Shipping Lists
Shipping lists are a list of publications that are mailed to libraries in their depository distribution boxes.
Several shipping lists may be found in a depository shipment box. In addition to the paper copies that arrive in depository shipment boxes, electronic versions of shipping lists are posted online.
The current year's shipping lists are available in a browse directory tree by type. Shipping lists are archived at the end of each calendar year. Archived shipping lists are available for download from the file repository in .zip format by year and type.
View/Download Current Year Shipping Lists Download Archived Shipping Lists
Types of Shipping Lists
There are five types of shipping lists:
- Electronic (E)
- Tangible electronic formats such as CD-ROMs and DVDs.
- Microfiche (MF)
- Tangible format of flat film.
- Paper (P)
- Tangible format such as books, pamphlets, and magazines.
- Separates (S)
- Separates material is usually large bound or unbound volumes, maps or posters in tubes, and oversized publications. Found in the boxes with regular shipments. However, the material on a separates shipping list is mailed in individual containers or envelopes. The shipping list number is printed on the mailing label of each package for identification.
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
- USGS shipments are sent in separate map shipments or boxes. separate map shipments or boxes. A specific USGS shipping list accompany map shipments to selecting libraries.
Paper, electronic and separates shipments are mailed to your library directly from GPO. Microfiche and USGS shipments are mailed from a contractor.
Information Conveyed on Shipping Lists
Important information found on shipping lists include the:
- Shipping list date and number.
- A list of all the publications in a complete shipment.
- Titles and series numbers of the publications.
- SuDocs classification numbers.
- “Ship short” information.
- GPO sales information, when applicable.
- Item numbers.
- Occasional notes, e.g., ‘error on publication’.
If a percent symbol (%) is found next to the item number it means that the publication was shipped short and GPO cannot fulfill a claim for that item. Do not claim any publication with a % symbol.
Shipping List Numbers
The shipping list numbering sequence is based on fiscal year (October 1-September 30) re-starts each October. A shipping list number includes the year, number, and format.