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Depository Services Program Claims Policy

The Customer Service representatives at Publishing and Depository Services value your business. We strive to improve our service and welcome enquiries regarding Government of Canada publications. You may contact us by email at publications@pwgsc.gc.ca, or by telephone at (613) 990-5221.

We invite you to search for titles or to place your Weekly Checklist orders.

Listed here are our recommendations and requirements for submitting a claim. Please note that claims missing required information will be returned to sender.

1. Eligibility
2. Claim Period
3. Required Information
   1. Depository Number
   2. Checklist Number / Subscription
   3. Title and Catalogue Number
4. How to Submit a Claim
   1. Email
   2. Online Claim Form
   3. Mail or Fax

1. Eligibility

The following criteria must be met for a claim to be valid:

1. You must be a registered Depository Library.
2. Items claimed must have been published in the Weekly Checklist.
3. You must have ordered or subscribed to an item to make a claim for it.

The claims process is not to be used as a reference tool to find out about publications. Please search our catalogue of publications.

2. Claim Period

For Depositories within Canada: Claims must be submitted within 10 weeks of the checklist date. Please allow 6 weeks for delivery prior to submitting a claim.

For Depositories outside Canada: Claims must be submitted within 14 weeks of the checklist date. Please allow 12 weeks for delivery prior to submitting a claim.

3. Required Information

i. Depository Number

Research is often required to confirm that a claimant has a valid depository number. This can be easily avoided if the information is provided with each submission.

Please note that the depository number now replaces the client number for orders submitted through the Depository Services Program. The client number will continue to be used by non-depositories and depository libraries wishing to purchase publications in excess of their depository allotment.

*** New Format
The format of the depository number has changed. The dash preceding the final two numbers is to be removed. For example, the depository number JS123456-01 is now to be written JS12345601.

ii. Checklist Number / Subscription

We often receive claims for publications that have not yet appeared in the Weekly Checklist. The reason may be that we have not yet received copies of a title from the author agency. Claims should only be submitted for publications that have appeared in a Weekly Checklist. If the correct Weekly Checklist Number is indicated for each item claimed, this indicates that it is a claimable item and can be verified against the library order. Please indicate if an item is part of a subscription service.

iii. Title and Catalogue Number / Issue / Amendment Number

Claims submitted with incomplete title and catalogue, issue or amendment numbers require extensive research to identify. For example, the title 'Annual Report' cannot be identified without clarification because many departments produce publications with this title. This often requires written communication with the claimant, resulting in delays. If the complete information is provided in the original claim, requests can be processed in a timelier manner.

*** Note about automated serial tracking systems
Serial tracking systems that automatically output claims often attempt to claim items that have not been published, have ceased, have been suspended, or are not distributed by our service. In addition, some automated claims do not include all of the required information identified above. The purchase order number alone does not identify you as a Depository Library nor does it identify which Weekly Checklist an item appeared in. Please ensure that your claim meets all the requirements with regard to eligibility, claim period and required information before submission.

4. How to Submit a Claim

There are three ways to submit a claim:

i. Email

Electronic submission of claims is cost-effective and allows requests to be answered quickly.

Submit your claims by email to publications@pwgsc.gc.ca. Please ensure that the subject line contains the text "Weekly Checklist Claim" and that the message contains your depository number, weekly checklist and all other required information.

Example:

ii. Online Claim Form

You can now submit your claims electronically using our new online claim forms.

For Weekly Checklist Claims:
http://publications.gc.ca/helpAndInfo/dsp-psd/wcl_claimform-e.html

For Standing Order or Subscription Claims:
http://publications.gc.ca/helpAndInfo/dsp-psd/so-sub_claimform-e.html

iii. Mail or Fax

We understand that some clients prefer written communication by mail. We will continue to process such claims but we ask the libraries to provide complete information. Please print and complete the claim form (PDF). Submit your claim to:

Customer Service - Publishing and Depository Services
Public Works and Government Services
Ottawa, ON Canada, K1A 0S5
Fax: 1-800-565-7757 / (613) 941-2410