JPRS (Joint Publications Research Service) Reports

Complied by Tim Byrne
Head, Government Publications Library

JPRS translates and abstracts foreign language political and technical media for Federal Agencies.

The Government Printing Office (GPO) assigns each JPRS report a classification number based on the Superintendent of Documents Classification System (SuDoc). These numbers have changed several times over the years. Currently, GPO has assigned one classification stem (PrEx 7.13:) to all JPRS series. Individual JPRS numbers follow this stem. For example, for the classification number PrEx 7.13:CST-91-001:

 
• PrEx 7.13: is the classification stem for JPRS reports,
• CST is the JPRS code for China Science & Technology,
• 91 shows year in which the report was published, and
• 001 indicates the issue number for this report.

Likewise, PrEx 7.13:WER-90-7 is the classification number for the seventh report in 1990 in the West Europe series.

As mentioned above, the SuDoc classification numbers for JPRS reports have changed several times over the years. Originally, JPRS assigned accession numbers to each report. GOP used these JPRS numbers in their classification number. Until 1981, all JPRS series were mixed together under one classification number. In 1981, GPO assigned individual classification numbers to each JRPS series. In 1984, JPRS began using three-letter series codes which GPO incorporated into the classification number. Starting in 1990, GPO reverted back to using one SuDoc number for all series, followed by the JRPS series code. Below is a breakdown by years of the SuDoc classification numbers used by GPO.

 
• 1957-mid 1979 Y3.J 66:13:(JPRS number)
• 1979-1981 PrEx 7.13:(JPRS number)
• 1981-1983 PrEx 7.14:(JPRS number) through PrEx 7.23:(JPRS number)
• 1984-1990 PrEx 7.14:(series code) through PrEx 7.23:(series code)
• 1990- PrEx 7.13:(series code)

The change in 1990 to one classification number stem was made for several reasons. GPO has a great deal of trouble keeping their list current as JPRS frequently changed series titles, started new classification numbers, and discontinued others. This made assigning individual classification numbers to each series quite difficult. There was also a recurring problem with transcribing the SuDoc classification number correctly to the JPRS microfiche master. The single classification number with the series code should eliminate these problems.

Federal depository libraries may elect to receive the JPRS reports in microfiche distributed by GPO, although not all depositories do. The GPO does not receive any "For Official Use Only" documents for distribution to depository libraries.