Cataloging Record Distribution Program FAQs for Current Participants

Each participating library is entitled to make up to two cataloging specification updates to their record sets output (updating their CRDP Profile) during each Federal fiscal year. GPO’s fiscal year runs from October 1st through September 30th. Contact MARCIVE, Inc. directly to make changes. You do not need to use the web form you submitted when your library joined the CRDP.

There is no need to notify GPO or MARCIVE about item number changes. When you update your library’s FDLP item number selection profile or GPO makes changes to item numbers that affect your library profile, MARCIVE automatically provides bibliographic records that match the new item selections in the next batch of CRDP records.

Although we ask that you make CRDP records available on a timely basis, we understand that there will be times when that is not feasible or easily accomplished. If, for example, the primary staff person who works with the CRDP is away for an extended time or if you’re working hard on a systems migration, we understand there will be an impact on CRDP records processing.

In these situations, you still need to pick up the records during the two-week window when they are available. Anyone can save them locally as .mrc files until you’re ready to work with them.

We encourage all participating libraries to have at least two CRDP points of contact receiving the monthly email notifications from MARCIVE, so you have a backup when needed.

If your library or staff is significantly impacted by a disaster and you are unable to access the monthly records, please contact GPO or MARCIVE staff when feasible. Records may be held for disaster-affected libraries.

Please contact GPO to update the information in these fields. We will share the updates with MARCIVE

You may request assistance from a CRDP Buddy, a fellow practitioner at another participating library who has volunteered to provide assistance and consult.
If you’re new to the CRDP, you can see an outline of what to expect in the program.
You’re also welcome to contact MARCIVE or GPO staff directly.

Individual libraries in a consortium may request to participate in the CRDP. Please note though that each participating library or the consortium is responsible for tailoring or deduplication of the records within a consortial catalog.

Since the CRDP provides bibliographic records that match on a depository’s currently selected item numbers (with some exceptions), records related to unselected item numbers are not available through the program.

Unfortunately, in these situations, you will need to keep a separate list of item numbers (or related issuing agency information) to search through a resource such as the CGP. You can identify desired titles and then copy catalog their records.

Some libraries working to reduce print and other tangible selections may find themselves in this situation. In order to stop getting tangible receipts, item numbers associated with multiple formats like these are deselected:

• Item 0648-A, I 29.9/2:, Handbooks, Manuals, Guides, "no format indicated"
• Item 0831-C-12, HE 20.3965:, Research Monograph Series, P/EL

However, some online titles may also be associated with these item numbers. If you see the potential for publications associated with some deselected item numbers to be of interest to your library’s researchers, you could develop a workflow to search for future titles, either by item number, SuDocs stem, or other method.

Assuming the record includes an item number, identify the item number included and then check to see if it’s on your library’s item number selection profile. You can do this through Item Lister. If the item number doesn’t appear when you search by your depository library number and selections, you would not have received the associated catalog records.

Since the CRDP is primarily set up to provide bibliographic records that match on a depository’s currently selected item numbers, you may amend your library’s selection profile if you’d like to add item numbers and receive related bibliographic records in the future.

Yes, you may contact MARCIVE to request a date parameter be placed on your CRDP Profile records so you no longer receive records describing publications that you do not have, or at least are not likely to have in your collection. By default, MARCIVE will limit output to titles no more than five years old, but you may also specify a specific year.

GPO’s Historic Shelflist (HSL) records were made available in the CRDP from 2010-January, 2019. These records are brief bibliographic records.

GPO is currently reviewing the best option available to complete the transcription project and catalog the remaining 25% of the untranscribed records.

If your library profiled to receive Historic Shelflist records through the CRDP, you do not need to take any action to update or change your CRDP Profile. At this point though, you will not be getting any new Historic Shelflist records in the CRDP.

About the Historic Shelflist project:

• GPO Historic Shelf List is GPO’s historic card catalog covering U.S. Government publications identified for the FDLP and Cataloging and Indexing Program from the 1870s to October, 1992.
• Over 200,000 records have been created, and over 75% of the Historic Shelflist has been cataloged.
• Previously through the CRDP, libraries could select either all Historic Shelflist records cataloged or limit selection by issuing agency.
• MARCIVE added this note in the 500 field of the records: “CRDP Project Historic Shelflist record”.
• All records are available in the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.
• As of November, 2019, almost 150,000 HSL records have been batch loaded into OCLC. All remaining cataloged records will be loaded into OCLC.
• HSL records will be enhanced as GPO catalogers perform current work on the described publications. Libraries receiving changed records through the CRDP may see some of these enhanced records in their changed records files.