[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 183 (Thursday, September 19, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 49261-49262]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23998]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

36 CFR Part 701

[Docket No. LOC 96-2]


Acquisition of Library Materials by Nonpurchase Means and 
Disposition of Surplus Library Materials

AGENCY: Library of Congress.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Library of Congress issues this final rule to revise its 
policy on the transfer of surplus library materials to reduce the 
volume and type of materials it receives from Federal agencies. The 
Library will eliminate the transfer of all bound and unbound serials 
and restrict all other transfers to certain specific categories.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 19, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Johnnie M. Barksdale, Regulations Officer, Office of the General 
Counsel, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540-1050. Telephone 
No. (202) 707-1593.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 2 U.S.C. 131, 136, and 149, the 
Librarian of Congress has general and specific authority for the 
administration and disposition of Library materials; it pertains to the 
organization and handling of duplicate materials and to the exchange 
and transfer operations of the Library, sale, donation to domestic 
educational institutions and public bodies, and the disposition of 
materials not needed for any of these uses. In order to enhance these 
operations and to fill gaps in its permanent collections, the Library 
of Congress has encouraged libraries and other agencies of the Federal 
Government to send to the Library's Exchange and Gift Division all 
library materials that are surplus to their needs. For several decades 
this program benefitted the Library, the Federal library community and 
the general public. Because of reductions in staffing levels, due to 
budgetary constraints, and reduced demand in some categories, the 
Library can no longer fully utilize these materials. In analyzing the 
costs and benefits to the Federal Government, the Library found that 
the expenses to administer the current program far outweigh the 
benefits. The Library issues this revised subpart to set forth the 
general policy on the transfer of surplus library materials to reduce 
the volume and type of materials it receives from Federal agencies and 
to redirect its remaining fiscal and human resources to efficiently 
administer a reduced, but more focused, program. Other Federal agencies 
will achieve considerable savings in labor and postage by not having to 
handle and ship unwanted materials to the Library of Congress. The 
proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on May 23, 1996, 
for public comment. No comments were received and no changes were made 
to the original text.

List of Subjects in 36 CFR Part 701

    Libraries, Seals and insignias.

Proposed Regulations

    In consideration of the foregoing the Library of Congress amends 36 
CFR part 701 to read as follows:

PART 701--PROCEDURES AND SERVICES

    1. The authority citation for part 701 will continue to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 2 U.S.C. Sec. 131, Sec. 136 & Sec. 149.

    2. Section 701.33(a)(4) is revised to read as follows:

[[Page 49262]]

Sec. 701.33   Acquisition of library materials by non-purchase means 
and disposition of surplus library materials.

 * * * * *
    (4) Transfer. Libraries and other agencies of the Federal 
Government are encouraged to send to the Library for disposition soft 
or hard-bound books that are surplus to their needs in the following 
categories: (1) Novels and (2) Reference works (e.g. encyclopedias, 
directories, guides, such as Encyclopedia of Associations, The World of 
Learning, The Stateman's Yearbook, Books in Print, etc.) not older than 
three years. And not older than five years in: (1) Humanities (art, 
music, belles letters etc.); (2) History and area studies; (3) Social 
sciences (economics, politics, etc.); (4) Education; and (5) Science 
(agriculture, medicine, computer science, mathematics, physics, etc.). 
Such transferred materials are needed to fill gaps in the Library's 
holdings, for exchanges, to transfer to other Federal agencies, and to 
make available through the Surplus Books Program to qualified 
recipients. The Library's Exchange and Gift Division (E&G) requests 
notification at the earliest possible date of any government libraries 
that are scheduled to close or be substantially reduced. The Library 
also requests that shipments of 1,000 pounds or more be cleared with 
E&G in advance. The Library does not accept bound and unbound serials. 
Federal agencies should dispose of surplus serials, and other surplus 
library materials not specified above, in accordance with their 
agency's regulations governing the disposal of surplus materials.
 * * * * *
    Dated: September 10, 1996.

    Approved by:
James H. Billington,
The Librarian of Congress.
[FR Doc. 96-23998 Filed 9-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1410-04-M