CIC Supports Association of Research Libraries' Statement on Future of Depository Program

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and its members have a long-standing participation in and support for the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), a partnership between the US Government and libraries throughout the United States that ensures the public has no-fee access to government information. ARL members invest significant staff, financial resources, and space allocations to the FDLP with the belief that equitable access to information about the government and its programs is central to democracy.

Recently, changes in policy and practice by the US Government Printing Office (GPO) and its failure to embrace needed changes to the FDLP present serious challenges to the Program’s sustainability and viability. Importantly, these changes impact the ability of the public to effectively access government information both now and in the future.

More than 30 ARL Regional Federal Depository Coordinators have written to the GPO regarding the policy changes and the CIC has written a letter of support for ARL's efforts.  For more on this issue, please see the CIC Letter of Support for ARL October 2011 and visit ARL's page on the Federal Deposit Library Program.