Representing over 100 years of keeping America informed through partnerships, initiatives, and efficiency."A popular Government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it is but a Prologue to a Farce or Tragedy; or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: and a people who mean to be their own Governors must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives."
James Madison
"Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have a right and a desire to know."
John Adams
Partnerships for Public Access
- What is the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP)?
Administered by the Government Printing Office (GPO) since 1895, the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is a partnership between the Federal Government and 1,391 Federal Depository Libraries throughout the United States and its Territories. The purpose of the FDLP is to ensure no-fee public access to Federal Government Information.
- Who Uses Depository Libraries?
Depository Libraries located in virtually every Congressional District acquire Federal information based on the needs and interests of their user communities including government officials, members of the business and corporate communities, researchers, educators, students, and the general public.
- How are Depository Libraries Funded?
Depository Libraries are funded by state and local governments and private institutions. They serve the public by cataloging, storing, preserving, and providing access to US government information in all formats.
- How do Depository Libraries Function?
In the spirit of true partnership, these libraries absorb the costs of processing, space and storage, computer hardware, software, and Internet connections, staffing, and providing training for accessing government publications through outreach and instruction programs.
- How do Depository Libraries Provide Access to Government Information?
Depository Libraries develop networks and partnerships among themselves and with local community resources to promote the FDLP and public access to government information, coordinate training, and share publications and resources. Many Depository Libraries provide access to and assistance with government information available via the Internet.
Initiatives--Services to the Public
- GPO Access
GPO Access is a dynamic and constantly expanding service that provides online access to a growing number of government publications including the Congressional Record, Federal Register, and Code of Federal Regulations, as well as the text of bills, resolutions, public laws, and much more. In addition, GPO Access is available free to the public 24 hours a day.
Through GPO Access, with its component online databases, the Pathway Services, Storage Facility, and electronic bulletin board, the FDLP provides a valuable public service which serves as the foundation to support the transition to electronic access to government information.
- GPO Access Gateways
GPO Access Gateways are Depository Libraries that offer local gateway connections to the GPO Access service. Through these gateways, the Federal Depository Library Program offers local online access to government information via the Internet. GPO Access is so successful that in October 1996 alone, more than 2,880,998 documents were downloaded.
- Storage Facility
GPO provides ongoing storage for electronic government information products made available on GPO Access. At this time, GPO Access databases are stored on a distributed network on GPO's main facility in Washington D.C. and in Owensboro, KY.
- Permanent Public Access
The FDLP ensures permanent public access to tangible government information products through Regional Depository Libraries. However, a parallel mechanism must be developed to ensure that government information available through remotely accessible electronic information services remains permanently accessible by the public.
- GPO Partnerships
GPO, as the administrator of the FDLP, is establishing a distributed partnership system that provides continuous, permanent public access to remotely accessible electronic government information products, involving the publishing agencies, the National Archives and Records Administration, and Regional and other Depository Libraries.
- Pathway Services
Pathway Services provide multiple approaches to locating and connecting to Government information products on the Internet. Current Pathway Services include:
- The Monthly Catalog contains GPO cataloging records from 1994 onward and offers full-text and fielded search options. In addition, it identifies the Depository Libraries that can provide access to the product, as well as hotlinking to any electronic versions.
- The Pathway Indexer (prototype) provides keyword searching of Federal Web sites. This information is collected on a regular basis from government sites as well as non-federal partners working in official collaboration with a Federal information provider.
- Browse Topics classifies Government and military Internet sites under almost 170 subjects and Browse Titles lists electronic information products available on Federal Government servers, arranged alphabetically, by agency.
- GILS provides an alphabetical directory of Government Information Locator Service records which describe the information policies and provisions of Cabinet-level and other major Federal agencies.
Efficient Use of Funding
Why the FDLP is Money Well Spent
- Expert Service
Depository Libraries provide expert service in locating and using depository materials to an estimated 189,000 to 237,000 users each week nationwide.
- Ease of Access
The FDLP protects and facilitates the public's easy access to information produced by Federal agencies in all three branches of government.
- Public Services
The FDLP provides a wide array of public services performed by highly skilled, well-trained professional staff who specialize in government information.
- Effective Communication and Advocacy
The FDLP allows for effective communication and input from users of government information as well as professional organizations and advisory bodies such as the American Library Association and the Depository Library Council.
- Centralized and Responsible Printing and Dissemination
Congress created a centralized Government Printing Office in 1861 to end mismanagement in printing procurement. In 1895 Congress recognized the advantages of linking the printing and public dissemination functions of government and assigned responsibility for the FDLP to GPO.
The FDLP efficiently consolidates the printing and distribution of publications from all Federal agencies into one system of printing, selection, cataloging and classification, and distribution to libraries all over the country, thus realizing enormous economies of scale.
The FDLP has cost-effective procurement contracts to convert paper publications to microfiche or other formats when appropriate, saving millions of dollars in printing and distribution costs. GPO's distribution network provides a cost-effective mechanism for consolidating and shipping publications.
GPO's distribution provides Depository Libraries a centralized mechanism to request publications and to answer queries, relieving the publishing agencies of this responsibility.
- Private Sector Support
More than 75 percent of GPO's printing is contracted to private sector printers. The remaining 25 percent, printed at GPO's facilities, is primarily for Congress and key executive products with special printing requirements.
- Customized Resources
The FDLP provides a selection mechanism for Depository Libraries to customize its selection of publications according to the needs of its user community. GPO "rides" agency print orders by adding the requisite number of copies for selecting libraries, keeping production costs to a minimum.