Libraries at New Mexico’s two largest state universities are working to bring more relevant resources to students and the public.
The University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University and the New Mexico State Library (NMSL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding creating a shared Regional Depository Library for Federal government information in New Mexico. Federal depository libraries participate in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), which is administered nationally by the United States Government Publishing Office (USGPO).
The FDLP is an important point of access for citizens across the U.S., providing free and unfettered access to every publication from the USGPO. While many current government documents are now available online, the FDLP also ensures access to print copies of historical documents not available online.
UNM was originally designated as the Regional Depository for New Mexico in 1967. Zimmerman and Centennial Science and Engineering libraries have managed the Regional government information collections since that time. Federal government information which is disseminated or distributed by the USGPO regardless of form or format is available for use by all citizens of New Mexico.
NMSU and NMSL have participated in the FDLP for a number of years. NMSU, with land-grant status as a depository library, and NMSL, formerly a Regional Depository library, have held smaller collections of government information. With the approval of the United States Superintendent of Documents, the two institutions join UNM in sharing responsibility for the Regional Depository collections.
Under the new shared system, the collection currently at UNM will be divided and each institution will house the documents most relevant to their location and purpose. For instance, agricultural reports and publications will be housed at NMSU which has programs in agriculture.
“This is an historic agreement of cooperation between the three partner libraries that provides greater access to these important documents to the citizens of New Mexico,” said Richard Clement, Dean of UNM Libraries. “It is a model for Federal Depository libraries across the nation.”
UNM was originally designated as the Regional Depository for New Mexico in 1967. Zimmerman and Centennial Science and Engineering libraries have managed the Regional government information collections since that time. Federal government information which is disseminated or distributed by the USGPO regardless of form or format is available for use by all citizens of New Mexico.
For more information on government publications at UNM see http://library.unm.edu/services/govinfo.php or contact Monica Dorame at mdorame@unm.edu. For more information on the FDLP and USGPO visit www.gpo.gov.
