UB Libraries Honored as a Federal Depository Library of the Year

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo Libraries have been selected as a 2012 Federal Depository Library of the Year by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). Acting Public Printer Davita Vance-Cooke made the announcement on Oct. 15 at the Federal Depository Library Conference in Washington, D.C.

The prestigious award recognizes libraries for outstanding promotion of their government document collections and their commitment to the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), a program established by Congress to provide government information to designated depository libraries throughout the country.

The award commends the UB Libraries for sharing their federal government documents expertise with other libraries in the region and across the nation, and applauds the UB Libraries' efforts to provide services that assist other depository libraries in processing U.S. government publications received through the FDLP.

As a selective federal depository, the UB Libraries collect, organize, maintain, preserve and provide access to federal government information. UB's Lockwood Memorial Library, which joined the FDLP in 1963, was the first library to partner with the GPO in creating and maintaining the Enhanced Shipping List Service, an application used by depository library staffs nationwide to process incoming depository shipments.

"One of the reasons we were selected for this award is our commitment to the FDLP through this partnership," says Mary Ellen Donathen, depository coordinator for the UB Libraries. "For over 13 years, the UB Libraries have assisted other depository libraries by hosting and running this service that makes processing shipments of government publications a little easier."

According to Ed Herman, UB government documents librarian, the Enhanced Shipping List Service is a trusted and important tool used by many federal depository library personnel on a daily basis. He credits Donathen and his colleagues Ann Mongiovi and Tim McCarthy for the success of the UB Libraries' partnership with GPO. "This award would not be possible without their expertise and the outstanding quality of their work," he said.

Lockwood Library makes FDLP content available for free use by the general public. To learn more about the University at Buffalo Libraries' Government Documents Collection, visit http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/busdoc/.