In March 2007, representatives from several GPO business units formed a team to conduct a Handles pilot project. Results of the project were to support GPO’s Federal Digital System team on its implementation of Handles.

Handles, like PURLs, are persistent identifiers for Internet resources. Both PURLs and Handles resolve through an intermediary database which can be updated to reflect changes in the location of the internet resource.

At the request of GPO’s Chief Information Officer, Library Services and Content Management (LSCM) staff initiated the creation of Handles in August 2007. After conducting internal (alpha) tests, an external (beta) test was announced at the Depository Library Council Conference in October 2007.

The purpose of the beta test, which ended November 26, 2007, was to gauge the Federal depository library community’s response to Handles and to a range of possible naming conventions. The Handles naming conventions fell into two broad categories – intelligent (containing descriptive characteristics) and non-intelligent (containing no descriptive characteristics and created or assigned automatically).

Beta Test Results

The test, which was conducted from October 15, 2007 through November 26, 2007, revealed the following:

• Access to the requested documents using the Handles was satisfactory.
• There is less interest in the technical aspects of Handles creation and naming than in their utility and other aspects outside the scope of the survey.
• Some libraries would prefer some descriptive content in Handles but not at the risk of jeopardizing their accuracy by increasing the likelihood of typographical errors.
• Non-intelligent naming conventions would be acceptable.

Recommendations

• Handles names should be easily (i.e., machine-) generated and have as much “intelligence” as possible without making them prone to error.
• Handles should be assigned as early in the ingest process as possible.

Requirements

• The library community requires a robust GPO initiative to resolve the problem of broken PURLs, especially in U.S. Catalog of Government Publications (CGP) records.
• In order for PURLs to resolve through the Handle server, Handles need to be created for the approximately 90,000 PURLs that currently exist.

Conclusion

The depository community is more interested in the functionality of persistent names than the specific format utilized to create them.

• Next stages of the PURLs to Handles transition require a coordinated planning effort between LSCM and other areas of GPO.
• Security and support issues involved in continuing the use of PURLs emphasize the need to expedite the transition to Handles.
• Implementation is planned via future FDsys releases.

See where GPO has traveled on our interactive map.

Depository Library Spotlight

Read about previous libraries that were highlighted in the Depository Library Spotlight.

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) is a member of the LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) Alliance. LOCKSS provides libraries with digital preservation tools and support so they can collect and preserve their own copies of authorized electronic content.

GPO’s work in this area is in keeping with our mission to provide permanent public access to official Federal Government publications in print and electronic formats through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The FDLP was established by Congress to ensure that the American public has access to its Government’s information. Since 1813, depository libraries have safeguarded the public’s right to know by collecting, organizing, maintaining, preserving, and assisting users with information from the Federal Government.

In a July 2010 interview in Library Journal (LJ), Ric Davis, GPO's acting Superintendent of Documents, told LJ that libraries working with GPO have expressed interest in having FDsys established as a trusted digital repository as well as the possibility of having their own local copy of GPO content.

"The foundation of the Federal Depository Library Program was built on a distributed model, with tangible publications being held throughout the country," Davis said. "We're looking at how we can continue that activity in the electronic world."

GPO's participation in the LOCKSS alliance is a step toward fulfilling the interests that have been expressed by the Federal depository library community.

What is LOCKSS?

LOCKSS (for"Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe") is open source software that provides institutions with a way to collect, store, and preserve access to their own, local copy of content. LOCKSS was developed by Stanford University, and it is currently maintained by the Stanford University LOCKSS Program Management Office with support from the LOCKSS Alliance. LOCKSS runs on standard desktop hardware and requires minimal technical administration. Once installed, the LOCKSS software converts a personal computer into a digital preservation box that creates low-cost, persistent, accessible copies of e-journal content as it is published. The accuracy and completeness of content stored in a LOCKSS box is assured through a robust and secure, peer-to-peer polling and reputation system. A LOCKSS box performs the following four functions:

• It collects newly published content from the target e-journals using a Web crawler similar to those used by search engines.
• It continually compares the content it has collected with the same content collected by other boxes, and repairs any differences.
• It acts as a Web proxy or cache, providing browsers in the institution's community with access to the publisher's content or the preserved content as appropriate.
• It provides a Web-based administrative interface that allows the institution staff to target new journals for preservation, monitor the state of the journals being preserved, and control access to the preserved journals.

Collecting

Before LOCKSS boxes can preserve a journal, two things have to happen:

• The publisher has to give permission for the LOCKSS system to collect and preserve the journal. They do this by adding a page to the journal's Web site containing a permission statement and links to the issues of the journal as they are published.
• The LOCKSS box has to know where to find this page, how far to follow the chains of Web links so that it doesn't crawl off the edge of the journal and try to collect the whole Web, some bibliographic information, and so on. In order to add new publishing platforms, the LOCKSS system provides a fill-in-the-blanks tool that a librarian or administrator can use to collect this information and test that it is correct. The information is then saved in a file (the LOCKSS plug-in) and added to the publisher's Web site or to some other plug-in repository, so that it is available to all LOCKSS systems.

Preserving and Auditing

The LOCKSS boxes at libraries around the world use the Internet to audit, continually but very slowly, the content they are preserving. At intervals boxes take part in polls, voting on the digest of some part of the content they have in common. If the content in one box is damaged or incomplete that box will lose the poll, and it can repair the content from other boxes. This cooperation between the boxes avoids the need to back them up individually. It also provides unambiguous reassurance that the system is performing its function and that the correct content will be available to readers when they try to access it. The more organizations that preserve given content, the stronger the guarantee they each get of continued access.

Providing Access

LOCKSS boxes provide transparent access to the content they preserve. Institutions often run Web proxies, to allow off-campus users to access their journal subscriptions, and Web caches, to reduce the bandwidth cost of providing Web access to their community. Their LOCKSS box integrates with these systems, intercepting requests from the community's browsers to the journals being preserved. When a request for a page from a preserved journal arrives, it is first forwarded to the publisher. If the publisher returns content, that is what the browser gets. Otherwise the browser gets the preserved copy.

Administering

Staff administer their LOCKSS box via a Web user interface. It allows for targeting the appliance to preserve new journals, monitoring the preservation of existing journals, controlling access to the box and other functions.

Additional information about LOCKSS is available from the Stanford University LOCKSS Web site.

Pilot Project

GPO received numerous requests from research institutions, universities, depository libraries, and other Federal Government agencies to investigate using LOCKSS as a means to manage, disseminate, and preserve access to Web-based Federal Government e-journals that are within the scope of the FDLP and the IES. As a result, GPO conducted a 12 month pilot to make Federal Government e-journals available to select pilot libraries that are operating LOCKSS boxes. The following provide a summary of GPO's evaluation of the pilot project.

 pdfExecutive Summary (40 KB)

 pdfReport (282 KB)

The GPO Historic Shelflist is the U.S. Government Publishing Office's (GPO) historic card catalog covering tangible U.S. Government documents from the 1870s to October 1992. The cards were digitized in 2012, so that a copy of the Shelflist can be maintained for cataloging projects, and for any future internal processing needs. The GPO Historic Shelflist contains:

• Over one million digitized 3x5 cards arranged in Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) order;
• Bibliographic information for U.S. Government documents from all three branches of the Government in a variety of formats including monographs, maps, serials, microfiche, and posters;
• Digitized cards representing documents that were distributed to libraries in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and documents that were not distributed but required by the Cataloging and Indexing Program, as required by U.S.C. Title 44;
• An estimated 455,000 OCLC digitized cards that were produced by GPO through OCLC beginning in July 1976; and
• An extensive collection of bibliographic information, but not a complete inventory of publications distributed through the FDLP.

Shelflist Projects and Descriptions

Project 1: Transcription of cards (Complete)

In January of 2010, the GPO began working with contract staff to transcribe the approximately 600,000 relevant cards into MARC 21 records. Contract staff created brief bib records, enhanced with one Library of Congress Subject Heading, and one corporate name authority. The project contract ended on 12/31/2018. Contract staff had cataloged 75% of the HSL drawers.

Project 2: Digitization of Cards (Complete)

As part of its records management requirement, GPO is planning for the eventual transfer of the Shelflist to the National Archives and Records Administration. By digitizing the Shelflist, GPO will be able to maintain a copy for any future internal processing needs. The digitization project was completed in April 2012.

Project 3: Cleaning Up the Catalog (In Progress)

GPO staff are working to create a clean and accurate resource in the CGP. This step involves the resolution of SuDoc classification problems and the identification and resolution of duplicate records that occur after Shelflist records are in the CGP. This is an ongoing project, and will continue into the foreseeable future.

Project 4: Cataloging of Cards (In Progress)

The GPO began a new contract in October of 2021 to catalog the approximately 66,000 to 88,000 remaining cards into MARC 21 records. These records are then made available through the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP). As part of the cataloging, holdings and item records for continuing resources are being created as well. GPO is also enhancing the records by adding one Library of Congress Subject Heading and one corporate name authority. Please note: the records are for tangible versions of the titles only.

How to Locate and Retrieve Shelflist Records

The processed Historic Shelflist records are available through the CGP. The records are identifiable by the phrase "Historic Shelflist" in the 955 field of the MARC record display. Federal depository libraries are able to retrieve these records for their own use by searching the CGP (conduct an ‘expert’ search with the phrase “wcat=historic shelflist”), by searching OCLC, or via Z39.50. Historic Shelflist records are also included in the monthly CGP On GitHub record set (a specific record set of the Historic Shelflist is not yet available). For more information on utilizing these sources of GPO cataloging records, please see the Sources of GPO Cataloging Records webpage.

The CGP also has a dedicated collection for HSL records, which can be searched by specific criteria (see Catalogs to Search “Historic Shelfist” at the top of the CGP home page,). For example:

In 1993, Congress passed the U.S. Government Printing Office Electronic Information Access Enhancement Act (Public Law 103-40), which expanded GPO's mission to provide electronic access to Federal Government information. In June 1994, GPO launched GPO Access, and in January 2009 GPO unveiled the next generation of Government information online with its Federal Digital System (FDsys). December 20, 2010 began the countdown to the shut-down of GPO Access when FDsys became GPO’s official system of record for free access to information and publications from all three branches of the Federal Government. In November 2011, GPO Access entered its “archive only” state and transitioned its status to historical reference archive. From that point forward, FDsys was GPO’s only resource for access to current, updated information. On March 16, 2012, after 16 years of Keeping America Informed, GPO Access was shut down. In honor of the Father of the Constitution, James Madison’s, birthday, GPO chose his birthday, March 16th, for the momentous occasion. URL redirects were enabled as of March 16th to send users to the FDsys equivalent of GPO Access resources. In other cases, where one-to-one redirects were not possible due to differences in site layout, users have been redirected to the best available FDsys equivalent or the FDsys homepage at www.fdsys.gov.

FDsys is:

• A Content Management System
  FDsys provides free online access to official Federal Government publications and securely controls digital content throughout its lifecycle to ensure content integrity and authenticity.
• A Preservation Repository
  The repository guarantees long-term preservation and access to digital Government content. To meet this critical need for permanent access to Federal Government information, FDsys follows archival system standards.
• An Advanced Search Engine
  FDsys combines modern search technology with extensive metadata creation to ensure the highest quality search experience.

Through FDsys, you are able to:

• Search for documents and publications: FDsys provides advanced search capabilities and the ability to refine and narrow your search for quick access to the information you need.
• Browse for documents and publications: FDsys offers browsing by collection, Congressional committee, and date.
• Access metadata about documents and publications: FDsys provides information about Government publications in standard XML formats.
• Download documents and publications in multiple renditions or file formats: With FDsys, users can download a single file or download content and metadata packaged together in a compressed file.

Benefits of FDsys

In keeping with GPO’s mission of Keeping America Informed, FDsys continues to give the American people a one-stop site to authentic, published Government information, while enhancing the searching and browsing capabilities found on GPO Access.

FDsys provides key enhancements to GPO Access that will allow users to:

• Easily search across multiple publications or collections of Government publications from a single search box.
• Perform an advanced search against robust metadata about each publication from a single advanced search page.
• Construct complex search queries using advanced Boolean and field operators.
• Refine and narrow searches by applying filters, sorting search results, and searching within search results.
• Retrieve individual Government documents and publications in seconds directly from each search result.
• View more information about a publication and access multiple file formats from a "More Information" Web page that is available from each search result.
• Access metadata or information about Government publications in standard formats such as MODS and PREMIS.
• Download content and metadata packaged together as a single ZIP file.
• Browse for a specific Government publication and browse within the publication using its table of contents.
• Utilize enhanced help options including context specific field level help and a searchable online help system.

Effect on Federal Depository Libraries

As GPO transitioned from GPO Access to FDsys, depository libraries needed to update literature, presentations, Web pages, and other materials that were used to promote, teach, or utilize GPO Access. In addition, staff needed to learn the features and capabilities of FDsys. For instance:

Branding

Libraries should have planned for the following changes:

• Replacing uses of the GPO Access name and logo to the FDsys branding.
• Updating screenshots of GPO Access pages to reflect the FDsys pages.

New FDsys brochures and promotional materials were made available in spring 2012.

Web Links

URL redirects were enabled to send users to the FDsys equivalent of GPO Access resources on March 16, 2012. In other cases, where one-to-one redirects were not possible due to differences in site layout, users have been redirected to the best available FDsys equivalent or the FDsys homepage. Libraries were asked to update their bookmarks in spring 2012.

The transition from GPO Access to FDsys did not in any way affect the operation of the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) and PURLs in regard to record or resource retrieval.

Bookmarking in FDsys

All links in FDsys can be bookmarked, including links to search results, browse pages, individual documents, and “more information” pages.

Learn About FDsys Features and Functionality

In order to effectively point users to the Federal information on FDsys, librarians should learn more about the features and functionality that are available. Use the following resources to learn more about FDsys:

• About FDsys
• Training Manual

FDsys training videos will also be available in the coming months from www.fdsys.gov, www.gpo.gov, and www.fdlp.gov.

If you are in the Washington, D.C. area and would like to attend an Introduction to FDsys or Advanced Navigation in FDsys class at GPO, please visit for more information.

Finally, if you would like to request an FDsys class at your institution and you are in the Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. area, please use askGPO to make your request. Visit , and click on the Ask a Question tab. Choose “FDsys: Federal Digital System” as the category and “FDsys Training” as the sub-category. Also in the coming months, GPO will be offering live, virtual training on FDsys.

FDsys Promotional Graphics

FDsys logo graphics are provided for use on your Web site or for use in printed educational and public relations materials you develop. The graphics are available in a variety of formats, depending on whether the images are needed for print or electronic format. View and download the FDsys logo graphics here.

In September 2010, the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) contracted with Ithaka S + R (Ithaka) to develop practical and sustainable models for the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) to continue to fulfill its mission in a changing information environment now dominated by digital technology. These models were intended to serve as a guide in planning the future direction of the Program. After careful review it was determined that the models presented by Ithaka are not practical and sustainable to meet the mission, goals, and principles of the FDLP. These models have some value as we move forward together with the library community to develop new models based on a shared vision which will increase flexibility for member libraries and ensure the vibrant future of the Program in the digital age.

The archived version (847 KB) of the Ithaka Web site that was created as part of this study, as requested under the terms of the contract, is available in PDF format. GPO appreciates the comments that were submitted by members of our community during Ithaka’s study of the FDLP. Posted below are the previously released draft documents, public comments, and final modeling report to GPO. We look forward to obtaining comments and feedback from more participants in our depository library network. We plan to use these comments as part of the foundation to build on as we continue our future visioning and modeling process. The deadline for submission of comments is September 16, 2011.

Note that the Ithaka Web site ceased adding comments in March 2011.

Ithaka has provided a PDF of their final report. The final report is accompanied by a statement from GPO.Final Report with Recommendations and Accompanying GPO Statement (1.79 MB) : “Over the course of this project, Ithaka S+R released draft versions of the major components of the final report . . . via the project’s website; this final report brings together these deliverables, revised in response to community feedback on these drafts, in completion of the project.”

The other documents listed below are taken from the Ithaka Web site archive.

1.  Environmental Scan (1.41 MB) : “A broad examination of the environment in which the FDLP exists . . . to identify the broad range of key external issues that can inform planning and decision-making.”
2. Report of Existing Networks/Consortia and Depository Programs (1.14 MB) : “A report on existing models of library networks, consortia, and depository programs.”
3. White Paper on New Models for the FDLP (1.56 MB) : “A series of new models for the FDLP that build upon the Direction [draft document, #2 below] released previously."
4. Value Proposition for the FDLP (762 KB) : “This document focuses on evaluating how the proposed Direction and Models will impact the Program’s sustainable accomplishment of its overall goals by considering the value proposition that they pose to libraries.”

The following additional documents, which were posted to the Ithaka Web site, have been reproduced here as well:

1. Summary of New Models (71 KB) : “This document summarizes the new models this project has drafted for the Federal Depository Library Program.”
2. Draft Direction (334 KB) : This document “lay[s] out an overall direction for the Program . . . and describes a set of functional and structural themes.”
3. Summary of the Research Phase Findings and Implications (338 KB): “This ‘findings’ section . . . serves to conclude and reflect on the research phase of this project.”

Descriptions of documents delivered and posted to the FDLP Desktop have been taken verbatim from the Ithaka Web site or the documents themselves.

Join The Discussion

The community was asked to participate in a discussion of GPO's shared vision of the future of the FDLP.  Comments were used in the Thursday, October 20, 2011 day-long discussion, "Creating Our Shared Vision: Roles and Opportunities in the FDLP."

Due to the nature of the Superintendent of Documents Classification scheme, it has been difficult for LSCM to provide access to Federal government information based on subject matter. However, librarians and users typically search for information based on subjects rather than government agency authorship. Many have also expressed an interest in having LSCM provide a subject-based method for selecting depository materials.

Library guides are a tool commonly used by libraries to provide users with lists of resources on particular topics. Providing Federal Depository Library partners with guides created by LSCM would be a valuable service to the community.

The project team selected Springshare’s LibGuides as the tool to provide this service.

A very limited pilot for FDLP LibGuides was conducted using nine volunteers from academic and tribal libraries in the FDLP, and a project team from LSCM.

The project ran for eight weeks, with feedback accepted throughout that time. A questionnaire was sent out at the end of the pilot. Eight out of nine volunteers responded to that survey.

Survey results were affirmative overall. Volunteers reacted positively to most aspects of the pilot, but also provided recommendations and suggestions for improvement.

An extended and expanded pilot, open to the entire FDLP community, will run from October 2017 through September 2019. At that time, the service will be re-evaluated to determine whether or not it will continue.

Next Steps

Metrics will be collected during the extended pilot to measure both submissions and use. The metrics will be measured across time during this two year period, with particular attention paid to changes in use immediately following promotion of the tool. This will allow us to not only determine whether the service is wanted, but also the best ways to promote it.

Promotion

FDLP Connection Articles/ News Alerts

• June 2016- FDLP LibGuides from GPO: A Pilot Project
• December 2017- FDLP LibGuides- Available and Free to all Depository Libraries
• June 2018- Have you Tried FDLP LibGuides?
• August 2018- New LibGuide on Opioids
• September 2018- FDLP LibGuide and Other Resources on Natural Disasters

Depository Library Conference Presentations

• Poster- October 2016- FDLP LibGuides
• Poster- October 2017- FDLP LibGuides
• Poster- October 2018- FDLP LibGuides Community Page

Webinars

• January 24, 2018- FDLP LibGuides for Libraries

LibGuides Resources

• FDLP LibGuides Disclaimers
• FDLP LibGuides Policies and Requirements 

Project Description

The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) Forecast Study queried Federal depository libraries about their pressing issues, goals, and viewpoints, and asked them to identify initiatives and needs.

Data was collected through three tools:

• Library Forecast Questionnaires: A survey gathered data about conditions in each individual depository library, issues each library faces now and anticipates in the future, and asked each library what GPO can do to assist them in providing free public access to U.S. Government information.
• State Forecast Questionnaires: A survey gathered data about conditions depository libraries in a state or region (through consensus) face now and anticipate in the future, and asked what GPO can do to assist them in providing free public access to U.S. Government information.
• State Focused Action Plans (SFAPs): This survey asked FDLP libraries in states or regions to document initiatives and activities they plan to implement in the next five years.

Data from the Study is being used to:

1. Develop ongoing U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) programs and services for FDLP libraries
2. Inform strategic direction for GPO’s Library Services & Content Management (LSCM) business unit
3. Cultivate a National Plan for shaping the future FDLP

The FDLP Forecast Study ensures the future FDLP is based on a shared vision between GPO and Federal depository libraries.

Presentation and Release of Results

At the time of the Questionnaires (summer 2012), there were 1,201 FDLP libraries.

• 802 responded to Library Forecast Questionnaires, for an overall response rate of 67%
• 45 responded to State Forecast Questionnaires, for an overall response rate of 83%
• 34 State Focused Action Plans were submitted

The results of the Library and State Forecast Questionnaires are being presented as:

Data Reports

Data Reports present results by individual Library and State Forecast question, reported by qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Library Forecast Questionnaire Results

1st Release (released May 15, 2013)

• Overall High-Level Quantitative Data for Library Forecast Questionnaires
• Q3: Funding in Libraries (revised May 30, 2013)
• Q4: Anticipated Funding in Libraries (revised May 30, 2013)
• Q19: Training Needs (revised May 30, 2013)
• Q20: Mentoring Needs

2nd Release (released May 28, 2013)

• Q5: Preferences for Digital Information (revised May 30, 2013)
• Q21: Relationships with Non-FDLP Libraries (revised May 30, 2013)
• Q22: Marketing the Library’s Collection and Services (revised May 30, 2013)
• Q23: Marketing Needs (revised May 30, 2013)
• Q24: Marketing Relationships with Non-FDLP Libraries (revised May 30, 2013)
• Q25: Anticipated Relationships with Non-FDLP Libraries (revised August 7, 2013)
• Q26: Anticipated Relationships with FDLP Libraries (revised May 30, 2013)

3rd Release (June 17, 2013)

• Q6: Preferences for Tangible Information (revised June 26, 2013)
• Q7: Remote Storage Challenges
• Q9: Patron Usage of Commercial Resources
• Q11: Negative Views on the Tangible Collection
• Q14: Plans to Digitize
• Q15: Digitization Guidance Needs

4th Release (July 3, 2013)

• Q8: Importance of FDLP Tangible and Digital Authenticated Information
• Q16: Anticipated Digital Barriers to Access (revised September 13, 2013)
• Q17: Rating LSCM Projects
• Q18: Service Needs from LSCM
• Q28: Willingness to Preserve or Host a Permanent Digital Collection
• Q29: Willingness to Develop A Subject Area Collection

5th Release (July 17, 2013)

• Q10: Importance of the Tangible Collection
• Q12: Importance of Digital Information via FDsys
• Q13: Storage of Digital Files
• Q27: Interest in Shared Housing Agreements

6th Release (July 31, 2013)

• Q30: Anticipated Leadership Opportunities
• Q31: Ideal FDLP
• Q32: Anticipated Future Needs from GPO
• Q33: Current and Future Vision of the FDLP

State Forecast Questionnaire Results

7th Release (August 13, 2013)

• State Forecast Results: Affiliations & Community Marketing
• State Forecast Results: Education
• State Forecast Results: Future Roles & Opportunities
• State Forecast Results: LSCM Projects
• State Forecast Results: Preservation Issues

Working Papers

Data collected from the Library and State Forecast Questionnaires falls into six overall themes. The Working Papers analyze the major findings and inferences of each theme. These Papers also include GPO’s planned responses to issues and needs.

• Affiliations & Community Marketing
• Collection Management
• Education
• LSCM Projects
• Preservation
• Future Roles and Opportunities(revised March 28, 2014)

State Focused Action Plans

SFAP submissions were collected and are available for viewing.

A summary report of information provided by depository libraries in a state or depository region through the State Focused Action Plans (SFAP) is also available.

Final Results Report

The final report summarizes the findings of the three data collecting tools.

Additional Forecast Study Resources

Study Documents

• Library Forecast Questionnaire
• State Forecast Questionnaire
• Methodology
• Library Forecast Study Questionnaire Data
       Guidelines for Creating Pivot Tables with Library Questionnaire Data
• State Forecast Study Questionnaire Data

FDLP Connection Articles

• Expanding the Forecast Framework: Discussion Summary (February 2014)
• FDLP Virtual Conference: “Expanding the Forecast Framework: Engage and Discuss” (February 2014)
• The FDLP Forecast Study: The Release of Data & GPO’s Next Steps (June 2013)
• The FDLP Forecast Study Team (December 2012)
• FDLP Forecast Study Sessions: Sharing Preliminary Results (October 2012)
• Help Us Keep the Momentum Going: Submit Your Library's Forecast Today (April 2012)
• From Collaborative Discussion to Questionnaire: GPO Asks the FDLP Community to Help Us Shape the Future of the Program (February 2012)
• Community, Unity (February 2012)
• Influencing the Future: FDLP State Forecasts and Action Plans (December 2011)

Related Documents and Resources

• The FDLP Forecast Study: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? (May 2013)
• Report of FDLP Forecast Preliminary Results at the 2012 Depository Library Council Meeting and Federal Depository Library Conference (recordings and handouts)
• Working Together for a Vibrant: Future of the FDLP (488 KB)  (ALA Midwinter, 2012) PowerPoint
• Strategic Changes Through Cooperative Efforts (November 2011 DLC) PowerPoint |  Handout (79 KB)
•  Transcripts (1.36 MB)  (Fall Depository Library Council Meeting and Federal Depository Library Conference, 2011)
• Letter from the Superintendent of Documents to Library Directors on the FDLP Forecast Study
• "Expanding the Forecast Framework: Engage and Discuss” Virtual Conference Recordings
• Partners in Preservation: Focused Discussion Summary (April 2013)
• Expanding the Forecast Framework: Focused Discussion Summaries (December 2013)

FDLP eXchange Background

The FDLP eXchange replaces and expands upon the former national Needs & Offers. The goal was to build an application that libraries in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) could use as a one-stop-shop for the entire needs and offers process. FDLP eXchange automates disposition processing by allowing libraries to enter information on materials they want to discard and to have the process managed by an automated workflow. The application also allows libraries to enter information on materials needed for their collections or digitization efforts.

The user-friendly design includes an easy-to-use interface as well as many convenient features. This includes options to manually enter records or upload lists from a library’s catalog, and the entire site is mobile ready. The automated workflow moves offers through the process of offering materials first to the library’s regional depository, then to other selectives in the same region, then to libraries across the country. A matching function matches one library’s offers with other libraries’ needs and provides notification to both libraries when there is a match. The in-site communication tool allows libraries to communicate within the application through an interface that allows colleagues to collaborate on requests placed with other libraries.

FDLP eXchange Production Site

The FDLP eXchange production site is now live. In regions that have adopted the application as part of their disposition process, selective depositories can enter offers for review by their regional depositories. When the regional has completed their review, unneeded materials move on to review by other selectives in the region. Materials not claimed by the regional or other selectives in the region move on to be offered nationally if the library has chosen to offer materials outside their region. All libraries can post needs and receive notification when their need matches another library’s offer.

Libraries in regions that have not adopted FDLP eXchange for their disposition process may still use FDLP eXchange to offer materials nationally after they have been offered within their region and remain unclaimed. These libraries may also post needs to receive notification when their need matches another library’s offer.

FDLP eXchange Training Site

In October 2017 GPO launched a training version of FDLP eXchange to provide libraries with a sandbox where they could test the application and learn how to use it. With the launch of the production site, the FDLP eXchange training site has moved to a new URL where FDLP library staff may continue to try out the application. Automated redirects will be in place for a limited time to route users to the updated site. GPO recommends updating bookmarks and links in any materials libraries may have pointing to the previous version of the training site.

The training site also gives regionals an opportunity to test the application within their regions and to determine their own procedures if they choose to use the application as part of the disposition process. The training site has full functionality – with the exception of email notifications.

Selective depositories should continue to follow guidance from their regionals. Consult your regional depository library coordinator if you have questions.

Users should remember that records in the training site are test records. Offers of materials that are actually being processed for discard should be offered in the production site. Likewise, needs that libraries are actually trying to fill should be entered on the production site. 

FDLP eXchange Project Timeline

• Contract issued to Confluence, Corp.: September 2015
• Discovery phase completed: December 2015
• Initial site design completed: April 2016
• Initial development completed: July 2016
• GPO internal tested completed: August 2016
• Beta test completed: September 2016
• Additional development: throughout Spring 2017
• Sunset of the national Needs & Offers service: June 1, 2017
• Launch of FDLP eXchange training and educational resources: June 1, 2017
• Launch of the FDLP eXchange Training Site: October 2017
• Launch of FDLP eXchange Production Site: June 2018

Benefits of the FDLP eXchange

The FDLP eXchange boasts many benefits for regional and selective depository libraries. Download the benefits document to share with library administrators, directors, and staff.

Next Steps

Regionals will want to take some steps to ensure that FDLP eXchange is set up correctly for their region, whether or not they plan to adopt the application as the primary discard process in their region. Review the checklist here.

Selectives will also want to take some steps to ensure that FDLP eXchange is set up correctly for their library, whether your region is adopting the application for its discard process or not. Review the checklist here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Download FDLP eXchange Frequently Asked Questions.

Related Documents and Resources

• Comment form
• Weeding Collections: Needs & Offers and Regionals: session recording, handouts, and PDF transcripts from the 2016 Spring Depository Library Council Virtual Meeting
• GPO Developing FDLP eXchange to Assist Libraries with Discard Processes: FDLP Connection article, June 2016
• Shaping Discard Practices and How They Affect Your Library: session recording, slides, and PDF transcripts from the 2016 Depository Library Council Meeting & Federal Depository Library Conference
• FDLP eXchange: Managing Discard Processes: webcast, February 2017
• The FDLP eXchange: Coming Soon: FDLP Connection article, April 2017
• GPO Begins Launch of FDLP eXchange: FDLP Connection article, June 2017

In early 2007 the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) and U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) launched a pilot project named Depository Access to Reports Scientific and Technical (DARTS). The pilot's purpose was to provide depository library access to approximately 240,000 scientific and technical publications from 1964-2000. Previously, GPO had not been able to make many of these resources available through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). NTIS is exempt from FDLP obligations by the provisions of Title 44, United States Code, §1903 as its products and services "must necessarily be sold in order to be self-sustaining". However, both NTIS and GPO had a joint interest in exploring how NTIS could participate in the FDLP to provide access to its electronic content.

GPO extended depository library access to the pilot material beyond one planned year. GPO and NTIS hoped to offset operating and maintenance costs from the purchase of these reports and other product revenue. However, NTIS can no longer accommodate free FDLP access to its reports while continuing to be self-sustaining and in compliance with its authorizing legislation. The DARTS Pilot Project between NTIS and the FDLP ended September 30, 2011. For more details read the DARTS Pilot Project Final Summary.

Though this pilot has ended, both GPO and NTIS are still interested in exploring other partnership possibilities to increase access to the Government’s scientific and technical report literature. Both parties wish to eliminate any duplicative efforts.