Quick Reference Guide for Depository Libraries

Revision Date

January 2010

Table of contents

• Preface
• Depository Services Program
  • Introducing the DSP
  • Key DSP Statistics
  • Participation in the Program
    • Full Depository Libraries
    • Selective Depository Libraries
    • Map Depository Libraries
  • DSP Services for Depository Libraries
  • The Role of Depository Libraries
  • DSP Operations
    • Overview
    • Author Departments
    • Catalogue Numbers and International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs)
    • Acquisitions
    • Cataloguing and Legal Deposit
    • The Weekly Checklist
    • Ordering and Distribution
    • Customer Service
  • Depository Services Program – Claim Form
  • Electronic Services
    • E-Collection: Available 24/7
    • Mailing List Server: INFODEP
    • Government of Canada Publications Database and Web site
    • Web Links: Streamlined Access to Federal Publications
  • Communications and Outreach
  • Library Advisory Committee (DSP-LAC)
  • DSP Contact Information
• Appendix – Guidelines for Retaining and Disposing of Depository Publications

Preface

Welcome to the Depository Services Program (DSP)! Since 1927, the DSP has been instrumental in ensuring that the information needs of Canadians are met by supplying Canadian government publications to a network of libraries in Canada and around the world.

Purpose of this Guide

This reference guide will introduce you to the DSP and help you understand the many benefits of being a Depository Library. It also outlines your obligations as a Depository Library with respect to the publications you acquire through the DSP.

Please feel free to contact us with any comments about this guide or any questions you might still have after reading it.

DSP Mission

The mission of the DSP is to provide Depository Libraries with free and ready access to the printed and electronic documents and other information products of the federal government, in partnership with Government of Canada departments and agencies.

DSP Mandate

Under its mandate, the DSP acquires, catalogues and distributes, free of charge, federal government publications in all formats to a network of Depository Libraries as well as to federal parliamentarians. The DSP and the Depository Library network together act as the government's information safety net, collecting current and older government publications. The publications are then made widely available to the Canadian public both through the Depository Library network and directly online.

Government of Canada Publications

Canadian government publications and information have an important role to play in research, the library community and the lives of citizens. Government of Canada publications are a primary medium for delivering Government information to the Canadian public.

The government publishes extensively. The range of subjects is very wide, encompassing the financial, economic, political, medical, social, cultural and scientific activities of our society and these subjects are addressed from many different points of view and with varying degrees of specificity.

Government of Canada publications tell us what the government is thinking, what it has decided and what it is doing. They tell us how and why the government is spending our money and they tell us a great deal about ourselves, our society and our nation. They deliver information that is:

• accurate
• authoritative
• complete
• comprehensive
• current
• objective
• reliable

And all of this is provided free of charge to Depository Libraries, who in turn provide value-added access to published government information free of charge.

Depository Services Program

Introducing the DSP

The DSP is a Government of Canada program created in 1927 by Order-in-Council. It is an essential link between the federal Government and the Canadian public, other governments, universities and businesses.

Its primary goal is to ensure that Canadians have ready and easy access to federal government information. It achieves this by first acquiring government information materials in print and electronic format, making the electronic documents available online, and then supplying the print documents to a network of more than 700 libraries in Canada and around the world that hold collections of Canadian government publications. This goal is also achieved through the active participation of staff at Depository Libraries by helping their clients to find and use DSP-supplied resources.

Administered by Public Works and Government Services Canada, the DSP ensures that publications provided by federal departments and agencies are distributed to Depository Libraries in a timely manner.

The Program:

• collects and catalogues current and older federal government publications in all available formats for the Government of Canada Publications Database and Web site
• distributes these publications through a network of libraries across Canada and abroad
• publishes the Weekly Checklist of Canadian Government Publications (the "Pink List") and distributes it to Depository Libraries
• maintains a searchable collection of permanently archived electronic government publications
• maintains a mailing list server (INFODEP) through which Depository librarians can exchange information and discuss issues related to Canadian government publications
• under international exchange partnerships, supplies Government of Canada publications to national libraries and libraries of foreign universities that have Canadian Studies programs.

The DSP is constantly striving to improve public access to government publications and maximize use of the latest technologies to help Depository Libraries and their clients. In recent years, the DSP significantly increased the number of publications in its collection and introduced a special supplement to the Weekly Checklist of Canadian Government Publications to inform libraries of older electronic publications it has just acquired. It also made its entire electronic collection available to the general public rather than restricting it to registered Depository Libraries.

The DSP has its headquarters in Ottawa, where a team of 15 employees are responsible for cataloguing and acquiring publications, along with the support of another 40 staff members for information technology and Web support, customer service, inventory management and marketing.

Without the DSP, Canadians would have difficulty gaining timely access to Canadian government information.

Key DSP Statistics

Last fiscal year (2008-2009), the DSP processed over 130,000 orders and distributed nearly half a million hard copy items to Depository Libraries. As well, over this same period, the DSP made new bibliographic records for over 17,000 publications available to Depository Libraries and the general public through the Government of Canada Publications Database and Web site. As of the end of September 2009, the Publications Database contained over 175,000 publicly viewable records, nearly 65,000 of which were for freely-downloadable electronic publications.

Librarians and the public alike are increasingly relying on the Internet to satisfy their information needs. During the 2008-2009 fiscal year, there were over 9 million downloads of PDF publications from the DSP E-collection, and the DSP Web site had almost 4 million visits (excluding spiders) last year from all over the world.

Participation in the Program

Full Depository Libraries

• Full Depositories have status granted as English, French, or bilingual, depending on the clientele of the library.
• Full Depositories automatically receive a copy of all publications distributed through the Program based on the languages that they have selected.

Selective Depository Libraries

• Candidates apply directly to the Program to be assessed for eligibility as a Depository.
• Selective Depository status is generally granted to Canadian public and educational (and some governmental) libraries open to the public at least 20 hours a week and with at least one full-time employee.
• Public libraries must be in towns or cities with a population of at least 2,000.
• University libraries must serve a population of at least 1,500 teaching staff and students combined.
• Community colleges must serve a population of at least 1,000 teaching staff and students combined.
• Selective Depositories may order items from the Weekly Checklist that are of interest to their users and that are available for distribution, and may also subscribe to publication mailing lists.

Map Depository Libraries

• Map Depositories are required to have qualified map librarians on staff, and to have appropriate equipment and facilities for storing and consulting printed maps.
• Map Depositories automatically receive topographic and geological printed maps and other cartographic products distributed by the Earth Sciences Sector of Natural Resources Canada.

Categories of persons and institutions entitled to receive Depository status:

• the Governor General
• Lieutenant Governors of the provinces
• Senators and Members of Parliament
• Library and Archives Canada and the Library of Parliament
• the central library of departments of the Government of Canada and research bureaus of federal political parties officially recognized by the House of Commons
• provincial and legislative libraries of provincial legislatures
• municipal and provincial public libraries of Canada
• foreign national libraries
• libraries of foreign universities with Canadian Studies programs
• libraries of foreign legislatures and parliaments, and other libraries, exclusively for parliamentary papers, as recommended by the Parliamentary Librarian
• libraries of Canadian public, post-secondary educational institutions
• the Press Gallery of the House of Commons (Ottawa), daily newspapers, selected weeklies, and selected privately-owned radio and television stations

DSP Services for Depository Libraries

The DSP helps Depository Libraries satisfy the information needs of their clients with respect to Government of Canada publications. It does this by providing:

• up-to-date information on Government of Canada publications through print and electronic versions of the Weekly Checklist
• copies of Government of Canada publications that serve the needs of your clients free of charge (with some exceptions)
  • information on how to obtain Government of Canada publications
  • on-line access to:
  • information on over 175,000 Government of Canada publication records
  • nearly 65,000 downloadable electronic publications
  • guides to government information, such as help-sheets on various topics, and DSP reports of particular interest to librarians
• access to a mailing list server, INFODEP, through which members of the Depository Library community can communicate with one another
• responses to information requests and keeping libraries informed about relevant issues

The Role of Depository Libraries

Full Depositories are responsible for:

• preserving and maintaining indefinitely Government of Canada publications obtained through the DSP (Certain publications are excluded from this requirement. See the appendix "Guidelines for Retaining and Disposing of Depository Publications" for more information)
• providing inter-library loan service for Depository material no longer obtainable from other sources unless it is designated as part of the current reference collection of the Depository

Selective Depositories are responsible for:

• preserving and maintaining, for at least 5 years, Government of Canada publications obtained from the DSP (Certain publications are excluded from this requirement. See the appendix "Guidelines for Retaining and Disposing of Depository Publications" for more information)
• requesting publications according to the instructions printed in the Weekly Checklist
• taking note of and observing any special instructions issued by the DSP from time to time, in order to meet special conditions
• exercising reasonable caution in the selection of Government Publications to be supplied to the Depository in order to avoid the costly duplication of publications and / or the receipt of unwanted publications

All Depositories are responsible for:

• meeting the criteria for Depository Library status as established by the DSP
• designating at least one staff member to represent the Depository for the purpose of communications with the DSP and providing current contact information for such staff members to the DSP
• checking all shipments of publications received from the DSP to ensure that they are complete, and if not, promptly claiming any missing items
• in accordance with the Library's standard operating procedures, receiving, processing, maintaining, promoting and making available to users of the Library, publications provided by the DSP
• providing public access without charge to publications supplied by the DSP (Legislative libraries and the central libraries of Federal Government Departments are exempt from this requirement)
• adhering to the Retention Guidelines established by the DSP
• providing the DSP, once a year, with feedback, in writing, of the use that the library has made of DSP services and of the value of these services to the library, as well as other comments or observations deemed important
• ensuring that at least one library staff member is subscribed to the DSP list server (INFODEP) at all times

DSP Operations

This section provides an overview of DSP operations, followed by detailed descriptions of the main components.

Overview

1. Step 1: An Author Department decides to publish.
2. Step 2: It obtains Catalogue and ISBN numbers from the DSP.
3. Step 3: It prints enough copies to meet DSP Acquisitions requirements.
4. Step 4: It sends copies to the DSP warehouse for distribution.
5. Step 5: The DSP receives copies at its head office and completes Cataloguing.
6. Step 6: The DSP produces the Weekly Checklist and releases publications to Full Depository Libraries.
7. Step 7: Selective Depository Libraries place their orders for titles listed in the Weekly Checklist.
8. Step 8: The DSP processes and distributes orders.
9. Step 9: Customer Service deals with claims, queries, etc.

Author Departments

• Under Treasury Board's Communications Policy and Common Services Policy, many government departments must supply the DSP with copies of their publications for free, for distribution to Depository Libraries. In so doing, they play a key role in the success of the Program.
• These policies apply to all Government of Canada publications containing information for public consumption or for limited circulation, provided the issuing department is subject to the policies, including:
  • free and priced titles
  • different formats, including print, large print, Braille, audiocassette, maps, music CD, PDF, microform, diskette, CD-ROM, videocassette, and DVD
• Publications are generally offered in both official languages and some are offered in several Asian, European and Aboriginal languages.
• Author departments assume only the additional cost associated with producing copies specifically for DSP distribution. The DSP absorbs all costs of cataloguing and distribution of publications to Depository Libraries.
• The DSP has Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with five departments under which the DSP covers the cost of the priced publications they provide to the DSP: Statistics Canada, National Research Council of Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Natural Resources Canada and Canadian Government Standards Board.

Catalogue Numbers and International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs)

• Catalogue numbers are applied to all publications and are especially useful for organizing, browsing and searching because they are unique identifiers that indicate:
  • author department (each has its own code)
  • type of publication: annual, monograph, series and series issue number
  • year of publication
  • language
  • format
• The DSP assigns approximately 6,000 catalogue numbers a year.
• As part of its pre-publication planning, the author department applies to the DSP for a Government of Canada catalogue number and an ISBN. International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSNs) and Cataloguing-in-Publication (CIP) information are obtained from Library and Archives Canada (LAC). This pre-publication information is exchanged between the DSP and LAC. For more information visit the About ISBNs page.
• Author departments can apply for catalogue numbers and ISBNs on-line.

Acquisitions

• Once the catalogue numbers and ISBNs have been assigned, the DSP determines the quantities required. Departments with an existing agreement with the DSP generally know how many copies the Program will need.
• Quantities needed will vary based on the type of publication, i.e., language, subject matter and intended audience:
  • 100-250 English/bilingual copies and 45-100 French copies depending on the nature of the publication
  • the minimum requirement is 55 English/bilingual and 25 French copies for distribution to Full Depositories only
• If a department does not have an agreement with the DSP and has registered titles in the Government of Canada Publications Database, the DSP contacts them to get the required number of copies.
• The DSP also actively searches government Web sites to track down non-registered publications and request the required number of copies.
• We have significantly increased the number of publications made available to the DSP in recent years as a result of:
  • assigning more resources to acquisitions
  • adopting a more proactive approach to contacting departments
  • developing improved tracking systems

Cataloguing and Legal Deposit

• Once a publication is published and received in our warehouse, three copies are sent to our head office: we keep one to complete the cataloguing process (bibliographic description, classification, subject analysis) and send two to Library and Archives Canada for legal deposit.
• We prepare an abstract and create a scan of the cover image, both of which are added to the bibliographic record in the Government of Canada Publications Database.
• We capture and catalogue electronic editions if available.
• After the publication is released by our Inventory Management Section and it is ready to be ordered, bibliographic information for the publication in all of its formats is listed in the Weekly Checklist and is accessible on the Government of Canada Publications Web site.

The Weekly Checklist

• The DSP produces paper and electronic versions of the Weekly Checklist of Canadian Government Publications, which lists publications (both monographs and serials) received by the DSP from author departments during the previous week.
• It is distributed by the DSP to Depository Libraries in Canada and abroad.
• The Weekly Checklist serves two purposes:
  • an ordering tool for Depository Libraries
  • a reference tool for everyone, with information on who is publishing what and how to obtain what is published
• It covers publications that are
  • in various formats
  • free and priced
  • parliamentary and departmental
  • from some quasi-departmental and non-governmental organizations of great public interest, e.g. health-related institutions.
• Most publications listed are available to Depositories and the general public, but some only to Depositories.
• In some cases, libraries must request publications directly from the author department because they were not supplied to the DSP in sufficient quantity for distribution.
• The DSP regularly publishes a supplement to the Weekly Checklist that lists older electronic titles that the Program has recently acquired.

Ordering and Distribution

• Full Depositories receive one copy of everything available for distribution automatically. The average processing time for Full Depositories is less than two business days after the Weekly Checklist is released.
• Selective Depositories must select and order items individually from the Weekly Checklist or subscribe to mailing lists.
• Selective Depositories can receive one free copy of each title ordered from the Weekly Checklist (with some exceptions).
• Selective Depositories can subscribe to mailing lists to receive consecutive issues of serial titles automatically.
• Depository libraries can place orders and make claims on-line, by phone, fax or mail.
• Publications are generally shipped by Canada Post if they are under 500 grams and by courier if they are over 500 grams.

Customer Service

• A central order desk and a toll-free phone and fax service operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, Eastern time, and an on-line service for ordering and claims is available around the clock.
• Customer Service staff:
  • process orders and claims and address other complex issues
  • provide an email service for responding to information requests, comments and feedback
  • keep libraries informed of relevant issues through INFODEP (mailing list server), email, and the What's New page on the Government of Canada Publications Web site
• Claims process:
  • you can access information on the DSP claims policy on our Web site
  • you may submit your claim electronically, by mail or fax with a completed PDF claims form

Electronic Services

E-Collection: Available 24/7

• The DSP maintains a collection of Government of Canada electronic publications on its Web site.
• Libraries may link to these publications or download them to their own servers.
• Until a few years ago, a significant portion of the E-collection was restricted to registered Depository Libraries. The entire collection is now freely downloadable by the general public.
• The E-collection currently consists of nearly 65,000 permanently archived Government of Canada publications.
• Last fiscal year (2008-2009), there were over 9 million downloads of electronic publications from our E-collection.

Mailing List Server: INFODEP

The DSP has set up and maintains a mailing list server called INFODEP to allow Depository Library staff to communicate with the DSP and with one another. We encourage subscribers to use INFODEP to post information, messages and questions relevant to DSP communities.

In order to ensure a means of communication between the DSP and its clients, all Canadian Depository Libraries are required to subscribe at least one representative to INFODEP, but there is no upper limit to the number of subscribers from each institution.

• Are you a member? If not, we encourage all interested members of the Depository Library community to subscribe. It's a great way to share information with the library community, get answers to your questions, learn about relevant issues, and more.

Government of Canada Publications Database and Web site

• The Government of Canada Publications Web site offers one-stop shopping for Government of Canada publications via a single window and currently provides access to more than 175,000 records.
• It provides an integrated end-to-end publications management, ordering and delivery system with full e-commerce capability.
• Services include:
  • publications information
  • publication orders
  • access to the Weekly Checklist electronic edition
  • access to the e-publications collection
  • location information for libraries and booksellers
  • services for Depository Libraries, author departments and booksellers
  • Crown copyright information
• The Database contains extensive bibliographic data elements, including author, title, date, physical description, ISBN, catalogue and Weekly Checklist numbers, subject descriptors, cover image, abstract, price, availability, links to other editions, and sources for the print edition.

Web Links: Streamlined Access to Federal Publications

• "Web Links" is a project between Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and the DSP that allows users of LAC's AMICUS, Canada's national bibliographic database, and the Government of Canada's Publications Database to move back and forth between bibliographic records found in both databases.
• It streamlines library access to MARC records for federal publications via the Government of Canada Publications Database and Web site.
• It allows users to download all available MARC records for publications in the Weekly Checklist.
• It enables AMICUS users to obtain copies of federal publications.

Communications and Outreach

The DSP plays an active role in communicating with libraries, author departments and the public and in educating them about the many benefits of the Program. Activities include:

• participating in trade shows such as the Canadian Library Association Annual Conference and Trade Show and the Annual Congress of ASTED (Association pour l'avancement des sciences et des techniques de la documentation)
• conducting on-site visits to Depository Libraries
• attending conferences in Canada and internationally
• giving presentations to key stakeholders at various venues
• organizing information sessions and open houses
• distributing promotional items, e.g. brochures, bookmarks, kits
• conducting research and writing reports of interest to Depository Libraries
• making information available on-line through the Government of Canada Publications Web site and the DSP Web site
• maintaining a mailing list server, INFODEP.

Library Advisory Committee (DSP-LAC)

The Depository Services Program Library Advisory Committee (DSP-LAC) was established in 1981. It was created to provide the Depository Services Program with advice on its operations, policies, practices, plans, direction and services.

Its members represent the major library associations, key federal government organizations, both Full and Selective Depositories and academic and public libraries, and are representative of Canada's geographic regions and linguistic communities.

The mission of the DSP Library Advisory Committee is to articulate and communicate the needs of the Depository Services Program's partners and user communities and to provide advice to the Depository Service Program on its priorities, policies, operations and services.

The DSP Library Advisory Committee acts solely as an advisory body and does not have any governance authority over DSP policies or operations. Its role reflects the important partnership that exists between the DSP and the library community in providing the Canadian public with access to Canadian federal government published information.

DSP Contact Information

• Government of Canada Publications Web site
• Depository Library Web portal
• Mail:
  • Customer Service
    Publishing and Depository Services
    Public Works and Government Services Canada
    Ottawa ON  K1A 0S5
• Telephone: 1-800-635-7943 (Canada and US) or 613-941-5995
• Fax: 1-800-565-7757 (Canada and US) or 613-954-5779
• Email: publications@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca
• INFODEP subscription information
• DSP claim form

Appendix – Guidelines for Retaining and Disposing of Depository Publications

The guidelines apply to Full and Selective Depository Libraries for federal government publications in either or both official languages.

The Depository Services Program is a collaborative arrangement between the Government of Canada and authorized Depository Libraries, including Academic, College, Public, Federal Departmental, Legislative, National, Foreign Educational and Foreign Exchange libraries. Most Depository Libraries receive the materials at no direct cost; in return, they make them available to their users and to the general public.

Recognizing that libraries must continually renew their collections, that older material must sometimes make way for new, and that over time there is a decline in the number of copies that need to be held in order to fulfill public need for access, the following guidelines indicate what Depository materials may be removed from library collections.

These guidelines outline the terms and conditions under which publications supplied by the DSP may be removed from Depository Library collections.

These guidelines also recognize that Full Depository Libraries have a special role in the permanent preservation of and access to federal government publications. Full Depository Libraries also act as de facto back up libraries for Selective Depository Libraries. For that reason, we make a distinction between guidelines affecting Full Depository Libraries and the more flexible guidelines affecting Selective Depository Libraries.

These guidelines apply solely to hard-copy formats, e.g. paper, microforms, audio and videotape, diskette, CD, CD-ROM, DVD, etc.

1. Full Depository Libraries

The following kinds of material may be removed from the collection at the discretion of the librarian responsible. There is no requirement that these publications must be removed:

1. Ephemera, including pamphlets, brochures and leaflets, and defined as "any print publication in the form of a single sheet (loose-leaf service excepted), a double or triple folded single sheet, or a booklet of 15 pages or fewer", after one year of receipt from the DSP. In addition,
   1. generally, the DSP will not distribute print copies of ephemera to Depository Libraries;
   2. the DSP will list in the Weekly Checklist print editions of ephemera "For Information Only";
   3. the DSP will provide, whenever possible, author department contact information in the Weekly Checklist entry so that Depository Libraries may order copies of these types of publications if required;
   4. the DSP will acquire and include in its permanent E-collection a PDF edition of these types of publications, if these are made available by the author department;
   5. the DSP will distribute some ephemera in print format as exceptions including, but not limited to:
      1. any Statistics Canada products
      2. budget publications
      3. others, as may be determined from time to time.
   6. these types of publications, if received from the DSP in print format, may be catalogued at the discretion of the library.
2. loose-leaf pages that are up-dated;
3. Order Papers and Notice Papers;
4. publications replaced by a revised edition;
5. separate parts upon receipt of complete volumes, e.g. monthly issues replaced by an annual cumulation;
6. material which carries an expiry date. (For such material, only the latest issue need be retained);
7. any serial which has either ceased publication or migrated to a Web-based format and for which print holdings consist of less than one full volume or year may be discarded. In addition, if holdings consist of only partial volumes or years, all issues may be discarded. It is recommended that the Depository Library retain such material for at least one year past the last issue, in case publication resumes;
8. directories which have ceased publication or migrated to an electronic format such as a searchable database or a Web-based document;
9. any print publication that is replaced by an alternate hard copy format such as a microform, CD-ROM, DVD, etc., provided that:
   1. a copy of the alternate format is held by the Depository Library,
   2. full access is maintained by means of bibliographic cataloguing and appropriate equipment and,
   3. the hard-copy edition provided by the DSP has been retained for two years;
10. any print publication that is replaced by an equivalent online electronic edition hosted on either the Library server, the DSP server, the Statistics Canada server or on the Library and Archives Canada server, provided that:
    1. full access is maintained by means of bibliographic cataloguing and appropriate equipment and,
    2. the hard-copy edition provided by the DSP has been retained for two years.
    3. Statutes present a special case, in that only print versions are officially valid. Depository Libraries should be guided by this fact in deciding whether to substitute electronic versions for paper;
11. bills when they are replaced by successive readings. Bills that do not progress any further than first reading, must be retained;
12. office consolidations of statutes and regulations when they are rendered out of date by subsequent consolidations;
13. hard-copy publications that, in the judgment of the librarian, have suffered sufficient damage as to render them unusable by the library;
14. electronic media that have become unreadable because of file corruption or media obsolescence;
15. offprints. Libraries are permitted to print and bind a single copy of a publication in the DSP electronic collection for preservation and consultation purposes. Offprints belong to the library and are not subject to these Retention Guidelines.

2. Selective Depository Libraries

The guidelines above for Full Depository Libraries apply equally to Selective Depository Libraries. In addition, Selective Depository Libraries may remove any publication five years after receiving it from the DSP.

3. Disposal of Materials Removed from Depository Libraries

Material meeting the criteria for disposal outlined in Sections 1 and 2 above may be dealt with as the Library sees fit.