This section of the website provides detailed information on the Needs and Offers procedure. These instructions reflect both the Legal Requirements for federal depository libraries, and local best practices and preferences of the Regional federal depository library at CU Boulder.
Any and all questions and comments may be directed to Phil Wrede and/or Kate Tallman. You may also call the Government Information Library at 303-492-3900 during normal business hours.
Our Approach
CU Boulder is working hard to standardize the Needs and Offers procedure to ensure that each project complies with Legal Requirements while also receiving the individual attention that it deserves. The following procedure or check-list is our preferred workflow for Needs and Offers projects. However, if you are facing a large and challenging weeding project, please contact Phil or Kate to start discussing alternative methods for withdrawal.
Are you withdrawing microfiche?
If you’re discarding a significant run, send a courtesy message to cogopub-l@colorado.edu. Someone else may want your run. Otherwise, you may withdraw.
Are you withdrawing CD-Rom’s?
Send CD-ROMs with the following SuDocs stems to CU-Boulder: C3, I, EP, NAS, or items with the words “Colorado” in the title to the attention Phil Wrede via courier or US Mail.
The rest can be discarded. If you’re discarding a significant number with SuDocs stems other than the ones mentioned above, send a courtesy message to cogopub-l@colorado.edu
Are you withdrawing the following stems/series?
As a result of a significant project to condense our federal documents collection on site, we’ve moved a large number of pieces to Pascal. In doing so, we’ve added hundreds of serial titles to the “Stems and Serials Not Requiring Listing” list. Selective depositories in Colorado can discard series titles listed in this file without following formal needs & offers procedures.
Series to Withdraw without Listing
Master Needs & Offers spreadsheet - compiled from lists of discarded material that have been searched and processed at CU Boulder, and under consistent revision and addition. Materials on this list can be assumed to be in CU Boulder's collection, and if desired to discard, can be discarded.
Are you withdrawing Congressional hearings or the Serial Set?
CU Boulder is a Preservation Steward for Congressional publications. There are a number of options for weeding hearings & serial set volumes. Contact Phil Wrede to discuss these options. For example, we can provide a spreadsheet of Hearings that are missing/lost, but the spreadsheet is incomplete, so we may also ask you to check CU Boulder’s Library Catalog for the hearing.
Have you confirmed that the items are not superseded?
Check the superseded guidelines to ensure that you aren't holding on to anything that is dated, revised, reprinted, replaced, or corrected. You may also check the 2002 superseded list for titles, and the 1996 superseded list for additional background information.
If you still have material left after completing step one, you may contact Phil Wrede with the stems you want to withdraw, the approximate number of items/shelves, and the date range. He and the Regional Coordinator will determine if you need to create a list and upload your offers to FDLP eXchange
If you are asked to create a list
Colorado depositories are asked to use the FDLP eXchange tool for Needs and Offers. Offers can be put into FDLP eXchange two ways:
More instructions and guidance can be found on the (now archived) FDLP eXchange project page
FDLP eXchange review timeframe
After you submit your offers to the FDLP eXchange, it will take anywhere from 15-30 days for items to go through review. You may decide whether or not to offer shipping.
GPO Needs - digitization & preservation
GPO is actively looking for long runs of ceased agency serials or historic documents that may not have been received or preserved by many libraries in the depository system. If you believe that you might be weeding a significant collection of historic documents, please contact Kate Tallman or Phil Wrede to discuss options for working with GPO!
Although CU Boulder has a strong preference for selective depositories to use FDLP eXchange to post offers lists, some projects are simply too large and complex to follow the standard procedure. If you believe this to be the case at your own institution, please contact Phil Wrede with the estimated size and scope of your project. In the past, alternative solutions have included:
As always, your Regional is here to help! Contact us for guidance on any large weeding project.
