Libraries Welcome House Administration Committee Approval of FDLP Modernization Act

For Immediate Release
Thu, 04/12/2018

Contact:

Shawnda Hines

Asst. Director, Communications

ALA Washington Office

(202) 628-8410

shines@alawash.org

National library associations praised the Committee on House Administration’s approval of the FDLP Modernization Act (H.R. 5305) today. The bipartisan bill would update and strengthen the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) to ensure that members of the public have effective and long-term access to government information. 
 
Leaders of the American Library Association, American Association of Law Libraries, Association of Research Libraries and Chief Officers of State Library Agencies praised the legislation, saying: 
 
“Through their decades-long collaboration with the FDLP, libraries help the public find, use and understand government information. The FDLP Modernization Act will bolster that critical partnership and secure the public’s right to know.”
- Jim Neal, president of the American Library Association
 
“True to its name, the FDLP Modernization Act will bring the FDLP into the digital era by shedding outdated requirements and ensuring libraries work closely with the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) to meet their needs and the needs of the public. The bill will enable libraries and the GPO to provide comprehensive, timely and equitable access to trustworthy government information.”
- Greg Lambert, president of the American Association of Law Libraries
 
”The Association of Research Libraries applauds the introduction of the FDLP Modernization Act and looks forward to swift passage by the U.S. House of Representatives. Through the FDLP, libraries work to ensure no-fee, public access to information produced by our government. Such access spurs innovation, advances research and education and supports open and transparent government.”
- Mary Ann Mavrinac, president of the Association of Research Libraries
 
“This legislation addresses many State Library Agency interests. H.R. 5305 expands the definition of government information to include digital and other specialized information formats and requires GPO to collect and preserve these forms of information. It also provides free access to this information and requires GPO and the depository libraries to develop safeguards for the privacy of individuals accessing government information, very good provisions for the public at large.” 
- Sandra Treadway, president of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies
 
The FDLP Modernization Act is sponsored by House Administration Committee Chairman Gregg Harper (R-MS), Ranking Member Bob Brady (D-PA), and Committee members Rodney Davis (R-IL), Barbara Comstock (R-VA), Mark Walker (R-NC), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Adrian Smith (R-NE). The legislation follows a series of hearings held by the committee in 2017 at which librarians testified about their experiences with the FDLP.