Government Resources

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Federal

Delaware State University Libraries are part of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).   Established by an act of Congress (Title 44, USC), the FDLP ensures public access to information published by the Federal Government.   We serve two basic constituencies that overlap to a certain degree:

  • Students, faculty, and staff of Delaware State University
  • Citizens of Kent County, Delaware

Due to our land-grant status, the university has a strong College of Agriculture and Related Sciences.   We offer a full range of liberal arts majors such as mathematics, art, and sociology, plus applied majors such as airway science, nursing, and business.   Our item selections reinforce the available resources in these disciplines.  The federal depository is open to all.   The library building is accessible to handicapped persons, and if they encounter any difficulties retrieving materials, they should speak to a library staff member. Materials received via the depository program come in a variety of formats including print, microfiche, and electronic.   These documents can be rich sources of information on a wide variety of topics.   However, locating the appropriate government resources can be one of the most challenging tasks in library research.

Finding In-Library Federal Resources

Begin by searching the Online Catalog.   Write down the call number, whether it be a Superintendent of Documents number or a Library of Congress (LOC) number, and also note the collection (U.S. Documents, Reference, General Collection, etc.).   Not all federal publications are located in the fifth floor U.S. Documents area.  For microfiche visit the second floor serials area.
 
Electronic Federal Resources

Our policy on electronic resources is aimed at direct access resources such as floppy disks, CDs, or DVDs.   These tangible electronic resources will circulate.   Licensing agreements and copyright issues do not apply to federal publications.   These resources are housed in the Electronic Research Center (Room 128).   The librarian in Room 128 will retrieve the requested resource.   Each item will have the following disclaimer: This software may alter your computer configuration.   The library assumes no responsibility for loss of files, damage to your equipment, or for content of files.   The Federal Depository Workstation in Room 128 is available for public access to these resources.   If the user wants to borrow an electronic resource, s/he will take it to the Circulation/Reserves Desk.   Normal checkout procedures will be conducted.
 
Online Federal Resources

The Government Printing Office has made numerous federal information sources available online via GPO Access.

GPO Access databases include:

  • Federal Register - Regulatory materials
  • Code of Federal Regulations - Codification of general and permanent rules of the Executive Branch and Federal agencies
  • GPO access topic: Business and Economy- Latest economic indicators

Additional government websites are:

State

The library attempts to collect State of Delaware information from all agencies. These items are located in the Delaware Collection, Room 226, and are accessible through the online catalog.  The Delaware Division of Libraries/State Library Website, the Digital Library of the First State, is a great starting point for finding state government information online. For additional information about the Federal Depository Library Program and Electronic Resources Policy at William C. Jason Library-Learning Center contact S. Mark Jarrell, (302) 857-6184.