Cataloging Toolbox for U.S. Federal Government Information

This Toolbox is continually being updated.  We welcome your feedback and interest!

This Toolbox lists resources for cataloging and processing U.S. federal government information. These tools are particularly helpful in understanding materials distributed through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), which is administered by the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO). Most tools are freely available online. GPO staff catalog and index United States federal government publications, creating or adapting most of the MARC 21 records used by FDLP member libraries and many libraries globally via bibliographic utilities like OCLC Worldcat.

These resources are useful for both new and experienced library staff who catalog and process depository materials or want to understand GPO bibliographic records. Reference sources for cataloging, authority work, classification, and subject/genre analysis are included..

The content is organized in cataloging and processing workflow order.

1. GPO Item Selection and Classification -- covers MARC field 074 GPO Item and field 086 Government Document Classification Number.
2. Depository Processing Tools provides guides for understanding selection, collection development, acquisitions and processing of FDLP materials.
3. GPO Cataloging and Classification links to GPO cataloging manuals and classification guides, i.e. Superintendent of Documents Classification System (SuDocs).
4. Cataloging Manuals and Standards lists resources used for cataloging and metadata description.
5. Government Vocabularies and Thesauri lists subject/genre resources from many federal agencies.
6. Cataloging Records Sources provides information about vendor records and bibliographic record capture.
7. Collection Management Information lists resources used in managing government information collections.
8. Continuing Education for Cataloging Federal Government Information resources are both general and specific, government and non-government sources.
9. Internet Resources for Finding Government Information lists general reference and search services especially useful in cataloging.
10. Library Catalogs links to selected federal government agency catalogs and indexes.
11. E-Mail Discussion Lists and Electronic Communities lists free and subscription discussion boards.
12. Help / Contact -- helps you find answers and give feedback!

Contact the GODORT Cataloging Toolboxes Working Group identified in the side menu under Help / Contacts with comments or feedback. Let us know how we can improve this tool!

Federal Depository Library Directory

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) distributes Government information free of cost to depository libraries, and the libraries provide free access for all users to this information. For assistance in your state and local area, search geographically for information specialists at your nearest Federal Depository Library. Library profiles include information about the library’s Congressional District, library and depository type, depository library number, the library’s physical address, type of collections, websites, and contacts.