I believe that the USGS depository program began under the Superintendent
of Documents, ran as a separate program for decades, and was brought back
into the FDLP in the late 20th Century, maybe in the 1980s. According
to *Snapshots
of the Federal Depository Library Program*
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/history/snapshot.html

"There were two other depository programs that the Superintendent of
Documents was responsible for back then. In 1887, over 600 geological
depositories received U.S. Geological Survey monographs, bulletins, and
folios. Up to two depositories were allowed per Congressional district.
That allotment was doubled in 1895. Also in 1895, over 800 patent gazette
depositories were created with up to eight permitted in each Congressional
district. As far back as 1909, the Superintendent of Documents complained
about the waste to the taxpayers. These gazette and geological depositories
were discontinued in 1924. "

Paige can address this better later on. Congratulations on your new
responsibilities.

John Stevenson

On Fri, Oct 2, 2015 at 8:16 AM, Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Melissa,
> Do you by any chance mean 1894?  I don't have immediate access to the book *Maps
> for America* (all our copies are in remote storage), but I think it would
> have been some time before the turn of the 20th century.  I think one of
> the first series was the 15-minute series, at 1 inch to a mile (1:63,360)
> and later at 1:62,500.
>
> Ken
>
> Ken Grabach
> Maps Librarian
> BEST Library, 219D
> Miami University Libraries
> Oxford, OH  45056  USA
>
> [log in to unmask]
> 513-529-1726
>
> On Thu, Oct 1, 2015 at 7:27 PM, Hartley, Melissa <
> [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Hello. I am new to maps cataloging and to this list, so please pardon my
>> ignorance of the answer to this question.
>>
>> Does anyone know when federal maps (USGS in particular) began
>> distribution via FDLP depository libraries?  My research points to sometime
>> around 1984.  Does anyone know if this date is correct?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Melissa Hartley
>>
>> OSU Libraries and Press
>> Oregon State University
>> Corvallis, Oregon 97331-4501
>>
>> [log in to unmask]
>> 541 737-7317
>>
>
>


-- 
John A. Stevenson
Associate Librarian, Student Multimedia Design Center
University of Delaware Library
181 S. College Ave.
Newark, DE 19717-5267
302 831-8671
[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>