About the Collaborative Federal Depository Program
The U.S. Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) disseminates information products from all three branches of the Government to over 1,100 libraries nationwide, including more than 240 libraries in the Southeast. Most depository libraries selectively add U.S. government publications to their collections (commonly called “Selectives”). However, Regional Depository libraries accept the responsibility for receiving all Federal publications, coordinating statewide depository activities, facilitating communication among depositories, and acting as backup collections. All depository libraries — both Regionals and Selectives — provide the public with free access to both printed and electronic federal information.
In 2006, members of ASERL unanimously authorized the creation of a new ASERL program to explore options for cooperative services and collection analysis for Federal government publications to improve public access to those collections within member institutions. In 2009, ASERL was awarded a three-year grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to support ongoing development of the ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program (CFDP). Since that time, Depository Libraries within the Southeast (ASERL member and non-member alike) have continued to explore ways to improve the management of, and access to, Federal government information for the citizens of the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Southeast Region Guidelines for Management and Disposition of Federal Depository Library Collections: The Collaborative Federal Depository Program
The Guidelines present the common set of collection management and disposition policies and procedures, as well as documented best practices that are the foundation for the CFDP.
CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE
The CFDP addresses the increasing cost of managing, preserving, and providing access to large collections of Federal government publications through the creation of comprehensive collections known as “Centers of Excellence” (COE) – for Federal government agencies, for a chosen format, or in a chosen subject area. Built upon the foundation of existing holdings at Depository libraries, these collections become more complete with assistance from both Regionals and Selectives in the ten ASERL states.
Centers of Excellence [COE]:
- actively replace damaged or lost pieces
- seek to fill gaps in their collections, as necessary
- provide active preservation for the collection
- catalog the pieces that they own on OCLC and identify them as the archival copy
- participate in GPO’s program to set holdings on OCLC for Regionals free of charge, as eligible.
List of Centers of Excellence Libraries
List of Center of Excellence Collections
Becoming a Center of Excellence
PROGRAM OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNANCE
The ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program is governed by an administrative oversight committee that is responsible for providing long-term advocacy, support and guidance for the program.
The ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program (CFDP) Oversight Committee is comprised of library deans/directors and documents coordinators from Regional and Selective Depository Libraries in the Southeast Region, drawn from both ASERL member libraries as well as non-ASERL member libraries. This structure ensures non-ASERL members continue to have an opportunity to influence the guidance that is promulgated that directly affects the management of their depository collections.
Members are appointed by the ASERL Board of Directors, and the committee meets quarterly.
Committee Members
- Cecilia Botero (U-Mississippi)
- Mary Clark (Library of Virginia)
- David Durant (East Carolina University), Chair
- Sarah Erekson (U-Florida)
- Amy Laub (U-Kentucky)
- Judy Russell (U-Florida)
- Bill Sudduth (U-South Carolina)
- ASERL Staff: John Burger, Rebecca Crist
ASERL’s DOCUMENTS DISPOSITION DATABASE
The University of Florida developed and hosts software to facilitate the disposition of federal documents within the Southeast as a means of supporting the CFDP. Policies and practices for use of the database are outlined in the Guidelines.
Login to the Disposition Database at: https://apps.uflib.ufl.edu/GovDocs/
To activate a database account, send a request to: dispositiondb@uflib.ufl.edu
For more detailed information about the ASERL Documents Disposition Database, please see the LibGuide and a demonstration videorecording (2019).
Usage Statistics for the ASERL Documents Disposition Database
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Program Listservs:
- ASERL Regionals List – For Coordinators and Staff at Regional Depository Libraries. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change the preferences on your subscription.
- ASERL Selectives List – For Coordinators and Staff at Selective Depository Libraries. Regional Coordinators are included on this list to ensure they are aware of communications distributed to Selectives within their region. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change the preferences on your subscription.
- ASERL COE List – For Coordinators and Staff at Centers of Excellence Libraries. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change the preferences on your subscription.
ASERL Correspondence on GPO Related Issues
Program Contacts:
Rebecca Crist, Program Coordinator
Telephone: 470-222-4960
Rebecca@aserl.org
John Burger, Executive Director
Telephone: 404-727-0137
jburger@aserl.org