Sources of GPO Cataloging Records

General Information

GPO makes its cataloging records available to libraries in a number of ways. Most of these options are free of charge to libraries.

• GitHub Repositories
• Cataloging Record Distribution Program (CRDP)
• Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP)
• Z39.50
• OCLC (membership required)

In addition, there are several other sources for obtaining GPO’s records.

• Documents Data Miner2 (DDM2)
• Commercial vendors

Please note - GPO has discontinued the GPO Cataloging Data Subscription Service.

GitHub Repositories

In 2017, LSCM launched the CGP on GitHub repository to post monthly files of new and changed bibliographic records of the CGP for downloading free of charge. Please see the “Obtaining Files” section on this page for information on the steps to download records.

Since 2017, Projects and Systems, Programs, Strategy, and Technology, and Library Technical Services (LTS) have collaborated to maintain these files and to create new repositories. As of June 2023, LTS develops and manages six repositories:

• All CGP Records (MARC UTF-8)
• All CGP Records (MARC XML)
• CGP on GitHub
• CGP Records Maintenance Files
• U.S. Congressional Serial Set Project (MARC UTF-8)
• U.S. Congressional Serial Set Project (MARC XML)

GitHub Repository

The twelve collections in the repository have been created based on various criteria, such as issuing agencies, publication formats, and topical and chronological coverage. All collections contain one or more of these resources:

• MARC record files
  • MARC UTF-8
  • MARC XML
  • MARC-8
• CSV files of multiple major metadata elements of the records
• PDFs of multiple major metadata elements of the records and the titles linked to the PURLs and the CGP record numbers link to the records
• Record display pages of several major metadata elements and the titles linked to the PURLs and the CGP numbers linked to the records.

Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) Records Maintenance Files Repository

This repository contains two collections: CGP Records Monthly Files and Online Version Records without Item Numbers. These files can be used for catalog and collection maintenance purposes.

The CGP Records Monthly Files collection contains the monthly files of new and changed Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) records posted during the year between each annual set of all CGP records. The records are available in three types of files:

• New and changed records in combined files
• New records only
• Changed records only.

The records are available in UTF-8, MARC-8, and MARCXML formats. The naming conventions of the files are as follows: cataloging_records-YYYYMM_####_format.mrc. The abbreviation YYYYMM stands for the year and month, and #### represents the number of bibliographic records in the record set. Format indicates if the character set is in UTF-8, MARC-8, or MARC XML format.

The collection also includes .txt files with the OCLC and CGP system numbers of the records deleted from the CGP.

Obtaining Files

When downloading files from the repository, all of the files in the repository are included in the downloaded zip file.

1. On the main repository page, click on the “Code” button in the right-hand section of the page.
   
   
    
2. Select “Download ZIP.”
   
   
   
    
3. Click on “Download ZIP”.
4. A ZIP file with all of the files on the repository will be downloaded to your computer.
5. Unzip the file with a zip utility and extract the files. 

Feedback

Please send us your feedback and questions about the repositories and collections by submitting an inquiry in the “Cataloging/Metadata (Policy and Records)” category via askGPO.

Cataloging Record Distribution Program (CRDP)

Federal depository libraries are eligible to participate in the Cataloging Record Distribution Program (CRDP). Since 2009, GPO has contracted with MARCIVE, Inc. to provide a monthly batch of bibliographic records to each participating library. The records may include those matching each participating library’s FDLP item number selection profile and GPO Historical Shelflist records. New libraries are typically added each October, the beginning of the fiscal year. Contact GPO to learn if there are vacancies or a wait list to join. The CRDP is available at no cost to the library.

The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP)

From the CGP, you can send up to 20 catalog records per email at no cost. You may select from various email formats, including MARC tags, and various types of encodings. The processes for obtaining records from the CGP is described in the “Working with Results” section of the CGP help page.

The New Titles page of the CGP offers lists of various types and formats of records, such as electronic resources, serials, and integrated resources, compiled in the previous week, two weeks, month, and three months, from which you can make selections to email to yourself.  

Z39.50

Z39.50 is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ National Information Standards Organization (NISO) communications protocol. It is used to search and retrieve bibliographic records in online databases of library holdings. It also allows you to download bibliographic records in MARC format and load into your library’s bibliographical database at no cost. There is a limit of 10,000 records per download.

OCLC

GPO creates new bibliographic records and adapts existing records in OCLC, the global library cooperative. Your library must be a member of OCLC in order to export GPO records from this system into your local catalog.