GUIDELINES FOR DISPOSAL OF
U.S. GOVERNMENT DEPOSITORY PUBLICATIONS
BY MISSISSIPPI DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES

A selective depository library desiring to dispose of depository material must obtain permission from the regional library. If permission is not granted, the selective must keep the material, but may re apply at a later date for approval to dispose of the items.

AUTHORITY

Refer to Instructions to Depository Libraries (1992 rev.) chapter 4, parts C J, and chapter 9, part C.

PROCEDURES

1. Disposal items must have been received five or more years prior to the date of the disposal request.
2. SUPERSEDED items (including preprints) should NOT be listed.
3. MICROFICHE need not be listed individually, but rather a general description should be provided indicating the series name, sudocs, and inclusive dates for substantive fiche discards. Such a description would allow the Regional to check shelflist records for the series and inquire about any specific items missing. Scattered fiche titles need not be listed.
4. Gifts and duplicates of value MAY be listed, but they may also be disposed of WITHOUT permission.
5. A printed list (NOT handwritten), arranged by SUDOCS number, should be compiled.

Each page of the list should indicate the following:

• Library Name
• Depository Library Number
• List date and number
• Page number.

The beginning of the list should have a prepared statement indicating the availability of the material,
the deadline for response (6 weeks from the date of mailing), how to direct requests for materials, and
any special instructions. For example:

The following offers are available from [LIBRARY]. Please circle those items desired and return the
list with a self addressed mailing label to
[NAME, ADDRESS].

The list MUST be in SUDOC classification # order.
For non serial pubs, give:
SUDOC Title Date Format if non paper
For serial pubs, supply:

SUDOC Series Title Format if non paper
Holdings for disposal, in numbers, volumes, years,
whatever is appropriate.

If listing materials less than five years old, indicate if they are NON DEPOSITORY or REPLACED by microform.

6. Duplicates of the list should be sent simultaneously to the regional and to every selective depository in the state. No documents may be discarded or distributed prior to response by the regional library. At the end of the deadline, the Regional Librarian will respond in writing to the disposal request.
   • Specific items may be requested for the Regional
     collection, and permission may be granted for
     disposal of all other materials.
   • The offering library may be requested to retain
     specific items.
   • The offering library may be requested to offer
     the items outside Mississippi.
7. It is strongly urged that selective depository libraries
   utilize the "Needs and Offers" list issued by GPO, or list especially valuable items or recent duplicates on GOVDOC L. If the selective does not have access to the Internet, the regional library will post the offer on GOVDOC L for the selective.
8. After all reasonable efforts have been made to transfer the publications to other libraries, the depository library is authorized to dispose of the remaining items by means of any of the following:
   • Offer to non depository libraries;
   • Offer to private citizens;
   • Donate as paper to recyclers or paper drives;
   • Sell, either as secondhand books or waste paper.

   
   However, all depository publications remain U.S. Government property. Therefore, the proceeds from such sale must be forwarded to the Superintendent of Documents with a letter of explanation.

   • Destroy.

It should be noted that no library is required to discard any depository materials.

To facilitate processing time for the regional library, and to encourage selective depositories to establish a routine schedule for weeding, discard lists should be send in the following calendar/SUDOCS number order:

January - Y
February - A
March - C
April - D
May - E, F, G
July - H
August - I, J,

September - L
October - M, N, O, P
December – S, T, V, W, X

June and November have been omitted because of vacations and holidays in mid summer and December. Lists should be received by the end of the scheduled month, and a response forwarded by the end of the second month. The Regional reserve the right to slow the flow of lists if there are too many to handle at one time.

The Mississippi State Law Library, as the highest appellate court library in the state, is not required to retain
materials for five years or to discard them through the regional library.

9/93 Presented in draft form to federal depository librarians, who agreed to its adoption.

6/95 Amended to include new microfiche policy.