FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY
Local Access to

Government Information

The Federal Depository Library Program

(FDLP) safeguards one of our nation’s

strongest traditions: the public’s right to

know. The FDLP identifies, catalogs, and

ensures permanent public access to Government publications through Federal depository libraries and the FDLP Electronic

Collection.The FDLP is a program of the

U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO)

under the statutory authority ofTitle 44 of

the United States Code. Depository libraries

are housed in different types of libraries and

are geographically dispersed to provide the

best possible service to the public.

Depository libraries provide free local

access to publications of public interest and

educational value from all three branches of

the Federal government. Depository library

collections include documents in many formats, including print, CD/DVD and online.

They are available for anyone to use at no

charge and cover a wide range of topics:

★ Business

★ Careers

★ Census data

★ Defense and military history

it Laws and regulations

★ Science and technology

★ Travel... and much more!

Publications

Many depository libraries have participated

in the FDLP for more than 100 years and

have historical collections of Federal government publications as well as current collections for the public to use.

Depository librarians build their collections to meet local needs and clientele.
While libraries recognize the special

needs of their primary clientele when

adding resources to the collection, all

depository libraries also make available certain titles of interest to the general public.

Online Access

With changing Federal agency publication

patterns and increasing reliance upon the

World Wide Web to disseminate publications, depository libraries provide computer

equipment for library users to access online

and other electronic Government information. In addition to computers, depository

libraries also make available the following

GPO services to help users of all ages find

Federal information:

★ Catalog of U.S. Government

Publications (CGP)

http://www.gpo.gov/catalog

The CGP is a search and retrieval service

that provides authoritative bibliographic

records of U.S. Government information

products. Use it to link to Federal agency

online resources or to identify materials distributed to Federal depository libraries.

Coverage begins with January 1994 and

new records are added daily. The print counterpart, available at depository libraries, is

the Monthly Catalog of United States

Government Publications and its predecessors, which GPO has produced since 1895.

★ FDLP Electronic Collection

(FDLP/EC)

http://www.gpo.gov/gpoaccess/fdlp/ec

The FDLP/EC is a comprehensive digital 

library of online resources from all branches

of Government.The FDLP, through its partnerships and its network of depository

libraries, identifies, points to, acquires, creates metadata for, and in many cases
archives electronic publications from all

agencies, and will provide ongoing free public access to the resources in the FDLP/EC.

Access to the FDLP/EC is provided through

the CGP and other locator tools and services available from GPO Access.

★ GPO Access

http://www.gpo.gov/gpoaccess

GPO Access is one of the leading online

sources of free, official Government information, and is the only such system mandated by law. Its publicly available resources,

covering all three branches of Government,

are available through more than 80 applications, including the popular Code ofFederal

Regulations, Congressional Record, and

Federal Register. Finding Aids available

through GPO Access link to Government

electronic products in the FDLP/EC and at

other Federal agency Web sites.

★ Ben’s Guide to

U.S. Government for Kids

http://bensguide.gpo.gov

Ben’s Guide serves as the educational component of GPO Access and provides learning

tools for K-12 students, parents, and teachers.These resources teach how our Government works, the use of the primary source

materials of GPO Access, and how to use

GPO Access to carry out a citizen’s civic

responsibilities. Ben's Guide also provides a

locator service to other U.S. Government

Web sites developed for kids.

★ U.S. Government Online Bookstore

http://bookstore.gpo.gov

The U.S. Government Online Bookstore is

the official source for Federal Government

publications sold by GPO. It provides Web

users with easy, one-stop access to publications from all branches of Federal Government, including secure online ordering.
Service

In addition to the collections that they make

available, depository libraries provide a

number of services to help patrons locate

and use government information products:

★ Government information librarians who

provide expert reference assistance

★ Computers with Internet access to

obtain online government information

* Catalogs, guides and web pages

★ Referral or interlibrary loan service for

materials not in the local collection

Since each library tailors its collections and

services to its clientele, different libraries

may offer additional services or activities.
Locate a depository

library in your area

Whatever your Government information

needs, you can make the connection at a

Federal depository library!

Federal depository libraries reside

within all types of libraries throughout the

United States and its territories. Use the

“locate libraries” Web service to find the

depository library nearest you at:

http://www.gpo.gov/libraries

Federal Depository Library Program

http://www.gpo.gov/fdlp

A Service of the Superintendent of Documents

U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO)

S/N 021-700-00620-5 8/02