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State publications depository program
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The State Publications Depository Program provides the citizens of the commonwealth with free access to publications produced by state government agencies, boards, commissions and other government entities. The Library of Virginia collects and distributes publications to designated depository libraries around the state, and maintains a digital repository for electronic government publications.
The Library of Virginia relies on its partners in Virginia state government to submit digital publications for permanent access and preservation.
FAQ About the State Publications Depository Program
General Assembly recognizes that an informed citizenry is indispensable to the proper functioning of a democratic society. In order to remain informed, citizens must know about the activities of their government and benefit from information developed at public expense. Through the administration of the State Publications Depository Program, citizens will be ensured continued access to state publications, regardless of geographical location in the Commonwealth. (Code of Virginia, §42.1-92b)
What is the purpose of the program?
The State Document Depository Program was established in 1981 to guarantee access to government information, regardless to proximity to Richmond, and to ensure that information published by state agencies remains available to the public. In 2006, following a two year study by the General Assembly, the goals and purposes of the Depository Program were repealed, amended and recodified as the State Publications Depository Program in §42.1-92 et seq. of the Code of Virginia.
Do I have to submit ALL my agency's publications?
The State Publications Depository Program act expressly defines what should be included in the program. §42.1-93 states: "Publication" means all documents, regardless of physical form or characteristics and issued by or for a state, local, or regional agency, in full or in part at government expense, that are created for the research or informational use of the public. "Publication" shall not include documents that are developed solely for the agency's administrative and internal operations.
Complete guidelines for appropriate materials to submit to the program can be found in the State Publications Collection Policy.
How many copies do I need to send?
The Library asks that you send 15 of each of your publications. You must supply these free of charge. (Code of Virginia §2.2-609b and §42.1-94)
What happens to all those publications?
The Library of Virginia keeps at least two copies for its collections, and distributes the others to geographically diverse libraries throughout the commonwealth and to the Library of Congress.
What about "born digital" publications?
The Library of Virginia has established a secure digital repository for electronic state publications, which became fully operational in July 2008. Like paper publications, agencies will be required to submit electronic copies to the Library. After a publication is accepted for the digital repository, the Library will distribute cataloging to depository libraries, providing long-term access to your publications. In addition, the repository is full-text searchable, and accessible from the Library's Web site.
Where do I send these publications?
State Documents Receiving
The Library of Virginia
800 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
State Publications Collection Policy
The State Publications Depository Program Act of 2006 (§42.1-92 et seq.) repeals, amends and reenacts several sections of the Code of Virginia and provides new legislation to facilitate the acquisition, maintenance, and preservation of Virginia government publications, including materials in electronic format.
Overview
In order to successfully use the new legislation to the maximum benefit of the Library and the citizens of the Commonwealth, a collection policy for all Virginia government publications has been written to provide direction to Library staff for the acquisition, description, use, and preservation of government information. Separate guidelines for the provision of publications and/or catalog records for government information products will be provided for the administration of the State Publications Depository Program.
The State Publications Collection Policy can be used by state agencies and institutions of higher education for guidance in the submission of publications to the Library of Virginia for its collections and for inclusion the Depository Program.
It will be the policy of the Library of Virginia to collect and preserve, to the best of its ability, all publications of state government agencies, in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government as described in this policy. Publications selected for inclusion in the program will be at the agency level. The Library will not actively collect publications from local offices of state agencies. Materials will be selected for collection and preservation based on intellectual content, research and educational use, and long-term benefit to the citizens of the Commonwealth. It will be the policy of the Library of Virginia to collect and preserve materials published by institutions of higher education that have particular interest to the citizens of the Commonwealth in the administration and stewardship of Virginia state colleges, universities and community colleges.
It will be the policy of the Library of Virginia and the State Publications Depository Program to collect and preserve all publications meeting these policy guidelines in the format in which they were primarily distributed to the public.
All publications selected will be accessible (either in hard copy or electronically) from the Library of Virginia, and will appear, at a minimum, in the Library of Virginia’s catalog.
What we Collect From State Agencies
The Library of Virginia will collect the following types of materials published by state agencies, commissions, and boards:
Annual reports
Newsletters
Research reports and studies
Statistical compilations
Employee newsletters
Handbooks, manuals and guides developed for the use of the public
Maps
What we Collect from Institutions of Higher Education
In addition, The Library of Virginia will endeavor to collect the following materials published by state institutions of higher education in Virginia
Descriptive Course Catalogs
Viewbooks
Commencement programs
Student arts / literary magazines
Newsletters with statewide interest, such has Horizons Water Resource Newsletter (Virginia Tech) or published in cooperation with a state agency such as VCPN: Virginia Child Protection Newsletter (James Madison University)
Law Reviews, when published with state funds
Sports media guides
What we Do Not Collect
Schedules of events
Forms and applications
Flyers and announcements for specific events, such as performances and lectures
Dated materials
Internal agency working procedures
Press releases
Material that is readily available in other sources, such as excerpts from Code of Virginia and Virginia Administrative Code
Regulatory announcements and public comment notices
Student Newspapers
Schedules of classes
General and departmental college recruiting materials, such as posters
Publications with moving editorships
Study guides and workbooks
Sports schedules
Research publications funded by grants, private or federal funds without a direct link to Virginia history or culture
Medical research or procedural publications that do not have a direct connection to the health and welfare of Virginians
The Library of Virginia will not collect bills introduced in the General Assembly except in hard copy. Electronic copies will be available as long as they are maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
Electronic Shipping Lists
The shipping lists on this page were created for State Publications Depository Libraries but can be used by any library interested in providing access through their online public access catalogs. Each shipping list includes the title of the newly catalogued electronic publication and an OCLC number. Each corresponding OCLC record includes complete cataloging, and a URL for the publication stored in the Library of Virginia's digital repository.
2025
Electronic Shipping List no. 204 - cataloged During May 2025, Distributed June 1, 2025
Electronic Shipping List no. 203 - catalogued during April 2025, Distributed May 1, 2025
Electronic Shipping List no. 202 -catalogued during March 2025, Distributed April 1, 2025
Electronic Shipping List no. 201 -catalogued during February 2025, Distributed March 1, 2025
Electronic Shipping List no. 200 -catalogued during January 2025, Distributed February 1, 2025
2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 199 -catalogued during December 2024, Distributed January 1, 2025
Electronic Shipping List no. 198 -catalogued during November 2024, Distributed December 1, 2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 197 - catalogued during October 2024, Distributed November 1, 2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 196 - catalogued during September 2024, Distributed October 1, 2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 195 - catalogued during August 2024, Distributed September 1, 2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 194 - catalogued during July 2024, Distributed August 1, 2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 193 - catalogued during June 2024, Distributed July 1, 2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 192 - catalogued during May 2024, Distributed June 1, 2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 191 - catalogued during April 2024, Distributed May 1, 2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 190 - catalogued during March 2024, distributed April 1, 2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 189 - catalogued during February 2024, distributed March 1, 2024
Electronic Shipping List no. 188 - catalogued during January 2024, distributed February 1, 2024