US Government Shutdown Brings the Spotlight Back to Preservation Efforts for Federal Documents

With the 2025 Fall Federal Depository Library Conference (FDLC) behind us, and an end to the current U.S. Government shutdown not yet in sight, we wanted to share our presentation on the LOCKSS USDocs network from the 2024 Fall FDLC. This session featured speakers from Stanford University, including:

• James R. Jacobs - U.S. Government Information Librarian, Stanford University
• Snowden Becker - LOCKSS Community Manager, Stanford University
• Mary-Ellen Petrich - Digital Preservation Analyst, Stanford University

In this presentation, we delved into the LOCKSS-USDOCS project, offering a comprehensive overview of its workings, and illustrating the importance of collecting and preserving publications hosted on GovInfo, which provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government. As the Federal Depository Library Program transitions to an all-digital format, it has become increasingly evident that safeguarding these essential digital documents is critical. And as LOC’s Martha Anderson has noted, “the challenge for the preservation of digital content is so great that no single organization can do it alone.”

The USDocs network, established in the very same year that Anderson made that observation, serves as a trusted, decentralized solution that allows libraries to collaboratively protect digital Federal publications from loss, tampering, or obsolescence. The audience discussion after our presentation last year was rich, and further highlighted how FDLP libraries can actively contribute to this preservation initiative. Ensuring the long-term protection of the National Collection seems like a particularly worthy effort in times when government information is under threat or inaccessible through typical channels, as it is now.

We invite you to watch the video presentation below to gain a deeper understanding of this work and discover ways to get involved in these preservation efforts.

If you and your library are interested in participating in USDocs, please contact network coordinator James Jacobs.

Thank you for contributing to the preservation of our democracy and its vital digital resources!