Federal Depository Library Program

 

The Connecticut State Library participates in the Federal Depository Library Program.   Through this program we receive, at no charge,  all the documents issued by federal agencies and published by the Superintendent of Documents. Our collection of federal material dates back to 1789 and  contains over 1.5 million documents in print, microform and electronic formats.

Finding federal information at the State Library

Access/Borrowing/ Copying

• Locations of documents published since 1976,  including links to online versions, are included in our catalog,
• Locations of documents issued before 1976 may not be in our catalog, but we maintain specialized finding tools to determine their location in the library. One of our reference librarians will be happy to assist you:  860-757-6500, or CSL.isref@ct.gov

Finding Aids for frequently used federal sources:

Related Databases available for use in the State Library:

• Congressional Research Digital Collection
• CQ Electronic library
• Government Periodical Index
• Lexis-Nexis Congressional
• U.S. House & Senate Journals
• American State Papers
• U.S. Congressional Serial Set

 

Additional sites to search for federal information

• USA.gov, the government's official portal into federal information
• Cybercemetery, access to web sites of defunct agencies
• GPOAcess, a central source for links to federal information
• Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
• THOMAS, central location of Congressional Information

About the Federal Depository Library Program

The Program (FDLP) is governed by USC Title 44 and is administered by the Superintendent of Documents of the Government Printing Office.  The program is over 100 years old and we are part of a network of hundreds of libraries across the United States dedicated to local no-fee access to federal government information of all types and formats. 

The Program in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Thirty libraries in Connecticut and Rhode Island serve as federal depository libraries.  The Connecticut State Library was designated the Regional Library for Connecticut in 1962 and Rhode Island in 1982.  As the Regional Library, we receive and retain all the publications issued through the FDLP, and visit and consult with the other depository libraries regarding compliance with FDLP procedures.  All the other depository libraries may select documents based on their patron and library collection policy needs and are only required to retain documents for 5 years.  Each depository library must make their federal documents collections available to the public.

                         Please consult the Federal Depository Library Directory for library contact information

Contact the Connecticut State Library

• Government Information and Reference Services Unit, 860-757-6500, CSL.isref@ct.gov

• Federal Documents Librarian: Nancy Peluso 860-757-6599, npeluso@cslib.org

 

Prepared by the Government Information and Reference Services Unit, November 2008