Government Documents & Information: Home

Find Us

We are located in the Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library on the second floor of the Reference area. 

History

Federal Depository Library

Stony Brook University Libraries has been a selective governnment depository library, a member of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) since 1963. There are approximately 1150 libraries designated by GPO, the Government Publishing Office, as Federal Depository Libraries.  Currently we select about 47% of all available government documents. Depository materials are available in paper, microfiche, CD-ROM, and online. We also obtain a large number of maps and a variety of legal materials from this program.

The collection supports the general research and teaching needs of the University.  We also support the government information needs of the constituents of the 1st Congressional District of New York State. 

New York State Depository Library

We have been a New York State Depository (microfilm, microfiche, selected paper and electronic documents) since 1964. 

Suffolk County

The documents area also collects some Suffolk County Documents, such as Annual Budgets.   

We own a small law collection, which focuses on New York State and Federal law (see Law tab of this guide). 

Many of our government documents can be found in our catalog.

Mission

The collection supports the general research and teaching needs of the students, faculty and staff of Stony Brook University.  It is also open to the public as mandated by Public Law 44 USC Chapters 19 and 41. Our mission is to provide access and instruction and to help to our patrons in finding Government Documents & Information in paper, microform, CD/DVD or online formats. Help in using government and law information is available at the Reference Desk in the North Reading Room (632-7148, ask for Reference).

In April 2015, the GPO announced that it is developing a Federal Information Preservation Network, known as FIPNet, as a component of the National Plan for Access to U.S. Government Information. FIPNet  "is a strategy for a collaborative network of information professionals working in various partner roles to ensure access to the national collection of Government information for future generations."