2017 MLA Annual Conference

What is the role of federal depository library (FDLP) collections and librarians during moments of societal strife and change? Using several case studies, this session will explore how government information has responded and evolved during fraught historical eras. Beyond gaining perspective that might inform our current work, attendees will also learn about valuable, publicly accessible resources our patrons can use to follow government activity and engage with their representatives. In our current moment, government documents are under particular scrutiny and threat, including the removal of data from government websites, politicization of agency publications, and withholding of information from the public. Yet, there are many ways FDLP collections and librarians can still uniquely inform, empower, and engage our patrons in response.