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Collection Policy Statement Index

Contents

I. Introduction
II. United Nations (general)
III. United Nations specialized agencies
IV. Organization of American States
V. Western European intergovernmental organizations
VI. Other regional organizations

I. Introduction

This statement consolidates four former Acquisitions Policy Statements related to publications of international organizations. Pending the complete revision of this policy the Library of Congress will continue to follow the policies set forth below. The planned revision will both reexamine existing policy and include a comprehensive section on regional organizations (see Section VI below).

For related topics, consult:

Developing Countries
Government Publications - Foreign
Societies and Associations

II. United Nations²

The Library of Congress will endeavor to acquire for its permanent collections at least one copy each of all publications for the United Nations issued in the English language, issued in multi-lingual form, or issued only in a language other than English. Those which are unobtainable in the English language edition will be acquired in another language.

1. Substantive monographic titles and series in English, issued as United Nations documents, such as the Official Records (General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Disarmament Commission, Trusteeship Council, and Trade Development Board) will be retained in the original format, bound, and added to the permanent collections.
2. Materials issued only in mimeographed or other near-print format will be acquired in their original format for service use, but will be added to the permanent collections only in microform, preferably microfilm, or microfiche.
3. Publications of the Economic Commission for Latin America will be acquired in Spanish, and also in English as available. Publications of the Economic Commission for Africa will be acquired in French, and also in English as available.

III. United Nations specialized agencies and related bodies ³

The Library of Congress will endeavor to acquire for its permanent collections at least one copy each of the publications of the specialized agencies and related bodies of the United Nations issued in the English language, issued in multilingual form, or issued only in a language other than English. Those which are unobtainable in the English language edition will be acquired in another language. As new specialized agencies and related bodies are created they shall be automatically added to the list below.

IV. Publications of the Organization of American States

The Library of Congress will endeavor to acquire for its permanent collections at least one copy each of all publications of the Organization of American States issued in English, issued in multi-lingual form, or issued only in Spanish.

1. Substantive monographic titles and serials such as the Annual Report of the General Secretariat will be retained in the original format, bound, and added to the permanent collections.
2. Materials issued only in mimeographed or other near-print format will be acquired in their original format for service use, but will be added to the permanent collections only in microform.

V. Publications of Western European intergovernmental organizations ⁴

The Library of Congress will endeavor to acquire at least one copy each of the publications of the intergovernmental organizations of Western Europe issued in the English language, issued in multi-lingual form, or issued only in a language other than English. Those which are unobtainable in the English language edition will be acquired in another language, the order of preference being French, German, Italian, and Dutch.

1. Publications of a regulatory, legal, or quasi-legal nature (except for those issued by the Nordic Council) will be acquired in both English and French, when available. Publications of the Nordic Council will be acquired in Swedish.
2. Publications which are not deemed to have permanent research value will be acquired for current use but not added to the Library's permanent collections.

VI. Other regional organizations

Pending the comprehensive revision of this statement, the Library will attempt to acquire all substantial publications issued by regional organizations not treated in the foregoing sections.

Notes:

(1) Combines the former Acquisitions Policy Statements 57 (June 1974), No. 58 (May 1975), No. 59 (July 1973) and No. 61 (May 1975).

(2) The United Nations includes: International Court of Justice, United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, United Nations Development Program, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, United Nations Institute for Training and Research, and United Nations Research Institute for Social Development.

(3) These agencies include:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
International Development Association (IDA)
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
International Labor Organization (ILO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Universal Postal Union (UPU)
World Health Organization (WHO)
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

(4) These include the Council of Europe, European Communities (EURATOM, European Coal and Steel Community, European Economic Community and all institutions thereof), European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM), Nordic Council, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and other organizations listed in the European Yearbook or other standard sources. For specialized agencies of the United National based in Europe, see Section III above.

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