Becoming a Center of Excellence – COE

As a Center of Excellence (COE), an institution is responsible for the following:

  • To abide by the common set of collection management and disposition policies and procedures, as outlined in the “Southeast Region Guidelines For Management and Disposition of Federal Depository Library Collections: The Collaborative Federal Depository Program”.
  • To inventory holdings and ensure accurate cataloging and holdings records for the extant collection at each site.  Partner libraries agree to treat these items in the same manner as other items being added to the library’s collection, including the same level of cataloging specificity.
  • To identify and to fill gaps in COE collections. To ensure as-comprehensive-as-possible collections, partner libraries agree to identify and work to fill gaps in their collections as well to support the needs of other COE libraries as feasible and appropriate.
  • To develop and maintain expertise to facilitate use of the COE collections. Expertise at COE is created by the gathering of a complete collection, accessibility to that collection, and the service provided to the collection by the staff of the library.
  • To facilitate access to FDLP and COE titles through Inter-Library Loan. The partner libraries address provisions for making their COE holdings as generally available as possible.
  • To facilitate cooperative training initiatives to share expertise within the depository community and participate in public awareness and outreach campaigns to promote federal government publications to libraries within the region.

To participate in the program, a depository library submits a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed by the library dean (or higher authority) and the Government Documents Coordinator affirming to comply with the program policies and procedures.  Selectives are encouraged to consult with their Regional when considering participation in the program.

Sample Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

Sample Proposal to Become a Center of Excellence – East Carolina University