Colgate University’s Case Library is now designated as an official steward of thousands of U.S. presidential documents, effectively opening public access to the University’s collection of presidential writings, addresses, and public remarks dating from 1929–2017 thanks to a new agreement with the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO).
These Public Papers of the Presidents, which are published by the Office of the Federal Register, were established in 1957 to organize presidential messages and papers into a coherent archive. The variety of documents in the collection include Richard Nixon’s statement of approval of the National Environmental Act of 1969, an official log of Jimmy Carter’s daily diary, and Barack Obama’s 2009 inaugural address, among others.
The partnership between the GPO and Colgate grew out of an appointment that Director of Research and Scholarly Initiatives in the University Libraries Josh Finnell received from the GPO to serve a three-year term on the Depository Library Council (DLC). Alongside other members of the DLC, Finnell advises the GPO director on policy matters relating to the Federal Depository Library Program and access to U.S. government information.
“Through conversations with representatives at the Government Printing Office, it became clear to me that our holdings should become part of the National Preservation Steward collection,” says Finnell. “In collaboration with University Librarian Courtney Young and GPO Superintendent of Documents Scott Matheson, we entered into a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Government Publishing Office to provide permanent public access to this collection.”
As a GPO Preservation Steward, Case Library now joins the collective 50 partners engaged in an ongoing effort to help libraries meet the needs of efficient government document stewardship in the digital era by offering public access to U.S. government documents. In print and digital formats, research access to the collection opened Aug. 1.
“Though not very well known, Colgate University has been a Federal Depository Library since 1902,” explains Finnell. “In this role, our federal depository library collection has the ability to support teaching and learning on campus while also providing free public access to the surrounding community.”
The preservation of the Public Papers of the Presidents relates to the Third-Century Plan Public Affairs and Policy Research Initiative, designed to encourage engagement with public affairs and policy among Colgate faculty and students.