Postage rates on books, films, and similar educational materials

§ 4554. Postage rates on books, films, and similar educational materials (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the postage rate is 9 cents a pound for the first pound or fraction thereof and 5 cents for each additional pound or fraction thereof on— (1) books permanently bound for preservation, consisting wholly of reading matter or scholarly bibliography or reading matter with incidental blank spaces for students’ notations and containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcement of books; (2) 16-millimeter films and 16-millimeter film catalogs except when sent to commercial theaters; (3) printed music, whether in bound form or in sheet form; (4) printed objective test materials and accessories thereto used by or in behalf of educational institutions in the testing of ability, aptitude, achievement, interests, and other mental and personal qualities with or without answer, test scores, or identifying information recorded thereon in writing, or by mark; (5) phonograph recordings; and (6) manuscripts for books, periodicals and music. (b) (1) Matter designated in paragraph (2) of this subsection may be mailed at the regular third or fourth class postage rates, or at the rate of 4 cents for the first pound or fraction thereof and 1 cent for each additional pound or fraction thereof when loaned or exchanged between— (A) schools, colleges or universities; (B) public libraries, religious, educational, scientific, philanthropic, agricultural, labor, veterans’, or fraternal organizations or associations, not organized for profit and none of the net income of which inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or individual, or between such organizations and their members, readers or borrowers. (2) The materials mailable under the rates prescribed in paragraph (1) of this subsection are— (A) books consisting wholly of reading matter or scholarly bibliography or reading matter with incidental blank spaces for students’ notations and containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcements of books; (B) printed music, whether in bound form or in sheet form; (C) bound volumes of academic theses in typewritten or other duplicated form; (D) bound volumes of periodicals; (E) phonograph recordings; and (F) other library materials in printed, duplicated, or photographic form or in the form of unpublished manuscripts. (3) Before being entitled to the preferential rates under this subsection, the Postmaster General may require an organization or association to furnish satisfactory evidence to him that none of the net income inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or individual. 74 Stat. 676 (c) 16-millimeter films, filmstrips, transparencies for projection, slides, microfilms, sound recordings, and catalog of those items may be mailed at the rates prescribed in subsection (b) (1) of this section when sent to or from the institutions, organizations or associations listed in (A) and (B) of subsection (b) (1). (d) The limit of weight on parcels mailed under this section is 70 pounds. (e) The postage rates prescribed in this section shall continue until otherwise provided by the Congress.