Duplicate Materials Exchange Program

 
  The Library of Congress exchanges library materials with approximately 2,600 partners around the world through its Duplicate Materials Exchange Program (DMEP). The new web-based version of the program, called Web DMEP, allows partners to select exchange materials online. Web DMEP provides many improvements over the traditional process of distributing printed lists of available materials and soliciting selections from hundreds of partners at the same time. Improvements include:
  • Partners receive the items they select. As items are selected, they become unavailable to other partners.
  • There is no need to send exchange list reply forms to DMEP.
  • Partners have access to an entire database of available titles in all subject areas.
  • A variety of searching methods are available to allow partners to locate books of interest.
  • The traditional DMEP subject lists are also accessible online.
  • Partners receive immediate feedback on their requests, including an e-mail confirmation when an order is placed and a later e-mail message when the order has actually been packed and shipped.
  • Orders ship soon after they are placed, instead of being batched with hundreds of other orders as they were in the traditional process.
  • Partner quotas are updated and available online immediately as orders are submitted.
NOTE: DMEP continues to produce printed lists and to distribute them to our partners who are unable to use the new web-based system. These printed lists contain a different, but comparable, selection of books. The following apply to both Web DMEP and to the continuing program of printed exchange lists.
  • Only books and selected single editions of reference works published as serials are made available on exchange.
  • The books made available on exchange are considered to be of enduring research value. Certain classes of books, such as textbooks and books on popular topics such as cooking, are excluded.
  • There are twelve different subject categories based on combinations of the LC subject classification schedule, as listed below. Users of the Web DMEP service can browse titles in these categories or search for books across all categories.
    1. general works (A), education (L) & library science (Z)
    2. philosophy, psychology & religion (B)
    3. history (C, D, E, F), military & naval science (U & V)
    4. science & computers (G-GE & Q)
    5. anthropology, folklore, recreation (GF-GV)
    6. economics (H-HJ)
    7. sociology (HM-HX)
    8. political science (J) & law (K)
    9. music (M) & art (N)
    10. literature, criticism, linguistics, journalism, cinema (P)
    11. medicine (R)
    12. agriculture (S) & technology (T)
  • A key component of DMEP is to inform partners in advance of the number of books they may receive (subject to their availability) each year. A partner's annual quota is based on the Library of Congress receipts from the partner during the previous year and takes into account the exchange of serials and monographs. Monographs and serials are exchanged on a title for title basis, with serials being compensated at the rate of two books per serial title. Most partners are also eligible to select a continuing subscription to the Annual Report of the Librarian of Congress and/or The Library of Congress Information Bulletin, as well as other Library publications, in lieu of a portion of their allotted books.
The Library's exchange partners are encouraged to communicate by fax or e-mail whenever possible, as DMEP experiences delays in the delivery of regular mail. The fax number is: 1-202-707-9440, and the e-mail address is: exchange@loc.gov. Feel free to contact us with your questions or comments. Mailing address *:
The Library of Congress
Anglo-American Acquisitions Division
Duplicate Materials Exchange Program
101 Independence Avenue, S.E.
Washington, DC 20540-4175
U.S.A.
* This address is for correspondence only. Do not send shipments of publications to this address.