Claims

  • Last Updated: June 08, 2026
  • Published: November 08, 2021

About  

When copies are available, the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) will send FDLP material not received as expected, to replace copies that are damaged during shipment, and to replace defective copies.  

What Can be Claimed? 

  1. Missing publications distributed to depository libraries that your library selects, but did not receive. 
  2. Damaged or defective material that your library has received.
    • Claim damaged or defective material like normal. Keep the defective copy until you receive the claim copy. Discard the defective copy after the claims copy is received. Do not send the defective copy to GPO and do not offer it on a discard list to the regional. 

Monthly Email 

  • GPO sends a monthly email to depository coordinators when their library should have received material the previous month. The emails are a reminder to verify receipts so that claims may be filed, if needed. Libraries that were not profiled to receive material that shipped the previous month (per their selection profile), will not receive an email.  

Verify Recent Shipments 

  • Your library must select an item number in order to claim missing material you see on a shipping list. Verify that the item number of a missing publication is on your item selection profile by checking the FDLP Data Manager (FDM), the Item Lister, or DSIMS. 
  • Note that new paper-format selections do not become effective on your library’s selection profile until the following October 1. 
  • Custom monthly reports listing what material a library should have received can be created in FDM. 
    • Log into FDLP Data Manager (FDM). 
    • Click on the Shelflist module. 
    • FDL number = your FDL number 
    • Shipping list start/end dates = One Year/mth 
    • Start Month = ## 
    • Start Year = #### 
    • Click Submit. 

When to Claim 

  • Claims must be made within 90 days of the date of the shipping list.  
  • Recent shipments may still be in transit. Note the Shipping List Date of the claim and adjust for transit time. Claim what should have been received per your estimated receipt date.  
    • Add 7-10 business days for the vendor to ship the boxes from Laurel, MD (12-15 days for Alaska and Hawaii). 
    • Add extra time if your library uses a receiving facility that routes packages to your library or unit. 
    • Add extra time if your receiving facility or mail room staff are on extended leave. 

Make a Claim 

  • Claims may be filed by the depository coordinator or another staff member authorized by the coordinator. 
  • You must first log into askGPO. After logging in: 
    • Under More, click Submit a Claim 
    • Check any boxes, as needed 
    • Provide the Shipping List Number and individual publication information (Item Number and Title), as needed. 
    • Click Submit 
  • One shipping list may be claimed at a time. Check the box Claim Entire Shipping List if the entire shipping list needs to be claimed, or, claim up to five publications off of one shipping list. 
  • Providing inaccurate information may cause the claim to be rejected.  
  • On rare occasions, GPO receives only a limited number of copies of a publication for distribution to depository libraries. These publications are referred to as "shipped short." 
  • To determine if a publication is shipped short, check to see if the shipping list entry has a percent symbol (%) next to the title. Do not claim any publication with a % next to the title on a shipping list.  

Duplicate or Misdirected Shipments and Boxes Received in Error 

If you receive a box in error or if you receive a duplicate shipment, it is likely that another library has not received their box. See Forwarding or Returning Misdirected Shipment Boxes. 

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