the FDLP select publications for their collections by selecting “item numbers” instead of individual publications. The concept is similar to setting up a tailored standing order through commercial book suppliers, albeit with a slightly different approach.
Item numbers are detailed in the List of Classes of United States Government Publications Available for Selection by Depository Libraries. The List of Classes is arranged by Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) classification and is designed to group together publications by the same government author. Other information provided includes publication formats and titles when available. Item numbers may cover individual titles or series produced by a Federal agency, or it may cover a broader range of materials produced by an agency, such as “Handbooks, Manuals, and Guides.”
The library selection lists you will see on the Item Lister are arranged by item number and are used in conjunction with the List of Classes. Various types of lists can be generated in the Item Lister, including lists with your library’s selections and non-selections.
With a written government documents collection development policy in hand, you may review your library’s profile for additions and deletions.
Review the FDLP Basic Collection to ensure that your library provides access to all titles in this list. This is a program requirement.
Also consider the following depository collection development resources and desktop articles:
A list of collection management tools is available in the Collection Management section of the FDLP Desktop.
Of note is Administrative Notes Technical Supplement (ANTS). This series addresses libraries entering and leaving the FDLP, classification and cataloging changes, and updates to the List of Classes. You will use ANTS to identify call number and item number changes in cataloging records. Frequently scan the publication to identify issues that affect your library’s collection and materials and make the changes to the publications and associated catalog records as appropriate.
A frequently used non-GPO resource is Documents Data Miner 2 (DDM2). Use DDM2 to search various FDLP resources, including the List of Classes, Shipping Lists, a shelf list, a MARC and URL locator, inactive/discontinued publications lists, the Superseded List, and library directory information. DDM2 includes various tools that allow you to work with the data in these resources in different ways.
To support your collection review, you may wish to learn more about GPO Cataloging.
- Cataloging Guidelines: The GPO Cataloging Guidelines outline the cataloging standards GPO catalogers follow.
- An Explanation of the Superintendent of Documents Classification System: This guide provides an overview of the call number or classification system used for depository materials. Even if your library does not use the SuDocs system, knowledge of the classification system is helpful when processing and managing depository resources (e.g., many regional library publication disposal processing procedures require the use of the SuDocs numbers).
- GPO Classification Manual: This publication outlines the current policies in effect for assigning SuDocs numbers.
If you find that the library’s collection development policy related to U.S. Government information resource collection is outdated, please consider updating it a priority to review how the collection supports the U.S. Government information needs of your library community. Popular reference resources for this activity are:
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