Depository Library Information

The WSU Libraries became a Federal Depository Library in 1907. As a selective government depository the Libraries receives approximately 70 % of the materials available through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) which is administered by the Superintendent of Documents of the Government Printing Office. The Washington State Library  in Olympia is the regional depository serving FDLP collections in the state of Washington.

The majority of the U.S. documents are located on the third floor in Holland and Terrell Libraries  (the humanities/social sciences library) and are arranged by Superintendent of Documents Classification numbers. Holland and Terrell Libraries also houses many volumes of the Serial Set, the American State Papers, decennial U.S. Census Bureau publications, publications of the Bureau of American Ethnology, and the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion. Owen Science & Engineering Library houses a large documents collection on science and technology subjects, a major collection of government research reports on microfiche, and United States and Washington State maps. The majority of document CD-ROMs and DVDs (and workstations for accessing them) are in Media Materials & Reserves in Holland and Terrell Libraries.

There are also several smaller libraries, Education, Health Sciences, Architecture, and Agricultural Sciences, which house some government documents in the Library of Congress classification system.

Access to the Collection

The main function of Federal depository libraries is to provide free and unimpeded access to government information to the general public. All federal publications are accessible for public use in the WSU Libraries.

United States government publications received by the libraries since 1976 can be searched in Griffin, the online catalog. For information on finding pre-1976 federal documents in WSU Libraries see Researching Historical Federal Documents. The following databases are available for searching and identifying federal documents (many link to full-text):

• GPO Monthly Catalog on FirstSearch (WSU only; 1976 - )
  
• Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (1994 - )
  
• Congressional Lexis/Nexis (WSU only; 1789- )
  
• U.S. Congressional Serial Set (WSU only; 1817- )
  
• New Titles and New Electronic Titles
  
• Browse Topics, a pathway to federal government sites
  

Documents in our collection that are accessible via the Internet are hotlinked on the Griffin record. Newly received government publications are announced every month on the new book list. List #50 is "WSU U.S.GovDocs in Holland and Terrell Libraries" and list #51 is "WSU U.S.GovDocs in Owen Science Library". Most government documents can be checked out; see the loan periods table. Government documents not available at WSU can be requested through Summit (the catalog of higher education institutions in Washington and Oregon) or through the ILLiad electronic interlibrary loan system.

All libraries on campus provide public workstations for accessing the catalog and databases. Our Internet Use Policy Guidelines detail the principles for access to online federal government information. Holland and Terrell Libraries and Owen Library also provide access to reference CD-ROM/DVD documents and STAT-USA Online and USA Trade Online. Use of workstations and access to the documents collection is free (there is a charge for printing on library printers). Information about services to users with disabilities is on the assistive technology page.

Assistance with Government Documents

Reference assistance is available for identifying and finding government documents in the Libraries. Personal assistance is on hand in each of the libraries; library and reference hours are posted on the web and in the libraries. Other options for reference assistance include telephone, e-mail, and IM (instant messaging or "chat") reference. A library guide provides a general description of U.S. Government Documents at WSU Libraries and more detailed descriptions can be found on these library government document web pages.

WSU Libraries policy on public services relating to federal information in electronic formats is stated in the Depository Library Public Service Guidelines for Government Information in All Formats.