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The annual opportunity to add item numbers to depository library selection profiles takes place in June and July, 2004. From June 1 through July 30, depositories may make additions, which will take effect at the beginning of fiscal year 2005 on October 1. GPO recommends that libraries review their current selections in terms of their communities' government information needs and change their selections accordingly.

GPO strongly encourages libraries to select electronic information products whenever they are available, when they fit the library's collection plan for Federal Government information. About 60% of new Federal Depository Library Program titles are available in electronic format, and in recent months two-thirds of the new FDLP titles were "online only."

The Update Cycle period is the only time that items may be added. Items may be dropped at any time. Adds do not take effect until October 1.

Information about the Item Selection Update Cycle appears in Administrative Notes, on the FDLP Desktop News page at <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/tools/news.html>, and on the GPO-FDLP-L listserv at <http://listserv.access.gpo.gov>.

Note: No information packet will be mailed to depository libraries.

(Drops will be recorded and activated as soon as they are entered.)

The 2004 Update Cycle will take place electronically on the Web. Libraries will be responsible for entering their own amendments to selections using the Web site "Amendment to Item Selections" on the FDLP Desktop Web site at: <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/tools/amendment.html>. On this Web site, you will control the input, and the changes will be recorded instantaneously.

You will need your depository library number and internal password to submit your additions or deletions.

If your library does not have Web access, please contact:

OR

Automatic confirmation of the changes you input is a function of the Web application. In addition, if you enter your e-mail address along with your depository library number and internal password when filling out the online selection update form, an e-mail confirmation of your transactions should be sent to you. However, we have, in the past, experienced some problems with the e-mail confirmation component of this application. For your records you may want to print out and/or save the Web page confirmation that appears as soon as you hit the Submit button. When you save the file, change the file name extension from .cgi to .html to view the page in a Web browser.

In preparing to amend your depository's item selection profile for fiscal year 2005, please consider the following:

• GPO requests that documents librarians conduct a zero-based review of the depository's current item selections by carefully examining the need for each item.

• Librarians should not make their collection development decisions in a vacuum. GPO encourages cooperative collection development to ensure that all relevant items are available within a local area or region without unnecessary duplication of little used documents.
• After consulting with other depositories, documents librarians should delete any items not actually needed to serve current or anticipated future needs of the public. If appropriate, a library should add relevant items needed by its clientele.

• Regional libraries may choose a single format when an item is offered in both microfiche and paper formats.

• Selective libraries must choose only a single format when an item is offered in both microfiche and paper formats.

Depositories should select items at a level at least half the average rate of libraries of a similar size and type. Exceptions are made for depositories with a written collection development policy certifying that their current selection rate of tangible and electronic information products effectively meets the public's government information needs.

Use the chart of selection averages in Administrative Notes, v. 25, # 4 (3/15/04), p. 8, to help determine your appropriate selection rate. This chart is also available on the FDLP Desktop at: <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/coll-dev/itemchrt.html>.

For further information, see "Review of GPO Position on Item Selection Rates" in Administrative Notes, v. 22, # 5 (3/15/01), p. 3.

Item Lister shows your current item selections and all of the items currently available through the Federal Depository Library Program. Item Lister can be found on the FDLP Desktop Web site at: <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/tools/itemlist.html>. Your drops will be reflected in Item Lister the next week after you make them. Adds will be activated, and added to Item Lister, on October 1, 2004. During the Annual Selection Update Cycle only, Option 5, Pending Adds, is added to Item Lister. This will show what adds you have made during the Update Cycle. These adds are pending, and go into effect October 1 at the start of the new fiscal year.

For both drops and pending adds, the library should monitor Item Lister to ensure that the submissions were recorded correctly.

• Consult the List of Classes in paper or download the file on the FDLP Desktop Web site to aid in your evaluation of item numbers and titles. The electronic List of Classes is located at <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/loc/index.html>.

• Check out the collection management tools available on the Documents Data Miner, a cooperative partnership between Wichita State University and the GPO, at:

• New item numbers added to the list of item numbers available for depository selection, can be found in several locations:

Postings of new item numbers, discontinued classes, class corrections and other changes to the List of Classes are found in the WEBTech Notes database at: <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/tools/webtech.html>.

The WEBTech Notes database is also available in dbf format on the Federal Bulletin Board at: <http://fedbbs.acess.gpo.gov/library/list/files/?lib=WEBTECN>.

Each library is assigned a unique internal password for FDLP administrative functions, such as submitting the Biennial Survey, amending item selections, and updating the directory entry.

Passwords provided by GPO should be secured and only authorized users should be allowed to submit adds and drops for a library.

If depository library staff do not have the library's internal password, the designated depository library coordinator or the library director should submit a request for this information by using the "Ask a Question" feature on the GPO help service at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/help/index.html. Libraries must protect all user ids and passwords.

Libraries notify GPO of changes to their selection profile by submitting their adds or drops on the "Amendment of Item Selections" form found on the FDLP Desktop Web site at: <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/tools/amendment.html>. You will need your depository library number and internal password to process your amendments. Internal passwords begin with "FDLP" followed by a series of numbers. Information on how to fill out the Web form and whom to contact are accessible by clicking on various buttons on the form.

If you have specific questions or comments, please contact Joe Paskoski at <jpaskoski@gpo.gov> or by fax at 202-512-0877.

If you mistakenly delete an item number or select an item number that you really wanted to delete, you must contact GPO. Do not try to re-input the correct selection by entering another transaction on the "Amendment to Item Selections" Web form. To report all errors or discrepancies in your selection profile, contact:

Changing Formats

If you want to change from paper to microfiche for dual distribution items, GPO suggests the following procedure to reduce gaps in holdings:

1. Add the microfiche item during the update cycle.
2. Once the new selection is distributed in October, delete the paper item.

For example, to change the Federal Register selection from paper to microfiche, add item 0573-D in June or July, for implementation in October. Then use the Web "Amendment to Selections" form to delete item 0573-C after you begin receiving microfiche copies.

Titles distributed under item numbers 0154-B, 0556-C, and 1004-E are distributed to all depository libraries whether your library selects these items or not. GPO will distribute other titles under these item numbers throughout the year if the informational content is deemed relevant to all depository libraries. Please do not drop these item numbers from your selection profile.

If you have deleted item numbers for paper and electronic titles, GPO will stop shipping the publications within 1-2 weeks of your Web transaction. You should not claim publications listed under these items on shipping lists dated after the date you submitted the deletion.

Deletion of microfiche item numbers will take effect beginning the week after the amendment was submitted.

Deletions can be submitted to GPO throughout the year.

Libraries will be able to make additions to their selection profile only during the Annual Selection Update Cycle (June 1, 2004 through July 30, 2004).

All additions must be posted to the Web site by July 30, 2004.

All additions remain pending until they are activated on October 1, 2004. Libraries will begin to receive new publications with shipping lists dated October 1, 2004 and after.

Do not base your claims for missing depository publications on additions made during this update cycle period until the first shipping list is distributed for FY 2005 (after October 1, 2004). If you do, the claims will not be honored.

GPO will always indicate on the shipping list which selection update period governs the item distributions. Continue to claim from your 2004 selection profile during the update cycle period.