It’s Our 100th Year as Government Depository Library

Did you know that The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County participates in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP)?, opens a new window In fact, 2023 marks 100 years of being part of the FDLP! The FDLP, administered by the Government Publishing Office, was established to ensure that the public has access to government information. 

Additionally, we are an Ohio government depository as well. As part of these federal and state government library services, the library helps individuals locate government information online.

While in the past, you would visit the library to read documents in paper and book form, times have changed. Back in the 1990s, depository libraries began changing from paper to electronic documents on CD-ROMs. Today’s depositories have gone digital! It’s an online world, and the most up-to-date versions of public government resources are available free online at GovInfo, opens a new window.

To help you find government resources, the library has linked many useful resources on our Government webpage, opens a new window. Among the popular resources in the FDLP Basic Collection, opens a new window is:

• Ben’s Guide, opens a new window is a great resource for children of all ages to learn about U.S. Government
• USA.gov, opens a new window is another highly useful site for everyone to use, providing easy subject access to government information

Want to know who your Congressmen are? Go to Congress.gov, opens a new window for federal senators and representatives and the Ohio Legislature, opens a new window for state congressmen. These are also great sites to learn what is currently being worked on at the federal and state levels of government. And, more locally, you can find the Mahoning County Commissioners, opens a new window on the Mahoning County Government, opens a new window site.

The State Library of Ohio, opens a new window is also a great place to locate helpful Ohio government information, such as a link to all the State Agencies of Ohio, opens a new window and a link to an internet directory of state and local government sites, opens a new window nationwide.

Now that you have the background information, it's time to celebrate! Join us on Saturday, October 7, at the Main Library from 2-4 p.m., opens a new window, to commemorate our 100th anniversary as an FDLP Library!