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This article addresses recent Government Documents Discussion List questions concerning the application of Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) and other classification systems to U.S. Government publications.

GPO understands the desirability of providing a full SuDocs classification number of each manifestation of the U.S. Government publications described in the National Bibliography. GPO is also investigating the implications of furnishing Library of Congress (LC) and possibly Dewey classification numbers in National Bibliography records as well. These ideas are long-term goals that have significant resource implications for GPO, as well as implications for local processes in depository libraries. Future changes to the application of various classification systems will take place based on broad discussions with the library community.

In the nearer term, GPO expects to discontinue the use of the "accession number" based SuDocs classification that has been applied to online resources in favor of a fuller SuDocs number that is more readily applicable to physical manifestations of the same content.

Classification issues are discussed in GPO’s draft paper, The National Bibliography of U.S. Government Publications: Initial Planning Statement, dated June 18, 2004, and located on GPO Access at <http://www.gpoaccess.gov/about/reports/natbib0604.pdf>.

Comments on the application of classifications systems are valuable feedback for the planning process and will be used in revising this initial plan. Other comments on the draft document should be sent to Gil Baldwin, Director, Office of National Bibliography Program Planning, at <ebaldwin@gpo.gov>, by July 30, 2004.

GPO appreciates comments and inquiries that assist us in refining our planning process and services. If you have any questions about this or other Federal depository library-related matters, please submit them through the "Ask a Question" feature of GPO's online help service at: <http://www.gpoaccess.gov/help/index.html>.