University of Kentucky Libraries Sign Preservation Steward Agreement with GPO
Washington – The University of Kentucky Libraries signs a Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Government
Publishing Office (GPO) to become the second Preservation Steward library in GPO’s Federal Information
Preservation Network (FIPNet). Under this agreement, the libraries pledge to permanently preserve print collections
of Works Progress/Work Projects Administration (WPA) and Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The WPA
collection contains more than 3,000 documents from the Great Depression relief program designed to provide work
for Americans. The ARC documents show the Commission’s efforts for economic development for Appalachia
since the 1960s.
To help Federal depository libraries meet the needs of efficient Government document stewardship in the digital era,
GPO has established Preservation Stewards to support continued public access to historic U.S. Government
documents. GPO welcomes all Federal depository libraries that wish to participate as Preservation Stewards. The
Norlin Library of the University of Colorado at Boulder became the first Preservation Steward in October 2016.
Preservation Stewards contribute significantly to the effort to preserve printed documents that are eligible for discard
from the permanent collections of regional Federal depository libraries serving the populations of each state. These
libraries may discard Federal materials if (a) the documents have been held more than 7 years, (b) their digital
equivalents are available on GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDsys) and its successor system, govinfo, and (c) print
copies of the documents remain available in geographically dispersed locations nationwide.
Through the FDLP, GPO works with approximately 1,150 libraries nationwide to provide public access to authentic,
published information from all three branches of the Federal Government in print and electronic formats. The
program's antecedents can be traced back to the act of Congress dated December 27, 1813 (3 Stat. 140), which
provided that one copy of the journals and documents of the Senate and House be sent to each university and college
and each historical society in each state. GPO has operated the FDLP since 1895. FIPNET is an initiative of the
FDLP to expand public access to Government information in depository library collections through collaboration
with non-depository library institutions and resources that also possess collections of Federal documents and
publications. This effort will result in a National Collection of U.S. Government Information for the use of future
generations, and will transform GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications into an index of that comprehensive
body of Federal information.
“GPO welcomes The University of Kentucky Libraries into this important program of maintaining Government
information in all platforms,” said GPO Director Davita Vance-Cooks.” I encourage more libraries to become part of
this venture of preserving valuable print collections of Government information.”
GPO is the Federal Government's official, digital, secure resource for producing, procuring, cataloging, indexing,
authenticating, disseminating, and preserving the official information products of the U.S. Government. The GPO is responsible for the production and distribution of information products and services for all three branches of the
Federal Government, including U.S. passports for the Department of State as well as the official publications of
Congress, the White House, and other Federal agencies in digital and print formats. GPO provides for permanent
public access to Federal Government information at no charge through www.govinfo.gov, partnerships with
approximately 1,150 libraries nationwide participating in the Federal Depository Library Program, and our secure
online bookstore. For more information, please visit www.gpo.gov
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