Vassar College has been part of the Federal Depository Library Program since 1943. In 1973, we became a selective depository, reducing the number of publications we receive to about 30% of the publications distributed through the FDLP. Our collection strengths are women, labor, international relations, U.S. demographics, legislation, and public policy.

80% of our government documents collection is online. The majority of our physical collection, which includes print, microfilm, CD/DVD/videocassette and more, is located in the on the ground floor of the Thompson Memorial Library in Stack 1. 

The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is administered by the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) to provide public access, free of charge, to Federal government information. Since 1813, select U.S. Government documents have been made available throughout the United States and its territories to designated libraries, known as Federal depository libraries. There are currently over 1100 depository libraries in the United States. These libraries provide public access to U.S. government information, as well as assistance in locating this information. The authority for the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and the legal obligations of designated Federal depository libraries are found in 44 United States Code §§1901‐1916.