ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES
                Newsletter of the Federal Depository Library Program
 
 
 
Vol. 18, no. 03 GP 3.16/3-2:18/03       February 15, 1997
 
 
 

Serial Set Letter and Survey Sent to Depositories
 
        The Library Programs Service has received many inquiries on the
Serial Set letter and Survey dated December 30, 1996.  The letter advised
depository librarians of the action GPO was taking in response to
Congressional direction on the bound U.S. Congressional Serial Set, which
consists of the numbered Congressional Documents and Reports.  GPO was
directed by Congress in House Report 104-657 to reduce the number of
copies for the Bound Serial Set.  This Congressional action overrides the
recommendations made by the Serial Set Study Group in October, 1994.
 
        The estimated sales price of $15,400 is for the bound volumes of
the Serial Set for an entire Congress, beginning with the 105th Congress.
This figure assumes 55 volumes will be produced for the first session and
73 for the second.  In 1993, some libraries sent a letter of intent to
purchase the bound Serial Set at the price then estimated by the Sales
Management Division.  These letters are now null and void.  Libraries that
would still like to purchase the bound Serial Set should send new letters
of intent to the Sales Management Division.
 
        The letter of intent should include the library's credit card
number or deposit account number against which the Serial Set would be
charged.  When it is known how many volumes of the Serial Set of the 105th
Congress will be produced, the Sales Management Division will contact the
library to advise it of the actual price and ask it to commit its
resources at that time for the purchase.
 
        Volumes for the 105th Congress will be bound and distributed as
soon as possible after all the parts are received.  LPS is currently
distributing volumes for the 102nd Congress, 2nd session (1992).  For
those libraries that bind their own slip copies of the Documents and
Reports, LPS prints the preliminary Schedule of Serial Set Volumes in
Administrative Notes Technical Supplement.  The preliminary schedule for
the 103rd Congress appeared in vol. 3, no. 10 (10/31/96).
 
        The paper used for the Serial Set can vary.  Some of the Documents
and Reports are printed on alkaline paper and some are not.  The end
sheets for the bound volumes are acid free.