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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Government Publishing Office has named the University of Mississippi’s J.D. Williams Library as the 2018 Federal Depository Library of the Year. The library was selected for its creative promotion of government documents through campaigns, exhibits and events.

The J.D. Williams Library became a member of the Federal Depository Library Program in 1883 and is the regional depository library for Mississippi, serving 10 selective depositories in the state.

To coincide with its 135th anniversary in the FDLP, the library hosted a yearlong government documents campaign. As part of the campaign, the library created a government documents coloring book and bookmark and hosted anniversary-related events featuring various librarians and scholars as guest speakers. It produced seven new LibGuides on government information and displayed six exhibits throughout the library that point users to the depository.

For children, the library developed educational materials and engaged middle-school students with direct programming.

“I congratulate the staff at the J.D. Williams Library for its innovative and steadfast efforts in keeping America informed on the three branches of the federal government since 1883,” said Herbert H. Jackson Jr, acting GPO deputy director. “The library has demonstrated a rich legacy of service and learning.

“It serves as an example of the critical relationship GPO has with the library community in providing the public free access to government information in digital and print formats.”

“UM Libraries are proud to be included among Federal Depository Libraries,” said Cecilia Botero, UM library dean. “The ability to offer the UM community and the people of Mississippi free public access to these vitally important government documents is a responsibility we take seriously. We are honored to be chosen as the 2018 Federal Depository Library of the Year.”

The Government Publishing Office is the federal government’s official, digital, secure resource for producing, procuring, cataloging, indexing, authenticating, disseminating and preserving the official information products of the U.S. government.

The office is responsible for the production and distribution of information products and services for all three branches of the federal government, including U.S. passports for the Department of State as well as the official publications of Congress, the White House and other federal agencies in digital and print formats. It provides for permanent public access to federal government information at no charge through http://www.govinfo.gov, partnerships with approximately 1,150 libraries nationwide participating in the Federal Depository Library Program, and its secure online bookstore.

For more information, visit http://www.gpo.gov.