12.1 What’s New or Important

Library Services and Content Management (LSCM) developed and released its guidelines for shared regional depositories for public comment in Spring 2007. Since that time, LSCM has received comments and revised the guidelines with the incorporations reflecting GPO’s Strategic Vision and the Depository library Council’s vision for a more flexible model for the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).

Additionally, the guidelines reflect the existing structure built in statute that prescribes regional and selective depositories; likewise it reflects the different models of sharing resources that have also been practiced over the years, with LSCM approval. Recently, technological innovations and the digital information environment have made it possible to develop different models for sharing resources and responsibilities between regional depositories in different states and the selective depositories they serve. Therefore, the guidelines serve to assist libraries planning to develop single state or inter-state shared regional depositories. Specific guidelines and more information about shared regional depositories are available on the FDLP Desktop.

If your library has been designated as a regional depository, you have important responsibilities. The most important ones are covered in this chapter; these responsibilities are to:

• Uphold minimum service requirements established in 44 U.S.C. 19;
• Authorize the discard of depository material by selective depositories;
• Take a leadership role in organizing workshops and meetings related to government information;
• Create and coordinate a plan for inter-depository cooperation within the purview of the regional;
• Know collection development requirements and policies of your depository, region, and the FDLP as a whole;
• Maintain certain types of records for the selective depositories you serve (more detailed information appears later in this chapter);
• Be aware of the policies for the designation of selective depositories and monitor Congressional district vacancies;
• Watch for signs that a selective might be considering reconsidering depository status and discuss various options to facilitate keeping the selective in the FDLP; and
• Guide selective depositories through the process of relinquishment including the de-accessioning of depository materials.