The Norris L Brookens Library at the University of Illinois Springfield is the newest library to join the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).
Although the Brookens Library joined the FDLP in 2011, its active involvement and participation with Federal Government documents began over two decades ago. In order to meet the university and nearby community’s research needs, a selective housing agreement was created in 1988 between the library and Lumpkin Library at Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois. The then-named Sangamon State University began to collect, house, and maintain the Federal depository documents of Blackburn College, one of only seven Work Colleges recognized by the U.S. Government as defined in the U.S. Code. As there were no openings in their congressional district at the time, Sangamon State was not able to pursue Federal depository status until a designation opening became available. Sangamon State University was founded in 1969 in the capital of Illinois, Springfield; it became the third campus of the University of Illinois in 1995 and has since been known as the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS).
As a result of this partnership, UIS’s Norris L Brookens Library houses over 200,000 Government documents collected prior to their official designation as a depository. Operating under the selective housing agreement since 1988, the library has a demonstrated track record of communicating with the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) in order to maintain the free public access requirements of the FDLP. At present, UIS serves just over 5,100 students and touts its small public university status, offering high-quality liberal arts education, public affairs activities, and professional programs.
The news was featured in an March 7, 2012, FDLP Connection article.
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